So, it is the most meritorious of His servants, like the...

So, it is the most meritorious of His servants, like the Blessed Prophet of Islam, who receive the position of imamate, the leadership of the people and the rule over the society. Is Concomitancy of Prophethood and Imamate a Necessity ? A further question may ask if the two ranks are concomitant, that is, if a Prophet should necessarily be an Imam, or if it is necessary for an Imam to be a Prophet, too. The answer to both questions is, as the logic of Revelation views it, negative.

A study of the Quranic verses concerning Saul and his fighting the oppressor Goliath (Jalut) indicates that after the demise of the Prophet Moses, God raised Ishmooil to prophethood, but gave Talut the position of Imamate, the leadership and the rule. Preceding this event, a number of the Israelites (Bani-Isra'il) had requested the prophet of the time to choose a leader so they could fight in the way of…