Wrongdoers Cannot be Leaders - No Family Lineage

[ Even when Prophet Abraham asked]

2. Surah Al Baqarah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ...

2: 124. And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord, with certain commands, which he fulfilled;

C123. Kalimat: literally "words" here used in the mystic sense of Allah's Will or Decree or Purpose.

This verse may be taken to be the sum of the verses following. In everything Abraham fulfilled Allah's wish:

- he purified Allah's house;

- he built the sacred refuge of the Ka’bah;

- he submitted his will to Allah's, and thus became the type of Islam.

He was promised the leadership of the world; he pleaded for his progeny, and his prayer was granted, with the limitation that if his progeny was false to Allah, Allah's promise did not reach the people who proved themselves false.

... قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ...

He said: "I will make thee an Imam to the nations."

C124. Imam; the primary sense is that of being foremost: hence it may mean:

1. leader in religion;

2. leader in congregational prayer;

3. model, pattern, example;

4. a book of guidance and instruction (11:17);

5. a book of evidence or record (36:12).

Here, meaning 1 and 3 are implied.

In 9:12 the word is applied to leaders of Unbelief or Blasphemy.

... قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ...

He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my offspring!"

... قَالَ لاَ يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٢٤﴾

He answered: "But my promise is not within the reach of evildoers."

Others version:

2: 124

Asad

Asad And [remember this:] when his Sustainer tried Abraham by [His] commandments and the latter fulfilled them [note 100], He said: “Behold, I shall make thee a leader of men.”

Abraham asked: “ And [will Thou make leaders] of my offspring as well?

[God] answered: “My covenant does not embrace the evildoers.” [note 101]

Pickthall And (remember) when his Lord tried Abraham with (His) commands, and he fulfilled them, He said: Lo! I have appointed thee a leader for mankind. (Abraham) said: And of my offspring (will there be leaders)? He said: My covenant includeth not wrongdoers.

Transliteration Wa izibtala_ ibra_hima rabbuhu_ bi kalima_tin fa atammahunn(a), qa_la inni ja_'iluka linna_si ima_ma_(n), qa_la wa min zurriyyati, qa_la la_ yana_lu 'ahdiz za_limin(a).

[Asad’s note 100: ………….Since, however, the Quran does not specify them, it must be presumed that what is meant here is simply Abraham’s complete submission to whatever commandments he received from God.

[Asad’s note 101: This passage, read in conjunction with the two preceding verses, refutes the contention of the children of Israel that by virtue of their descent from Abraham, whom God made “a leader of men”, they are “God’s chosen people”. The Quran makes it clear that the exalted status of Abraham was not something that would automatically confer a comparable status on his physical descendants, and certainly not on the sinners among them. ]

[ Ali’s note 123 Kalimat: literally "words" here used in the mystic sense of God's Will or Decree or Purpose. This verse may be taken to be the sum of the verses following. In everything Abraham fulfilled God's wish: he purified God's house; he built the sacred refuge of the Ka'ba; he submitted his will to God's, and thus became the type of Islam. He was promised the leadership of the world; he pleaded for his progeny, and his prayer was granted, with the limitation that if his progeny was false to God, God's promise did not reach the people who proved themselves false. (2.124)]