¶ Door Number Twenty-Seven
¶ The Incomplete Words
¶ “Jesus said: ‘The Prophets were laughingstocks.’”
The doctrine of infallibility is the basis for religious teachings, from the Papal infallibility in Catholicism to ismah of the Prophets and Imams in Islam. All religions have some degree of infallibility reserved for Prophets and Messengers, but they have differed on the concept of their infallibility. Are they infallible or not? Do they make mistakes or not? Can they commit sins or not? This topic in and of itself has caused Muslims to rush to reject every verse of the Holy Bible and Torah which contains what they deem to be a sin or mistake by a Prophet, until they have all but rejected the entire Holy Bible. Scribes and scholars from all three Abrahamic religions have made up narrations and stories to cover up the mistakes and sins of the Prophets and Messengers. But were the Prophets and Messengers perfect? Were they infallible from birth to death? Did they commit mistakes? Why did they commit mistakes? And what is the cause and source of this imperfection? If they do make mistakes, then how can we trust them? Were there any Prophets or Messengers that didn’t make mistakes? Did they sin? What types of sins did they commit?
¶ Infallibility
One day I said to Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace), “If you see it beneficial, I was wanting to ask permission to write and record a lecture about infallibility and how it is not like the people think it is and I want to mention the differences between inherent and earned infallibility. I want to also mention that the Prophets had made mistakes before they were sent forth as Prophets and even in their path as Prophets, they also made mistakes. Without understanding this concept, people will think that the Prophet is infallible from birth until death and never makes mistakes, when it is the opposite.”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) replied, “That is the mistake, this false belief. This is a beneficial thing to do, may God grant you goodness.”
For the sake of understanding this concept, it is necessary that we properly define infallibility. To be infallible is to be unable to take a person out of guidance and into misguidance. I asked Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) about this matter. He explained to me that there are two types of infallibility:
- Inherent Infallibility: Inherent infallibility is the nature of God. In terms of humans, to be inherently infallible means that the person who falls under this title is infallible from birth until death. This infallibility, however, for a creature does not carry on in all incarnations, or else they would be out of the test and would be God. The person with inherent infallibility does not commit any sins nor mistakes during their lifetime. Only fourteen individuals have fallen under this category, Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family), Fatimah Al-Zahra and the twelve Imams (From Them is Peace). These fourteen individuals are the only human beings to have had inherent infallibility. History has not recorded a single mistake or sin committed by them.
- Earned Infallibility: All Prophets and Messengers and righteous ones besides the fourteen Infallibles fall under this category. Earned infallibility means that the individual was not born infallible nor is he infallible by nature but rather, through his sincerity and dedication towards God, he reached a degree of infallibility. The person who has earned infallibility is lesser than the person who is inherently infallible, because the person who was not infallible by nature must have committed some sins and/or mistakes sometime in their lifetime.
One day Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) gave me some advice for the believers:
Send my greetings to all the believing men and women and tell them that their Father is saying to them, benefit from the believers who went forth before you and gave victory to the Prophets and Preferred ones and Ahlul-Bayt (PBUT) and benefit also from their mistakes, and God is the One who grants success.
The mistakes of the believers and the Prophets and Messengers were preserved in order that we may learn from them.
¶ The Great Mistake Committed by Adam
In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Adam (PBUH) was the first Prophet appointed by God and although he was infallible, he committed a great mistake because he was not inherently infallible. This mistake was when God told Adam (PBUH) not to eat from the tree, he disobeyed a direct order from God, and he ate from it anyway and he listened to Iblis’ inspiration:
“Then Satan whispered to him; he said, ‘O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?’ ”
So here we have clearly a Prophet and Messenger, the first Prophet and Messenger at that, disobeying God Almighty who sent him, and obeying Satan, and taking commands from him.
¶ Mistakes Committed by Noah
Noah (PBUH) was a Prophet and Messenger sent by God. God promised him that all the righteous would be saved and would inherit the Earth with him. This was God’s promise to Noah (PBUH) and he believed in this promise and preached it for nine hundred and fifty years. Even though Noah was an Ulul-Azm Prophet (Prophets with the most determination), he second-guessed God’s judgment and accused God of not fulfilling His promise to him. Here is what the Holy Qur’an says:
“And Noah said, ‘My Lord, do not leave upon the earth from among the disbelievers an inhabitant. Indeed, if You leave them, they will mislead Your servants and not beget except [every] wicked one and [confirmed] disbeliever.’ ”
In Surah Hud:
“And it was said, “O earth! Swallow up your water. And O sky! Withhold ˹your rain˺.” The floodwater receded and the decree was carried out. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and it was said, “Away with the wrongdoing people!” And Noah called out to his Lord, saying, “My Lord! Certainly my son is ˹also˺ of my family, Your promise is surely true, and You are the most just of all judges!” Allah replied, “O Noah! He is certainly not of your family—he was an unrighteous deed. So do not ask Me about what you have no knowledge of! I warn you so you do not fall into ignorance.”
Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) said, “And Noah made a mistake when God asked him to call forth his family to enter the Ark and his son didn’t enter, he thought [at the time] that his son was from his family, so he questioned God about that because he thought that God had promised to save his family, but his son was destroyed instead.”
So, Noah (PBUH) questioned God’s promise to him, and questioning God is a form of incomplete faith. We also know that Noah (PBUH) was not patient enough with his people and asked for God to bring down the flood. This was something we discussed in Door Two, and it is something which God reprimanded him for, while Iblis was happy about it. The implication here is that Iblis had inspired Noah (PBUH) to call down the punishment while it was God’s will that he waits and be patient, as God wanted to allow the people more time to repent. That is seemingly why Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) makes it a point to say in his sermon:
And I seek refuge from the ‘I’, I shall not call on my Lord to hasten the punishment and bring it down upon you even though I see it already shadowing you, and I shall be patient even if my Lord wills for a thousand years until God fulfills a matter which He had already ordained and I shall not complain about you to God.
Thus, God rebuked Noah (PBUH) and told him not to be like the ignorant ones.
¶ Mistakes Committed by Moses
Moses (PBUH) too sought forgiveness from God. He clearly admits in the Holy Qur’an that he committed a huge mistake by murdering the Egyptian:
“And he entered the city at a time of unawareness of its people, and he found there two men fighting, - one of his party (his religion - from the Children of Israel), and the other of his foes. The man of his (own) party asked him for help against his foe, so Moosa (Moses) struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: ‘This is the work of Satan, verily, he is a plain misleading enemy.’ He said: ‘My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.’ Then He forgave him. Verily, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”
Moses also in the Holy Qur’an commits another grave mistake and repents clearly afterwards:
“And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.’ [Allah] said, ‘You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me.’ But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, ‘Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers.’ ”
I said to Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace), “My Father, some of the Prophets incarnated many times as a Prophet or Messenger, did Moses come as anyone else?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “From the Prophets, Moses (PBUH) only incarnated as Moses (PBUH).”
I said, “He only incarnated as Moses? That is surprising because Abel came as Aaron and Joseph came as Jeremiah and Elijah came as John the Baptist and other Prophets as other Prophets, and Moses is a great Prophet!”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “It is the command of God.”
I said, “Glory be to God, what is the reason behind it my Father?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Because Moses (PBUH) made many mistakes, and he was too curious.”
I said, “But he was better than Joseph and Aaron.”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, he was better in that time but before that incarnation as Moses (PBUH) he was not better. He made a particular mistake and because of that he did not incarnate again as a Prophet or vicegerent of a Prophet.”
I said, “Glory be to God! Please Father, if I was ever curious or asking too many questions or doing something that would destroy me, be harsh with me and stop me.”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “I knew you would say that, and I was waiting for you to say that. The curiosity of Moses had to do with the essence of God, how and why and why is it so and why was it not like that, and you know the rest, until he transgressed against God and asked to see Him openly.”
¶ Mistakes Committed by Joseph
Joseph (PBUH) thought about a married woman, Zulaykha and she thought about him, and this was a mistake that even Joseph (PBUH) admitted to. This sin, which was akin to adultery, was recorded in the Holy Qur’an:
“And she certainly determined [to seduce] him, and he would have inclined to her had he not seen the proof of his Lord. And thus [it was] that We should avert from him evil and immorality. Indeed, he was of Our chosen servants.”
He also said:
“And I do not acquit myself. Indeed, the self is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.”
Thinking about a married woman was not really the only sin that Joseph (PBUH) had committed. The crime he committed was more serious, but the Holy Qur’an hid it, only to be revealed in this day and age by Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace). One day I was speaking to him, and I asked about this matter:
I said, “My Father, what was Joseph’s mistake?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “What he did with Zulaykha.”
I said, “What did he do with Zulaykha?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “He did everything with her except sleep with her.”
I asked, “But my Father, why were they counted as mistakes, the adultery of Joseph or the murder of Moses, when in actuality they were not sins, as we know that the divinely appointed King is above the jurisprudence and the law.”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, but they did not know that at the time, they found that out later.”
I said, “As for Moses (PBUH) we know that the action of killing the Egyptian was ok because he was a son of Cain and the seed of the devil, but what about Joseph and David, how is it permissible that they have relations with a married woman? Is it simply because they are above the law?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Also ˹allowed for you is˺ a believing woman who offers herself to the Prophet, if he is interested in marrying her—˹this is˺ exclusively for you, not for the rest of the believers.”
