[1] That the innocence of angels is different from the innocence of man needs no detailed discussion. The innocence of angels means that they do not possess the impulse to sin, but the innocence of man means that, although he has human frailties and passions, yet he possesses a peculiar power to resist them and he is not over-powered by them so as to commit sins. This very ability is called innocence and it prevents the rising up of personal passions and impulses. Amīr al-mu’minīn’s saying that “I do not regard myself above erring” refers to those human dictates and passions, and his saying that “Allāh helps me in avoiding ‘errors’” refers to innocence. The same tone is found in the Qur’ān in the words of Prophet Yūsuf that: I exculpate not myself, verily (one’s) self is wont to bid (him to) evil, except such as my Lord hath had mercy on; verily my Lord is Oft- forgiving, All-merciful. (12:53) Just as in this verse, because of the existence of exception, its first part cannot be used to argue against his innocence, similarly, due to the existence of the exception “but that Allāh helps me in avoiding errors” in Amīr al-mu’minīn’s saying, its first part cannot be used to argue against his innocence, otherwise the Prophet’s innocence too will have to be rejected. In the same way, the last sentence of this sermon should not be taken to mean that before the proclamation of prophethood he had been under the influence of pre-Islamic beliefs, and that just as others had been unbelievers he too might have been in darkness and misguidance, because from his very birth Amīr al-mu’minīn was brought-up by the Prophet and the effect of his training and up-bringing permeated him. It cannot therefore be imagined that he who had from infancy trod in the foot-prints of the Prophet would deviate from guidance even for a moment. Thus, al-Mas‘ūdī has written: Amīr al-mu’minīn never believed in any other god than Allāh so that there could be the question of his accepting Islam. He rather followed the Prophet in all his actions and (virtually) initiated him, and in this very state he attained majority. (Murūj adh-dhahab, vol. 2, p. 3). Here, by those whom Allāh led from darkness into guidance, the reference is to the persons whom Amīr al-mu’minīn was addressing. Ibn Abi’l-Ḥadīd writes in this connection: The reference here is not to his own self because he had never been an unbeliever so as to have accepted Islam after that, but in these words he is referring to those group of people whom he was addressing. (Sharḥ Nahj al-balāghah, vol. 11, p. 108)