Infallibility of Imams: Difference between revisions

* '''Impossibility of regress:''' If the Imam were not infallible, then another Imam would be required to guide him and correct his mistakes. This second Imam would also need to be infallible. If he were not, a third Imam would be necessary, and so on, leading to an infinite regress, which is impossible. Therefore, the chain must end with an Imam who is infallible and makes no mistakes.

* '''Obligation of obedience:''' If the Imam were to make a mistake, it would become obligatory to dissociate from him and forbidden to obey him. However, this contradicts the [[Verse of Ulu l-Amr]], which commands the obedience of the Imams. Therefore, the Imam must be infallible.

* '''Defeat of purpose:''' The purpose of appointing an Imam is for people to follow him in their affairs. If the Imam were not infallible and committed sins or mistakes, this purpose would be defeated, as people could no longer trust him.

* '''Degradation of status:''' If an Imam were to commit sins, his status would become lower than that of other sinners, since his knowledge of God and religion is greater, and his intellect is more perfect. This would result in a more severe divine punishment, a scenario that is incompatible with the exalted status of an Imam.

This verse has also been cited as evidence for the infallibility of the Imams. Some have structured the argument from this verse as follows:

A. "Ahl al-Bayt" (the Household) in the al-Tathir Verse refers to the Five Companions of the Cloak.

B. The verse expresses God's will to remove impurity from the Ahl al-Bayt.

C. In addition to willing the purification of the Ahl al-Bayt, God ensured the realization of this will, as the verse is intended to praise the Ahl al-Bayt (God's existential will).

D. The removal of impurity from the Ahl al-Bayt signifies their infallibility.

According to numerous hadiths transmitted through both Shiite and Sunni sources, the al-Tathir Verse was revealed regarding the Companions of the Cloak. Therefore, "Ahl al-Bayt" in this verse refers to the Five.

Numerous hadiths, transmitted through the Prophet’s companions and the Imams, have been cited as evidence for the infallibility of the Imams, such as Hadith al-Thaqalayn and Hadith al-Safina.

Explicitly emphasizing the inseparability of the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt, as it states, “the two will never separate until they come to me at the pond,” this hadith implies the infallibility of the Ahl al-Bayt, since any sins or mistakes on their part would result in their separation from the Quran. Furthermore, the Prophet stated in this hadith that one who follows the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt will never go astray. This also suggests the Ahl al-Bayt's infallibility, as unconditional adherence to them would otherwise lead to misguidance if they were not infallible. In other words, this hadith signifies the obligation to obey the Ahl al-Bayt, where such an obligation indicates their infallibility.

In Shiite hadiths, "Ahl al-Bayt" in the Hadith of the Two Weighty Things is interpreted as referring to the Shiite Imams. Some Sunni scholars believe that "Ahl al-Bayt" here refers to the Companions of the Cloak, with others identifying its foremost example as Imam 'Ali.

Some Shiite theologians believe that Hadith al-Thaqalayn is a frequently transmitted (mutawatir) hadith, leaving no doubt about its authenticity. Others argue that, while it may not be mutawatir in its exact wording, it is so in terms of its meaning.

Hadith al-Aman is a renowned hadith transmitted from the Prophet through both Shiite and Sunni sources, albeit in slight variations in its wording: Stars are safety for the inhabitants of the sky and my household (Ahl al-Bayt) are safety for my nation.

In appealing to this hadith, it is noted that the Prophet likens his Ahl al-Bayt to stars, symbolizing their role in ensuring the safety of his nation or the inhabitants of the earth. By describing his Household as the stars of guidance and the safeguard against disputes and misguidance, the Prophet implies their infallibility, as such a role would be impossible without their infallibility.

In the hadiths cited in the book Kifayat al-Athar, "Ahl al-Bayt" in this hadith is interpreted as referring to the Shiite Imams, explicitly attributing infallibility to them. Al-Hakim al-Nishaburi, a Sunni hadith scholar of the fourth century AH, acknowledges that Hadith al-Aman has a reliable chain of transmission.

The well-known Hadith of the Ark is transmitted from the Prophet in numerous Shiite and Sunni sources, with slight variations in wording: “Indeed, my Ahl al-Bayt (Household) among you are like Noah’s Ark—whoever embarks on it will be saved, and whoever deviates from it will drown.” Some scholars suggest that this hadith is frequently transmitted (mutawatir). Al-Hakim al-Nishaburi holds that the hadith has a reliable chain of transmission.

In his citation of the hadith, Mir Hamid Husayn al-Hindi argues that if the Ahl al-Bayt's ark saves people and deviation from it leads to misguidance, then the Ahl al-Bayt themselves must a fortiori  be immune to misguidance. Otherwise, an unconditional command to follow them and embark on their ark would lead to misguidance, which is impossible for God and the Prophet to decree.

In Hadith al-Safina, "Ahl al-Bayt" is interpreted as referring to the Twelve Imams. 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-Manawi, a Shafi'i scholar of the tenth and eleventh centuries AH, identifies "Ahl al-Bayt" in this hadith as including the Imams and Lady Fatima.

Some opponents of the infallibility of Imams argue that this belief did not exist in the early Islamic era and emerged only later. For example, Ibn Taymiyya claims that the belief in the infallibility of Imams originated with 'Abd Allah b. Saba' and was his invention. Nasir al-Qafari asserts that it was Hisham b. al-Hakam who first introduced this belief. In his book Risis and Consolidation in the Formative Period of Shi'ite Islam, Sayyid Hossein Modarresi Tabataba'i, a Shiite Iranian scholar of Islamic studies, also attributes the origin of the idea of infallibility to Hisham b. al-Hakam.

