Question
I am doing a research on concept of Imamat in Shia sect and Sunni point of view in the light of Quran. What is your point of view on the subject? Please note that I have accessed all the online sources where sunnis claim that there is NOT even a single verse in Quran saying anything about Imamat. However Shia provide several references such as 17:71 ” (Remember) the day when We will call every people with their Imam; then whoever is given his book in his right hand, these shall read their book; and they shall not be dealt with a whit unjustly.” What is the meaning of “IMAM ” here?
Answer
Since you wrote you were doing a research on the concept, I try to elaborate a bit more:
I initiate this answer by quoting what you wrote in your question as the view of the Sunnies (please bear in mind that I am not a Sunni):
” there is NOT even a single verse in Quran saying anything about Imamat”
If by ‘Imamat’ you mean words deriving from the literal word Imamah then the above statement is wrong. Imamah in Arabic means Leadership. It is only natural that the words like lead, leader, leadership, etc. would be included in a book that is about the guidance of human beings.
If however by ‘Imamat’ you mean the specific understanding of Shia Muslims about the concept, then the above statement to my understanding is totally true. According to the Shia Muslims, Imamah is a divine responsibility separate from Prophethood and in Islam God has given this responsibility to 12 people from the generation of the Prophet (pbuh). I am not aware of any verses of the Qur’an that instruct me or categorically inform me about this concept.
Not only this, the Qur’an in fact contains information that opposes the concept of Imamah as put by Shia Muslims. To mention one, according to Shia Muslims without the divine Imams after the Prophet (pbuh) the guidance of God would have not been completed. In other words, if there were no divine Imams after the Prophet (pbuh) then people who were among the direct addressees of the Prophet (pbuh) would still have excuses for not being guided after the demise of the Prophet (pbuh). The Qur’an however says otherwise:
“[We sent] messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that people will have no excuses after the messengers and God is mighty and wise.” (4:165).
The verse you referred to is as follows:
يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ فَمَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَابَهُمْ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا
“The day we will call every people with their leaders, so the one who receive their book of deeds from their right they will read their book and will not be treated unfairly even as much as a thread” 70:71
As you can see the verse has nothing to do with the Shia concept of Imamah. The verse simply says that in the day of judgement every people will be called with the leader they chose to follow. Online with this verse 11:98 and 28:41 introduce Fer’un and his system as Imams (leaders) who lead their people to the hell fire just as 21:73 introduces the prophets of Bani Israel as leaders of their people. Similarly verse 25:74 praises people who are trying to be good enough to be leaders (Imams) of pious. Referring to the same meaning of Imam, verse 9:12 instructs the Prophet (pbuh) to kill the Imams (leaders) of Kufr.
Although I do not consider Hadith to be an independent source of understanding Islam, yet I do not know any reliable Hadith in which we read that the Prophet (pbuh) has instructed people about divine Imams after him. In fact, even in the most reliable religious source after the Qur’an according to Shia, i.e. Nahj al-Balagha, I do not see any traces of the Shia concept of Imamah and see evidences against it. Beside Nahj al-Balagha, the book Sahifah al-Sajjadiya is considered as one of the most important religious sources of Shia Muslims. If you read prayer number four of this book (that is attributed to Ali ibn al-Hussain the 4th Imams of Shia Muslims) you will find that practically, and inline with the verse 9:100, the collectivity of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) has been introduced as those who people should look up to as religious leaders. Find it here: http://www.duas.org/sajjadiya/s04.htm
If you know any verses of the Qur’an that you think are instructing us about divine Imams then please let me know and I will comment.
Answered by: Farhad Shafti
Date: 2014-12-08
