In this chapter, we shall discuss the evidence from the Qur’an for the existence of the Imam-Khalifa appointed by Allah (swt). The first and most important argument in proving the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as), or indeed any of the 12 Imams, is proving the necessity of their existence. The enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) ignore sound evidences from the Qur’an and hadeeth in this regard, which establish the need for a constant and continuing office of Imamate. Incapable of disproving the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as) in light of the Qur’anic and hadeeth evidence that establishes the necessity of his existence, they instead attempt to prove that all those who actually saw Imam al-Mahdi (as) were liars, especially the four representatives (safra) of the Short Occultation (al-ghaybah as-sugra). One of the central arguments used by Ansar.org’s article “The Myth of the 12th Imam” is based on the confusion about who would be the Mahdi, and confusion regarding the succession of the 11th Imam, Imam Hassan al-Askari (as). The author of the aforesaid article argues, as have many enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (as), that the belief in the Occultation of the 12th Imam (as) was a convenient method of avoiding the “reality” that there was no longer an Imam after Imam al-Askari (as), and that this doctrine was a forged invention of the Twelver Shi’as.
This means of argument is however barren, and will ultimately not bear any fruit: for in reality, even if every individual who claimed to have seen the Holy Imam (as) during his Short Occultation were to be proven to be an absolute liar, this does not in anyway disprove the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as) himself. One of the greatest mistakes made at Ansar.org is to believe that the Shi’a only believe in the Twelfth Imam (as) because the Four Representatives, and a few other Shi’as, have claimed to have seen him. But this is entirely false; rather, the Shi’a believe in Imamate because of the Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and his family, to which the witness-testimony of the representatives and other Shi’a only act as a support. As such, even if no one had seen Imam al-Mahdi (as) during the ghaybah, his existence is still a necessity, and this is easily understood if one reads the Qur’an with a sound heart and mind.
The discussion below will establish the necessity for a continuing Imamate based on the Holy Qur’an, whose words not even the Wahabbis can deny. Once this is established, then there is no longer any question with regards to the veracity of the Four Representatives or the thousands of hadeeths establishing Imam al-Mahdi (as)’s existence. They are simply bearing witness to something that the Qur’an establishes must be the case and cannot be otherwise. These testimonies and hadeeths, then, provide added support to a doctrine that is already firmly established in the Qur’an. By assuming that we believe in the 12th Imam (as) only because of these testimonies is to put the cart before the horse: we know that the testimony of these witnesses and narrations are true because they concord with the Qur’an. If we had somehow lost all these hadeeths in the history, it would not harm the cause of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) one bit. A careful and considered reading of the Qur’an will prove everything under discussion, and prove the necessity of Imamate in every time, most especially ours. The Qur’an is explicit about the constant presence of Divinely appointed guides, and so on the issue of Imam al-Mahdi (as) we can quote the great founder of the Sunni madhab, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, and say “The Qur’an suffices us.”
Indeed, it is worth noticing that in the section entitled “The Traditional (Textual Evidence) on the Existence of the Mahdi” that the author does not deal with any of the direct Qur’anic evidences on this matter. He quotes the hadeeths which comment and give a tafsir on several ayats, which are many:
Abu Muhammad al Afriqi stated:
1. Allah’s statement: “ And We decreed for the children of Israel in the scripture: Indeed you would do mischief in the land twice and you will become tyrants and extremely arrogant. So, when the promise came for the first of the two, we sent against you slaves of Ours given to terrible warfare. They entered the very innermost parts of your homes. And it was a promise (completely) fulfilled. Then We gave you a return of victory over them”: Kulayni has reported in the Al-Kafi from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him): These verses were revealed concerning the Qa’im (Mahdi).2. Allah’s saying: “ So hasten towards all that is good. Wheresoever you may be, Allah will bring you together. “ Kulayni has reported from Abu Ja’far (peace be upon him) that those addressed above are the companions of the Qa’im (Mahdi).
