WHAT DOES THE DEFINITION OF IMAM LITERALLY AND TECHNICALLY?

[Taqavi]

What does the definition of Imam Literally and technically?

Imam is an Arabic word that means leader and master.[1] Raghib al-Isfahani writes about this word: "imam is someone who is imitated, whether it is a person who is imitated by his words and actions, or a book or something else, whether this imitation is right or wrong"[2]. In al- Majmae al-Bahrayn also, imam means the leader and the one who is followed by people.[3]

technically, it means the religious leader over everyone, so Theologians have defined Imam in two ways;

Some definitions are general and include prophet as well; for example, it has been defined as the "general leader in religious and worldly issues".[4]

The second definitions are those which regard Imam as the successer of the Prophet (s) in religious affairs and consider following Imam obligatory.[5]

It should be noted that this word has been used 12 times in the Qur'an and in all these cases it has been used in its literal meaning like: "The day We shall summon every group of people with their Imam".[6] In Shia, the term Imam is used for the 12 infallible Imams who are the successors of the prophet and if it is used for other people (such as Imam Khomeini, Imam Khoei, etc.), it means supervisor and leader in its literal meaning.

 

---

[1] . Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-Arab, vol. 12, p. 24.

[2] . Abu Al-Qasim Hussein bin Muhammad, Ragheb Isfahani, mufradat alfaz alquran fi gharayb alquran, p, 87. « و الإِمام: المؤتمّ به، إنسانا كأن يقتدى بقوله أو فعله، أو كتابا، أو غير ذلك محقّا كان أو مبطلا، و جمعه: أئمة»

[3] . Fakhruddin Torihi; al- Majmae al-Bahrayn, vol. 6, p. 10:" قوله: إِنِّي جاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ‏ إِماماً أي يأتم بك الناس فيتبعونك و يأخذون عنك، لأن الناس‏ يَأُمُّونَ‏ أفعاله أي يقصدونها فيتبعونها."- Khalil bin Ahmed Farahidi; Al Ain, vol. 8, p. 426:" كل من اقتدي به، و قدم في الأمور فهو إمام"

[4] . Sayyid al-Sharif, al-Ta'rifat, p.35; Bahrani, Qawa'id al-maram, p.174; Fadil al-Miqdad, Irshad al-talibin, p.325; Taftazani, Sharh al-maqasid, vol.5, p.234; Sayyid al-Sharif, Sharh al-mawaqif, vol.8, p.345

[5] . Hilli, al-Bab al-hadi 'ashar, p.66; Fadil al-Miqdad, Irshad al-talibin, p.325-326; Fadil al-Miqdad, al-Lawami' al-ilahiyya, p.319-320; Sayyid al-Sharif, Sharh al-mawaqif, vol.8, p.345; Amidi, Abkar al-afkar, vol.3, p.416; Taftazani, Sharh al-maqasid, vol.5, p.234.

[6] . Al-Isra: 71, " "يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِم