Questions and Answers

Regarding the doctrine of infallibility ('isma) of the imams: the Zaydi view is that the only non-fallible human beings other than the Prophets and Messengers are the Companions of the Cloak: 'Ali, Fatima, al-Hassan, and al-Hussein, peace be upon them all.

We say this not only because of the verse of purification {Allah only desires to remove impurity from you Ahl al-Bayt and purify you completely} (Q. 33:33), but also because of various authentic hadîths. For example, the Prophet said about them collectively: ((I am at war with whomever they are at war with and I am at peace with whomever they are at peace with)); about Fatima az-Zahra, peace be upon her: ((I am angry with whomever she is angry with...)); about ‘Ali ((O Allah help those that help him and be at enmity with those who are at enmity with him)). 

Such hadîths show that the Companions of the Cloak, peace be upon them, will not randomly fight or make war with someone who the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, would not make war with. And that whom the Prophet makes war, Allah makes war with!

Does this mean that if Sayyida Faatima, peace be upon her, gets upset at someone for something trivial, Allah’s anger would be upon that person?! This must mean that she (as well as the other Companions of the Cloak) will only get angry for the sake of Allah! If this is the case, this would mean that they are protected from such errors.