Verse No. 9
The earth has never been unless there has been an Imam on it who would prohibit corruption on it.
قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى:
﴿فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ أُولُو بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِمَّنْ أَنْجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ﴾[1]
Translation:
God Almighty has said:
“So why were there among the ages before you no remnants who would forbid corruption on the earth except for a few of those whom We saved from among them?!”
Consideration
أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْخَتْلَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: مَا كَانَتِ الْأَرْضُ إِلَّا وَفِيهَا أُولُو بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِيهَا، قُلْتُ: تَعْنِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ قَالَ: كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ أُولُو بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِمَّنْ أَنْجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ﴾؟ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا أَئِمَّةَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَإِنَّمَا أُنْجِيَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِاتِّبَاعِهِمْ.
Translation:
Yunus ibn Abdullah al-Khatlani informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say: “The earth has (never) existed unless there have been remnants on it who would forbid corruption on it.” I said: “Do you mean believers?” He said: “They were a few of believers, have you not heard the words of God Almighty that has said: ‘So why were there among the ages before you no remnants who would forbid corruption on the earth except for a few of those whom We saved from among them?!’ They were the Imams of believers, and believers were saved by following them.”