takfir it has not been shown to us that the one who violates consensus is a disbeliever. rather the disagreement exists among muslims as to whether the proof is established by mere consensus . so whoever is confused about this matter we do not declare him a disbeliever because of it and we limit ourselves to accusing him of error and misguidance. so if it is said why did you not declare them disbelievers because of their saying that the imam is infallible and infallibility from error slip and minor and major sins is a characteristic of prophethood? it is as if they have established the characteristic of prophethood for someone other than the prophet may god bless him and grant him peace. we said this does not necessitate disbelief. rather what necessitates it is that prophethood be proven for someone else after him and it has been proven that he is the seal of the prophets or that the position of abrogation of his law be proven for someone else. as for infallibility it is not a characteristic of prophethood nor is its proof like the proof of prophethood. groups of our companions have said that infallibility is not proven for the prophet from minor sins and they have provided evidence for this with the words of the most high 88 and adam disobeyed his lord and went astray 88 and with a number of stories of the prophets. so whoever believes that a sinner is obedient and infallible from sin does not go beyond the one who he believes that an obedient person is immoral and immersed in corruption. even if a just person believes that he is immoral he has only made a mistake. whoever believes that someone who is not infallible is infallible how can he rule that he is an unbeliever? yes he rules that he is foolish and believes in something that almost contradicts the observed conditions and something that is not indicated by the consideration of reason or its necessity.
التكفير فلم يبن لنا أن خارق الإجماع كافر بل الخلاف قائم بين المسلمين في أن الحجة هل تقوم بمجرد الإجماع فمن التبس عليه هذا الأمر لم نكفره بسببه واقتصرنا على تخطئته وتضليله فأن قيل وهلا كفرتموهم لقولهم أن الإمام معصوم والعصمة عن الخطأ والزلل وصغير المآثم وكبيرها من خاصية النبوة فكأنهم أثبتوا خاصية النبوة لغير النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قلنا هذا لا يوجب الكفر وإنما الموجب له أن يثبت النبوة لغيره بعده وقد ثبت أنه خاتم النبيين أو يثبت لغيره منصب النسخ لشريعته فأما العصمة فليست خاصية النبوة ولا إثباتها كإثبات النبوة فلقد قالت طوائف من أصحابنا العصمة لا تثبت للنبي من الصغائر واستدلوا عليه بقوله تعالي ٨٨ وعصى آدم ربه فغوى ٨٨ وبجملة من حكايات الأنبياء فمن يعتقد في فاسق أنه مطيع ومعصوم عن الفسق لا يزيد على من يعتقد في مطيع أنه فاسق ومنهمك في الفساد ولو اعتقد إنسان في عدل أنه فاسق لم يزد على تخطئة من اعتقد في غير معصوم أنه معصوم كيف يحكم بكفره نعم يحكم بحماقته واعتقاده أمرا يكاد يخالف المشاهد من الأحوال وأمرا لا يدل عليه نظر العقل ولا ضرورته