An Arabic verse says...
An Arabic verse says: It is not impossible for Allah to unite the whole world in one person.([^6]) Attributes and Knowledge of the Imam We believe that an imam , just like a prophet must be the best of all mankind in attributes of human perfection, such as courage, generosity, chasteness, truthfulness, decency, prudence, reason, wisdom, and morality. The evidence on this doctrine is the same as that which we gave for the prophet's superiority.
An imam receives all Divine knowledge and laws, as well as information, from the Prophet or the Imam preceding him. When a new question arises, he must have knowledge of it through inspiration, which he receives by way of power of sacredness that Almighty Allah has placed in him. Hence, when he gives attention to something and wills to know it in actuality, he will neither miss nor fail to hit it, without reason-based proofs or instructions of mentors.
The knowledge of an imam can however be increased and intensified. As a result, the Holy Prophet (s) used to pray to Almighty Allah saying, رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا O Lord, increase my knowledge!
(20:114) ([^7]) Psychological studies have proven that each human being passes by an hour or several hours in his lifetime during which he can have knowledge of a number of things by intuition, which is part of inspiration, by virtue of the power that Almighty Allah has granted man to acquaint himself with such knowledge. This power, however, differs among people; increase or decrease owing to each man’s nature.
During such hours, man’s mind suddenly gets to know certain things without intervention of the thought process or instruction of mentors. In fact, each individual can experience such states many times in his lifetime. On the grounds of this experimental fact demonstrated by ancient and recent philosophers, certain people can attain their utmost inspirational competence.
On the strength of this fact, we can conclude that the Holy Imams (`a) hold the highest degree of the power of intuition, especially when we come to know that they possess the purest minds that are ready to receive information at all times, in all states, and under all circumstances.
Accordingly and as has been previously maintained, when the Imam gives attention to something and wills to know it, he will know it through this holy inspirational power without premeditation, introduction, or instruction of mentors.