That is because the earliest] members of this nation are (1) those who upheld the religion by believing in its truth, knowing it, acting upon it, and conveying it. To impugn them [is to impugn the religion in a manner that necessarily leads people to turn away from the message with which] (2) Allah sent the prophets.

This was the objective of the first person to introduce the innovation of Shiism (3), for his sole aim (4) was [to turn people away from the path of Allah and invalidate what the] messengers brought from Allah. They therefore revealed this aim in proportion to the weakening of the religion. Thus there became manifest [among the heretics the true nature of these misguiding innovations]. Yet much of them gained currency among people who were not heretical hypocrites, owing to a measure of specious doubt and [ignorance mingled (5) with desire, through which misguidance was accepted (6)]. This is the root of every falsehood.

Allah Most High said (7):

{By the star when it descends! Your companion has neither strayed nor erred. Nor does he speak from his own desire. It is only a revelation sent down.}

[Surah al-Najm: 1–4]

And continuing to His words:

{Have you considered al-Lāt and al-Uzzā, and Manāt, the third—the other one? Are males for you and females for Him? That would indeed be an unjust division! They are nothing but names coined by you and your forefathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow nothing but conjecture and what their souls desire, although guidance has certainly come to them from their Lord.}

[Surah al-Najm: 19–23]

Allah thus declared His Messenger free of straying and error: straying is the absence of knowledge, while error is following desire.