Ja'far Sobhani, a Shi‘ite scholar, claimed that the concept of Ismah originated from the Qur’an, regarding the prophet (Q53:3-4), angels (66: 6), and the Qur'an itself (41: 42)  Dwight M. Donaldson regards the origin and importance of the concept of Ismah owes to the development of the theology of the Shi'ites in the period between the death of Muhammad and the disappearance of the Twelfth Imam.Ann Lambton claims that neither the term nor the concept of Ismah is found in either the Qur'an or in the canonical Sunni hadith. It was apparently first used by the Imamiyyah, perhaps around the beginning of the second century AH, to maintain that the Imam must be immune from sin (ma'sum).
Ja'far Sobhani, a Shi‘ite scholar, believed that the concept of Ismah originated in the Qur’an, referring to verses about prophets (Q53:3-4), angels (66: 6), and the Qur'an itself (41: 42). Dwight M. Donaldson suggested that the importance and origin of Ismah stemmed from Shi‘ite theological development during Muhammad's lifetime until the disappearance of the Twelfth Imam. Ann Lambton contended that neither the term nor concept of Ismah is found in either the Qur’an or canonical Sunni hadiths; it was reportedly first used by Imamiyyah around the beginning of the second century AH to assert an Imam must be immune from sin (ma'sum).