Du`a – Essence of `Ibadat Part Five - The Qur'an and Imamat are the Trusts of God and the Prophet
The Qur'an and Imamat are the Trusts of God and the Prophet
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
“Ya ayyuha'lladhina amanu la takhunu'llaha wa'r-rasula wa takhunu amanatikum wa-antum ta`lamun = O you who believe, betray not the trust of Allah and the Messenger, nor knowingly betray your trusts” (8:27).
The gist of this verse is that the reality of the Qur'an and the status of the progeny of Hadhrat Muhammad (i.e. Imamat) are the trusts of God and the Prophet, which mu'mins must not betray. That is, they should not claim these sacred trusts and must understand that they are the possessions of God and the Prophet. They should believe that God, the Prophet and the one whom God and His Prophet have appointed know the real meaning of the Qur'an. And regarding the rank of Imamat, they should believe that it belongs to the Prophet and after him to his progeny and the ummat has no right to interfere in it. The example of such a belief and concept amounts to executing the trusts of God and the Prophet faithfully and benefitting from them according to the will of God and the Prophet.
As for “Nor knowingly betray your trusts”, by this part of the verse God means that if you betray the trusts of God and the Prophet, then you betray your own trusts knowingly, in the sense that if someone claims to have knowledge and wisdom of the Qur'an without acquiring it from the progeny of the Prophet, i.e. the Imam of the time, he betrays the trusts of God and the Prophet and as a result of that, he betrays his own trust, which is with the Imam of the time. And he himself will be accountable for the betrayal of his trust. For, he was aware that due to deviation from the straight path he will not be able to see the treasurer of the Divine knowledge and thus he will not be able to enter the city of knowledge and wisdom. As Mawlana `Ali has said: “I am the interpreter of the revelation of God”. He has also said: “I am the treasurer of the knowledge of God”. The holy Prophet has said: “I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate, whoever wants knowledge should come through the gate”. Further, in this connection, God has said: “Then We gave the Book as inheritance unto those (i.e. the Imams) whom (on the basis of their natural capability) We selected of Our servants. For, of the (common) servants there are some who (due to disobedience) wrong themselves and of them are some who follow a middle course (between good and bad) and of them are some who excel (others) in good deeds, by Allah's permission. That is the great favour” (35:32).
“Rabbana'ghfir lana dhunubana wa-sahhil umurana wa'rzuqna wa'rhamna innaka `ala kulli shay'in qadir = O our Lord! Forgive our sins! Make our tasks easy! Grant us spiritual and physical sustenance and have mercy upon us! Indeed, You are powerful over everything”. Ya 'Aliyyu ya Muhammadu … Ya Muhammadu ya 'Aliyyu …
“Ya imama'z-zamani ya mawlana anta quwwati wa-anta sanadi wa-`alayka't-tikali ya hadhiru ya mawjudu ya Shah Karimu'l-Husayni anta'l-imamu'l-haqqu'l-mubin = O Imam of the time! O our lord! You are my strength and you are my support and in you is my trust. O the present one! O the existing one! O Shah Karim al-Husayni! You are the true and manifest Imam”. “Allahumma laka sujudi wa-ta ati = O Allah! my prostration and obedience is for You”.
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