he question of infallibility leads us to the question of Divine designation. The Shi’ah scholars say that Imamate is a favour of Allah, and as such it must exist. As this favour entails infallibility, an Imam must necessarily be infallible and for this very reason should be divinely designated, for it is beyond the power of the people to determine who is infallible. As the people cannot choose a Prophet, they cannot choose an Imam also. As a Prophet is appointed by Allah, similarly an Imam is also appointed by Him.
The only difference is that a Prophet is recognized by means of the signs which he shows and the miracles which he works, whereas an Imam is introduced by the Prophet. That is what we meant by designation. An Imam is to be designated by the Prophet and not appointed by the choice of the people. Thus the Shi’ah scholars have advanced from the question of infallibility to that of designation. Now the fourth step is the Imamate of Ali.
Khwaja Nasiruddin says that infallibility and designation are the two characteristics which are applicable to Imam Ali only.
There is no difference of opinion about the fact that the Holy Prophet did not designate any other person. It is not that we say that the Holy Prophet designated Imam Ali and others say that he designated someone else. In fact the question is whether he did or did not designate anybody. If he did, the designated person can be none but Imam Ali. All that we say is that the Holy Prophet must have designated someone to be an Imam after him, and if so, he cannot have designated anyone else, for no counter claim exists.
The Sunnis deny the very designation. Even the caliphs did not claim to have been designated by the Holy Prophet. Their followers also make no such claim. Therefore this is not the point at issue.
The same is true of infallibility. Neither the caliphs claimed to be infallible, nor do their followers say that they were infallible. In contrast, the caliphs expressly confessed that they made mistakes. As we have already pointed out, according to the Sunni point of view the question of Imamate is exclusively tantamount to that of the administration of government.
As such according to them the question of infallibility does not arise. The Sunnis believe that although the caliphs were not infallible and made many mistakes, they were irreproachable to the humanly possible extent and were quite fit to lead prayers. The Sunnis do not claim that the caliphs held any position higher than this. They report, as affirmed by Mulla Ali Qushchi, that Abu Bakr used to say that he had a Devil which seized him occasionally. He asked the people to guide him aright if they found him going astray. Umar on many occasions, some say on 70 occasions, admitted that he would have been ruined if there had not been Ali.
It is not a disputable point between the Shi’ah and the Sunnis that he said so many times. On numerous occasions it so happened that he issued a wrong order and Imam Ali pointed out his mistake which he admitted. As such neither the caliphs ever claimed that they were not infallible, nor do others claim that they were so.
If the question of Imamate is considered from this high level, that is the level of Divine favour, infallibility and Divine ordination, nobody other than Imam Ali can claim to be on this level. This is the scholastic form of the question, and in this case we begin from the top. We have said that as Prophethood is indispensable and at the same time a Divine favour, so should be Imamate also. Now let us see whether in actual practice also it is so, and whether the Holy Prophet has or has not designated Imam Ali. For this purpose let us look into the texts. In this connection there is one more point worth mentioning.
The question is why we should after all adopt a scholastic method and should begin from the top. Why should we not begin from the bottom, and discuss the position as it actually exists? The scholastic theologians begin from the top and then gradually come down to the position as it exists on the ground. But in this case the question arises what we have to do with such points as to whether Imamate is a Divine favour, and if so, an Imam should naturally be infallible and designated. These should actually amount to prescribing a duty for Allah. Therefore we should better go after what actually exists.
If it is proved that the Holy Prophet has made a designation that is enough for us. It is not necessary to prove rationally that Imamate is a Divine favour and that an Imam must be infallible and designated. Let us see what arguments the Shi’ah has in this connection. It may be noted in this connection that the Sunnis either do not accept that such texts exist or interpret them differently. In many cases they do not deny the reports totally, but allege that they are isolated reports, not continuous or mutawatir.

The most predominant view in the traditions transmitted by our traditionists is that Fatimah az-Zahra’ was born in Mecca, on the twentieth of Jumada ‘l-Akhirah, in the fifth year of the Prophet’s apostolic career. It is also asserted that when the Prophet died, Fatimah was eighteen years and seven months old.
It is reported on the authority of Jabir ibn Yazid that (the fifth Imam) al-Baqir was asked: “How long did Fatimah live after the Messenger of Allah¡” He answered: “Four months; she died at the age of twenty-three.” This view is close to that reported by the traditionists of the (Sunni) majority. They have asserted that she was born in the forty-first year of the. Messenger of Allah’s life. This means that she was born one year after the Prophet was sent by Allah as a messenger. The scholar Abu Sa’id al-Hafiz relates in his book Sharafu’ n-Nabiyy that all the children of the Messenger of Allah were born before Islam except Fatimah and Ibrahim, who were born in Islam.
It is reported that the sixth Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq said: “Fatimah has nine names with Allah. They are: Fatimah, as-Siddiqah ( the Righteous), al-Mubarakah ( the Blessed), at-Tahirah (the Pure), az-Zakiyyah (the Unblemished), ar-Radiyah (the one content with Allah’s pleasure), al-Mardiyyah (the one pleasing to Allah), al-Muhaddathah (the one spoken to by angels) and az-Zahirah (the Luminous).
In the Musnad ( collection of transmitted hadiths) of the eighth Imam ar-Rida, it is reported that the Prophet declared: “I named my daughter Fatimah (the Weaned One) because Allah weaned her and those who love her from the Fire.” The Prophet also called her al-Batul (pure virgin), and said to ‘A’ishah: “O Humayra’ ( a redish white, a well-known epithet of ‘A’ishah), Fatimah is not like the women of human kind, nor does she suffer the illness you ( women) suffer! ” This is explained in another prophetic tradition which asserts that she never menstruated. It is likewise reported by Sunni traditionists on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, who heard Umm Salim, the wife of Abu Talhah al-Ansari, say: ” Fatimah never experienced the blood of menstruation or parturition, for she was created from the waters of Paradise.” This is because when the Messenger of Allah was transported to heaven, he entered Paradise, where he ate of its fruits and drank its water.

Peace unto Aali Yassin. Verily, thus We recompense those who do good.
Commentary
Allah sends salutation to Aali Yassin. “Aali Yassin” means Aali Muhammad., in other words Ahlul Bayt.
Al‑Razi writes in Tafseer Al‑Kabir التـفـســـير الكـــبير للرازي that Ahlul Bayt share with the Prophet (pbuh) five honors as follows:
In salutation, for Allah said: “Peace be to you, O’ Prophet” and He also said: “Peace be to Aali Yassin.”
In invoking the blessings of Allah during prayers, after each Tashah’hud.
In their purity, for Allah revealed the verse of purification (Surah Al-Ahzaab: 33) for the Ahlul Bayt.
In the Sadaqah (alms) being forbidden for them.
In love, for Allah said, “Declare [O’ Muhammad]: I ask of you no recompense except loving my kindred.”

According to Shi’a belief, God never leaves the earth without His deputy, the ultimatum, and infallible Imam. After the martyrdom of the eleventh Imam (a) in 260/864, the twelfth Imam, Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-’Askari (a), who was born in 255/646, inherited the position. By God’s knowledge and will, the twelfth Imam disappeared from sight in 260/874, although he is still alive and shall reappear one day to free the world from the violence and injustice that fills it, in order to place justice and fairness instead.

By: Raziyeh Zareaan & Rezvan Liravi