Shafaqna English- Ahlulbayt TV presented another part of: “Understanding Islam” on the topic of: “The Imams As Spiritual Guides“, by Dr Chris Hewer.
Understanding Islam: Season 2 | Episode 10 | The Imams As Spiritual Guides
To avoid confusion, the term Imam is used in three senses within Islam. First, there is the Imam who leads the community at prayer. Second, the term is used of outstanding scholars, whose teaching is esteemed throughout generations, such as Imam Al-Ghazali. It is the third usage to which we shall refer here; these are the divinely-appointed Imams who are the sinless, infallible guides of the community after Muhammad (PBUH). This is the particular Shia meaning of the term and this article is written to increase understanding of this Shia perspective. For background information on the historical and theological position of the Imams, please refer to: Series One: The Big Picture, Part Twelve.
Equality and degrees of excellence It is obvious to us all on reflection that not all human beings are equally endowed with knowledge, piety and spiritual qualities. Human beings are all called equally to worship, obey, serve and love God but we need help in order to do this. The first guidance for all humankind is in the form of the scriptures that have been sent by God but these scriptures need to be put into practice by human beings like us.
These scriptures were sent to prophets, who were endowed with the highest gifts of spirituality, knowledge, piety, courage and justice. These prophets had such a refined sense of moral knowledge given by God that they realised the consequences of sin and so did not sin in any way from birth until death. Similarly, this knowledge removed any sense of doubt or uncertainty from their minds. Such were the people that God sent as prophets to guide humankind in a chain from Adam (AS) to Muhammad (PBUH).
Some of the prophets sent by God had not only spiritual authority on the earth but also political, legal and military authority. We can take the example of Abraham (AS), for whom the Qur’an uses not only the term Prophet but also Imam [Q. 2:124]. Moses (AS) felt the need of a co-worker and God indicated that his brother Aaron (in Arabic Haroun) was also a prophet. He would work alongside Moses (AS), be his minister (in Arabic wazir) and indeed take on the leadership of the community after the death of Moses [Q. 28:33-35; 19:53; 25:35; 7:142]. Indeed, the Qur’an tells us that God will raise up Imams amongst the Children of Israel as guides [Q. 32:24; 21:73]. In a similar way, the Prophet Jesus (AS) gathered an inner circle of disciples around him, with their leader Simon Peter, who would guide the community after his ascension into heaven.
Part of series: Understanding Islam by Dr Chris Hewer
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