If All the Children of Adam Err, How Is the Prophet Free From Sin?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question
If the Prophet Muhammad was a son of Adam and all sons of Adam are sinners, but the Prophet is free from sin is what I understand. I am having doubts. Please tell me what I should do.
Answer
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all beings, and may peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad.
I pray you are well.
Your question refers to the narration: “All of the sons of Adam make many mistakes, and the best of those who make many mistakes are those who keep repenting.” [Tirmidhi] This hadith speaks about the general state of every human being and how to rise above the standard of most of humanity.
The way to do this is to accept that one will make mistakes, but to minimize them and benefit from them through constant repentance. Allah loves those who keep repenting. [Quran 02:222]
As for any Prophet committing a sin, multiple texts and scholarly consensus negate this. In fact, Allah Most High has commanded us to follow the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) without excluding any circumstance of his life. Had it been possible for him to make any sort of mistake, it would have been as though Allah commanded us to commit some sins because we are told to emulate him in every situation.
The Quran says, “Say, ‘No! Allah never commands what is shameful.’” [Quran 07:28] Therefore, it is clear that neither the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) nor any of the other Prophets sinned. This is the view of the majority of scholars. [Qadi ’Iyad, al-Shifa]
For more details, please look at this answer.
As for the use of “every” in the verse in the hadith, this is a rhetorical device used to express generality. We have an example in the Quran where the word “every” is used, but it’s not intended to refer to all things; rather, it has a meaning of wide-scale application only.
The Quran says, “It destroyed everything by the command of its Lord, leaving nothing visible except their ruins. This is how We reward the wicked people.” [Quran 46:25] “Everything” here is used in the manner described above. [Ibn ’Ashur, al-Tahrir wal-Tanwir]
The hadith can be understood similarly, so we know that prophets do not sin.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
Related Answers
One. How Are the Prophets Protected from Error and Sin? — Shaykh Gibril F Haddad: The majority of scholars, including the Imams of the four schools, hold that the prophets are protected even from minor sins.
Two. If the Prophet Was Infallible Why Did He Ask for Forgiveness? — Ustadh Tabraze Azam: The Prophet’s seeking forgiveness reflects humility before Allah, his constant rise in rank, and teaching his community, not sin.
Three. How do We Understand the Sinlessness of Prophets in Light of Their Reprimand in the Qur’an? — Shaykh Faraz Rabbani: Prophets are protected from sin; Quranic corrections address sound judgments that were not the best course Allah intended.
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began studying Arabic Grammar and Morphology whilst studying for a degree in English and History. After graduating, He traveled to Damascus and studied Arabic, Hanafi Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, and Logic with Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman Arjan al-Binsawi, Shaykh Husayn Darwish, Shaykh Muhammad Darwish, the late Shaykh Rashad Shams, and others. He then moved to Amman to continue his studies in those fields, as well as in Tafsir, Quranic Sciences, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Prophetic Biography, Prophetic Perfections and Traits, Rhetoric, Arabic Literature, and Tajwid. His teachers include Shaykh Ali Hani, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri, Dr Salah Abu al-Hajj, Dr Mansur Abu Zina, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Shaykh Ahmad Jammal, and others.
