A recurring question arises: if the Imams (peace be upon them) had knowledge of the unseen, why were they unable to prevent unfortunate events from befalling them and avert their own martyrdom? Why, for instance, did Imam Ali (peace be upon him) not avoid entering the mosque of Kufa, where he was struck down? Why did Imam Hassan and Imam Jawad (peace be upon them) marry women who eventually became their murderers? Why did Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) proceed to Karbala? These and similar questions pertain to the knowledge of the unseen possessed by the Imams (peace be upon them).
According to Shia belief, the position of Imamate is the succession of the Prophet Muhammad in guiding humanity. Therefore, the Imam possesses all the qualities of the Prophet, except for divine revelation. Just as the Imam must be adorned with attributes of perfection, he must also inherit the Prophet’s knowledge. Every type of knowledge the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) holds is also possessed by the Imams (peace be upon them). One such form of knowledge is the knowledge of the unseen, which, by God’s permission, the Imams also possess. Since the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them) are the inheritors of the Prophet’s knowledge, just as he had knowledge of the unseen, the Imams, too, are endowed with this knowledge.
Many verses in the Holy Qur’an explicitly acknowledge the knowledge of the unseen held by the Prophet and the Imams (peace be upon them).
Despite having this knowledge, the Imams were also obliged to live their lives in an ordinary manner, refraining from using the knowledge of the unseen for their personal affairs. This is why, on the night of the 19th of Ramadan, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) went to the mosque and, as a result of the blow he received, attained martyrdom.
Not Every Knowledge of the Unseen is a Virtue
According to the Qur’an and various narrations, the Prophets of God were entrusted with guiding humanity in both material and spiritual aspects. For this reason, they required vast knowledge to fulfill this mission effectively. The Imams, as the successors of the Prophet, share the same duty and thus possess extensive knowledge of the unseen.
However, being aware of the unseen is not always a sign of virtue. In some instances, such knowledge may be seen as a deficiency. For example, on the night when Imam Ali (peace be upon him) slept in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him and his family) place, had he known there was no danger, his action would not have been considered virtuous, for then anyone would have been willing to sleep in his place. In this case, not knowing the unseen was a mark of virtue. (Qara’ati, Tafsir Noor, Vol. 4, p. 245).
First Premise:
Using the Knowledge of the Unseen in Daily Life is Prohibited
Why Were the Imams Martyred Despite Knowing the Unseen?
While the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them) possess knowledge of the unseen, they are not permitted to use it for matters concerning ordinary life. Rather, they live like other human beings, relying on normal human knowledge, and they make decisions regarding their lives accordingly. For example, an Imam may see fruit in front of him, and based on ordinary knowledge, there is no harm in eating it, even though through the knowledge of the unseen, he may be aware that the fruit is poisoned.
Similarly, for Imam Ali (peace be upon him), the 19th night of Ramadan, based on ordinary knowledge, appears like any other night, and so he goes to the mosque. The knowledge of his impending martyrdom, granted to him by God’s permission, does not impose any obligation on him, as he is not bound to act on the knowledge of the unseen.
The Imam is Obliged to Act Based on Ordinary Knowledge
Ayatollah Safi provides two reasons why the Imams (peace be upon them) are required to act based on ordinary knowledge:
a) Acting according to the knowledge of the unseen contradicts the wisdom behind the mission of the Prophets and the appointment of the Imams. If they were to act based on hidden knowledge, they would lose their role as exemplars for humanity, as others could excuse themselves from their individual duties and societal reforms, claiming that the Imams, possessing divine knowledge, are different from them.
b) Acting on the knowledge of the unseen would disrupt the natural order of the universe. God’s will has determined that the affairs of the world operate according to the natural system of cause and effect and the normal knowledge of human beings. For this reason, the Prophet and the Imams (peace be upon them) did not use the knowledge of the unseen to heal their own illnesses or those of their companions. (Ayatollah Lutfullah Safi, Ma’arif al-Din, Vol. 1, p. 121).
Second Premise:
The Knowledge of the Unseen is Potential, Not Actual
According to numerous narrations, the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them) possess knowledge and awareness of all matters concerning the past, present, and future. (Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, Chapter on the Imams’ Knowledge of What Was and What Will Be). However, based on other narrations related to the knowledge of the unseen held by the Imams, this knowledge is not always active, but rather potential. This means that the Imam has the capacity and conditions for possessing knowledge of the unseen and, whenever he wishes, can access it with God’s permission. (Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, Chapter on the Imams’ Ability to Know When They Wish). Whenever the Imams desire to know something from the secrets of the unseen, God inspires them, and they become aware of those secrets. Therefore, their not using the knowledge of the unseen in certain situations could be because they knew that, for reasons of divine testing or other considerations, God did not permit them to be informed of certain matters.
It should be noted that the Imam’s knowledge is inherent, not active, meaning that they might not always have been aware of the details of their martyrdom because they did not choose to know. (Muhammad Reza Muzaffar, Ilm al-Imam, trans. and introduction by Ali Shirvani, p. 73).
Third Premise:
A frequently asked question is:Why Were the Imams Martyred Despite Knowing the Unseen?
The Imams Are Obliged to Fulfill Their Duties
Allamah Tabatabai (may God have mercy on him) explains that the Prophet and the Imams (peace be upon them) have specific duties and responsibilities. Even though they knew, for instance, that they would be defeated in a certain battle, they were still obligated to act. A case in point is the Battle of Uhud, where the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) knew that if they fought outside the city of Medina, they would face defeat. Similarly, they may have known that their actions would lead to their martyrdom, such as eating a poisoned fruit or Imam Ali (peace be upon him) going to the mosque of Kufa on the 19th night of Ramadan. Despite this, they were duty-bound to perform these actions. While such acts may appear to us as self-endangerment, which is forbidden in Islam, for them, it was a specific obligation. An example is the nightly prayers, which were obligatory for the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) but are recommended (not obligatory) for other Muslims. (Al-Mizan, Vol. 18, p. 194).
Conclusion
Therefore, while the Imams (peace be upon them) possess knowledge of the unseen, they are also obligated to live normal lives and refrain from using this knowledge in their personal affairs. This explains why Imam Ali (peace be upon him) went to the mosque on the 19th night of Ramadan and was struck, leading to his martyrdom.
Similarly, Imam Hassan and Imam Jawad (peace be upon them) married women who eventually caused their martyrdom. This is because, fundamentally, no punishment or action should be taken before an event occurs, and they were bound to live their lives in the natural way. The tragedy of Karbala took place because Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) lived according to the normal course of life and knowledge. Likewise, Imam Reza (peace be upon him) accepted and consumed the poisoned grapes given to him by Ma’mun.