Imamate and the Raison d’Être of Creation from the Perspective of the Holy Qur’an

Abstract

From the perspective of the Holy Qur’an, man is God’s vicegerent on the earth. He has attained such exalted position owing to his knowledge of the divine names and their manifestations, and in this respect, he has priority over angels. It goes without saying that all human beings are not endowed with such quality. Those endowed with the privilege have been the perfect men in their times. Some have surpassed others by their knowledge and performing acts of worshipping God Almighty and have thus attained the highest degrees of God-wariness (taqwā) and it is through having been granted the exalted position of divine vicegerency that they have been qualified to serve as the Imam and leader in their societies. From Adam (AS) to the Seal of the Prophets (SAW), the Prophets served as divine vicegerents and leaders and guides of mankind on the earth. However, divine vicegerency and Imamate have continued after the Prophets, as reflected in the verse, “And he made it a word enduring among his seed, that haply they might return” (43:28), and the riwāyas narrated in its commentaries. The argument is further substantiated by numerous riwāyas, emphasizing the necessity of divine Argument (Ḥujja) among mankind until the Day of Resurrection and demonstrating that the divine Argument, i.e., the Prophet or the Imam, serves as the ultimate goal of creation of the world. The divine Argument is the Imam and leader of mankind. Imamate is thus the raison d’être of the creation of the world.