I said, “I understand, the verse does not specify if the woman who wishes to give herself is married or not married. In the Holy Qur’ an it also states: ‘The Prophet has more of a right over the believers than their own selves,’ and in the narrations it states the Imam ‘inherits the Earth and what is on it.’ ”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Exactly.”
Joseph (PBUH) also made another mistake. He asked for help from the creation instead of the Creator.
“And he said to the one whom he knew would go free, ‘Mention me before your master.’ But Satan made him forget the mention [to] his master, and Joseph remained in prison for several years.”
Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) said God had originally ordained three years of prison for Joseph (PBUH) but because of this mistake He added four more years.
¶ Mistakes Committed by Joshua
Joshua (PBUH) made a mistake caused by the devil when he forgot where he left the fish. In the Holy Qur’an it says:
“He [Joshua son of Nun] said, “Remember when we rested by the rock? I forgot the fish there. And it was Satan who made me forget to pay attention to it. And amazingly, it found its way into the sea.”
¶ Mistakes Committed by Jonah
Jonah (PBUH) and the mistakes that he made were mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and Torah. He tried to abandon his mission altogether and escape from God when God didn’t bring down the punishment on Nineveh as He had promised. He also became angry with God:
“And ˹remember˺ when the Man of the Whale stormed off ˹from his city˺ in a rage, thinking We would not restrain him. Then in the ˹veils of˺ darkness he cried out, ‘There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except You. Glory be to You! I have certainly done wrong.’ ”
In another verse it also says:
“And verily, Jonah was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship, he agreed to cast lots and he was among the losers, then a big fish swallowed him and he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify God, he would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) until the Day of Resurrection. But We cast him forth on the naked shore while he was sick and We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him. And We sent him to a hundred thousand people or even more, and they believed, so We gave them enjoyment for a while.”
¶ Mistakes Affect Incarnations
Ali Al-Ghoraifi asked Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace), “Am I Elijah that is mentioned in the Torah because the name Elias and the story of Elias in some of the narrations of the Muslims is the same as the story of Elijah?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Elias (PBUH) is a different person than Elijah (PBUH). History did not properly document Elias and the people became confused and thought that Elias is Elijah (PBUT). And the same is true about many other Prophets (PBUT) whom history did not mention such as Amid (PBUH), and some of them were mentioned but very briefly and with the passing of time and wars and invasions, all the books which mentioned them were destroyed.”
Al-Ghoraifi asked, “Did the name Elias have anything to do with the Family of Yassin as some scholars mention?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Elias (PBUH) was just like Sayyed Ali (Ali Al-Ghoraifi himself) in terms of his manners and logic and physical appearance. He was a pure-hearted, kind and helpful man. But before he was a Prophet or assigned a message, he was a man who used to chase after women and his desires. Elias (PBUH) used to make many mistakes, and he was always fast to judge matters. If someone wants to know Elias (PBUH) let them look at my son Ali (PBUH).”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “Glory be to God. To whom was he sent my Master and who were his people?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Elias (PBUH) was one of the Prophets of the Children of Israel.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “To what area was he sent and where did he live, my Master?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Elias (PBUH) was sent to Palestine, to Jerusalem.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “Did I have other incarnations after the time of Elias and before this one, did I have an incarnation with the Ahlul-Bayt (PBUT)?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “You had an incarnation with Al-Hussein (PBUH) and you had an honorable role.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “Who was I, Master?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Wahab the Christian.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “So I was killed with Al-Hussein (PBUH)?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Wahab is better than Elias, because he gave victory to the truth in the time of Al-Hussein (PBUH). In a time where few were the ones who gave victory.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “My Master, did I have any other incarnation after the incarnation of Wahab the Christian and was it an incarnation with the Ahlul-Bayt (PBUT)?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “In the incarnation before the last you were a man who was rich, but he had a disability, you were a human being in the test. And you were very generous, and you did not have any children and you gave all of your money away to the orphans before you died.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “How, my Master? Was this in one of the times of the Imams (PBUT)?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “No, this was approximately 500 years ago.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “Was this generous man better than Wahab the Christian?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Not at all.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “Does this mean that I lost my luck in the previous incarnation and I did not raise in rank enough to be at the same rank as Wahab or better than him?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “No son, things are not calculated like that. The previous incarnation was like a great test for you in order that you reach this place that you are at today.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “My Master, allow me to ask, did I pass in that test?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes my son, you passed and if you had not passed then I would not be speaking to you right now and you would not have even heard about this blessed religion. Today Elias (PBUH) is a leader.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “So in every incarnation we work hard to a certain degree and based on that degree we have a role in serving the Family of Mohammed (PBUT) and if we work harder then we have a greater role in serving the Ahlul-Bayt (PBUT). I mean if Elias did not have so many mistakes perhaps his role would have been greater, because as I understood, if we compare Elias (PBUH) to Jesus (PBUH) or to a better Prophet than him, we would have found that Elias blew his fortune.”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, great job my son.”
