God has given him great nobility by that and made him well-known.

God has given him great nobility by that and made him well-known. The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘…I will make thee an Imam to the Nations…’[^4] Then Abraham (a.s.) got happy and said, ‘…And also (Imams) from my offspring!…’ ^5 Then the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘But My Promise is not within the reach of evil-doers.’ ^6 Thus this verse will forever close any possibility of Divine Leadership for any oppressor up until the Resurrection Day.

Therefore, Divine Leadership has been limited to the chosen ones. Then the Honorable the Exalted God honored him by establishing Divine Leadership for the chosen pure ones from Abraham’s (a.s.) progeny. The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘And We bestowed on him Isaac and, as an additional gift, (a grandson), Jacob, and We made righteous men of every one (of them).

And We made them Divine Leaders, guiding (men) by Our Command, and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to practice regular charity; and they constantly served Us (and Us only).’[^7] Thus Divine Leadership remained in his progeny from one generation to the next until the Prophet (S) inherited it.

The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘Without doubt, among men, the nearest of kin to Abraham, are those who follow him, as are also this Messenger and those who believe: And Allah is the Protector of those who have faith.’ [^8] Therefore, this وَأَنْزَلَ فِي حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ وَهِيَ آخِرُ عُمُرِهِ (الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِيناً).

وَأَمْرُ الإِمَامَةِ مِنْ تَمَامِ الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يَمْضِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ حَتَّى بَيَّنَ لامَّتِهِ مَعَالِمَ دِينِهِ وَأَوْضَحَ لَهُمْ سُبُلَهُ وَتَرَكَهُمْ عَلَى قَصْدِ الْحَقِّ وَأَقَامَ لَهُمْ عَلِيّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَلَماً وَإِمَاماً وَمَا تَرَكَ شَيْئاً تَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ الأُمَّةُ إِلا بَيَّنَهُ فَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمْ يُكْمِلْ دِينَهُ فَقَدْ رَدَّ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمَنْ رَدَّ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ فَهُوَكَافِرٌ هَلْ يَعْرِفُونَ قَدْرَ الإِمَامَةِ وَمَحَلَّهَا مِنَ الأُمَّةِ فَيَجُوزَ فِيهَا اخْتِيَارُهُمْ.

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