ANSWERED: Prophet Masum

[Omar HH]

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

Was the the Prophet(saws)a perfect human being free from sins? Was
he free from mistakes? Ustadh Abdullah explores this issue for one
of our members! Please be sure to visit and support our website:

http://lamppostproductions.org


Was-Salaam

Question:

I've been debating with some friends about this issue, and we all
have mixed feelings. We can't seem to find any solid evidence either
way. The question is: Was Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) a sinless and a
perfect human? Was he just sinless or was he just perfect in every
way? Some said he was sinless, because in the Qur'an there are
mentions of him making a mistake and correcting it, but never about
him sinning.
Others said that he was perfect, that he never made a mistake and
never sinned either. Which is the truth? There is a big difference
between being just sinless, and being a perfect person who does
absolutely nothing wrong. Is there such thing as a perfect person? Is
that possible since were human?

Any help with this question would be appreciated. THanks



Ustadh Abdullah's response:



The truth is that the Prophet (pbuh) was sinless in spite of
sometimes committing occasional oversights. One must understand that
there is a difference between `sin' and `oversight' or `error.' A
sin is the intentional and knowing violation of God's divine
commandments, while an oversight, mistake, or error is merely an
_expression of a miscalculation, which is something that doesn't mar
or injure his character or veracity.



Some describe a perfect person as being one who commits no sin, does
nothing wrong, makes no oversight, and is guided aright in every
decision during his/her entire life.



As for this type of perfection, no such thing exists among people,
neither Prophets nor common people.



But another view describes the perfect person as the one who is not
guilty of knowingly committing any sin. Such is the case with all
the Prophets according to the dominant view of scholars.



Most scholars say that an essential attribute of every Prophet is
that he does not commit a major sin before or after he is given
revelation, while a minority of them hold that it is possible for
them to commit minor sins before revelation is given to them.



As for mistakes, they also agree that it is an impossibility in
their regard to make a mistake in conveying the words of the Creator
and in legislating the divine commandments and religious burdens of
the religion.



As for making a mistake outside of revelation, scholars consider it
to be possible to happen to the Messengers when they are not acting
or speaking on God's behalf when carrying out some of their daily
human activities.



As for Muhammad – peace and blessings be upon him, he is perfect in
that he committed neither a major nor a minor sin before or after he
became God's Messenger. And he committed no mistake in his
conveyance of the message of God and God's religion.



Outside of that, he did sometimes have oversights like his incorrect
judgment in believing that the blind man, Ibn Umm Maktum, wouldn't
benefit from what he was saying to the Quraishi nobles since the
Prophet (pbuh) knew that Ibn Umm Maktum already knew the things he
was preaching to the nobles. And he believed that he would help the
spread of Islam if he could convince those nobles of the truth of
Islam, since most or all of their followers would have likely
accepted Islam after him. What he didn't know was that he was
wasting his time with them. So Allah informed him of this, just as
He informed him of his oversight and miscalculation.



This is just one example. Others are like his judgment to free the
captives of Badr and his decision to pray over the chief hypocrite,
Abdullah ibn Ubai ibn Abi Salul, in spite of the fact that Allah
stated that praying over hypocrites 70 seventy times would be of no
benefit. Consequently, the Prophet (pbuh) took the statement
literally, and decided that he would pray more than 70 times to ask
for mercy for his enemy.



These are miscalculations and oversights, not sins. But committing
an oversight doesn't mar Muhammad's relative human perfection and
veracity, since it is the part of him that reminds us that he was
still human, and that by him being human, it is possible for one of
us to fulfill God's commandments just as he was able to, even though
we won't be able to reach his level of awareness of God.



I hope that this suffices as an answer. And may peace and blessings
of Allah be upon Muhammad, the best of all creation.



Was Salam

Abdullah

[Ali08]

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

Was the the Prophet(saws)a perfect human being free from sins? Was
he free from mistakes? Ustadh Abdullah explores this issue for one
of our members! Please be sure to visit and support our website:

http://lamppostproductions.org


Was-Salaam

Question:

I've been debating with some friends about this issue, and we all
have mixed feelings. We can't seem to find any solid evidence either
way. The question is: Was Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) a sinless and a
perfect human? Was he just sinless or was he just perfect in every
way? Some said he was sinless, because in the Qur'an there are
mentions of him making a mistake and correcting it, but never about
him sinning.
Others said that he was perfect, that he never made a mistake and
never sinned either. Which is the truth? There is a big difference
between being just sinless, and being a perfect person who does
absolutely nothing wrong. Is there such thing as a perfect person? Is
that possible since were human?

