Islam is a religion of Allah, and we are directed to worship Allah alone. Those amongst the muslims that seek to worship human beings, think they are worshipping Allah swt in a better way by using these human intermediaries. The first and foremost human intermediary in Islam that is used is the prophet Muhammad (saws). Of course in order to construct this human bridge to Allah swt, deviants have to embellish the qualities and traits of the saints and propets.
Here I will discuss if prophet were ever considered infallible by Allah swt, and whether they can also make human mistakes as well. Let us first consider the story of Adam in the Quran. We know that Adam was a prophet, in that he communicated with Allah swt, and received divine laws from Allah swt while in paradise.
We cautioned, “O Adam! Live with your wife in Paradise and eat as freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, or else you will be wrongdoers.”
وَقُلْنَا يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
2:35
Then Satan tempted them in order to expose what was hidden of their nakedness. He said, “Your Lord has forbidden this tree to you only to prevent you from becoming angels or immortals.”And he swore to them, “I am truly your sincere advisor.”So he brought about their fall through deception. And when they tasted of the tree, their nakedness was exposed to them, prompting them to cover themselves with leaves from Paradise. Then their Lord called out to them, “Did I not forbid you from that tree and ˹did I not˺ tell you that Satan is your sworn enemy?”
فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لِيُبْدِىَ لَهُمَا مَا وُۥرِىَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْءَٰتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَىٰكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰلِدِينَ
وَقَاسَمَهُمَآ إِنِّى لَكُمَا لَمِنَ ٱلنَّـٰصِحِينَ
فَدَلَّىٰهُمَا بِغُرُورٍۢ ۚ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا ٱلشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۖ وَنَادَىٰهُمَا رَبُّهُمَآ أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا ٱلشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
7:20-22
Here we see that even Adam saws, a prophet, with clear orders from Allah swt, was deceived by the devil to sin. But was the prophet Muhammad (saws) any better? Can we say that prophet Muhammad was not capable of sinning and he was perfect, and unlike Adam, the prophet Muhammad can act as an intermediary between us and Allah swt to lead us closer to him by accepting our devotion and prayer? Well this idea would go against the Quran when it states:
Say, ˹O believers,˺ “We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us; and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants; and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them. And to Allah we all submit.”
قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
2:136
Allah swt here states that there is no distinction between the prophets, and we submit to Allah swt. However, do we have any proof that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) sinned? Actually I would argue we do. This is unfortunate for a Muslim to hear, because they want to promote Islam, and they think they can promote Islam better than Allah swt. Allah swt states in the Quran:
Indeed, We have granted you a clear triumph ˹O Prophet˺so that Allah may forgive you for your past and future shortcomings (arabic word is sins), perfect His favour upon you, guide you along the Straight Path,
إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًۭا مُّبِينًۭا
لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكَ وَيَهْدِيَكَ صِرَٰطًۭا مُّسْتَقِيمًۭا
48:1-2
This is clear, that Allah wanted to forgive the prophet’s (saws) past and future sins. There are many verses in the Quran that asks all humans to ask for forgiveness, and that is because humans are sinful. See also 47:19 where Allah swt asks the prophet to seek forgiveness for his sins and the sins of his followers. We are all sons of Adam after all, so this is consistent with the clear message of Allah swt. Now, does the prophet Muhammad (saws) have perfect knowledge? Can he see the reality of people around him? This also is disproven by Allah swt in the Quran. Here is just one clear example:
Some of the nomads around you ˹believers˺ are hypocrites, as are some of the people of Medina. They have mastered hypocrisy. They are not known to you ˹O Prophet˺; they are known to Us. We will punish them twice ˹in this world˺, then they will be brought back ˹to their Lord˺ for a tremendous punishment.
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَـٰفِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
9:101
Here we see that the prophet Muhammad (saws) did not know who around him was a hypocrite or not, to the extent that Allah swt had to inform him of this. After all Prophet Muhammad was just a human being. But some don’t like to follow a revelation from a human like them. Allah swt explains:
That was because there came to them messengers with Clear Signs, but they said: “Shall (mere) human beings direct us?” So they rejected (the Message) and turned away. But Allah can do without (them): and Allah is free of all needs, worthy of all praise.
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُۥ كَانَت تَّأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَبَشَرٌۭ يَهْدُونَنَا فَكَفَرُوا۟ وَتَوَلَّوا۟ ۚ وَّٱسْتَغْنَى ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌۭ
64:6
Here Allah swt makes it clear that some just can’t bring themselves to follow a mere human. Perhaps that is why so many today need to raise him up to the level of a demigod in order to believe in the message he brought. Others need to attribute miracles to him. However Allah swt knows best and already clarified everything in the Quran:
They challenge ˹the Prophet˺, “We will never believe in you until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us, or until you have a garden of palm trees and vineyards, and cause rivers to flow abundantly in it, or cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you have claimed, or bring Allah and the angels before us, face to face, or until you have a house of gold, or you ascend into heaven—and even then we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book that we can read.” Say, “Glory be to my Lord! Am I not only a human messenger?”
Quran 17:90-93
Yet there are muslims that have repackaged the story the Zoroastrian saint named Arta Viraf’s night journey to heaven on a winged horse. They say that the Prophet Muhammad went on a high journey on a winged horse as well, with the same details as this Zoroastrian story. Yet, the Surah named Isra from the Quran, actually specifically dispels the idea of a night journey to the heavens! How can people still believe that I have no idea.
Perhaps you have the belief that the prophet Muhammad (saws) can guide us to the straight path? He can make us a believer or more pious? Or perhaps the prophet Muhammad (saws) could give us a higher esoteric knowledge to avoid sin and enter the highest levels of heaven? Allah swt in the Quran states:
No calamity befalls ˹anyone˺ except by Allah’s Will. And whoever has faith in Allah, He will ˹rightly˺ guide their hearts ˹through adversity˺. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.
64:11 – مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ
Allah swt above explains that He will rightly guide your heart. This is articulated all over the Quran, here is another example:
Ask ˹them, O Prophet˺, “Can any of your associate-gods guide to the truth?” Say, “˹Only˺ Allah guides to the truth.” Who then is more worthy to be followed: the One Who guides to the truth or those who cannot find the way unless guided? What is the matter with you? How do you judge?
10:35 – قُلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى لِلْحَقِّ ۗ أَفَمَن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَن يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّن لَّا يَهِدِّىٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُهْدَىٰ ۖ فَمَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ
Here, Allah swt tells the prophet to tell us, that none can guide us to the truth other than Allah swt. Who is more worthy to be followed? Your idol or Allah swt. One who guides (Allah swt), or those who cannot find the way unless guided? In other words, even the prophet saws, who is guided by Allah, is blind compared to Allah swt. Allah swt is the one who guides us.
Further, Allah swt states:
Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the evil ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein (For ever).
2:257 – ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
This verse states that Allah is our protector (wali), of those who have faith. And that Allah swt will lead us from the depth of darkness into the light. The prophet cannot help us spiritually. The prophet does guide us, by giving us the Quran. Was there revelations other than the Quran that we must follow? Allah asks this rhetorical question:
So what message after this ˹Quran˺ would they believe in?
77:50 – فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَهُۥ يُؤْمِنُونَ
So I will ask all of you, what message after this Quran would you believe? Is it Bukhari? Do you know what year that book was allegedly complied? Do you know if even that book is authentic prior to 1600? Is it Al-Kafi? Alleged to have been complied in 415 AH by the Buyids? Even if you believe the prophet guides us, what hadith will you chose to follow? Or do you believe the prophet can guide us from the grave?
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