A043
Surah: 016 - Ayah: 043
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16:43
The twelfth proof: “And We did not send before you (as messengers) but men, to whom We revealed (Our message), (so tell the people of Makkah) that if you do not know, ask the people of dhikr (i.e. the true Imams)” (16:43). By the people of dhikr are meant the ahl-I bayt of the Holy Prophet and it is from them that people are commanded to ask questions concerning knowledge and wisdom, as God syas: “Allah has indeed sent down a dhikr to you, a messenger who recites to you the clear signs of Allah.” (65:10-11)
From another aspect “dhikr” means the Quraan and the people of dhikr are the people of the Quraan, i.e. the progeny of Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.s). Thus from verse (16:43), it follows that peopleare commanded by God to ask questions and attain knowledge and wisdom from the progeny of the Holy Prophet, but they are not commanded to ask any body else.
Q247 Who are the people of dhikr mentioned in verse (16:43)? What meanings does their name imply?
A247 As has already been mentioned, dhikr is one of the names of the holy Prophet, and therefore the people of dhikr are the pure Imams who are the people of the Prophet, the people of Qur’an and also the people of the supreme Name. All inner and spiritual miracles and events of the Prophets are recorded in their spirituality and luminosity (36:12). It is because of this that people are told: “If you do not know (about the Prophets), then ask the people of dhikr (i.e. the Imams, 16:43).”
Mawla cAli(c) said: ‘ask me before you lose me’. In this statement it is clear that some people were going to lose the Imam and thus the link to ask questions was going to be broken. This shows that people should first accept the Imam and then they should ask questions as the Qur’an says: “If you do not know, then ask the people of zikr” (16:43).
This verse has been referred 4 times.