Study of Doubts of Qquranic Researches

Study of Doubts of Qquranic Researches

The answer to an old doubt about the infallibility of the prophet (pbuh) and the shiite imams (pbuh) based on the distinction between objective and subjective languages

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Mohammad Ali Abbasian Chaleshtori
Associate Professor of Payam Noor University, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Tehran, Iran; abbasian@pnu.ac.ir.
20.1001.1.27173879.1401.4.1.6.2
Abstract
There is a relatively old doubt regarding the infallibility of the Prophet and the Shiite Imams, which refers to some verses of the Qur'an and the verbal prayers of the Shiite imams, in which the Prophet and the imams seek forgiveness from God for their sins and thereby seek His protection and mercy. If the Prophet and Shiite Imams are infallible, they should not commit sins, and if they do not commit sins, why do they seek forgiveness from God for committing sins? Various answers have been given by Shiite scholars to this doubt. The vast majority of these answers presuppose that the words uttered by the Prophet or Imams containing "forgiveness" and "sin" are objective texts that speak of the external world and the events and actions (sins) have been committed there. The answer presented in this article does not agree with that premise. The method of this research is analytical and it is based on the hypothesis that the phrases containing "forgiveness" (Istighfar) and "sin" (Zdanb) uttered by the Prophet and Imams are subjective texts, not objective. This article tries to show, citing evidence from the Qur'an and Nahj al-Balagha, that the Prophet and Imams' forgiveness is for something that depends on the perceptions, inner states and sensual tendencies of the Prophet and Imams, not for something (sin) that belongs to the world of external realities. One of the most important achievements of this article is that, for the first time, it puts forward the hypothesis that the correct analysis of the language of the Prophet and Imams depends on having a correct understanding of the use of that language whether it is subjective or objective.
Keywords
Doubt about the infallibility of the Prophet and Imams
Seeking Forgiveness (Istighfar)
Sensual Tendencies
Objective Language
Subjective Language

  1. . The Holy Quran.

    1. Nahj al-Balaghah.
    2. Ibn Ashour, Muhammad al-Tahir. (1984 AH). Al-Tahrir wa Al-Tanwir. Vol. 5. Tunisia: Al-Dar al-Tunisiyah for publishing.
    3. Ibn Kathir, Ismail bin Omar. (1425 AH). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim. Vol. 12. Riyadh: Dar Alam al-Kutub.
    4. Erbili, Ali ibn Isa. (1401 AH). Kashf al-Ghummah fi Marifat al-A'immah. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah.
    5. Baghawi, Hussein ibn Massoud. (1420 AH). Maalim al-Tanzil. Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.
    6. Taftazani, Saaduddin. (1412 AH). Sharh al-Maqasid. Qom: Al-Sharif al-Razi.
    7. Jorjani, Ali bin Mohammad. (1412 AH). Sharh al-Mawaqif. Qom: Al-Sharif al-Razi.
    8. Javadi Amoli, Abdullah. (1387). Adab Fana Moqarraban. Vol. 2, Qom: Esra.
    9. -------------. (1388). Adab Fana Moqarraban. Vol. 3, Qom: Esra.
    10. Hilli, Hasan bin Yusuf. (1417 AH). Al-Nafi Yawm al-Hashr fi Sharh Bab Hadi Ashar. Beirut: Dar al-Adwa.
    11. Dashti, Ali. (No Date). Twenty-three Years. Edited by Bahram Choubineh. No Place.
    12. Zamakhshari, Mahmoud ibn Omar. (1407 AH). Al-Kashshaf an Ghawamidh Haqaiq al-Tanzil. Vol. 2 and 4. Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi.
    13. Soroush, Abdul Karim. (1998). "Welayat Bateni va Welayat Siyasi". Kiyan. No 44: 10-20.
    14. Shahid Awwal, Muhammad ibn Makki. (1410 AH). Al-Mazar. Correction by Mohammad Bagher Abtahi Esfahani. Qom: Imam Mahdi School.
    15. Subhi Salih. (1425 AH). Nahj al-Balaghah. Cairo: Dar al-Kitab al-Misri.
    16. Sadr al-Mutaallihin, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim. (1419 AH). Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim. Vol. 2. Beirut: Hijr.
    17. Tabatabai, Allameh Mohammad Hussein. (2014 AH). Al-Mizan fi Tafisr al-Qur'an. Vol. 18. Beirut: The Institute of Al-Alami.
    18. Tabari, Muhammad ibn Jarir. (1422 AH). Interpretation of Al-Tabari. Vol. 7. Cairo: Hijra.
    19. Tantawi, Seyid Muhammad. (1407 AH). Al-Tafsir al-Wasit li al-Quran al-Karim. Vol. 3. Cairo: Dar al-Risalah.
    20. Tusi, Muhammad ibn Hasan. (No Date). Al-Tibyan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. Vol. 9. Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.
    21. Alam al-Huda, Seyid Murteza. (No Date). Tanzih al-Anbia. Qom: Al-Sharif al-Razi.
    22. Fakhr Razi, Muhammad ibn Omar. (1409 AH). Ismat al-Anbia. Beirut: Dar al-Kutb al-Ilmiyyah.
    23. Fadlullah, Seyid Muhammad Hussein. (1419 AH) Min Wahy al-Qur'an. Vol. 20. Beirut: Dar al-Malak.
    24. Qurtubi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad. (1427 AH). Al -Jami' li Ahkam al-Qur'an. Vol. 7. Beirut: Al-Risalah Institute.
    25. A group of Scholars, by the Assembly of the Al-Bahuth al-Islamiyah in Al-Azhar. (1413 AH) Al-Tafsir al-Wasit li al-Quran al-Karim. Vol. 2. Cairo: Al-Azhar University.
    26. Majlisi, Mohammad Bagher. (1423 AH). Zad al-Maad – Miftah al-Jinan. Correction by Alaiddin Alami. Beirut: The Institute of Al-Alami Press.

    28. Makarem Shirazi, Naser et al. (1374). Tafsir Nomooneh. Vol. 20. Tehran: Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah

Study of Doubts of Qquranic Researches
Volume 4, Issue 6 - Serial Number 6
August 2022
Pages 135-161

  • Receive Date 10 October 2022
  • Accept Date 27 August 2022