Any help with this question would be appreciated. THanks



Ustadh Abdullah's response:



The truth is that the Prophet (pbuh) was sinless in spite of
sometimes committing occasional oversights. One must understand that
there is a difference between `sin' and `oversight' or `error.' A
sin is the intentional and knowing violation of God's divine
commandments, while an oversight, mistake, or error is merely an
_expression of a miscalculation, which is something that doesn't mar
or injure his character or veracity.



Some describe a perfect person as being one who commits no sin, does
nothing wrong, makes no oversight, and is guided aright in every
decision during his/her entire life.



As for this type of perfection, no such thing exists among people,
neither Prophets nor common people.



But another view describes the perfect person as the one who is not
guilty of knowingly committing any sin. Such is the case with all
the Prophets according to the dominant view of scholars.



Most scholars say that an essential attribute of every Prophet is
that he does not commit a major sin before or after he is given
revelation, while a minority of them hold that it is possible for
them to commit minor sins before revelation is given to them.



As for mistakes, they also agree that it is an impossibility in
their regard to make a mistake in conveying the words of the Creator
and in legislating the divine commandments and religious burdens of
the religion.



As for making a mistake outside of revelation, scholars consider it
to be possible to happen to the Messengers when they are not acting
or speaking on God's behalf when carrying out some of their daily
human activities.



As for Muhammad – peace and blessings be upon him, he is perfect in
that he committed neither a major nor a minor sin before or after he
became God's Messenger. And he committed no mistake in his
conveyance of the message of God and God's religion.



Outside of that, he did sometimes have oversights like his incorrect
judgment in believing that the blind man, Ibn Umm Maktum, wouldn't
benefit from what he was saying to the Quraishi nobles since the
Prophet (pbuh) knew that Ibn Umm Maktum already knew the things he
was preaching to the nobles. And he believed that he would help the
spread of Islam if he could convince those nobles of the truth of
Islam, since most or all of their followers would have likely
accepted Islam after him. What he didn't know was that he was
wasting his time with them. So Allah informed him of this, just as
He informed him of his oversight and miscalculation.



This is just one example. Others are like his judgment to free the
captives of Badr and his decision to pray over the chief hypocrite,
Abdullah ibn Ubai ibn Abi Salul, in spite of the fact that Allah
stated that praying over hypocrites 70 seventy times would be of no
benefit. Consequently, the Prophet (pbuh) took the statement
literally, and decided that he would pray more than 70 times to ask
for mercy for his enemy.



These are miscalculations and oversights, not sins. But committing
an oversight doesn't mar Muhammad's relative human perfection and
veracity, since it is the part of him that reminds us that he was
still human, and that by him being human, it is possible for one of
us to fulfill God's commandments just as he was able to, even though
we won't be able to reach his level of awareness of God.



I hope that this suffices as an answer. And may peace and blessings
of Allah be upon Muhammad, the best of all creation.



Was Salam

Abdullah

Is there a consensus among the Ulema regarding this issue?

[Omar HH]

7- والأنبياء عليهم الصلاة والسلام كلهم منزهون عن الصغائر والكبائر والكفر والقبائح وقد كانت منهم زلات وخطايا.
47. The Prophets, Alayhem assalatu wassalam, are infallibles of all sins, whether major, minor, or disbelief, and of all that is detestable/distasteful. It may be, however, that they commit insignificant lapses and inaccuracies [those are not true errors, as they usually indicate choosing the good, not the best. Secondly and most importantly, the Prophets, alayhem assalam, are immediately alerted to any lapses, and constantly directed by Allah towards the best].

- al-Fiqh al-Akbar.

I think Imam Abu Hanifa (one of the Tabi`een) radi Allahu `Anhu clarified the entire issue.