3. Allah’s saying: “ Until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth” Kulayni has reported also that it means the appearance of the Qa’im from Allah.
4. Allah’s statement: “ And you shall certainly know the truth of it after a while. “
5. Allah’s statement: “Then, when they perceived Our torment, behold, they (tried to) flee from it. Flee not but return to that wherein you lived a luxurious life and to your homes, in order that you may be questioned.” Kulayni has reported from Abu Ja’far (peace be upon him) that he said: “When the Qa’im will appear and will be raised to the Umayyads in Syria, they will flee to Rome. When the companions of the Qa’im will descend on them, they will seek for safety and agreement, the companions of the Qa’im will say: “We will not guarantee that till you bring yourselves to us”, and they bring themselves to them, that is Allah’s saying: “ Flee not but return to that wherein you lived a luxurious life.” He further said: “He will then ask them about the treasures, While he knows best of them, and they will say: “ Woe to us! Certainly we have been unjust. And that cry of theirs ceased not, till we made them as a field that is reaped, extinct (dead) by means of the sword”.
6. The saying of Allah: “ Till when they saw that which they are promised…” That is with the appearance of the Qa’im, as Ali bin Ibrahim al-Qummi says in his ‘Tafseer’.
7. Allah’s statement: “ The day when they will hear the shout in truth: that will be the day of coming out”. That is the shout of the Qa’im from the heavens.
8. Allah’s saying: “ That He makes it superior to religions, even though the idolaters hate it.” What is meant here is the Mahdi from the children of Fatimah.
9. The statement of Allah: “ Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the land.”
9. Allah’s saying: “ And we wished to do a favor to those who were weak (and oppressed) in the land, and to make them Imams (Leaders) and to make them the inheritors.”
http://www.ansar.org/english/mahditheory2.htm
However, the author does not deal with the direct verses of the Qur’an that speak of the necessity for a continuing Imamate. This is because it would be impossible to deny the express and clear meaning of the verses which we have discussed in our detailed article on Imamate. In that article we evidenced the existence of the explicitness of the Holy Qur’an no one can claim that they are Shi’a fabrications. Readers would be encourages to read that article to better familiarize themselves with the Shi’a doctrine of imamate. Crucially Allah (swt) addressed our blessed Prophet (s) as follows:
Indeed you are a warner, and to every people there is a guide.
We should notice that Allah (swt) has said every people (kulli qaum) . This ayat also gives further indication about the reality of Adam’s ancient Prophethood: that every people, including even the first generation of human beings on this Earth, was blessed with a Divine Guide. We then read through the history of the rest of the human race: the story of Noah (as) and the annihilation of his people, the story of Moses (as) coming to liberate the Jews, the story of Jesus (as) coming to prepare the way for the Final Revelation, and finally the Prophet Muhammad (s) himself. The Holy Qur’an recounts the entire history of the human race by recounting the story of the human race’s guides and prophets, all of whom were chosen by Allah (swt) Himself.
One now has to inquire why these guides have figured such a prominent role in the human history. This is because there is simply no other way for Allah (swt) to guide the human race except by sending them one of their own. One of the most important rational proofs for the need to have such guides appointed and sent by Allah (swt) was given by Manthur ibn Hazim in a conversation with Imam as-Sadiq (as):
Whoever knows that he has a Lord, then he should know that there are certain things which make this Lord pleased and certain things which make Him angry. However, one does not know what pleases Him and what Angers Him except through revelation (wahy) or through a Prophet (rasul). As such, whoever knows that he does not receive revelation, should therefore seek out the Prophet. If he meets them, then he will know that they are the Proof (al-hujjat), and that obedience is owed to them.
