Hawzah News Agency- Based on the Shiite perspective, the Imam and the successor of the Prophet are only appointed by God and chosen by Him, and the Prophet introduces the Imam after him. Therefore, no individual or group has the right to interfere in this matter.
The necessity of appointing an Imam by God has several reasons, including:
A. According to the Holy Quran, the absolute ruler over all beings is God, and everyone must obey Him alone. It is obvious that this sovereignty can be given by God to anyone - according to their merit and expediency. Therefore, just as the Prophet is chosen by God, the Imam also receives guardianship over the people by divine appointment.
B. We have previously described the characteristics of the Imam, such as infallibility, knowledge, etc. It is clear that finding someone who possesses these characteristics - and that too in the highest degree - is possible only through God, who knows the hidden and the manifest of human beings.
As God says to Prophet Abraham (PBUH):
«إِنِّی جَاعِلُکَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا.»
‘I am making you the Imam of mankind.’ (Chapter Baqarah, V. 124)
About Prophet Adam (PBUH):
«إِنِّی جَاعِل فِی ٱلأَرۡضِ خَلِیفَةً»
‘Indeed, I am going to set a viceroy on the earth,’ (Chapter Baqarah, V. 30)
He says to Prophet David (peace be upon him):
«يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ.»
‘O David! Indeed, we have made you a vicegerent on the earth.’ (Chapter Sad, V. 26)
He says to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
«یَا أَیُّهَا النَّبِیُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاکَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِیرًا؛»
‘O Prophet! Indeed, we have sent you as a witness, as a bearer of good news and as a warner’ (Chapter Ahzab, V. 45)
And He also says:
«وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً یَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا وَکَانُوا بِآیَاتِنَا یُوقِنُونَ؛»
“When they had been patient and had conviction in Our signs, we appointed amongst them imams to guide [the people] by Our command. (Chapter Sajdah, V. 24)
Therefore, the appointment of an Imam and leader of the people is one of the rights of Allah Almighty.
A comprehensive and remarkable hadith from Imam Reza (PBUH):
Imam Reza states the following about the position of the Imam and his characteristics:
«...هَلْ یَعْرِفُونَ قَدْرَ الْإِمَامَةِ وَ مَحَلَّهَا مِنَ الْأُمَّةِ فَیَجُوزَ فِیهَا اخْتِیَارُهُمْ إِنَّ الْإِمَامَةَ أَجَلُّ قَدْراً وَ أَعْظَمُ شَأْناً وَ أَعْلَی مَکَاناً وَ أَمْنَعُ جَانِباً وَ أَبْعَدُ غَوْراً مِنْ أَنْ یَبْلُغَهَا النَّاسُ بِعُقُولِهِمْ أَوْ یَنَالُوهَا بِآرَائِهِمْ أَوْ یُقِیمُوا إِمَاماً بِاخْتِیَارِهِمْ.»
"... Do they know the dignity of the Imamate and its place in the ummah, so that it is permissible for them to choose it? Indeed, the Imamate is a greater position, a greater matter, a higher place, and a more difficult task for people to attain with their minds. Or do they attain it with their own opinions or appoint an Imam of their own choice?”
إِنَّ الْإِمَامَةَ أُسُّ الْإِسْلَامِ النَّامِی وَ فَرْعُهُ السَّامِی بِالْإِمَامِ تَمَامُ الصَّلَاةِ وَ الزَّکَاةِ وَ الصِّیَامِ وَ الْحَجِّ وَ الْجِهَادِ وَ تَوْفِیرُ الْفَیْءِ وَ الصَّدَقَاتِ وَ إِمْضَاءُ الْحُدُودِ وَ الْأَحْکَامِ وَ مَنْعُ الثُّغُورِ وَ الْأَطْرَافِ الْإِمَامُ یُحِلُّ حَلَالَ اللَّهِ وَ یُحَرِّمُ حَرَامَ اللَّهِ وَ یُقِیمُ حُدُودَ اللَّهِ وَ یَذُبُّ عَنْ دِینِ اللَّهِ وَ یَدْعُو إِلَی سَبِیلِ رَبِّهِ بِالْحِکْمَةِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَ الْحُجَّةِ الْبَالِغَةِ.
Indeed, Imamate is the foundation of Islam and its highest branch, almsgiving, fasting, Hajj, and Jihad, and marking the limits and rulings and prohibiting the boundaries of the imam resolves the order of Allah and prohibits the forbidden. He protects the religion of Allah and he calls to the way of his Lord with wisdom and good exhortation and eloquent argument.
Indeed, the Imamate is the root of the growth of Islam in every aspect. The perfection of prayer, almsgiving, fasting, pilgrimage, jihad, the increase of charity, the implementation of limits and ordinances, and the maintenance of boundaries are all through the Imam. The Imam is the one who makes what is lawful for Allah permissible and what is forbidden for Him forbidden, upholds the limits of Allah, defends the religion of Allah, and invites people to the way of their Lord with wisdom, advice and fair argument.
الْإِمَامُ وَاحِدُ دَهْرِهِ لَا یُدَانِیهِ أَحَدٌ وَ لَا یُعَادِلُهُ عَالِمٌ وَ لَا یُوجَدُ مِنْهُ بَدَلٌ وَ لَا لَهُ مِثْلٌ وَ لَا نَظِیرٌ مَخْصُوصٌ بِالْفَضْلِ کُلِّهِ مِنْ غَیْرِ طَلَبٍ مِنْهُ لَهُ وَ لَا اکْتِسَابٍ بَلِ اخْتِصَاصٌ مِنَ الْمُفْضِلِ الْوَهَّابِ فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِی یَبْلُغُ مَعْرِفَةَ الْإِمَامِ أَوْ یُمْکِنُهُ اخْتِیَارُهُ... .
The Imam is the only one in his time, no one can match him, no scholar can equal him, he has no substitute, no equal, he has been given all the virtues, without him having sought them himself and obtained them, rather it is a privilege that God has bestowed upon him through His grace and mercy. Who can possibly recognize or choose the Imam?" (Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 198)
This discussion continues...
Extracted from the book “Negine Afarinesh (The Jewel of Creation)”, with slight changes
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