Nasir al-Qafari, a Wahhabi scholar who is critical of Shiism, rejects the attribution of the idea of infallibility to 'Abd Allah b. Saba' in historical terms, noting that his own research found no such statements from him. Furthermore, the concept of the infallibility of Imams and the term 'isma was not an invention of Hisham b. al-Hakam. Many hadiths transmitted from the Prophet and the Imams highlight infallibility ('isma). For instance, a hadith from Imam 'Ali describes 'isma as a distinguishing feature of the Imam. Imam al-Sajjad cites a hadith from his father, Imam al-Husayn, in which the Prophet is reported to have characterized the Imams as infallible. Additionally, in Sunni sources, 'Abd Allah b. 'Abbas quotes the Prophet as stating that he, 'Ali, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and the nine descendants of al-Husayn are pure and infallible.

Nasir al-Qaffari, a Wahhabi researcher in Saudi Arabia, and some others suggest that the belief in the infallibility of the Ahl al-Bayt is an example of ghuluww (exaggeration about their status). Shias, however, define ghuluww as going beyond moderation in describing the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt, elevating them above their true position of servitude, and attributing divine qualities to them. Shias do not hold such beliefs about the Ahl al-Bayt. They believe that infallibility, like any other perfection, fundamentally belongs to God, but that God has granted this attribute to certain of His servants who serve as guides. Thus, the exclusivity of infallibility to God is compatible with its being granted to some of His servants, similar to the belief in the Prophet’s infallibility among all Muslims.

==Infallibility and the Imams’ Words and Deeds==

Some statements by Shiite Imams are interpreted as being incompatible with their infallibility. For example, Imam 'Ali is reported to have said to his companions: “Therefore, do not abstain from saying a truth or giving advice on justice because I do not regard myself as above erring. I do not escape erring in my actions unless Allah protects me.” Scholars such as Shihab al-Din al-Alusi, a Shafi'i jurist and Quranic exegete, Ahmad Amir al-Misri, 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Dihlawi, a Salafi scholar in India, and Nasir al-Qaffari believe that this hadith contradicts the idea of Imam 'Ali’s infallibility and suggests the fallibility of the Imams.

'Allama al-Majlisi and Mulla Salih Mazandarani interpret Imam 'Ali’s statement as an expression of his humility, aimed at encouraging his companions to be open to embracing the truth and acknowledging that infallibility is a divine grace. They compare this statement to Prophet Joseph’s words in the Quran: “Yet I do not absolve my [own carnal] soul, for the [carnal] soul indeed prompts [men] to evil, except inasmuch as my Lord has mercy.”

Nasir Makarim Shirazi suggests that the statement “I do not regard myself as above erring,” cited by opponents of infallibility, should be understood in conjunction with the phrase “unless Allah protects me.” The first part indicates that, as a human, Imam 'Ali is not inherently immune to error, but the second part implies that he is under God's protection and support, distinguishing him from ordinary human beings. Additionally, the Imam, in his role of teaching and guiding his companions, is emphasizing the constant possibility of error, humbling himself to set an example for them.

==The Imams’ Confessions to Sins and Request of Forgiveness==

Opponents of infallibility argue that the Shiite Imams admitted to committing sins and frequently sought divine forgiveness, which they believe contradicts the idea of infallibility. It should be noted that there are reports of the Prophet himself requesting forgiveness and repenting, including hadiths suggesting that the Prophet sought forgiveness seventy times a day.

Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi explains that the Imams asked for forgiveness not because they had committed sins, but to teach people how to seek forgiveness. This is also how some Sunni scholars have justified the Prophet’s requests for forgiveness. Some scholars interpret the confessions of sins and requests for forgiveness by the Imams as examples of the principle that "the good deeds of the pious are the sins of those close to God." This suggests that, due to their elevated spiritual status, the Imams considered themselves sinful when they had to engage in worldly matters for the benefit of others, and thus asked for forgiveness. The hadith from the Prophet, “Sometimes, my heart rusts, and I ask for forgiveness seventy times a day,” is seen as referring to this concept. Some scholars believe that the main reason for the Prophet's and the Imams' repentance and requests for forgiveness was their attention to worldly matters, which was necessary for life but distracted them from complete focus on God. According to 'Allama al-Majlisi, since the Infallibles have the highest level of knowledge about God and are deeply immersed in the divine essence, when they reflect on their actions, they perceive them as insignificant and sinful in light of God’s greatness, leading them to seek repentance and forgiveness.

Another explanation for the Imams’ requests for divine forgiveness is that it served a preventive purpose. While ordinary individuals seek forgiveness for sins and mistakes they have already committed, the Imams sought forgiveness to prevent themselves from committing sins in the future.

Pazhuhishi dar shinakht wa 'ismat-i Imam (A study of the knowledge and infallibility of Imams), Jafar Sobhani, Islamic Research Foundation of Astan Quds Razavi, first edition, 1389 Sh.

'Ismat-i Imam dar tarikh-i tafakkur-i Imamiyya ta payan-i qarn-i panjum-i hijri (Infallibility of Imams in the Imami intellectual history until the end of the fifth century AH), Mohammad Hossein Faryab, Qom, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute, first edition, 1390 Sh.

'Ismat-i Imaman az didgah-i 'aql wa wahy (The infallibility of Imams from the perspective of reason and revelation), Ebrahim Safarzadeh, Qom, Za'ir Astana Muqaddas, first edition, 1392 Sh.

Dala'il-i 'ismat-i Imam az didgah-i 'aql wa naql (Reasons for the infallibility of Imams from the perspective of reason and revelation), Hojjat Mangenechi, Tehran, Mash'ar, first edition, 1391 Sh.

Imamat wa 'ismat-i Imaman dar Qur'an (Imamate and infallibility of the Imams in the Quran), Reza Kardan, Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly, first edition, 1385 Sh.