Al-Ghoraifi said, “For that reason my Master, I wish to reach higher ranks of serving the Ahlul-Bayt, but the path is long, the sustenance is low, and the condition is not one to be envied. But I wish to move fast on the path because time is running out.”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Great job my son, I wish you goodness and success, my son, in serving the religion of God, the religion of submission. By your certitude and submission the Ark shall move. My son, you have wasted much of your time, but God-willing you shall make up for it if you move forward with all your strength, heart, and sincerity.”
In this conversation we learn many important points. We learn that the Prophets and Messengers did make mistakes and commit sins in their lifetimes before and after they were Prophets. They were not infallible from birth to death, rather they earned infallibility after becoming Prophets. Therefore, they were not inherently infallible. We also learn that the lesser the number of mistakes a Prophet commits during his life, the greater he is, and the more mistakes, the lesser he is, and this all plays a role in his future incarnations. People who did not pass certain incarnations would not have heard of this religion or believed in it.
Enoch (PBUH) prayed against his nation that God starve them. David (PBUH) set up one of his soldiers to be killed because he desired his wife, Bathsheba. Samson (PBUH) was seduced by Delilah. Lot (PBUH) was hesitant about leaving Sodom and Gomorrah. Jacob (PBUH) refused to host the poor man. The mistakes of the Prophets and Messengers are too many to list. We have listed some, and the rest we leave to the reader to find. The holy scriptures and traditions are filled with these incidents as reminders of the human side of the Prophets and Messengers. These incidents make us all wonder why God chose such imperfect people as Messengers? Was it because God is imperfect that He sent imperfect Messengers or is it because humanity is inherently imperfect? Is humanity’s condition such that sending a perfect Messenger would be impossible?
¶ Jacob Wrestles With God?
Why would Adam (PBUH) disobey God when Iblis inspired him? Was it because Adam (PBUH) doubted God? Was it because he couldn’t differentiate between what was an inspiration from God and what was from the devil? Or was it that Iblis succeeded in deceiving the Prophets by presenting himself as an angel of the light or as God Himself? Did Iblis play an active role in sending forth the Prophets and Messengers? In the book of Genesis, we find a very odd encounter between Jacob (PBUH) and a stranger whom he mistakes for God:
That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.
Was this wrestler indeed God? Why would Jacob (PBUH) be wrestling with him if he was God? Why was Jacob (PBUH) asking for the man’s name and asking for a blessing? One of the meanings of the name Israel in Hebrew is “He who wrestled with God.” In Arabic, it means “Slave of God.” The individual who wrestled with Jacob (PBUH) was clearly not God but the fallen angel, Iblis. It seems Jacob (PBUH) struggled to differentiate between the two, between God and Iblis. The name given to Jacob (PBUH), Israel, was one with a double meaning. For Jacob (PBUH) indeed wrestled with Iblis and was a servant of God. As we can see, the Prophets and Messengers were incomplete and unable to perfectly distinguish between God and Iblis at times. Therefore, they were inspired and sent forth by both. Once God would send forth a Prophet, Iblis would always try to deceive the Prophet by posing as God and inspiring him to do things that would bring him trouble later on or divert him from God’s path and original message.
¶ Old Testament Prophets
I said to Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace), “Did Iblis send forth the Prophets of old?” Then I went silent.
The Imam (From Him is Peace) started to laugh and said, “My son, I know that, but those words are incomplete words. You made me laugh, son.”
I said, “Why, my Father?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Because you went silent, and I’m still laughing.” I began to laugh at his laughing, but I didn’t understand why he was laughing.
I said, “Please Father, by the truth of your laugh, tell me, did Iblis send forth all the Prophets before Jesus Christ (PBUH)? And now God made them all return by your grace or how did this happen?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “May the universe be ransomed for you. Yes, by your truth that’s what happened.”
I said, “Glory be to God… Glory be to God…Glory be to God…they got a second chance because they all really thought that Iblis was God?!”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) started laughing again and said, “God bless you for making me laugh, until now I am laughing, look Aba Ja’far (PBUH) is sitting in front of me laughing and he doesn’t know over what I am laughing.”
I said, “So my Father, do you mean that the incomplete words were the Prophets?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes.”
I said, “And in that time their souls were not strong and were mixed with darkness?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes.”
I said, “So they were taking orders from both God and Iblis at the same time?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, I shall give you an example. The soul of Joseph, when was it better, today or a few thousand years ago?”
