Heavenly Jewels

B. 15 Belief: Prophethood is not something that one can attain through striving or through worship. This is something that is bestowed by Allah (The Exalted), that through His Grace, He has bestowed it upon whom He Wills. Verily, He has given it to those, whom He has made worthy of this pOSition, who are pure from all undesirable qualities and with the most exalted character and has passed through the various levels of closeness and whose, body, words, actions and movements are pure from all that which is disliked. They are blessed with the most perfect intelligence, which is very much more powerful than the intelligence of others. The intelligence of any wise doctor or philosopher can not even come close to one hundred thousandth of their intelligence. One who accepts that Prophethood is attainable through striving and worship is a Kaafir. B. 1 6 Belief: It i s compulsory for a Nabi to be "Maasoom" (absolutely free from the ability to sin) and this is a unique quality of Nabis and Angels only. With the exception of a Nabi and Angel, none other is Maasoom (free from the ability to sin). To say the Imams to be Maasoom like the Nabis, is to be mislead and irreligious . Ismat-e-Prophets means that the Prophets have been promised protection by Allah (The Exalted), for which reason, it is totally impossible for them to sin a,1d this is different for the Great Imams and the Awliyah Allah (The Exalted). Allah (The Exalted) protects and they do not sin, but according to the Shariah it is not Muhaal for it to happen. It is improper to say that a child is Maasoom as the even though a child does not sin as a child, but the child definitely has the ability to sin. B. 17 Belief: It is unanimously agreed that the Nabis are pure from anything which is dishonourable behaviour or qualities, such as Shirk (associating partners with Allah (The Exa lted)), Kufr (infidelity), lies, dishonesty, and ignorance etc. before attaining Prophethood and even after attaining Prophethood. They are pure from major and minor sins even before Prophethood is bestowed upon them, thus Maasoom. 44