THE NAME OF IMAM ALI (AS) IN THE QURAN

[Taqavi]

Why is the blessed name of Imam Ali (AS) not mentioned in the Quran?

 

The names of Imam Ali (AS) and other Imams (AS) are not explicitly mentioned in the Quran. To clarify the reason for this, pay attention to the points mentioned.

1. Introduction: The Spiritual Station of Imamate in the Quran

Within the vast expanse of Divine knowledge, every truth flows from the source of Divine guidance; however, some truths are like jewels hidden within deeper layers of meaning, requiring contemplation to be understood. The issue of Imamate is of this nature fundamental reality that is not only rooted in numerous verses but also embodies the continuity of the Prophetic mission.

The Holy Quran refers to the issue of Imamate in many verses, to the point that great Quranic scholars have categorized the verses related to Wilayah and Imamate into three key groups:[1]

First: Verses referring to the general Caliphate and guardianship over Muslims.

Second: Verses enumerating the general virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS).

Third: Verses addressing the exclusive and unique virtues of Amir al-Mu'minin (AS), such as the verse of Laylat al-Mabit (the night he slept in the Prophet's bed) [2] and the verse of Saqayat al-Hajj (providing water to pilgrims). [3]

 

2. Wisdoms behind the Lack of Explicit Mention of the Imams' Names

A) Divine Tradition of Testing and Human Volition:

In the legislation of Divine laws and the explanation of Sharia matters, the general arrangement of affairs is always accompanied by the wisdom of providing a trial for individuals. This allows humans to use their will and choice to move toward obedience to Divine commands and prohibitions, which ultimately leads to their perfection. [4]

B) Stating Principles and Referring Details to the Prophet (SAW):

This question was also raised during the early days of Islam. Abu Basir asked this very question of Imam al-Sadiq (AS). The Imam gave a transformative answer: "Just as Prayer and Alms-giving are mentioned as fundamental principles of worship in the Quran, but their details (such as the number of units/Raka'at or the threshold of Zakat) are not mentioned and were left to the Prophet to explain, the subject of Imamate was also revealed in the form of general concepts, and the interpretation of its specific instances was entrusted to the Messenger of Allah." [5]

C) Safeguarding the Quran against the Risk of Distortion:

Almighty Allah has guaranteed that He Himself will be the Guardian of the Heavenly Book: "Verily, We have sent down the Dhikr (the Quran), and surely We are its Guardians." [6] One of the Divine strategies to prevent the motivation for distortion by hypocrites and spiteful enemies was the absence of the explicit names of the Imams (AS). Had their names appeared explicitly, there was a fear that fanatics would jeopardize the entire credibility and integrity of the Quran in order to remove those names.

D) Lack of Social Readiness and Tribal Prejudices:

Shaheed Mutahhari states in a precise analysis that no decree faced as much social resistance as the Imamate of Ali (AS). The tribal mindset of the Arabs and the fear that the Prophet (SAW) might be seeking a special privilege (hereditary Caliphate) for his family made the public acceptance of this matter difficult. [7] The sensitivity of this issue is evident in the event of Ghadir Khum, where the Prophet (SAW) only announced the mission of Wilayah after receiving the Divine guarantee of protection and the revelation of the Verse of Completion (Ikmal). [8]

 

3. The Method of Expressing the Virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) in Verses

The verses related to the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) can be categorized into two groups:

Specific and Explicit Verses regarding their Rank:

These verses point to their unparalleled stations, such as: The Verse of Purification (Tathir): [9] A testimony to their absolute infallibility and purity. [10]

The Verse of Mubahalah: [11] Introducing Ali (AS) as the "Soul" (Nafs) of the Prophet. [12]

The Verse of Feeding (It’am): [13] A manifestation of the self-sacrifice and sincerity of the Ahl al-Bayt. [14]

General Verses regarding Righteous and Chosen Individuals (where the Ahl al-Bayt are the ultimate examples):