[Omar HH]

Proof of the Prophets being sinless from secondary text:

It is obligatory in the right of the messengers (upon whom be blessings and peace) that they have (1) honesty; the
opposite of dishonesty, … (2) trustworthy obedience to Allah; the opposite of which is betrayal/disobedience to
Allah, … (3) conveying what they were asked to convey; the opposite of which is concealing the message, … and
(4) full intelligence; the opposite of which is being retarded.
[MM: volume 1: page 27: line(s) 22-25: {Risalah fi `Ilm al-Tawhid (matn 7);
Ibrahim al-Bayjuri; in second half of matn}]
[MM: volume 1: page 28: line(s) 1-3: {Risalah fi `Ilm al-Tawhid (matn 7);
Ibrahim al-Bayjuri; in second half of matn}]

- Ibrahim al-Bayjuri one of the Great `Aqeedah Scholars of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`ah.

From the primary texts:

And if he (the Prophet) had fabricated against us some tales/lies, we would have grabbed him and then have cut off
his aorta89.
[QU: volume 1: page 568: line(s) 4-6: {al-Qur'an; chapter 69; verse(s) 44-46}]
O Messenger, convey that which was revealed unto you from your Lord. If you do not do this, then you have not
conveyed His message. Allah will protect you from people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving
people90.
[QU: volume 1: page 119: line(s) 5-7: {al-Qur'an; chapter 5; verse(s) 67}]
And your companion (the Prophet) is not mentally ill [or possessed by a jinn]91.
[QU: volume 1: page 586: line(s) 11: {al-Qur'an; chapter 81; verse(s) 22}]
[Prophet Shu`ayb said:] And I do not desire to act contrary to the dictates of what I prohibit you from. I only
want reformation as much as I can induce….92
[QU: volume 1: page 231: line(s) 13-15: {al-Qur'an; chapter 11; verse(s) 88}]

On the issue of consensus:

A number of the scholars of the belief system are of the view that it is not rationally impossible for the prophets
(upon whom be blessing and peace) to have committed small or large acts of disobedience before being called by
Allah to convey the message. However, some of our companions and scholars are of the view that such is
rationally impossible; and this is also the preferred view of al-Qadi `Iyad..
[DT: volume 1: page 52: line(s) 17-22: {explanation of verses 31-33 of al-Murshid al-Mu`in; al-tanbih
al-thani }]

As for rational proofs of the infallibility of the Prophets - taken from the Qur'an:

a) As a general rule, Allah commanded us to imitate Allah's messengers in their saying and
actions. [al-Qur'an 3:31]
b) Allah does not command us to do acts of disobedience. [al-Qur'an 7:28]
c) Therefore, the things that that they did could not have been acts of disobedience.
d) We have been told that concealing knowledge is an act of disobedience. [al-Qur'an 2:159]
e) Therefore, the messengers (May Allah bless them and give them peace) could not have
concealed knowledge.

The bottom line being:

The Prophets never disobeyed Allah whether before Prophethood or after Prophethood - not even with a minor sin. The Prophets never ever sinned ever.

[salman]

Salamu 'Alaykum

This was also the opinion of many of the early Shi'a scholars, most notably Shaykh Saduq (Ibn Babwayh Al Qummi).

[Ali08]

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

Was the the Prophet(saws)a perfect human being free from sins? Was
he free from mistakes? Ustadh Abdullah explores this issue for one
of our members! Please be sure to visit and support our website:

http://lamppostproductions.org


Was-Salaam

Question:

I've been debating with some friends about this issue, and we all
have mixed feelings. We can't seem to find any solid evidence either
way. The question is: Was Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) a sinless and a
perfect human? Was he just sinless or was he just perfect in every
way? Some said he was sinless, because in the Qur'an there are
mentions of him making a mistake and correcting it, but never about
him sinning.
Others said that he was perfect, that he never made a mistake and
never sinned either. Which is the truth? There is a big difference
between being just sinless, and being a perfect person who does
absolutely nothing wrong. Is there such thing as a perfect person? Is
that possible since were human?

