Belief in Prophethood by the Two Sects

The dispute between the Shi‘ah and Ahl al-Sunnah mainly lies in the issue of ‘ismah (infallibility). As the Shi‘ah believe in the prophets’ ‘ismah before and after their mission (bi‘thah), while Ahl al— Sunnah hold that their infallibility is confined only in Allah’s words that they poropagate, and other than this they, like all other people, may err and be correct. Their Sihàh are filled with narrations indicating that the Messenger of Allah(S) has mistaken in several places, and the Companions were correcting him and telling him the right. The examples they cite for this being the issue of the captives of Battle of Badr, in which the Prophet (S) has erred and ‘Umar hit the mark, and without him the Messenger of Allah would have perished.32 In another place, when he entered al-Madinah, he saw its people cutting the date-palms, whereat he said to them: “Don’t cut them as they will give dates”, but they turned to be shays (unwanted bad dates). Then they came to him complaining about the matter, whereat he said to them: “You are better aware of your world affairs more than me.” In another narration he said:

“I am just a human being, if I command you to anything related to your religion you take it, and if I order you to do anything according to my opinion, I am but a human being.”33

Another time they relate that he was bewitched, remaining so for several days not knowing what to do, to the extent that he was imagining of making sexual intercourse with women and not doing so,34 or fancying to himself the doing of something and not doing it.35

Again they report that he once forgot in his prayer, being uncertain of the number of rak‘ahs he performed,36 and also he once slept so deeply that his snoring could be heard by all, and then he got up and prayed without taking ablution.37 Once again they narrate that he be angry with, reviles and curses whoever undeserving that, saying “O Allah I am no more than a human being, any of the Muslims I have cursed or reviled, You make this exculpatory and purifying fever for him...”38

They also report that he once upon a time he was lying in ‘A’ishah’s house, with his thighs being uncovered, whereat Abu Bakr and then ‘Umar entered upon him, conversing with him while he was on this condition... when ‘Uthmàn asked permission to enter, he (S) sat and made up his clothes. When asked by ‘A’ishah about the reason, he said to her:

“Shouldn’t I be ashamed of a man of whom the angels are ashamed.”39

They further claim that he sometimes would enter upon the morning ritually impure in the Month of Ramadàn,40 missing the dawn prayer... beside other strange traditions that no reason or religion or conscience is ready to accept or approve of.41

Whereas the Shi‘ah — in accordance with Ahl al-Bayt Imams — exculpate the prophets from such trifles and silly things, in particular our Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace and the best of benediction), holding that he is impeccable and immune against all minor and major sins, wrongs and insubordinations. They believe in his being infallible (ma‘sum) against error, forgetfulness, absence of mind, sorcery and whatever causing mind to be disordered. And rather he is impeccable against practicing any act contradictory to manliness and good morality, like eating on the roads, or giggling loudly, or joking with impropriety, or any reprehensible act disapproved by public norms.

The Shi‘ah consider all the narrations reported in this respect, which are incongruous with the prophets’ ‘ismah, to be altogether composed and fabricated by the Umayyads and their supporters with these aims: First, for degrading the Messenger of Allah (S). Second, for seeking justification for their abominable deeds and unsightly wrongs recorded in history books. And if — supposedly — the Messenger of Allah (S) errs and be inclined to love and lust, as in the story they narrated of his passionate love for Zaynab bint Jahash, when he saw her combing her hair (while being the wife of Zayd ibn Hàrithah), exclaiming: “Glorified is Allah Who changes the hearts.”44 Or the story of his inclination toward ‘A’ishah and his unjust treatment with his other wives, that they have delegated to him Fàtimah once and Zaynab bint Jahash another time, asking and pleading him to deal equally between them.45 So if this be the state of the Messenger of Allah (S), no blame then is upon Mu‘àwiyah ibn Abi Sufyàn, or Marwan ibn al-Hakam, or ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, or Yazid ibn Mu‘àwiyah, with all the caliphs who have perpetrated all kinds of abominations, and violated the sanctities and slaughtered the innocent.

This being the case, while the Imams from Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), the Imams of the Shi‘ah, believe in his ‘ismah (infallibility), interpreting the Qur’anic verses which apparently indicate that Allah has admonished His Prophet, like "He frown and turned away" (80:1), or the verses containing confession of the sins like His saying: "That Allah may forgive thee of thy sin that which is past and that which is to come" (48:2), or His saying: "Allah hath turned in mercy to the Prophet" (9:117), and also: "Allah forgive thee (O Muhammad)! Wherefor didst thou grant them leave." (9:43). They affirm that all these verses never derogate from this (S) ‘ismah, as some of them were not meant at him in particular, while some others have to be figuratively interpreted not according to the external meanings of the words, the method that is most often used in the Arabic language, and also by Allah-the Glorified — in the holy Qur’àn.