Tradition

اَلإِمامُ أَمينُ اللّهِ فِى أَرْضِهِ وَ خَلْقِهِ وَ حُجَّتُهُ عَلَى عِبادِهِ وَ خَلِيفَتُهُ فى بِلادِهِ وَ الدّاعِى اِلَى اللّهِ وَ الذابُّ عَنْ حَرِيمِ اللّهِ.

Imam al-Rida’ (‘a) is narrated to have said: “The Imam is the trustworthy of God on this earth and amongst God’s creation. He is his proof amongst his servants and his deputy in the cities. He is the one who invites (the people) towards God and he is the defender of God’s sanctum.”1

Brief Commentary

This narration is just a section of the entire tradition which introduces the position of the Imamate. It describes five of the important and heavy responsibilities which the Imam (‘a) holds:

1- The Imam is the protector of the divine revelation; he protects all of the knowledge of the religion.

2- The Imam is the living proof of God’s religion.

3- The Imam is the guardian of the divine and he is his representative amongst the people.

4- The Imam is the propagator of the religion and he is the one who commands towards the good and forbids against evil.

5- The Imam is the defender of the divine sanctuary against the encroachment of the enemy. Such a person must possess divine knowledge and the rank of infallibility; no one except God can select an individual for such a position.

• 1. Tuhaf al-’Uqul, p. 328, Al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 198, Al-Ihtijaj, vol. 2, p. 434, Al-Amali, p. 677, Ayoon Akhbar Al-Ridha’, vol. 1, p. 219, Kamal Al-Deen, vol. 2, p. 677.