Further to Ibrahims request...

Further to Ibrahims request, God accepted his pray and having raised him to the rank of Prophethood, allowed for his righteous offspring the leadership of the Ummah and the ruling over the society, as is mentioned in the glorious Quran But indeed We have given to Ibrahims children the Book and the wisdom, and We have given them a grand kingdom. 4:55.

It is thus understood that Imamate and the leading of the community is a rank different from Prophethood; it is a rank the Almighty God gave His prophet, Ibrahim, after he succeeded in the difficult tests test by Him. It was then that Ibrahim requested God for the rule and leadership to continue in his righteous offspring, which was accepted.

Besides the divine Book and wisdom, allusions to Prophethood and risalah, they were granted a grand kingdom and leadership, the realization of Ibrahims pray. This is why some of Ibrahims offspring such as Joseph, David, and Solomon were both Prophets and leaders of the community. It is thus clear that the rank lf Imamate is something different from both Nubuwwah, Prophethood, and risalah, the Divine Mission.

Also, due to the wider scope of authority and responsibility, Imamate is worthier and occupies a superior position. Superiority of the Position of Imamate The preceding discussion showed that since the Prophet and the Messenger are bearers of the news and the message, their activities are limited to warning and illuminating of the direction (to God).

If a Prophet, however, attains the position of Imamate, he will have to shoulder greater responsibilities in actualizing the divine scheme and implementing the commands of the holy religion to establish an exemplary prosperous community and to lead his people in such a way as to secure their happiness in this world and in the next.

Such an important responsibility, the execution of which requires a constant confrontation with hardships and battling with desires, is evidently in dire need of an enormous spiritual power, of burning for God, and of greater tolerance of difficulties, a responsibility which will not actualize if it is not accompanied with Gods love and self annihilation in the way of acquiring His satisfaction.

This is why the Almighty God granted Ibrahim the position of Imamate after he had passed a chain of intolerable tests and was in the final link of life.