which might lead one to imagine that they had been guilty of sin involves (only) their leaving the better course (tarku'lawlâ). Thus what reason teaches us harmonizes with the veracity of tradition, although all of this which has been mentioned has various aspects and implications. And thou canst read the book, "The Clearing of the Prophets" (Tanzîhu'lAnbiyâ), which Sayyid Murtaḍâ 'Alamu'l-Hudâ al-Mûsawî composed, and other books also, and if I did not fear to prolong the discussion I would quote a sample of it.

170. (4) FOURTH, IT IS NECESSARY THAT THE PROPHET BE THE BEST (afḍal) OF THE PEOPLE OF HIS AGE, BECAUSE IT IS EVIL BOTH BY REASON AND TRADITION FOR AN INFERIOR (almafḍûl) TO HAVE PRECEDENCE OVER A SUPERIOR (al-fâḍil). ALLAH THE MOST HIGH SAYS, IS HE THEN WHO GUIDETH INTO THE TRUTH THE MORE WORTHY TO BE FOLLOWED, OR HE WHO GUIDETH NOT UNLESS HE BE HIMSELF GUIDED? WHAT THEN HATH BEFALLEN YOU THAT YE SO JUDGE?" (10: 36).

66

171. It is necessary (wâjib) that the Prophet possess all the qualities of perfection and superiority, and it is necessary that he be in that respect superior to and more perfect than every individual of the people of his age. For it is evil, both by reason and tradition, for the Wise and Omniscient (Allâh) to give to the inferior who needs perfecting precedence over the superior and the perfector. (It is evil) by reason, as is evident, since it is evil in the opinion of authorities to make a beginner in jurisprudence take precedence over Ibn 'Abbâs and others like him among the lawyers, or to make a beginner in logic take precedence over Aristotle, or to make a beginner in grammar take precedence over Sîbawaihi and al-Khalîl,a and so in all the sciences. And (it is evil) by tradition, as the Praised One indicated in the verses quoted and in others.

172. (5) FIFTH, IT IS NECESSARY THAT HE BE FAR REMOVED FROM BASENESS (danâ'a) ON THE PART OF HIS MALE ANCESTRY AND FROM DEBAUCHERY (ihr) OF THE FEMALE, AND FROM DEFECTS IN HIS CREATION AND FROM FLAWS IN CREATION, SINCE THAT WOULD BE IMPERFECTION. THEN HE WOULD

LOSE HIS PLACE IN MEN'S HEARTS, AND THAT IS CONTRARY

TO WHAT WE ARE SEEKING.

173. Since what is sought in creation is complete attachment (inqiyâd) to the prophet and that men's hearts should welcome him, it is necessary that he possess the qualities that are praiseworthy, such as the perfection of reason and of sagacity and of prudence, and the absence of forgetfulness, and strength of opinion and of vigour and of greatness and of self-restraint and of courage and of generosity and of liberality and of bounty and of kindness and of zeal and of tenderness and of mercy and of humility and of meekness, and so forth, and that he be free from everything which would cause imperfection in Him. And that would be caused either by his relationship to something outside himself, such as the baseness of his fathers and the debauchery of his mothers; or by his relationship to himself, and that is either: (1) in his condition (aḥwâl), such as eating on the road (an unseemly thing for a prophet), and association with corrupt people, and that he should be a silk-weaver who weaves with his feet, or that he should bleed people, or be a street-sweeper, or have any such base occupation; or (2) in his character (akhlâq), such as rancour and ignorance and malice and envy and harshness and rudeness and avarice and cowardice and covetousness of the world and desire for it and paying attention to the people of the world and excusing them from Allâh's commands and other such faults; or (3) in his nature (tabî'a), such as leprosy and elephantiasis (judhâm) and insanity and dumbness and imperfection of mind, for in all this there is imperfection which would cause him to lose his place in men's hearts.

SECTION VI

174. Concerning the Imâmate. AND IT CONTAINS SEVERAL SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION. (1) FIRST, THE IMÂMATE IS A UNIVERSAL AUTHORITY (riyâsa) IN THE THINGS OF RELIGION

AND OF THE WORLD BELONGING TO SOME PERSON AND DERIVED

FROM (niyâba) THE PROPHET. AND IT IS NECESSARY (wâjib) ACCORDING TO REASON. FOR THE IMÂMATE IS A KINDNESS (from Allâh) (luțf), AND WE KNOW ABSOLUTELY THAT WHEN MEN HAVE A CHIEF (ra'îs) AND A GUIDE (murshid) WHOM THEY OBEY, WHO AVENGES THE OPPRESSED OF HIS OPPRESSOR AND RESTRAINS THE OPPRESSOR FROM HIS OPPRESSION, THEN THEY DRAW NEAR TO SOUNDNESS (ṣalâḥ) AND DEPART FROM CORRUPTION. AND WE HAVE SHOWN PREVIOUSLY THAT KINDNESS IS INCUMBENT UPON ALIÂH.a

