Thus, the Imam cannot issue commands and prohibitions to all his subjects except by means of general, universal rulings (1). Likewise, when he appoints a deputy, he can entrust him only with general, universal principles. Determining whether particular cases fall under those universals, or whether a specific category falls under one broader than itself, necessarily requires the appointed official’s deliberation and independent judgment; he may be correct on one occasion and mistaken on another.

If he requires the infallibility (* of every individual, he thereby requires (2) the infallibility *) (3) of the deputies in those particular cases. Yet this (4) is necessarily impossible (5), as all rational people agree. If he deems the universal principles sufficient (6), then a prophet can explicitly state them, as our Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did. He explained which women are forbidden and which are lawful. All a man’s female relatives are therefore forbidden to him except the daughters of his paternal uncles, paternal aunts, maternal uncles, and maternal aunts—the four groups mentioned in Surah al-Ahzāb.

Likewise, with regard to beverages, he prohibited every intoxicant (7), as opposed to anything that does not intoxicate, and other such matters.

Indeed, He confined what is forbidden to that set forth in His words:

“Say: My Lord has only forbidden immoralities