I said, “As far as I learned from you, everyone today must be better than they were before.”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Great job, and that is because today you are a Qaim (Riser), O Qaim/Riser of the Family of Mohammed (PBUH & His Family).”
I said, “So in those days I was obeying the orders of Iblis in some matters?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Precisely.”
I said, “So the whole story of Jacob wrestling with an angel, and it says he wrestled with God, that was Iblis, correct?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, that is correct, and look what has happened to him today. Look and realize the magnitude of the situation. If you reflect carefully on the matter, you will realize how dangerous the matter is, extremely dangerous.”
I said, “My Father, before Jesus the Messiah (PBUH), were the books and jurisprudences a mixture of revelation from God with revelation from Iblis?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Exactly son, for the Prophets were not able to spread the full and complete religion to the people. It was difficult, rather sometimes it was impossible. If you see, even in this time, while we are supposed to have the best Ansar (supporters) on the face of the earth, we still avoid speaking about and cover up a lot of the truth in fear over the people (lest they disbelieve). We cannot speak it, so what about in those times?”
I said, “True, would Iblis inspire the Prophets with verses to include in their holy scriptures and they would be confused about it (thinking it is from God)?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, he would and the evidence for that is the mistakes that they committed, and the problems that some of them faced in their calls.”
I said, “But after you, will this same problem ever occur again?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “No, it shall never occur again. Be at ease, O light of my eyes.”
I reflected over the Imam’s laughter, and it reminded me of the Gnostic text Second Treatise of the Great Seth from the Nag Hammadi library in which Jesus (PBUH) was recorded to have said:
For Adam was a laughingstock, since he was made a counterfeit type of man by the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. We are innocent with respect to him, since we have not sinned. And Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were a laughingstock, since they, the counterfeit fathers, were given a name by the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. We are innocent with respect to him, since we have not sinned. David was a laughingstock in that his son was named the Son of Man, having been influenced by the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and the fellow members of my race. But we are innocent with respect to him; we have not sinned. Solomon was a laughingstock, since he thought that he was Christ, having become vain through the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. But we are innocent with respect to him. I have not sinned. The 12 Prophets were laughingstocks, since they have come forth as imitations of the true Prophets. They came into being as counterfeits through the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. But we are innocent with respect to him, since we have not sinned. Moses, a faithful servant, was a laughingstock, having been named “the Friend,” since they perversely bore witness concerning him who never knew me. Neither he nor those before him, from Adam to Moses and John the Baptist, none of them knew me nor my brothers. For they had a doctrine of angels to observe dietary laws and bitter slavery, since they never knew truth, nor will they know it. For there is a great deception upon their soul, making it impossible for them ever to find a Nous of freedom in order to know him, until they come to know the Son of Man. Now concerning my Father, I am he whom the world did not know, and because of this, it (the world) rose up against me and my brothers. But we are innocent with respect to him; we have not sinned.
It was here that I realized that all the Prophets and Messengers who came before Jesus Christ were incomplete. They were like their father Adam (PBUH). Adam (PBUH) was appointed by God and received divine inspiration from God, hence:
“O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat from wherever you will but do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.”
Adam (PBUH) also was able to hear and receive inspiration from Iblis, hence:
“Then Satan whispered to him; he said, ‘O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?’”
Adam (PBUH) also had free will and he chose to obey God at times, but he also chose to obey Iblis, hence:
“So he brought about their fall through deception. And when they tasted of the tree, their nakedness was exposed to them, prompting them to cover themselves with leaves from Paradise. Then their Lord called out to them, ‘Did I not forbid you from that tree and ˹did I not˺ tell you that Satan is your sworn enemy?’ They replied, ‘Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be losers.’ ”
Iblis did not stop with Adam (PBUH), rather he interfered with all the Prophets and Messengers after Adam (PBUH) and tried to tempt them. He succeeded in interfering to a degree with all of them. The proof of his interference is evident in their mistakes.
“And We did not send before you any Messenger or Prophet except that when he spoke [or recited the revelation], Satan threw into it [the revelation]. But Allah abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allah makes precise His verses. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.”
Therefore, there came a need for the coming of Messengers who could resist the temptations of Iblis. There came a need for Prophets and Messengers who could categorically differentiate between God’s words and the words of Iblis. They would have the ability to resist temptation, recognize the true words, and completely obey God. Jesus (PBUH) would be the first of those Messengers who accomplished this.