175. This is the discussion of the Imâmate, which follows Prophecy, and is a branch of it. Now "THE IMÂMATE IS A

UNIVERSAL AUTHORITY IN THE THINGS OF RELIGION AND OF THE WORLD BELONGING TO A PERSON

And its being

universal is the division (fasl) which distinguishes it from the dominion (wilâya) of judges and vicegerents. And "IN THE THINGS OF RELIGION AND OF THE WORLD," explains that to which it appertains. Hence it concerns the world as well as religion. And its BELONGING TO A PERSON calls attention to two matters: first, he who is worthy of the Imâmate is a person appointed and specified by Allâh and His Prophet, not any chance person; and second, it is not possible that there be more than one individual at any one period who is worthy of it. And some of the learned (fuḍalâ) have added to the definition something regarding its being fundamental (al-ișâla), and have said in the definition of the Imâmate that it is a universal authority in the things of religion and of the world belonging to a person by fundamental right. And in this way they guarded against a vicegerent (nâ'ib) to whom the Imâm would give universal dominion. And such an authority would be

universal, but not fundamentally so. But in reality he would be excluded by the condition of its being universal, for the above-mentioned vicegerent would not have authority over his Imâm, and hence his authority would not be universal. And in all this the definition of the Imâmate corresponds with that of Prophecy. Hence in this case there must be added to it the words, "by the right of vicegerency derived from the Prophet," or "by means of a man (that is, not from Allâh direct, but through the mediation of the Prophet). 176. Since thou hast grasped this, then know that men have disagreed as to whether the Imamâte is incumbent (wajib) or not. And the Khârijites say that it is not incumbent at all. And the Ash'arites and Mu'tazilites say that it is incumbent upon man, but then they disagree. The Ash'arites say that this is known by tradition, and the Mu'tazilites say (it is known) by reason. And our companions the Imâmites say that it is incumbent upon Allâh the Most High by reason, and this is the reality. And the proof of its reality is that the Imâmate is a kindness (luțf), and every sort of kindness is incumbent upon Allâh the Most High. Hence the Imâmate is incumbent upon Allâh the Most High. The major premise we have already explained. And the minor premise is that kindness (lutf) such as that which thou hast known (from our previous explanation) is that which brings the creature near to obedience and keeps him far from disobedience, and this idea (ma'nâ) is realized by the Imâmate. And in explanation of this, (we say that) whoever has known dark experiences and has examined political principles knows of necessity that whenever men have among them a chief and a guide whom they obey, who restrains the oppressor from his oppression and the unjust man from his injustice and avenges the oppressed of his oppressor, and along with that leads them to rational principles and religious duties, and restrains them from the corruptions which cause the destruction of order in their worldly affairs, and from the evils which result in wretchedness in the world to come, so that every individual might fear that punishment, then because of this they will draw near to soundness and depart from corruption. And by lutf we mean

nothing except this. Hence the Imâmate is lutf, and that is what we sought.

177. And know that everything which proves (dâlla) that Prophecy is necessary proves also that the Imâmate is necessary. For the Imâmate is the successor (khilâfa) of Prophecy and stands in its place (qâ'im maqâmahâ), except in the matter of receiving (talaqqî) divine inspiration (waḥy) without a mediator. And in the same way in which Prophecy is incumbent upon Allâh the Most High on philosophical grounds, so also is the Imâmate.

178. And those who hold that it is incumbent upon man (khalq) say that it is incumbent upon them to appoint a ruler to guard their persons from harm, for guarding against harm is incumbent. And we say that we have no quarrel with them as to the Imâmate's being a protection from harm and as to its being incumbent. But our quarrel is about their saying that it has been bestowed (tafwîḍ) upon men, for in this case there would be an actual conflict (between Allâh and men) regarding the appointment of Imâms, and it would result in harm, whereas what is sought is the decrease of harm. And all this is also guarded against by the fact that immunity to sin is a necessary condition (in the Imâm), and that his appointment (nass) by the Prophet is necessary.

179. (2) SECOND, IT IS NECESSARY THAT THE IMÂM BE IMMUNE TO SIN (maʼṣûm), OTHERWISE THERE WOULD BE AN ENDLESS CHAIN. FOR THE NEED WHICH DEMANDS THE IMÂM IS THE RESTRAINING OF THE OPPRESSOR FROM HIS OPPRESSION AND THE AVENGING OF THE OPPRESSED OF HIS OPPRESSOR. Now IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO BE NOT IMMUNE TO SIN THEN HE WOULD NEED ANOTHER IMÂM, AND THERE WOULD BE AN ENDLESS CHAIN, AND THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. AND ALSO BECAUSE IF HE COMMITTED SIN (maʼṣiya), AND IF IT WERE INCUMBENT UPON MEN TO DISAPPROVE OF HIM, HE WOULD LOSE HIS PLACE IN MEN'S HEARTS, AND THE VALUE OF HIS APPOINTMENT WOULD BE NULLIFIED. AND IF IT WERE NOT NECESSARY (that he be immune to sin), THE COMMAND TO DO WHAT IS APPROVED BY ALLÂH (al-ma'rûf) AND THE PRO