Position of Imamate...

Position of Imamate: This divine position is different from the two previously mentioned positions according to the Quranic point of view accompanied with various other responsibilities and wider domains in the way of administering the people and the society's leadership.

Let us present the bright evidences based in the light of the luminous Quranic verses in this regard: The Holy Quran mentions the position of imamate of prophet Ibrahim in the following way: "And when His lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, he fulfilled them and said, surely I will make you an imam for the men. Ibrahim said; and what about that of my offspring?

In the light of this Quranic speech, two realities become clear to us i.e., the difference between the concept of imamate and the concepts of prophecy and messenger ship, because Abraham many years ago before these divine tests among which being his decision to sacrifice his own son Ismail, had attained the position of prophethood, the proof of which is the following.

We all know that the Exalted God, granted Ibrahim his two sons Ismael and Ishaac at old age, because The Holy Quran speaking for him says, "praise be to Allah who has given me in old age Ismail and Ishaaq," Thus Abraham attained the position of imamate by the Exalted God after difficult test, which included the decision to sacrifice Ismael, and this was in the last days of his holy life.

He attained the position of leadership over the people in the last period of his life, while years before that he had the position of prophethood, because before attaining offspring's, the divine revelation of prophethood was sent upon him..

Also, from this verse, "and when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words." One can benefit from the fact that the position of divine imamate, and leadership of the society and mankind as a whole, is in a level higher then the level of prophethood and messengership, because according to the Quranic speech, at the same time that his holiness Abraham had attained the position of prophecy and messenger ship, he had to go through unendurable examinations and it is only after passing these tests that the position of imamate was granted to him.