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Imams in Shi Belief

Bismillah

Bismillah

Submit
Could someone help me with this belief?

I don't understand it and it runs contrary to the ideals of Islamic governance that I hold; namely political appointment through merit not lineage.

How can Imams be justified as infallible when even the Prophets were not? The only correct application of the word is in context of describing the Qur'an. Stating that a man is infallible is very close to shirk IMO.
 
Shia Islam

Shia Islam

Quran and Ahlul-Bayt a.s.
Premium Member
Thanks for raising this question,
Imamate in Shia Islam is very close to prophethood, and it can't be understood without fully understanding prophethood.
Imamate is the third Pillar of Islam according to Shia Muslims..

So it would be suitable to describe both imamate and prophethood together

Accordign to Shia theology it's Allah's established way of sending messengers, and at any time Allah will have a vicegerent to explain his religion to humans…This vicegerent can either be a messenger or a vicegerent of a messenger.

God said in the holly Quran:
" We never punish until we have sent a messenger. "
Click to expand...
 Quran 17-15.​

Since the role of the prophet and the that of the imam is to show other humans what Allah wants from humans, how can humans be sure that what this man (a prophet or an imam) is saying is exactly what Allah wants from his servants.

infallibility is cleary expressed in the holly Quran:

" And (remember) when his Lord tried Abraham with (His) commands, and he fulfilled them, He said: Lo! I have appointed thee a leader for mankind. (Abraham) said: And of my offspring (will there be leaders)? He said: My covenant includeth not wrong-doers. "
Click to expand...
Quran 2-124.​

Moreover the Hadiths of the prophet have mentioned that each prophet has one or more vicegerent, and the prophet has appointed his vicegerent (Imam Ali a.s.) before his death.

The holly Quran has cleary indicated that Ahlulbayt (Mohammed, Ali, Fatima …) are infallible

" Allah's wish is but to remove uncleanness far from you, O Folk of the Household, and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing. "
Click to expand...
Quran 33-33.

Best Wishes​
 
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