Usul al-Kafi, Volume 1 page 169
The Imam (as)’s words stand by themselves. There must be a means of communication between Allah (swt) and His servants. If Allah (swt) does not communicate with His servants directly, through revelation, than He will communicate to them through a person who does have that direct communication. This is what a Divine Guide is, whether he be an Imam, a Messenger, or a Prophet. All of them share in this fundamental reality: that they communicate to the human race the realities of Islam, which are revealed to them through miraculous revelation. The difference between each type of guide (Imam, Messenger, Prophet) is only in what they bring: an Imam only defends that which was given to the Messenger or Prophet before, whereas a Prophet only brings a new revealed law. As we have seen, the offices are often shared, though this need not be the case. Our present Imams (as) are neither Messengers nor Prophets, but Imams: they bring no new revelation, but rather have come to guide people to the truth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s)’s teachings.
The need for a Guide is a permanent one, and there is no way that Allah (swt) would leave it to human being to choose whoever they liked as the guide for the Ummah. Such a practice has no Qur’anic basis, and is in fact in clear violation to the Sunnah of Allah (swt), and as He (swt) says:
You will not find any change in the sunnah of Allah (swt).
(Quran: 33:62)
The reason why there would not be any change in the sunnah of Allah, especially with this practice, is the continued need that human beings have towards guidance. A living, present guide is always demanded, and such a person is Imam al-Mahdi (as). We shall now evidence the presence of this eternal guide from the Qur’an:
The first and most important proof for the existence of a continual office of Imamate is the following well-known verses of the Holy Qur’an:
One day Allah will raise up a witness from every people, and then no excuse will be accepted from the unbelievers. (16:84)
We will raise up a witness in every people, drawn from amongst themselves. And we shall bring them as witnesses against these people. We have revealed to you [Prophet Muhammad] the Book which explains all things, guidance, a mercy, and good news to all the Muslims. (16:89)
We shall take from every people a witness, and we shall say: “Produce your proof.” But they will know that the truth is with Allah, and they have been misguided because of the lies they have wrought. (28:75)
One day, we shall call every people with their Imam. (17:71)
Every people, therefore, will have a witness appointed over them, who will be the proof over these people on the Day of Judgment. These people are not merely witnesses, but they are also sent to warn a people about the Day of Judgment and the punishments that will await the disbelievers. To this end Allah (swt) has said:
Indeed you are a warner, and to every people there is a guide. (13:7)
As such, to every people a guide and an Imam is sent. The one who guides comes to teach people the reality of Islam, and what they need to do to gain the nearness and favour of Allah (swt). If these people have transgressed Islam and disbelieved in the teachings that Allah (swt) has sent down, then these same guides will act as a witness over them: they will stand on the Day of Judgment and testify that the disbelievers and transgressors did not reject Islam in ignorance, but had been given knowledge from God (in the form of Islamic revelation) which they rejected.
These verses establish that all times and all places there is, in some form or another, a blessed individual who receives guidance directly from Allah (swt). Such people have learned Islam through revelation (wahy) or inspiration (ilham), not through mere study as do our ‘ulama. Further more, Allah (swt) has said “We will raise up a witness,” meaning that it is Allah (swt) Himself who will appoint this guide and witness to every people. Therefore, the type of person that Allah (swt) is speaking about is not somebody elected by the Muslims in anyway shape or form, and the Muslims (or anybody else in the cosmos) have absolutely no input on who this person is to going to be.
The most important question, then, which should be asked to the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) is this: who is their Imam is in this era, and who is the guide which Allah (swt) has sent to us? These verses are explicit (sareeh) in their scope (shumul): Allah (swt) has clearly said every people, and this includes the people of our generation. Furthermore, he is a very special individual: he is not a mere ‘alim, but is somebody who is appointed by God in the same fashion as the Prophets are appointed by God. These verses clearly establish the need for the constant presence of Divine Guidance amongst the Muslims (and, indeed, amongst all human beings, even though many will reject this guidance), and it is the belief of the Shi’a of the Prophet (s) and his family that the Imam and guide is Imam al-Mahdi (as).
