And the rank of a Divine Imam (Leader)
is a very high rank, not all the Prophets
and Messengers (pbuh) have obtained it,
and here Ibrahim (pbuh) asked Allah the
Glorified the Al-Mighty this
question: {And from my offspring?},
meaning and the Prophets that you have
given me glad tidings of earlier on are
they also (Imams)? Then the Al-Mighty
said: {My promise is not within the
reach of wrong-doers.} meaning the
wrong-doers from the Prophets (pbut).
And the darkness/wrong-doing of the
Prophets is not like the wrong-doing of
the other people but rather it is of a
(different) type (The good deeds of the
sinless (are the) bad deeds of the close
ones (Prophets and
Messengers)) [AlJawahir AlSuniya
AlA’amiliya: page 83], meaning
performing the work (duties) but not to (a
level) as best as possible in order for us to
differentiate by the knowledge among
them - so every one of them (pbut)
worships Him the Glorified according to
their knowledge therefore their devotion/
worship varies, so a prostration from
Muhammad (pbuhap) is better than the
devotion of the Thaqalain (two weighty
things, adhering to Quran and
Ahlulbayt), and a strike (in a battle) from
Ali (pbuh) is the same as the (devotion of
the Thaqalain) [A’awalee AlLi’alee by
Ibn Abi Jamhur: volume 4, page 86].
And this is the differentiation evident
between them (pbut), and the Al-Mighty
mentioned it: {These apostles: We
have preferred some of them above
some others: of them are some unto
whom Allah spake, and some He
raised many degrees. And We
vouchsafed unto Isa, son of Maryam,
the evidences, and We aided him
with the holy spirit; and had Allah so
willed those who came after them
had not fought among themselves
after the evidences had come unto
them but they differed; then of them
some believed and of them some
disbelieved. And had Allah so willed,
they had not fought among
themselves, but Allah doth
whatsoever He intendeth.}[Surat AlBaqara {2: 253}].
So if the same task is assigned to Prophet
Jonah (pbuh) and assigned to
Muhammad (pbuhap) Jonah will not do
it at the same level as Muhammad
(pbuhap) will do it, so this is the lessening
(of quality) from Jonah (pbuh) in the
performance of work relative to what
Muhammad (pbuhap) performs - this is
the darkness (wrong-doing) from Jonah
(pbuh); because this lessening (of quality)
prevented him from obtaining the great
status/rank (Imam) he (pbuh) was created
just like mankind to obtain it.
Therefore this is a degree from this kind
of darkness that the Prophets and
Messengers (pbut) pass in order to obtain
the Imam (leader) rank, and of this the
Al-Mighty said: {My promise is not
within the reach of wrongdoers. (Thalimeen)} meaning not all of
the Prophets from your offspring will
obtain the Imam/leader (rank) O
Abraham, but rather is it obtained by the
Prophets and Messengers from your
offspring that surpass this darkness/
wrong-doing, so they amend towards this
rank {And cast your staff down.” So
when he saw it moving, as if it was a
snake, he retreated turning his back,
and did not look behind. “O Moses,
be not scared. I am such that the
messengers are not scared before
Me, * Except him who did wrong,
then after wrong-doing, replaced (it)
with good, then I am Most-Forgiving,
Very-Merciful.}[Surat Al-Naml
{27: 10-11}].
Indeed the Al-Mighty has indicated in
the Quran towards some of the Imams
from the offspring of Abraham (pbuh):
And one of them: Moses (pbuh), the AlMighty said: {And bring your hand
towards your side it comes out white
(empty) without blackness (wrongdoing) another sign/miracle}
[Surat Ta-Ha {20: 22}], meaning empty
of the darkness/wrong-doing, so the man
takes and gives with the hand, and the
white (empty) hand indicates towards the
justice of the man that is complete with
the people and with Allah the Glorified
the Al-Mighty, thus Moses (pbuh) purified
himself from darkness/wrong-doing to a
high rank, as in the verse: {Except him
who did wrong, then after wrongdoing, replaced (it) with good, then I
am Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.}.
Also one of them: Jesus (pbuh) the AlMighty said informing about Jesus
(pbuh): {Peace on me the day I was
born, and the day I die, and the day I
shall be raised alive.}
[Surat Maryam {19: 33}], meaning that
Jesus (pbuh) obtained the Imam/leader
rank, so he gives safety to himself and to
the people.
And the Al-Mighty indicated towards
those who did not obtain the Imam/
leader rank from them like John/Yehya
(pbuh), the Al-Mighty said:{Peace on
him the day he was born, and the
day he dieth and the day he shall be
raised alive.}[Surat Maryam {19: 15}],
meaning that he did not reach to the
Imam/leader rank in order to give safety
to the people and to himself, but rather
he paved the way for Jesus (pbuh) and
guided the people to him (pbuh).
As for the saying of some of them: That
Abraham (pbuh) was bearing his
offspring’s concerns, if they meant that
he (pbuh) wanted for them (pbut) the
Imam/leader (rank) then this is incorrect;
because Abraham (pbuh) was not wishful
for the world and neither for the
hereafter, but rather he was wishful for
the satisfaction of Allah the Glorified the
Al-Mighty. And the supplication of the
Prophets and Abraham (pbut) to their
offspring furthermore is for the righteous
ones from them after the Prophets (pbut)
learn of their righteousness, and from the
ones before Abraham (pbuh) (is) Noah
(pbuh) indeed he cursed his son after
Allah th