Who are the Imams that are mentioned in the Surah of Al-Isra (17/71) “One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams…”

Who are the Imams that are mentioned in the Surah of Al-Isra (17/71) “One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams…”

Dear Brother / Sister,

 “One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams: those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure), and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.” (Surah Al-Isra 17/71)

Imam Tabari interprets the word of Imam as we translate as “Leader” in this way; “they are the people whom every society and believer accepts as a guide and a leader for themselves in the world life.” (See, Tabari, Tafsir, XV, 127) 

The concept of Imam covers, “prophets, managers, educators, group leaders”. This covers all who directs and shapes the brain, senses and behavior of man.

These Imams/leaders can be either good or bad. Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) is an Imam/leader of his ummah who gather around him; similarly, the leaders of Kufr (unbelief) are also the leaders of those whom they are attached to.

 “And We made them leaders, guiding (men) by Our Command, and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to practise regular charity; and they constantly served Us (and Us only).” As the goodness of prophets as leaders is mentioned in the Surah of Al-Anbiya, 21/73 the evil leadership of the Pharaoh and his military commanders is mentioned in the Surah of Al-Qasas (28/41) And “We made them (but) leaders inviting to the Fire; and on the Day of Judgment no help shall they find.”

We can understand the following from the expression of these verses: In the judgment day, all people from young to elder are with their leaders with various groups. These small groups headed by their leaders will be in the largest group community who has the greatest leader as their head.

For instance, it can be said that the members of the four religious madhhabs firstly rank under the leadership of their Imams and then rank under the community of Islamic ummah, who gather under the flank of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who is the leader of leaders.

Mufassir (commentator) Razi attributed a psychological meaning to the word “Imam”; for example, for some people, it is the motive of rage; for some, it is the motive of money (wealth); for some, it is a rage for gaining wealth; for some, it is malice and jealousy becomes prominent and a guide for his/her behaviors. The ones who have good ethics, qualities such as the feeling of forgiveness, courage, generosity, wisdom and taqwa may become the decisive factor of their behaviors.

These psychological characteristics of us, that is, our habits, are just like our leader (Imam) of us in real life. After all, in the judgment day, reward or punishment will be given as a result of our actions caused by these habits. Here is the basic principle of Almighty Allah (SWT): “We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams…” (Radi, Tafsir Kabir, XIV, 546).

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