Someone may choose to deny the reality of Imam al-Mahdi (as), arguing that the representatives who claim to have seen him were liars, that the thousands and thousands of hadeeths which prophesize his coming and detail the signs of his personage are all forged, and that Imam Hassan al-‘Askari (as) died without a son. Yet if one makes such a claim, one must provide an alternative answer as to who is the witness (shahid) and guide (hadi) which Allah (swt) has raised up from amongst ourselves, from amongst the human race living in this time. They are, unfortunately, powerless to do so. One may attempt to claim that the (almost entirely oppressive and despotic) Khulufa (Caliphs) that have existed in the Muslim world since the time of Mu’awiyah these guides, but besides the obvious illogicality of believing that Allah (swt) appointed despots as witnesses over the Muslims, the fact is that the Caliphate ceased after World War I and there is no longer anybody claiming the title of Khalifah (successor of the Prophet (s) in the world today. The very fact that so many Sunnis have become heavily influenced by the Khilafah political parties (Hizb at-Tahrir, Al-Muhajiroun, etc.), who clamor for the appointment of khilafah and Imam to rule over the Muslims, is sufficient testimony that the majority of Sunnis do not believe that Allah (swt) has appointed a guide and a witness over us in the present era. This, as one can see from the previous three verses, is clear disbelief in the Holy Qur’an, for Allah (swt) has made it explicit that every people will have a guide.
In order to make these verses fit with the Sunni belief system, then one must come up with a number of alternative explanations for these verses. Since it is impossible to complain there is another Prophet (s) in our time, since Allah is explicit that there will be no more Prophets after the Prophet Muhammad (s), and since the Sunnis deny the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as) or any Infallible Imam in our time, they must argue that these previously quoted verses refer to something else. There are only two real possibilities in this regard:
‘That the Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses over mankind’. (22:78)
This ayat, however, does not refer to the same type of witness referred to in the verses previously quoted. This is because Allah (swt) is addressing the community of believing Muslims as being collective witnesses (shuhudah) over mankind, using the plural form of the word “witness”. However, if we look at the verses previously quoted, we see that Allah (swt) is using the singular form (shahid) in every case:
One day Allah will raise up a witness from every people, and then no excuse will be accepted from the unbelievers. (16:84)
We will raise up a witness in every people, drawn from amongst themselves. And we shall bring them as witnesses against these people. We have revealed to you [Prophet Muhammad] the Book which explains all things, guidance, a mercy, and good news to all the Muslims. (16:89)
We shall take from every people a witness. ( 28:75)
This means that for every people there will be a specific and single witness appointed by God. If Allah (swt) meant that the world’s Muslims are the witnesses over our generation, then he would have said: “One day we shall raise up witnesses from every people,” but instead said: “One day we shall raise up a witness.” Secondly, the verse: “That the Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses over mankind. (22:78)” states that the Prophet (s) was the witness over the Muslims, while the Muslims were the witness over the rest of mankind. If we combine this verse with the other verses discussing the constant presence of witnesses amongst the human race, we will see that the Prophet (s) was the appointed witness over the Muslims of his time, while the Muslims were witnesses over the rest of mankind. This means that, if we accept the argument that the Muslims are the appointed witnesses (which, as stated, clearly contradicts the Holy Qur’an), there still needs to be a witness over the Muslims of this period. If the Muslims of the Prophet (s)’s period were witnesses over mankind, the Muslims themselves had their own witness, for as Allah (swt) has said that every people (including and especially the Muslims!) will have a witness. As such, accepting the argument that the Muslims are the appointed witness over mankind still leaves the question as to who the witness over the Muslims is. Once again, we are brought back to the need for a Divinely appointed guide, witness, and warner sent by Allah (swt) in every era, and it is only the Shi’a of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) who acknowledge the existence of this guide, witness, and warner: Imam al-Mahdi (as), who is alive and amongst us now, serving his function as an Imam even in Occultation (as will be discussed below).