Any help with this question would be appreciated. THanks



Ustadh Abdullah's response:



The truth is that the Prophet (pbuh) was sinless in spite of
sometimes committing occasional oversights. One must understand that
there is a difference between `sin' and `oversight' or `error.' A
sin is the intentional and knowing violation of God's divine
commandments, while an oversight, mistake, or error is merely an
_expression of a miscalculation, which is something that doesn't mar
or injure his character or veracity.



Some describe a perfect person as being one who commits no sin, does
nothing wrong, makes no oversight, and is guided aright in every
decision during his/her entire life.



As for this type of perfection, no such thing exists among people,
neither Prophets nor common people.



But another view describes the perfect person as the one who is not
guilty of knowingly committing any sin. Such is the case with all
the Prophets according to the dominant view of scholars.



Most scholars say that an essential attribute of every Prophet is
that he does not commit a major sin before or after he is given
revelation, while a minority of them hold that it is possible for
them to commit minor sins before revelation is given to them.



As for mistakes, they also agree that it is an impossibility in
their regard to make a mistake in conveying the words of the Creator
and in legislating the divine commandments and religious burdens of
the religion.



As for making a mistake outside of revelation, scholars consider it
to be possible to happen to the Messengers when they are not acting
or speaking on God's behalf when carrying out some of their daily
human activities.



As for Muhammad – peace and blessings be upon him, he is perfect in
that he committed neither a major nor a minor sin before or after he
became God's Messenger. And he committed no mistake in his
conveyance of the message of God and God's religion.



Outside of that, he did sometimes have oversights like his incorrect
judgment in believing that the blind man, Ibn Umm Maktum, wouldn't
benefit from what he was saying to the Quraishi nobles since the
Prophet (pbuh) knew that Ibn Umm Maktum already knew the things he
was preaching to the nobles. And he believed that he would help the
spread of Islam if he could convince those nobles of the truth of
Islam, since most or all of their followers would have likely
accepted Islam after him. What he didn't know was that he was
wasting his time with them. So Allah informed him of this, just as
He informed him of his oversight and miscalculation.



This is just one example. Others are like his judgment to free the
captives of Badr and his decision to pray over the chief hypocrite,
Abdullah ibn Ubai ibn Abi Salul, in spite of the fact that Allah
stated that praying over hypocrites 70 seventy times would be of no
benefit. Consequently, the Prophet (pbuh) took the statement
literally, and decided that he would pray more than 70 times to ask
for mercy for his enemy.



These are miscalculations and oversights, not sins. But committing
an oversight doesn't mar Muhammad's relative human perfection and
veracity, since it is the part of him that reminds us that he was
still human, and that by him being human, it is possible for one of
us to fulfill God's commandments just as he was able to, even though
we won't be able to reach his level of awareness of God.



I hope that this suffices as an answer. And may peace and blessings
of Allah be upon Muhammad, the best of all creation.



Was Salam

Abdullah

I thought Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) was perfect in every way and never made even the slightest human error.

[Omar HH]

He was - what they are saying is the one thing he did do is like an insignificant lapse (see al-Fiqh al-Akbar above!) such as what it says in the Qur'an:

`Abasa wa Tawala in Jaul A`mma.

"He frowned and turned away when the blind man came to him"

This is not a major sin, nor even a minor sin, nor even a mistake, it is just an insignificant lapse.

Go back and read Imam Abu Hanifa's quote, and Ibrahim al-Bajuyri's quote.

[Omar HH]

Maybe I should reword:

He doesn't do insignificant lapses - he would leave the super good for the good.

[zayedee]

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatlluh.Dear friends time is very valuble and accountable each and every second of our life we loose we can never repossess and will have to render an account for..." Now you judge for yourself "How pleased will Allah be for APPREHENDING such thoughts... and NEGLECTING time... about his most beloved whom he ELEVATED above the seven hevens (Me'raaj) furthermore he revealed a verse expressing his *concern to satisfy him s.a.w...Allah Say's "I WILL GIVE YOU SO MUCH SO THAT YOU BECOME PLEASED "{Al-Quraan} moreover Allah say's "LAQAD KAANA LAKUM FEE RASOOLILLAHI OSWATUN HASANAH "{Al-Quraan} so we realy have no need for such thoughts or even discuss and altercate over such WHISPERS OF SHAYTAAN who is our "open enemy".

[Link]

Why was my post deleted?