The Verse of Khayr al-Bariyyah: [15] In which the Prophet (SAW) repeatedly named Ali (AS) and his Shias as the "Best of Creatures." [16]

Surah al-Fajr: [17] The concluding verses of which are applied to the existential peace of Imam Hussain (AS). [18]

Surah al-Qasas: [19] Which explains the promise of the final victory of the oppressed on earth through the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (AJTF). [20]

Conclusion:

Imamate, in the logic of the Quran, is a continuous stream of guidance that began with the Prophets and manifested in the existence of the Infallible Imams (AS). The absence of explicit names is not a deficiency but a wise secret to protect the truth from distortion and enmity. The Quran has opened the path for truth-seekers through the language of "Signs," because Imamate is a reality that can only be perceived through the light of faith and insight, remaining a guiding lamp for believing and truth-seeking humans until the end of history.

 

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[1] . Āyāt al-Wilāyah fī al-Qur'ān, Makārim al-Shirāzī, al-Shaykh Nāṣir, p. 6

[2] . Al-Baqarah: 207 «وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغاءَ مَرْضاتِ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ رَؤُفٌ بِالْعِبادِ»

Refer to: Āyāt al-Wilāyah fī al-Qur'ān, Makārim al-Shirāzī, al-Shaykh Nāṣir, p. 211.

[3] . At-Tawbah: 19_22 «أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقايَةَ الْحاجِّ وَ عِمارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَ جاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لا يَسْتَوُونَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ * الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ هاجَرُوا وَ جاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوالِهِمْ وَ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْفائِزُونَ * يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَ رِضْوانٍ وَ جَنَّاتٍ لَهُمْ فِيها نَعِيمٌ مُقِيمٌ * خالِدِينَ فِيها أَبَداً إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ»

Refer to: Āyāt al-Wilāyah fī al-Qur'ān, Makārim al-Shirāzī, al-Shaykh Nāṣir, p. 229.

[4] . Dar partoye wilāyat, Misbāh Yazdī, Muḥammad Taqī, p. 67.

[5] . Al-Kāfī, al-Shaykh al-Kulaynī, vol. 1, p. 286.

[6] . Al-Ḥijr: 9 «إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ»

[7] . Imāmat wa rahbarī, Motaharī, Murtadā, p. 157.

[8] . Al-Mā'idah: 3 «الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا»

[9] . Al-Aḥzāb: 33 «إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا»

[10] . Āyāt al-Wilāyah fī al-Qur'ān, Makārim al-Shirāzī, al-Shaykh Nāṣir, p. 126.

[11] . Āl 'Imrān: 61 «فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنْفُسَنَا وَأَنْفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ»

[12] . Āyāt al-Wilāyah fī al-Qur'ān, Makārim al-Shirāzī, al-Shaykh Nāṣir, p. 160.

[13] . Al-Insān: 8 «وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا»

[14] . Āyāt al-Wilāyah fī al-Qur'ān, Makārim al-Shirāzī, al-Shaykh Nāṣir, p. 163.

[15] . Al-Bayyinah: 7 «إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ»

[16] . Al-Mīzān fī tafsīr al-Qur'ān, al-'Ālamah al-Ṭabāṭabā'ī, vol. 20, p. 341 / Al-Durr al-Manthūr fī tafsīr al-mathūr, al-Suyūṭī, Jalāl al-Dīn, vol. 8, p. 589 / Tafsīr Rūḥ al-Ma'ānī - T. Dār al-‘Ilmīyah, al-Alūsī, Shihāb al-Dīn, vol. 15, p. 432.

[17] . Al-Fajr: 27_ 30 «يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ * ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً * فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي * وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي»

[18] . Al-'Awalem, al-Imām al-Ḥusayn, al-Bahrānī, al-Shaykh 'Abdullāh, p. 98.

[19] . Al-Qaṣaṣ: 5 «وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ»

[20] . Al-Tebyān fī tafsīr al-Qur'ān, al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, vol. 8, p. 129.