This is a stronger argument than the previous one, but also ultimately proves to be invalid when one reads the text of the Holy Qur’an. Furthermore, if one is to accept this argument than this will throw the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) into a terrible dilemma. As is well-known, one of the most important pillars of most Sunni belief systems is the utter denigration of the Holy Prophet (s)’s status. The Holy Prophet (s), in their view, is just a man like the rest of us, with no spiritual presence or luminous reality. He commit sins, including even major sins. Yet if we believe that the Prophet (s) is the witness in this time, than we must believe that the Prophet (s) was something more than the rest of human being, and that he has a supernatural power to bear witness over a people after his physical death. As Shi’as of the Ahl al-Bayt we certainly believe the Prophet (s) had this supernatural reality, as will be discussed below, and that in a very real sense he is the witness in our time. nonetheless, the Qur’an makes it clear that Allah (swt) appoints a witness physically present amongst the people.
But in any case, if a Wahabis to argue that the Prophet (s) is the witness that Allah (swt) has appointed over the Muslims in this time, we would find that this Wahabis caught in a double-bind: Either the Prophet (s) is the witness in our time, in which case this Wahabi must abandon their corrupt belief that the Prophet (s) was a fallible, corrupt mortal like the rest of us; or he must reject the idea that the Prophet (s) is the witness in our time, and therefore have no explanation for the previous verses.
As stated, it is a pivotal belief for the Shi’a that the Prophet (s) had a supernatural level of reality which would allow him to serve as a witness during this period. However, the word supernatural is key here: the word supernatural literally means outside or above nature, or above the natural world. The Prophet (s) undoubtedly had a luminous reality as a being of light before and after his physical death, as will be discussed below, and therefore has a supernatural existence in the sense that he has a level of existence which is beyond the terrestrial, physical, and natural world. But the very fact that his spiritual reality and presence before and after his death is supernatural means that, before and after his death, he is not physically with us, otherwise that existence would be a natural and supernatural death. However, Allah (swt) has described the witness for every people as being from amongst themselves:
One day Allah will raise up a witness from every people, and then no excuse will be accepted from the unbelievers. (16:84)
We will raise up a witness in every people, drawn from amongst themselves. And we shall bring them as witnesses against these people. We have revealed to you [Prophet Muhammad] the Book which explains all things, guidance, a mercy, and good news to all the Muslims. (16:89)
We shall take from every people a witness, and we shall say: “Produce your proof.” But they will know that the truth is with Allah, and they have been misguided because of the lies they have wrought. (28:75)
In the second verse, we see that Allah (swt) is clear that that witness will be from amongst themselves (shaheedan min anfusihim). On both an abstract, philosophical level, and as well as on the level of common language and understanding, we would not describe the Holy Prophet (s) as being from amongst ourselves in this sense. Even though his spiritual presence has existence since the beginning of creation, and will exist until eternity, nonetheless we would say that the “people” of whom he was “amongst” were only the Arabs of his time. If one has doubt that this is the meaning of “from amongst yourselves,” then we may look at the following verse of the Qur’an:
He [Allah] is the one who raised amongst (fi) the people (Ummiyeen) a Prophet from amongst them (minhum), who recites to them His signs and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and Wisdom, even though they had been, before, in most manifest error. (62:2)
Here, we see Allah (swt) as describing the Prophet as being “from the people” (ummiyeen), or more specifically from the people of Makkah (who were the ummiyeen, as Makkah is described in the Qur’an as “the mother of cities” (umm al-qura) [6:92], and that he was from them and recited on to them his signs. The Prophet (s) does not recite the signs of Allah unto us today, because he is no longer physically with us (though his spiritual presence persists); therefore it would not be proper to describe him as being “from amongst us.”
