The leadership of the apocalyptic uprising by Imam Mahdi (AS) instead of Jesus (AS) - 9

 Imam Mahdi (a.s) and Jesus Christ (a.s)

Imam Mahdi (a.s) and Jesus Christ (a.s)

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The difference between the position of Imamate and the position of Prophethood can be well seen in verse 124 of Surah Al-Baqarah, in this verse we read:

“When his Lord tested Abraham with certain words and he fulfilled them, He said, ‘I am making you the Imam of mankind.’ Said he, ‘And from among my descendants?’ He said, ‘My pledge does not extend to the unjust.”[1]

This verse is generally used to say that the position of Imamate, which was given to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) after he had won the tough and difficult tests, was above the position of Nabuwat/Prophethood and Resalat/Mission. Because Abraham had reached the position of prophethood before suffering from the divine tests and divine revelation - which is a sign of prophecy - descended on him. After that, he reached the position of Imamate. Allameh Tabataba'i clarified about this verse. He says that before suffering and succeeding in those divine exams, Abraham (peace be upon him) did not have the capacity to accept the position of Imamate.[2]

Conclusion:

Based on these two long introductions, we say that the mission of apocalyptic uprising was entrusted to Imam Mahdi  (may God speed him up), firstly because he, due to the unity of the light of his being with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is a kind of extension of the Prophet’s light. His rise is as if the rise of the Prophet himself with all his excellences and virtues compared to other prophets. Secondly, the position of "Imamate" of Imam Mahdi (AS) requires his superiority over prophets like the prophet Jesus (AS). [3]

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