Remember the time when his Lord tried Ibrahim by means ( of...

📌Remember the time when his Lord tried Ibrahim by means ( of certain ) words… ” An assumption like this is open to criticisms, like: This supposition entails deleting something or refraining from stating it explicitly which is contrary to basic rule (of rhetoric). Without a conjunction “and” the clause “ Surely I will make you an Imam for mankind ” , is separated from the previous one.

Apparently, the context of the clause “ I will make you an Imam **”** is not disconnected from the previous one but it is semantically and syntactically dependent on it. Since there is no conjunction “and” to join the two parts, it seems that when this part comes with the preceding part it forms a whole. The relation between these two parts is an outcome of the dependence of “when” or “ He said ”.

Thus the meaning will be like this: “When his Lord had tested Ibrahim, He said to him ‘I will make you an Imam’”. Accordingly, tests prepared the ground for granting Imamate to Prophet Ibrahim. Another solid evidence is the Qur’anic verse wherein the relationship between the “patience” and “Imamate” of prophets is clearly explained: “ And we made of them Imams to guide by our command for they were patient, and they were certain of our clear signs **”** .

(32:24) The above verse mentions that it is due to the prophets’ “patience” and “certainty” that they were granted Imamate, and this clearly shows that there is a connection between the tests to which the Prophet Ibrahim was exposed and the rank of Imamate to which the stated verse refers. Ibrahim’s Tests and Trials What were the tests that made the Prophet Ibrahim worthy of holding the position of Imamate?

The Qur’anic verse states that Ibrahim was tested through “words”, and he brilliantly succeeded in the test. The words were apparently particular commands by means of which he was tested. What the noble Qur’an means by “ manifest trial ”[^1] which the Prophet Ibrahim faced in his life is his determination to offer his son as a sacrifice; an act which confirms Ibrahim’s boundless generosity and complete submission to Almighty God.

It should be noted here that the Prophet Ibrahim was put to test when he was very old, many years after he had been made a prophet and was given a son, Ismail, when aged. Does Imamate to which this Qur’anic verse refers mean the same as Prophet Ibrahim’s prophethood?

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