Furthermore, this ayat establishes that it is the practice (sunnah) of Allah that it is those appointed by God (those raised up, munba’ath) and who dwell amongst the believers to be the one who purifies them and teaches them wisdom. As such, we see the central role of ‘Divinely appointed guidance’. Fallible ‘ulama who learn their Islamic knowledge from study and instruction may help to preserve the religion of Islam, but ultimately it is a Divinely appointed servant of Allah (swt) who will lead people down the path of spiritual purification, a servant who is appointed over that people and dwells amongst them in their time. This verse, then, helps to establish the inner meaning of the verse where Allah (swt) says: “To every people there is a guide.”
In short, then, the verses where Allah speaks of appointing a guide speak clearly about the physical presence of such a guide amongst us. Imam al-Mahdi (as) is precisely such a guide. Even though he may be in a state of Occultation, he is still physically present and the true believers partakes of his wisdom and purifying powers even during the Occultation, as will be discussed below.
Furthermore, if one is to argue that it is the Holy Prophet (s) who is the specific witness over us during this time, then this contradicts the verse:
We will raise up a witness in every people, drawn from amongst themselves. And we shall bring thee as witnesses against these people. We have revealed to you [Prophet Muhammad] the Book which explains all things, guidance, a mercy, and good news to all the Muslims. (16:89)
Here, Allah (swt) says He will raise up or raise up a witness from every people, and then addresses the Holy Prophet (s) personally by saying: “We have revealed to you the Book which explains all things…” Note here that Allah (swt) is not using the past tense, but is rather using the present tense (mudaria’). Now, the present tense can also be used to mean the future tense as well. The verse, therefore, can be translated one of two ways: Either it means: “We raise up a witness in every people” meaning that this is the sunnah of the Prophet (s), or it means “We will raise up a witness in every people” as we have chosen to translate it here. Both translations lead to the same meaning: that Allah (swt) always appoints witnesses over every people. When Allah (swt) is addressing the believers here he is most certainly not talking about the previous Prophets whom he has appointed, but is rather talking about an on-going process that will continue into the future (regardless of whether we accept the meaning of the verse as “We raise up…” or “We will raise up…”) and so the verse is primarily discussing the future witnesses who will come. Now, Allah (swt) speaks of these future witnesses in the third person (“We will raise up a witness…”), and then addresses the Prophet (s) in the second person. As such, it is clear from this verse that the Prophet (s) is not the specific witness over all later peoples, but rather that each generation in the future will have its own witness who is somebody other than the Prophet (s) and will live and dwell amongst those people.
Finally, if one is to argue that it is the Holy Prophet (s) who is the guide for our present generation, this contradicts another Qu’ranic verse, namely:
Indeed you are a warner, and to every people there is a guide. (13:7)
The Prophet (s) is clearly addressed as being the warner here (mundhir), while for every people there is a guide who (with the exception of the Arabs at the Prophet (s)’s time) is somebody other than the Prophet (s). Imam ‘Ali (as) has referred to this reality and, speaking in the time after the Prophet (s)’s death, said:
Allah – May He be Glorified and Exalted – said: “Indeed you are a warner, and to every people there is a guide.” The Prophet was the warner, and I am the guide.
In conclusion, then, it is clear that the witness in every time is someone who lives and dwells amongst those people, and is a specific, Divinely-selected individual. The witness appointed in our time cannot be the Muslims as a whole, nor is the specific witness appointed over us the Holy Prophet (s) even though the Holy Prophet (s) does act as a witness in a general capacity. As such, the Sunnis who deny the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as) will be at a loss to identify the witness and guide of our time. It is not sufficient to deny the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as), for one must provide an alternative as to who fulfills the eternal and constant function of guide and witness as discussed in the Qur’an. Denying the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as) becomes very similar to the way atheists deny the existence of God: they deny that any Creator exists, because they cannot see Him, but then they refuse to provide any explanation as to how the universe was created. Similarly, these enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) deny the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as) without giving any explanation as to who is the Imam of our time. This is sufficient in proving the invalidity of their arguments and belief system, for they are denying what is necessitated by the Holy Qur’an.
The next most important evidence for the continuation of Imamate is the following verse of the Holy Qu’ran:
So when you have finished your task, then nominate (fansab).
