The second verse proves the “Truth” through the covenant. The notable point here is that this condition is implied before the features of Mesengership and apostleship; this tells us that this is very necessary to be appointed an apostle and this is because the greatest attribute is to enjoin people to God. This base about the promises depends on the future.

If the apostle is not truthful then his invitation to the truth can not be relied upon. God has said: ““Also mention in the Book (the story of) Ismail: he was (strictly) true to what he promised and he was a messenger and a prophet.”

This is why it is necessary that when a person who is a complete liar or in his promises can never reach the station of apostleship. This is why truthful ness is the first condition to attain this status so that people can believe and trust all that he says and promises.

There are a limited few people who do not consider purity to be the basic feature of apostleship though they believe in the truth.

Hazrat Ismail has been termed as “The one who fulfills his promise” because he fulfilled what he promised.

So much so that if he promised to meet some one at a particular place he waited for the person for a long time and when the man came he said “I waited a long time for you (1)

It will not be far fetched to say that waiting here may mean the time that he was worried about the man’s absence and then this return and then he said the same to the person and asked what his deeds were in that interim period .

It is also notable that the apostle mentioned here was Ismail bin Ibrahim or Ismail bin Ezekiel a prophet of the Bani Israel but most of the commentators have taken it to be the first. The second interpretation is supported by some hadith from the Ahlul Bait because according to some hadiths Ismail had died during the life of his father Ibrahim. But this does not alter or change the incidence of the apostle ship because God has named only a prophet. It is also proven that this Ismail was in Makkah who came to preach to the tribe of Jarham who did not exist before apostle Ibrahim.

If we believe that it was only Ismail bin Ibrahim then even it is plausible because he has been mentioned in the previous verse and has come before Ibrahim but not after Moses.

This issue does not concern our discussion because we are discussing the features of the apostles.

1. Usul Kafi vol.2 page 105 hadith 7