¶ Complete Words
Jesus (PBUH) marks a new beginning in the line of the Prophets and Messengers. There is much evidence of this. In a long prayer by Imam Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) he says:
“I ask You by Your glory that appeared on Mount Sinai by which You spoke to Your servant and Messenger Moses son of Imran. I ask You by Your rise in Seir and by Your appearance in Mount Pharan…”
It is also stated in the book of Deuteronomy,
“He said: ‘The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes.’ ”
So, while Moses (PBUH) was named, Jesus (PBUH) was described as the rise of God in Seir, and Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) as the appearance of God in Pharan. As we know the rise or dawn of the sun is the first action that the sun takes before it appears. Before that it is darkness. So, Jesus (PBUH) was the most perfect of all the Prophets and Messengers and the most perfect translator and reflection of God in Creation when he appeared. From Adam until John the Baptist (PBUT), Jesus (PBUH) was the greatest and most complete of them all. Jesus (PBUH) proclaimed this fact and proclaimed the fact that all the Prophets before him were incomplete. In the book of John, Jesus (PBUH) says:
“All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.”
Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) said, “There is no difference between Jesus (PBUH) and Al-Hussein son of Ali (PBUH) in rank.” We know that Jesus (PBUH) was Gabriel (PBUH), who was the sixth member under the cloak (Ahlul-Kisaa). For those unfamiliar with the incident, here is an excerpt of the narration of the event by Fatimah Al-Zahra (From Her is Peace):
God said: “O my angels! O inmates of the heavens! I have created this solid firmament, well-stretched earth, well-lighted moon, shining sun, rotating planets, rippling oceans and floating boats for the sake and love of these five people who are inside the cloak.” At this, the archangel Gabriel asked: “O Lord! Who are these inside the cloak?” The Lord said: “They are the Ahlul-Bayt of the Prophet and the assets of the Prophethood. They are Fatimah, her father, her husband and her two sons.” Gabriel said: “O Lord! Permit me also to descend to earth and join them as the sixth inside the cloak.” The Lord said: “You are permitted.” Thus Gabriel, the archangel, came down to Earth and said: “O Prophet of Allah! Peace be upon you. The Gracious Lord, the Almighty Allah sends His Greetings to you to bestow upon you His Grace and Mercy and says: ‘By My Grace and Grandeur! I have created this solid firmament, well-stretched earth, well-lighted moon, shining sun, rotating planets, rippling oceans and floating boats for the sake and love of you.’ And the Lord, Almighty has given me permission to join you inside the cloak O Prophet of Allah! May I come in and be with you?” The Holy Prophet replied: “O bearer of the divine revelations! Peace be upon you also. Yes, you may come in.” Then Gabriel too came inside the cloak. Thereafter, he spoke to my father: “Allah sends His revelation to you and says: ‘Verily Allah’s desire is to keep you away from impurity (and flaws), O People of the Household (Ahlul-Bayt) and keep you thoroughly purified.’ ”
Since it was revealed that Gabriel is Jesus (PBUH), we know that Jesus is a member of the People of the Cloak (Ahlul-Kisaa) whom God honored and purified thoroughly from the impurities or inspiration of Satan. We know that in the Holy Qur’an, God speaks about the final Prophet before Jesus, John the Baptist (PBUH) in the following way:
“And peace be upon him the day he was born and the day he dies and the day he is raised alive.”
While Jesus (PBUH) is quoted as saying in the Holy Qur’an:
“And peace be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!”
So, Jesus (PBUH) is sending peace upon his own self, while John and the Prophets before him need someone to send peace upon them.
Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) did say:
“I am the closest of the people to Jesus the son of Mary in this life and in the hereafter.”
In terms of all the Prophets and Messengers from Adam until Mohammed (PBUT), the best of the Prophets and Messengers were Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) and Jesus the son of Mary (PBUH). Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) said to me: “Mary the Mother of Jesus (PBUH) incarnated again as Aminah the Mother of Mohammed (PBUH & His Family).” So, in short, we find that Jesus (PBUH) represents the perfect Messenger and represents the actual rise of God, and Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) is a more perfect Messenger and representative of God in Creation. They are purified from the temptations of the devil, whereas previous Prophets and Messengers were affected by them, and their messages were mixed between truth from God and some falsehood from the devil. Jesus and Mohammed (PBUT) were not obedient to the devil and/or confused in that regard. Jesus’ rejection of the temptations of the devil was made abundantly clear in the Gospels and is something which was pointed out for a reason. Three times he is tempted by Satan and three times he refuses to obey Satan. One time he is tempted to turn stone into bread, another time he is asked to worship Satan in exchange for rulership over the Earth and a third time he is asked to jump off a high pinnacle of the temple. In the book of Luke it states:
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’ ” The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ ” The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Contrary to Adam (PBUH) who when tempted by the devil to eat from the tree, he obeys, Jesus declines to obey the devil and only obeys God. That is why he was given so many abilities that only a God would have, because he was the perfect representative and Messenger and was able to reflect all of God’s divine attributes. Jesus (PBUH) was able to distinguish between God and Iblis, and Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) was an even more perfect reflection of God. The vicegerents of Jesus (PBUH) leading up to Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) were also better than all the Prophets before Jesus (PBUH). The vicegerents of Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) were better and more perfect than all the previous Prophets and Messengers and vicegerents before Mohammed (note that Jesus also returns as one of the vicegerents of Mohammed).