(Quran: 94:7)
This verse has been the victim of the greatest tahreef (change, corruption) with regards to Sunni translations of the Holy Qur’an. The word used is fansab, which means to “appoint.” One would speak, for example, about the appointed Imam by calling him al-imam al-mansub, the appointed or designated Imam. This meaning is the one that is most clear from the verse, but in spite of this Sunni translators and commentators have sought to distort this verse, and translate the words fansab in accordance to some of its other meanings, meanings which are alien to the surah.
The word that Allah (swt) uses is nasb. The Hans-Wehr English-Arabic dictionary defines this word as:
Nasb: To raise, rear, erect, set up, put; to prepare, get ready, fit up, to pitch (a tent), to plaint, raise (a standard, a flagstaff), to hoist (a flag), to plant (a tree); to level, to aim (a cannon); to install, appoint (to an office); to show, manifest, display; to direct, aim; to cheat, swindle, dupe, gull, deceive…to fight, combat, oppose; to rise up, to straighten up, draw up, to plant, to rise, to get up, to stand up, to get on one’s feet…To distress, trouble, fatigue, wear out, exhaust; to be tired, fatigued, jaded, worn out; exhausted; to exert to the utmost.
Hans-Wehr Dictionary, p. 1136
We see from this definition that almost all the words ultimately relate to putting something in place, to establish something in a place. This is why it used to mean “appoint” somebody, because somebody who is appointed to a position is made “to stand” in that office and is “planted” in that position the way one would plant a tree. The reason why sometimes it may be used to refer to “working hard” is that somebody would be planting themselves firm in their work; hence, it they would be nasb-ing themselves in their dedication to work. The nonsensical interpretation offered by Sunnis has been thoroughly discussed in our article ‘Imamate Divine Guidance in Islam’. Suffice it to say that this was merely a continuation of the Sunnah of past Prophets. This is not the only place that Allah (swt) discusses this issue in the Holy Qu’ran. We read about the Prophet’s Solomon and David (as):
And Solomon was David’s heir. (27:16)
We also see that the person who is appointed is, as discussed above, appointed by Allah (swt) directly. Aaron (as) was appointed as Moses (as)’s heir; however this was not by the choice of Moses (as). Rather, we see in the Qur’an that Moses (as) had to first ask Allah (swt) to appoint his brother Aaron (as) as heir, and that Aaron (as) did not inherit this position until Allah (swt) responded positively to this prayer:
Moses said: “My Lord, expand my breast, and make my task easy. Remove the knot from my tongue, so that they will understand my speech. And give me a minister (wazir) from my family: My brother, Aaron. Give me strength to bear my task through it, and make him share in my work, that we may glorify you much, and remember thee often, for Thou art ever seeing us.” Allah said: “Granted is thy prayer Moses!” (20:25-36)
Here, we see that the appointment of a successor is a task left to Allah (swt) and left to Him alone. What we can learn from these verses, which are filled with wisdom and light, is that Allah (swt) commanded the Prophet (s) to appoint a successor, because the appointment of a successor was the eternal practice of Allah (swt), before and after. It is not rational to assume that Allah (swt), throughout the entirety of human history, always appointed guides and then successors to those guides, but with the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) he then ended this practice. This practice is the sunnah of Allah (swt), and we read in the Qur’an:
You will not find any change in the sunnah of Allah. (33:62)
Furthermore, if one doubts that the successor whom Allah (swt) ordered the Prophet (s) to appoint was not himself ordered to appoint a successor after him, then this doubt is easily dispelled by the ayats discussed in the previous section:
Indeed you are a warner, and to every people there is a guide. (13:7)
As such, if Imam Hassan al-Askari (as), who was appointed by the Imams before him in an unbroken chain going back to the Prophet (s), did not appoint an Imam to succeed him, then this would mean that not only was he breaking one of his duties as an Imam, but that Allah (swt) Himself was violating His own sunnah which He Himself has established in the Holy Qur’an.
