Below are evidence derived from the illuminating verses of...

Below are evidence derived from the illuminating verses of the Quran to support our view: a) As regards bestowing Imamate onto a dear Prophet, Abraham, the true friend of God, the Quran says, When his Lord tested Abraham by means (of certain) words, and he fulfilled them, He said: I am going to make you into a leader for mankind. He said: What about my offspring ? This verse clearly distinguishes the status of Imamate from those of Prophecy and the Divine Mission.

Abraham had years before been appointed a Prophet, and, as the following two evidence indicate, tested in such circumstances as the time when he had to make the demanding decision to sacrifice his son, Isma`il. a) The Almighty God had bestowed Abraham two sons Isma`il and Ishaq at the time when Abraham had grown old. The Glorious Quran says, Praise be to Allah, Who has given me in old age Isma`il and Ishaq.

14:39 The decision to sacrifice Isma`il, a divine trial, followed by still the more difficult ones, preceded Gods raising Abraham to the position of Imamate towards the end of his life, although the Divine Revelation a sign of the Prophethood had descended upon him years before, far ahead of the time he had the offspring.[1] b) Still more proof for the superiority of the position of the divine Imamate leadership of the society and of the Ummah over those of Prophethood and the Divine Mission is conveyed in this Quranic verse: And when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain which refers to the intolerable tests Abraham had to pass successfully before [1] See verses 99-102 of Chapter al-Saffat, verses 53-54 of Chapter al-Hijr, and verses 70-71 of Chapter Hud.

the position of Imamate could be bestowed on him, although he had already attained Prophethood and risalah. The reason is clear: The divine leadership, Imamate, includes receiving of the revelation and propagating it as well as managing of the society that leads to Ummahs perfection and happiness. It is natural for such a rank to be particularly sensitive and great, the attaining of which requires success in intolerable and successive tests.

The above verse reveals that the Almighty God bestowed the position of Imamate and leadership of the society onto Ibrahim after He had tried him with difficult tests.