We set forth below the two verses referred to in the query:
“The apostle believes in what has been revealed to him from his God, and (so do) the believers; they all believe in Allah, and His angels and His books and His apostles; We make no difference between any of His apostles; and they say: We hear and obey, our God! Thy forgiveness (do we crave), and to Thee is the eventual course.” (Qur’an, 2:285)
“O you who believe! Believe in Allah, and His Apostle, and the Book which He has revealed to His Apostle and the Book which He revealed before; and whoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His book and His apostles and the last day, he indeed strays off into a remote error.” (Qur’an, 4:136)
It’s necessary to mention that the points stated in this noble verse do not specify the entire divine belief and faith. For instance, it does not mention about one of the fundamentals and necessities of faith i.e., ‘Ma’ad’ and belief in resurrection. But, its absence does not abate its importance. It can be said: Belief in the Book and the messenger involves belief in resurrection and belief in ‘Ma’ad’ is integral to belief in the Book and messenger and it is part of the necessities of divine religions.
Just as absence of ‘Ma’ad’ in the above verse cannot become a reason or proof for non-acceptance of ‘Ma’ad’ as a fundamental belief, the same applies to belief in the Imams (a.s.) and Hazrat Mahdi (a.t.f.s.). Besides, we have various other verses that talk about Imams (a.s.) and Hazrat Mahdi (a.t.f.s.).
This verse consists of two parts: Positive and negative aspect. In the positive aspect, principle of faith is set forth. The All-Wise Allah commands to believe in four principles: Allah, apostle, book of apostle and books of previous apostles.
In the negative aspect, it says: Those who disbelieve in Allah, His angels, His Book and apostles and the last day have strayed into a remote error.
In this noble verse, we find ‘Ma’ad’ while talking about disbelief in fundamentals of faith. But concerning belief in fundamentals of faith nothing is mentioned about ‘Ma’ad’. It’s clear that each verse in every Chapter is not bound to describe every principle and every aspect of fundamentals and branches of religion. In Sunni and Shia traditions, principles like Salat, fasting, Haj etc form the religious teachings but none of these have come down in this noble verse. Their importance has come down in other verses and traditions.
The same applies to belief in the Imamate of Imams. This vital principle is pointed out in hundreds of verses, in diverse forms, and the holy prophet (s.a.w.a.) and Imams (a.s.) have interpreted and explained them to imply Amir-ul-Mu’minin’s (a.s.) ‘Vilayat’ and Imam-e-Zaman’s (a.t.f.s.) rule. Among them, we may mention the following verses: (Qur’an, 5:55), (Qur’an, 5:4), (Qur’an, 41:24), and (Qur’an, 5:64)
إنما وليكم الله…………………….. (Qur’an, 5:55)
اليوم اكملت لكم دينكم……………. (Qur’an, 5:4)
و جعلنا منهم ائمة………………. (Qur’an, 41:24)
يا ايها الرسول! بلغ ما انزل………..(Qur’an, 5:46)
Aside from numerous traditions, our leaders have explained and interpreted these verses too.
To sum up, the holy Qur’an has explained some issues like principle of Imamate, prophethood, monotheism and resurrection clearly and openly but with regards to other issues like introduction of Imam, explanation of practical commandments etc it has left its explanation and interpretation with the holy prophet (s.a.w.a.) and Imams (a.s.). Thus, one cannot expect all the matters to have come down in the holy Qur’an in clear and decisive terms (considering its apparent limitation in size too) and still further, expect one to believe that all the fundamentals of belief have come down in one verse only.