A Note on This Exchange
The following is a lightly edited version of a correspondence with an Ismaili Gnosis reader who asked about the Qur’anic verse 36:12 and its appearance in the Second Part of the daily Ismaili Du‘a, particularly its reference to the Imam-i Mubin (Manifest Imam). The exchange has been refined slightly for readability and clarity, while retaining the informal, conversational nature of the original discussion.
What follows is best understood as an initial response to the question rather than a comprehensive treatment of the subject. There is considerably more to explore regarding verse 36:12, including its appearance in historical Ismaili literature and its ta’wil, or esoteric interpretation, within the Ismaili tradition. In particular, a fuller examination of the entire verse — rather than just the portion recited in our Du‘a — helps bring out the deeper significance of the Imam-i Mubin and the spiritual role of the living Manifest Imam, who is present in every age.
We hope to return to this important verse in future articles, exploring its meanings and Ismaili ta’wil in greater detail, and thereby further deepening our appreciation of its spiritual significance.
A Reader’s Question Regarding 36:12
Ya Ali Madad,
I have been matching the Qur’anic verses in our Du‘a book with the Qur’an itself and reading the verses before and after them to get a deeper understanding. So far, I have been able to find all of the verses I have looked up.
I understand that the wording can vary depending on which Qur’an translation or interpretation I am looking at, and that the translations may not always be word for word.
But there is one verse from the second part of our Du‘a that I have been unable to locate:
“We have encompassed everything in a manifest Imam” (wa-kulla shay’in ahsaynahu fi imami’m-mubin) ... The Du‘a book references Surat Ya Sin (Qur’an 36:12), but I cannot find anything remotely close to this translation in the Qur’an.
Any insight on this?
Thank you in advance. 🙏