Returning to Surah al-Insharah (Surah 94) and the Holy Verse:
So when you have finished your task, then nominate (fansab).
(Quran: 94:7)
If we read the entirety of the verse, and combine this with a reading of the story of Moses (as) and Aaron (as) quoted above, we find further definitive proof that Allah (swt) was ordering the Holy Prophet (s) to appoint a successor as part of His eternal sunnah in sending “every people a guide” :
Have we not expanded your breast? And lifted the burden, the burden that hung heavy on your back? Have we not raised you in fame? Indeed, with difficulty follows ease, indeed! With difficulty follows ease. So when you have finished your task, then nominate, and hasten desirously towards your Lord. (Quran: 94:1-8)
Here, we see that Allah (swt) is using the exact same phrase in the beginning of the surah that Moses (as) uses in the beginning of his prayer: “Expand my breast.” Moses (as) asked to have his breast “expanded” and then asked Allah (swt) to appoint a minister from his family. In Surat al-Insharah, Allah (swt) tells the Prophet (s) that he has already expanded his breast, and by ordering the Prophet (s) to nominate is really telling the Prophet (s) to make public the Divine nomination (nasb) of Imam ‘Ali (as) which Allah (swt) Himself already made. The exact same reality, the reality of successorship, is being manifested in both stories in the Qur’an. Is it merely a co-incidence that Allah (swt) is “expanding the breast” of Moses (as) by providing him with an heir, and that He expands the breast of the Prophet (s) in another surah where He happens to use a verb (nasb) which, of its several meanings, means to appoint someone to an office? Is it rational to dismiss this as a co-incidence and to say that nasb means something else, like “toil hard” or “pray mustahab salat” when this translation is utterly alien to the Qur’anic text and to the surah under question? Is it rational to assume that such co-incidences occur in the book of Allah (swt), or should not a true believer recognize that Allah (swt) has revealed in the Qur’an in a specific way using specific language for very specific reasons? The answer must obviously be no. As such, the first line of Surat al-Insharah provides a context (qareenah) which leaves no doubt as to the meaning of the second-to-last verse:
So when you have finished your task, then nominate (fansab). (Quran: 94:7)
This grammatical symmetry is not the consequence of a bizarre coincidence. It is part of the miraculous nature of the Qur’an, a Book revealed by Allah (sawt) to Mohammad (saws) and that uses reflective grammar in parallel to transcend thousands of years alongside different chapters of the Book. This phenomenon is that of a miracle, and is one of the reasons why the Qur’an is the greatest miracle that Mohammad (s) ever brought with him. It is the Divine Word, something too complex and perfect to have been made by man.
All of these verses of the Qur’an placed together and read in the context of each other, establishes the constant need for an Imam. We have seen that there is not even a need to go to the hadeeth literature to prove that there must always be an Imam, though there are many such hadeeths to be found in Sunni works:
“Whoever dies without recognising the Imam of his time dies the death of Jahilyya (ignorance)”
Once again, we are thrown back to the question of who the Imam is in this time, and the definitive proof is that he can be none other than Imam al-Mahdi (as), as will be seen. Once again, we see that the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) are pursuing the same method of argument which atheists use: “We cannot see God, therefore he does not exist.” But if asked: “Yes, but if there is no God, if there is no Creator, then who or what created this universe,” they will only respond: “We don’t know, but we know it isn’t God!” This is non-sense. The Holy Prophet (s) was ordered to appoint a successor, and we see that from the Qur’an that is the eternal practice of Allah (swt) to which there can and never will be any change. The enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) cannot answer the question as to who the guide is of our time in any way that fits with the Qur’an, and certainly not in anyway that fits with their corrupt belief system. In all of this we have not even needed to make recourse to the ample hadeeth literature on the subject of Imamate, present in all Sunni books, but as ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said: “The Qur’an is sufficient for us.”