Now the question is, did Jesus (PBUH) and Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) make mistakes? To be any created being you must have at least a dot of darkness because all of creation is light mixed with darkness. Only God is the absolute, pure, and complete light free from even a dot of darkness. That is why Jesus (PBUH) when called good replied:
“Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”
As long as a person has a bit of darkness they are imperfect, for only God is absolutely perfect. So, Jesus and Mohammed (PBUT) did make mistakes, but their mistakes would not be considered to be mistakes like the rest of the mistakes of the Prophets and Messengers. Their mistakes were minor. While the mistake of Adam was disobedience, the mistake of Noah was questioning God, the mistake of Moses was requesting to see God, the mistake of Jesus was simply asking if destiny could be changed, and Mohammed’s mistake was merely feeling uneasy about a certain matter.
¶ The Mistake Committed by Jesus
I said, “My Father, did Jesus have a mistake?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, my son.”
I said, “What was his mistake?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “He asked for the Crucifixion to be taken away from him.”
I said, “My Father, why? Was he afraid of death after he raised the dead and performed all those miracles and knew that God existed?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, my son. He didn’t want to be killed at the hands of those, but don’t emphasize this matter too much.”
¶ The Mistake Committed by Mohammed
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “There are Prophets whom God wiped their names from the office of Prophethood and there were other Prophets who almost got their names erased from the office of Prophethood, such as Moses (PBUH) and Joseph (PBUH).”
I said, “Glory be to God. Was Joseph almost erased because of what he did with Zulaykha?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) replied, “For several reasons. The first reason is because of what he did with Zulaykha. The second reason is because he asked for help from the rulers before asking for help from God. The third reason is because he became conceited at a certain point because of all the women chasing him and loving him.”
I said, “I seek forgiveness from God, the Most High, the Most Great.”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “And as for Moses (PBUH), he was always asking questions, investigating, and he was also impatient. Do you know how many of the Prophets and Messengers were almost erased from the office of Prophethood?”
I said, “313?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Moses was one of them and Joseph, and Jacob and Mohammed too.”
I said, “Mohammed (PBUH & His Family)?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes, at the end of his life.”
I said, “Because he didn’t want to inform the people about Ali (PBUH)?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Yes.”
I said, “Why would he not want to tell?”
The Imam (From Him is Peace) said, “Because he feared the people’s tongues and was embarrassed because Ali was his cousin and married to his daughter.”
The event of Ghadir Khumm is referenced in the following verse:
“O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.”
Although these were mistakes, they were not acts of obedience to Iblis or disobedience of God. Jesus and Mohammed (PBUT) did not speak Iblis’ words, obey his commands, nor fall to his temptations. During the lifetime of Jesus and Mohammed (PBUT), their messages were completely safeguarded from the influence of Iblis and all their words were the words of God. The words and messages of the successors of Mohammed, the Imams and the Mahdis are also safeguarded in the same way from the influence of Iblis and for that reason the Will and its companions are a safety from misguidance. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) said on the night of his passing:
“Get me a pen and paper and I shall write you a book after which you will never go astray.”
However, as the narrations and history show, divine successorship of both Jesus and Mohammed (PBUT) was far from a smooth transition. Despite the chaos and commotion, Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) did indeed write a Will according to the divine precedent. He wrote the Will in which the names of those successors starting with Imam Ali (From Him is Peace) and ending with Abdullah, Ahmed, and Al-Mahdi, are explicitly mentioned. These are the ones who are protected from the temptations and whispers of Iblis and promised by God to protect us from misguidance.
