How Does God Choose the Imams?

Question

Peace be upon you. I have an important question regarding God's justice. How does He choose the prophets, imams, and infallibles? They are created infallible by His grace, so what is the difference between them and angels, for example? They will enter Paradise by God's infallibility and not by their own effort, as they cannot err even if they wanted to, because they are infallible by God's will and not by their own. Why, for instance, were you or I not created infallible, guaranteeing us Paradise in the Hereafter and the sweetness of divine closeness in this world? I don't know if I have conveyed my idea clearly, but I have not found an answer to this question. I hear that God chose them from the world of light and tested them there. How can I know this, as Islam is a religion of logic, understanding, and tangible evidence, and I do not see or am certain of these worlds? Thank you.

Answer 1

And peace and mercy of God be upon you. Without delving into the details of the world of 'Al-Dhar,' which we can set aside in answering the posed question, the answer will become clear through understanding the reality of infallibility that we claim exists for the prophets, messengers, and imams, along with not forgetting God's absolute knowledge of what was and what will be. As for the reality of infallibility, it is the knowledge that those noble souls have reached, whereby the truths are evident and certain to them, free from doubt, ignorance, or hesitation. They know the reality of obedience and its effects, as well as its manifestation in the realm of meaning and reality. They also understand the reality of disobedience and its consequences in the same manner. For example, they know with certainty that consuming the wealth of orphans is like fire in the bellies of those who consume it, and they perceive this more intensely than through mere sensory experience, while we try to grasp it from afar based on our understanding and capabilities through our attempts to comprehend the blessed verse: 'Indeed, they are consuming fire in their bellies.' This knowledge enables anyone who attains it to willingly and consciously refrain from committing immoral acts, whether rationally or religiously, or to avoid what is necessary for their benefit, both rationally and religiously. We read in the supplication of Abu Hamza al-Thumali: 'If someone else were to see my sin today, I would not have committed it, and if I feared immediate punishment, I would have avoided it.' Understand the connection and meaning. To illustrate, we ask: Does a kind and rational father kill his child? Does a rational person intentionally touch a live wire? Why does an ordinary believer not drink alcohol or commit adultery? Is it not because they recognize the ugliness of their actions and refrain from them? Likewise, the infallible knows the ugliness of sin and the goodness of obedience with the highest and most intense certainty, thus refraining despite their ability to disobey. They are not compelled by force or coercion but rather by knowledge and certainty. As for how the infallible reached this knowledge, the answer is that it is a special grace from God, knowing that they are capable of bearing this knowledge and fulfilling its requirements, unlike other individuals. Therefore, it is said that infallibility is a special grace from God for those whom He knows will adhere to its limits, conditions, and constraints. It is worth noting that not all souls are capable of bearing this knowledge and its consequences. May you be successful in all good.