Why Did God Grant Infallibility and Knowledge of the Unseen to the Imams?

Question

The question addresses the reasons behind God granting infallibility and knowledge of the unseen to the Imams and the benefits of such gifts. [AR_ID:5121]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you.

First, we must define infallibility:

- In language, infallibility means prevention and protection. According to the dictionary: (عصم، يعصم: اكتسب ومنع، ووقى... والعصمة بالكسر المنع) (Al-Qamus, Al-Firuzabadi, Vol. 4, p. 151).

- In terminology, infallibility is: (A grace from God that prevents the obligated person from committing sins and neglecting obedience, despite their ability to do so) (Al-Nukat Al-I'tiqadiyyah, Sheikh Al-Mufid, p. 3).

It can also be defined as: (The prevention of committing sins and protection from all impurities).

Or: (A divine quality that prevents one from committing sins and inclining towards them while having the ability to do so) (Al-'Ismah, Al-Ihsai, p. 38).

Or: (The state of the obligated person such that they cannot commit sins without being forced) (Qawa'id Al-'Aqa'id, Khawaja Nasir Al-Din Al-Tusi, p. 455).

Or: (A hidden grace from God that prevents the obligated person from having the urge to neglect obedience and commit sins, despite their ability to do so...) (Chapter Eleven, Al-Allama Al-Hilli, p. 37).

Sayyid Al-Tabatabai stated: (The matter that constitutes infallibility is a type of knowledge that prevents its possessor from engaging in sin and error. In other words, it is knowledge that prevents one from going astray, just as other virtues like courage, chastity, and generosity are each a stable form of knowledge that leads to their effects and prevents one from engaging in their opposites, such as cowardice, recklessness, negligence, greed, miserliness, and wastefulness) (Al-Jawahir Al-Nuraniyyah, Ridwan Saeed Faqih, p. 151).

Thus, we can say: Based on the definitions of infallibility mentioned, the benefit of God granting infallibility to the Imams (peace be upon them) becomes clear. After all, we are commanded to follow them and learn the tenets of our religion from them; how could they disobey God? Following their teachings and obeying them is incompatible with their committing sins.

As for the knowledge of the unseen:

The knowledge of the unseen is, in its essence, exclusive to God Almighty. However, God may inform His prophets and saints about unseen knowledge, as stated in the Holy Quran: ﴿عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا * إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِن رَّسُولٍ﴾. The purpose of their knowledge of the unseen is to learn and receive this knowledge from God Almighty.

Details of this:

It is derived from the verses and narrations that the knowledge of the unseen is exclusive to God Almighty, and He is the only one who knows the unseen.

However, God Almighty is capable of granting this knowledge to His saints among the prophets and Imams (peace be upon them). They know the unseen, but not inherently; rather, they know it through God's teaching:

God Almighty said: ﴿عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا * إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِن رَّسُولٍ﴾ (Al-Jinn: 26-27).

Moreover, reason dictates that the Imam and the proof from God to the people must possess all the knowledge that people need; otherwise, there would be no justification for making him a proof over the people and obligating their obedience to him.

In a narration from Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), he said: God is wiser and more generous than to impose obedience on a servant and then conceal from him the news of the heavens (Al-Kafi - Sheikh Al-Kulaini - Vol. 1 - p. 261).

In another narration: God is greater and more exalted than to hold a servant accountable and then hide from him any of the news of the heavens and the earth (Bihar Al-Anwar Vol. 26 p. 138).

In a narration from Hisham ibn Al-Hakam: I said: May I be sacrificed for you, this lawful and unlawful and the Quran, I know you are its possessor and the most knowledgeable of people about it, and this is the speech. He said: Do you doubt, O Hisham? Whoever doubts that God holds His creation accountable through a proof who does not have everything they need has indeed slandered God (Basa'ir Al-Darajat by Al-Saffar p. 143).

And from Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him): Whoever claims that God holds a servant accountable in His land and then conceals from him everything he needs has indeed slandered God (Basa'ir Al-Darajat - Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Al-Saffar - p. 143).

May you be successful in all good.

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Source: Al-Rasd Center for Religious Monitoring - Term of Infallibility + Center for Religious Research