¶ The Will of Mohammed (PBUH & His Family)
Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) said to his cousin, son-in-law, and rightful successor, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (From Him is Peace) on the night of his death:
“O Father of Al-Hassan, bring me a pen and a paper,” so the Messenger of Allah (PBUH & His Family) dictated his Will until he came to this position where he said: “O Ali, there will be twelve Imams after me and after them there will be twelve Mahdis. So you, O Ali, are the first of the twelve Imams, Allah the Exalted has named you in His heavens Ali Al-Murtada (the Content), Amirul Mo’mineen (the Prince of the Believers), Al-Siddiq Al-Akbar (the Greater Truthful), Al-Farouq Al-A’tham (the Greater Judge and Differentiator between truth and falsehood), Al-Ma’moun (the Trusted), and the Mahdi (the Guided). These names may not be attributed to other than you. O Ali, you are my vicegerent/guardian over my own family, their living and their dead, and upon my women: Whomever you kept, she shall find me tomorrow, and whomever you divorced, I am innocent of her, I will not see her and she will not see me on the Day of Resurrection. And you are my successor (Khalifa) over my nation after me. If death comes to you, hand it over to my son Al-Hassan, the righteous and benevolent. Then if death comes to him, let him hand it over to my son Al-Hussein, the martyr, the pure and murdered. If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, the master of worshipers, Dhul Thafanat (the one with hard skin on his knees) Ali. If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Mohammed Al-Baqir (the Revealer of Knowledge). If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Ja’far Al-Sadiq (the Truthful). If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Musa Al-Kathim (the Patient). If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Ali Al-Ridha (the Pleasing One). If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Mohammed Al-Thiqa Al-Taqqi (the Trustworthy, the God-Fearing). If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Ali Al-Nasih (the Advisor). If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Al-Hassan Al-Fadhil (the Meritorious). If death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, Mohammed the Safeguarded of the Family of Mohammed (PBUT). Those are the twelve Imams. Then there will be twelve Mahdis after him, so if death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, the first of the Mahdis, he has three names, one like mine and my Father’s and it is Abdullah (Servant of God), Ahmed (the Praised), and the third name is Al-Mahdi (the Guided), and he is the first of the believers.”
¶ Sources
- Ismah in Arabic means infallibility.
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 20 (Taha), Verse 120
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 71 (Nuh), Verses 26-27
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 11 (Hud), Verses 44-46
- From the Sermon “To the Students of the Hawza in Najaf Al-Ashraf and Qom and Everywhere in the World” by Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace).
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 28 (Al-Qasas), Verses 15-16
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 7 (Al-Araf), Verse 143
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 12 (Yusuf), Verse 24
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 12 (Yusuf), Verse 53
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 33 (Al-Ahzab), Verse 50
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 33 (Al-Ahzab), Verse 6
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 12 (Yusuf), Verse 42
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 18 (Al-Kahf), Verse 63
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 21 (Al-Anbya), Verse 87
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 37 (Al-Saffat), Verses 139-148
- The Holy Bible, Book of 2 Samuel, Chapters 11-12
- The Holy Bible, Book of Genesis, Chapter 32, Verses 22-32
- Jacob was given the name Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל after wrestling with an angel (Book of Genesis 32:28; 35:10). It can also mean one who is triumphant with God.
- The word “Israel” إسرائيل in Arabic means “Servant of God” as it is a compound of ‘aseer’ which means a captive or slave which means Abd-Allah.
- Second Treatise of the Great Seth, The Nag Hammadi Collection
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah), Verse 35
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 20 (Taha), Verse 120
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 7 (Al-Araf), Verses 22-23
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 22 (Al-Hajj), Verse 52
- Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 87, p. 99
- The Holy Bible, Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 33, Verse 2
- The Holy Bible, Book of John, Chapter 10, Verse 8
- Al-Asrar Al-Fatimiyah, Shaikh Mohammed Fadhil Al-Masudi, p. 184
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 19 (Maryam), Verse 15
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 19 (Maryam), Verse 33
- Mizan Al-Hikmah (Scale of Wisdom), Mohammed Al-Reyshahri, Vol. 4, p. 3202
- The Holy Bible, Book of Luke, Chapter 4, Verses 1-13
- The Holy Bible, Book of Luke, Chapter 18, Verse 19
- The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 5 (Al-Ma’idah), Verse 67
- This is referring to their oral communication in real time. The written words ascribed to them later in history were distorted.
- This narration is famously known in both Sunni and Shia sources as the “The Hadith of the Pen and Paper.” Here is one example: Ibn 'Abbas narrated: When Allah’s Apostle was on his death-bed and in the house there were some people among whom was Umar bin Al-Khattab, the Prophet said, “Come, let me write for you a statement after which you will not go astray.” Umar said, “The Prophet is seriously ill and you have the Qur’an; so the Book of Allah is enough for us.” The people present in the house differed and quarreled. Some said: “Go near so that the Prophet may write for you a statement after which you will not go astray,” while the others said as Umar said. When they caused a hue and cry before the Prophet, Allah’s Apostle said, “Go away!” ‘Ubaidullah said: Ibn ‘Abbas used to say, “It was very unfortunate that Allah’s Apostle was prevented from writing that statement for them because of their disagreement and noise.” - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Patients, Hadith No. 5669
- Ghaybat Al-Tusi, Al-Shaikh Al-Tusi, Vol. 1, p. 174; Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 53, p. 148