A Summary Of Muslim’s Divergence On The Issue Of Purity Of The Prophets

There were several differences that still persisted among Muslims about the sanctity and purity of the Prophets. There was a major section of Sunni Muslims, who completely denied the inviolability of the Prophets, and considered the possibility of committing mistakes and errors of judgement by the Prophets as an open reality.

Some of them differentiated between infidelity and sin and they said that Prophets could not execute infidelity but they could be sinful. Some of them discriminated between major and minor sins and claimed that Prophets were prone to minor sins. There were others from the same school who proposed that Prophets could commit mistakes and sins unknowingly and some of them suggested that the Prophets were as sinful as anyone else, before assuming the office of Prophethood, but they were pure after becoming Prophets.

In short, the true belief about the Prophets was that what was held by Shi’as, i.e. Prophets were impervious to sins and mistakes from the birth to their demise. They did not commit sins, either purposefully or accidentally or by speech and actions before or after assuming the office of Prophethood. Shi’as held the same belief about Imams and Angels. There were numerous reports and narrations available to prove the sanctity of their view. This subject had been dealt by us in great detail in our book Asbat al-Imamah wa al-Imam al-Athar and readers could refer to it.

Literal Meaning Of Purity (‘Ismah)

There were several definitions of this subject, but the most comprehensive definition was that ‘Ismah was a gift of God, which was granted by God to His chosen subjects. It made them neither to delay any divine command nor commit a major or minor slip. This showed that Prophet’s ‘Ismah was by choice and they had the capability to commit sins and mistakes, but they chose not to do it by the strength of this award, and behave in accordance with the will and desire of God. That is why they were adored and loved by people.

Arguments In Defence Of The Prophets

If Prophets were not pure and sanctified then the very reason of their emergence was annulled. Then, neither their lecturing would be respected nor people would submit to them. As a result, God’s warning would be justified on them, which stated:

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ

“You invite people to virtuosity and forget your own conduct” (2:44).

People could also taunt them and their Prophethood by reminding their sins to them, which they had committed, and they would reject their decrees. No right-minded person would choose such an ambassador, and if appointed then his diktats would be refused. We, therefore, must accept that Prophets were pure and infallible.

If Prophets could commit sins, then they would be branded as fornicators, and according to the Qur’an their testimony would be unacceptable even in mundane affairs. In these conditions who would rely on their religious proclamations? Not to speak of God, even a person of mediocre intellect would not make such a mistake.

If we accepted that Prophets could commit sins, then they could also lie. If it was so, who would then believe in their assurances of Paradise, Hell, proscriptions and allowances. All of their acts would be subject to misgivings. Therefore, no right-minded person would like to follow them and it would result in rescinding the purpose of their appointment.

If Prophets were capable of committing sins and mistakes then it would amount to the acquiescence of two opposites at the same time, therefore, the acceptance and defiance of both at the same time would be essential, which was logically impossible. The explanation of this suggestion was in the following. Since they were Prophets, therefore, according to the Qur’an their fellowship was essential:

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ

“If you love God then follow me, God will then love you too” (3:31).

Again, in another Qur’anic Verse it was said:

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ

“We sent no messenger save that he should be obeyed by Allah's leave …” (4:64).

Now if they were also sinful, then according to Qur’an, every sinful person was an unjust being, and for such people there was a clear divine command:

وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ

“And do not incline to those who are unjust, lest the fire touch you, and you have no guardians besides Allah, then you shall not be helped” (11:113).

God again spoke through Qur’an:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ

“Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion” (16:90).

It was evident that submission and defiance were opposite to each other and their accumulation at the same time was impossible. Therefore, a thing that was impossible by acquisition was also futile and false, therefore, the view that Prophets were sinful was wrong and baseless.

A Short Description Of The Sanctity Of The Imams

The reasons and argument that had been provided to prove the sanctity of the Prophets was also applicable to the Imams. Therefore, there was no need to set up a separate chapter for them. For complete understanding of this subject, readers could refer to our book Asbat al-Imamah.

The episode of Haroot and Maroot Angels was addressed in some of the less authentic books of Islam and was borrowed from the Jewish traditions. It was totally unreliable due to its frail reasoning. In the light of these facts, it was essential to have complete faith in the sanctity and purity of Prophets, Imams and the Angels.

Imams, like the Prophets should be unique in the fields of knowledge, God-fearing disposition, abstinence, piety, generosity, bravery, modesty, sense of honour and benevolence, as compared to the rest of the Ummah. Otherwise, preference of the subdued over the triumphant would become evident and the blame could be shifted to God, which was beyond the status of God’s justice. If on the other hand, there was someone who was at par with the Prophet and Imam in all the relevant fields, then to appoint someone else as Prophet or Imam in his place would cause preference without the subdued, which was immoral. It was therefore, necessary that the sanctity and purity of Prophets, Imams and Angels must be observed.

An Important Clarification

Those allegorical Verses that were used by the antagonists to indicate the effluence of Prophets were fully answered in the recognised and authentic books of Shi’a faith. Readers were advised to study a book called Tanziat al-Anbiya’ written by Sayyid Murtaza ‘Ilm al-Hoda and Ismahu al-Anbiya’ wa al-Imam written by Sayyid Abul Qasim.