Recognition of Imam Part III - Introduction
Introduction
Tags: ja`il, vicegerent, kull
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
"Before the creation and annunciation of Hazrat-i Adam(`a), God Almighty said to all the angels: “I am going to appoint (ja`il) [forever] a vicegerent (khalifah) in the earth” (2:30). The main purport of this Divine statement was the prediction and proclamation that the blessed and sacred office of Divine vicegerency and representation would continue and last forever in Hazrat-i Adam(`a) and in the succession of the revered Prophets and the glorious Imams from his progeny. Thus, according to Divine Will, this Divine office continued from generation to generation, first in the cycle of Prophethood and then in the cycle of Imamat, one after the other in [a human] attire, until the present day. God willing, it will continue forever in the future.
If a wise person would like to investigate this fact with certainty and meticulousness, first of all, he should think and reflect deeply over the meaning of the word 'ja`il', which is on the pattern of 'fa`il', i.e., the active participle. Here the extensiveness of its meaning is related to “in the earth (fi'l-arz)”, by which are meant all those people who will continue to live on the planet earth from the time of Hazrat-i Adam(`a) till the Resurrection. This fact is proven by the word “khalifah (vicegerent)” in two ways. First, “khalīfah” means a vicegerent, who in one respect is (`a) Hazrat-i Ādam , the single vicegerent of God from whose children, all the Prophets and Imāms were the heirs, guardians and representatives of his vicegerency in their respective times. In the other respect, it is also true to say that every Prophet and every Imam is a vicegerent of God in his own time. Both these statements have the same meaning.
If Hazrat-i Adam(`a)'s vicegerency was not to last in the succession of the Prophets and Imams from his descendants till the Resurrection, why did the angels object to it? Although they were not aware of the realities of things, yet in some ways they knew of the external condition of the events that were to take place in this world. Their way of objection shows the ever-presence of the vicegerent of God among the people in this world, as they said: “Will You appoint therein one who will make mischief and shed blood?” (2:30). In reply to this God said: “I know what you know not” (2:30).
There is always the physical and spiritual vicegerency of God, may He be exalted for the sake of people's guidance and the help and support of right and justice. Therefore, He has said: “O Da'ud! We did indeed appoint you vicegerent in the earth: so judge (fa'hkum) you between humankind with the truth” (38:26). From this noble verse it becomes absolutely clear that the “judgment (hukm)” related to the inhabitants of the earth had been entrusted by God, the Wise, to His chosen vicegerent with all its meanings. Otherwise, the title of vicegerent would have been meaningless. According to this teaching of the holy Qur'an, when “judging (hukm)” is not permissible without God's vicegerency, then how can “commanding (amr)” be permissible without it? Thus, it becomes self-evident that the holy Qur'an calls the holy Imams ulu'l-amr (the custodians of the Divine command), due to the fact that God has conferred upon them the honour of His vicegerency in the earth and made them the masters and authorities of (His) command.
We have discussed the vicegerency of Hazrat-i Adam(`a) in the beginning of this book, “Recognition of Imam”, because not only is it the foundation of the office of Prophethood, but undoubtedly that of Imamat as well. Thus, in doing so with the Qur'anic proof of the vicegerency of Hazrat-i Adam(`a) and Hazrat-i Da'ud(`a), we have shown clearly that the Imam, as the spiritual vicegerent of God, is always present and living in this world, and it is extremely necessary for every faithful devotee to attain his recognition. Hence, for our Isma`ili brothers and sisters, we have started a series of books consisting of diverse topics on the recognition of Imam. Two of these books have already been completed and the third of this series, which is the present book, is now complete and in your hands, by God's kindness and benevolence.
This book is based on the evidences of such Qur'anic verses in which the word “kull (whole, universal)” is mentioned. The necessity and importance of the recognition of Imam is shown from the realities of each of them by considering such verses as “kulliyyat (sing. kulliyyah)” i.e., universals or general laws. The reason for adopting this method of essays in this book is because of the fact that one famous kulliyyah or universal law of the recognition of the Imam in the wise Qur'an is: “Wa kulla shay'in ahsaynahu fi imamin mubin” (36:12), which means that God has encompassed everything (kull) in the personality of the manifest Imam. Since it is an universally accepted fact that the manifest Imām encompasses everything, it has to be accepted that the subject of the recognition of Imām also encompasses every subject. Thus, we had [undertaken] to prove and show how the above mentioned universal law has encompassed all the other universal laws of the Qur'an. Now by studying this book you can come to know that indeed, all the universal laws of the wise Qur'an are contained in the universal law of “Imamin mubin (manifest Imam)” and all the verses of the Qur'an are contained in the universal laws.
Besides the Qur'an and the Hadith, common sense also testifies that everything has a door. Thus, the various wisdoms which are housed in the Qur'an's treasures also have doors. These doors have locks with keys, as the holy Qur'an says: “Do they then not ponder over the Qur'an or are there locks on their hearts?” (47:24). Thus, in the light of the recognition of the True Imam, the special keys which I have mentioned in this book are indeed, God willing, the keys of the treasures of the recognition of the lmam and Qur'anic knowledge and wisdom for the true mu'mins.
I do not feel ashamed, rather it gives me immense happiness, to say that I am not rich in knowledge, but I am an indigent (darwish). Day and night, I call out shay'an li'llah and beg for charity in the name of God at the door of spirituality of the exalted Imam. Thus, if my writings can provide any kind of service of knowledge for the Jama`at, it is only due to this Shah-i walayat (king of walayat) and the light of guidance, and any shortcomings in expression are due to the impurities of my own soul.
Finally, I seek the sincere prayers of the group of mu'mins so that God, may He be exalted, through the mediation of His custodian of command, the living and present Imam, grant this humble servant more and more success and courage to serve the cause of knowledge. Amin! O the Lord of the worlds!
The humble writer,
12th March, 1974.
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