A120
Surah: 016 - Ayah: 120
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16:120
Ibrahim (a.s.), Imam, (Single Soul)
God by His perfect power gathers everything in the Perfect Man, as mentioned in verse (16:120): "Verily, Ibrahim was an ummat (in his personal world), obedient to God and inclined only towards Him." Such a perfect and consummate person is called the Single Soul, who unites all human souls and this is an extremely great favour of God upon the people.
Ummah 2 (Community)
All people are one community in the world of particles (calam-i dharr), and the same is true in the Single Soul and the subtle body. You can read the example of Hazrat Ibrahim in verse (16:120): “Verily Hazrat Ibrahim was an ummah (community), obedient to God and a chosen believer in one God (muwahhid)."
Qanit (Obedient to God, devout, constant in prayer, submissive)
O my dears! With the inner eye note the extremely marvellous wisdom in verse (16:120), which is that Hazrat Ibrahim was a great ummat in his personal world, and his characteristics were humility, submissiveness and remaining obedient to God and recognising Him. Although the entire universe was enfolded in him, here there is a reference to those obedient servants of God who were moulded in his blessed personality and had become his copies and that he was the Imam of the people.
It is mentioned in the Qur'an: “Verily! Abraham was a nation (ummat) obedient to Allah, upright, and he was not of the polytheists” (16:120). So here too, is the same reality. The action of Abraham is regarded as the action of all the Prophets and Imams from his progeny, for he was their progenitor and his status and rank had to continue in their succession till the Resurrection as mentioned in the Qur'an (4:54).
Now, with respect to the question of why this meritorious deed of the Imam is mentioned in the plural form, the answer is that Mawlᾱ Ali is the father of the Imams, therefore, in his word and deed are included all those holy Imams who are going to come to this world till the Resurrection, as it is said about Hazrat Ibrᾱhīm:“Verily, Ibrahim was an ummat (nation) obedient to Allah, by nature upright.” (16:120)
Q301 It is mentioned in verse (16:120): “Verily Abraham [alone] was an ummat (community), devotedly obedient to Allah, upright.” Would you kindly tell us how Hazrat Abraham(c) alone was a community?
A301
- Hazrat Abraham(c) was the best personal world in his own time, in whom all people were merged and became obedient.
- Although every Perfect Man is alone, 70000 + 70000 = 140,000 angels are created in him.
This verse has been referred 10 times.