An analytical study on the Theological principles as proof attesting to the virtue of Amīr al-Moʾmenīn (a.) in The Event of “Laylah al-Mabīt”

Possession of The knowledge of the Unseen by the holy prophet and later by twelve Infallible Imams has always been an excuse for the mischievous cynics. One of the issues raised is that: due to the fact that he knows beforehand no harm will be afflicted to him, what virtue lies there for an infallible Imam to be involved in perilous circumstances?.The current paper focuses on “Laylah al-Mabīt” with a descriptive-theological approach. It seeks to investigate the strongest responses given by think-tanks to the doubts and uncertainties raised. This paper shows that the cause for the difference and multiplicity of answers is division among think-tanks on issues with pivotal roles in this regard. These contentious issues are as follows: authenticity or inauthenticity of informing Imam Ali of his safety by the Holy Prophet(PBUH), proof or lack of proof of Imam Ali’s (AS) knowledge of the unseen when “Laylah al-Mabīt” occurred, actualization of Imam Ali’s (AS) knowledge of the unseen or its dependence on the will of Imam, absoluteness or time-dependence of prophet and Imam’s knowledge of the future or knowldege of the unseesn. If a thorough look is given to the afore-mentioned six conditions, under four conditions all doubts and uncertainties are obliterated. Under two other conditions, these doubts are plausibly removed, through the lack of equality between knowledge and action and lack of congruence between familiarity and the familiar. In any case, the virtue of “Laylah al-Mabīt” for Imam Ali (AS) is proven uder all of the conditions.