Do the messengers commit minor sins?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Do the messengers commit minor sins?
The Shaykh : I believe that before answering this question directly, it is a question that, as they say today, is irrelevant; because the matter does not concern our methodology, or the rectification of our beliefs and deeds, but rather it concerns the prophets and messengers who preceded the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So I do not find that such a question should be given attention, but it is necessary to answer it; so that we clarify what we have of knowledge in this issue.
We believe that the infallibility that is established for the prophets or messengers is:
First: infallibility in conveying the call.
Second: infallibility from committing major sins while they are aware of them.
As for committing a minor sin from the minor sins that results only in the absence of absolute perfection; then there is no harm in some of that occurring from the prophets and messengers, and that is so that it remains settled in the hearts of the believers that absolute perfection belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, alone, with no partner.
The Qur'an contains many texts and evidence in affirming this reality regarding other than one prophet or messenger. So the story of Adam (peace be upon him) regarding the Lord of the worlds forbidding him to eat from the tree, and the saying of the Lord of the worlds:, and also the saying of the Noble Qur'an regarding our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , and His saying: [At-Tawbah 9:43], all of this indicates that a prophet may be exposed to something that is not befitting his station of prophethood from these minor matters. But does this defect them? The answer is: No; because this is the requirement of humanity.
Just as we say: Does it defect the prophet or messenger that he is exposed to what people in general are exposed to, such as forgetfulness and negligence? We say: No; there is no barrier to one of the messengers or prophets being exposed to such a thing; because it does not touch the station of the call with which he was sent to all people.
So his saying (peace be upon him) in what was narratedThe Shaykh : from the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) when he prayed the midday prayer with them five rak'ahs, so when he finished the prayer they said to him: You prayed five, so he prostrated the two prostrations of forgetfulness, then he said (peace be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 401. So it does not harm the station of prophethood and messengership that they commit what the most perfect would not commit, but absolute perfection belongs to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The most perfect is that the messenger (peace be upon him) does not forget, but the wisdom of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) necessitated that the messenger forget, but this forgetfulness does not touch the call; because he does not forget what is related to the call. And therefore our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) points to this reality by His saying: [Al-A'la 87:6-7], except what He wills that you forget of a verse that you have conveyed to the people, meaning: you have performed the message and conveyed the trust. So it is possible that the messenger (peace be upon him) may be exposed, after this obligatory conveyance, to forgetting something of what he conveyed, as came in Sahih al-Bukhari: that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) entered the mosque one day and heard a man reciting the Qur'an, so he said: Sahih Ibn Hibban 3:47; so the forgetfulness of the messenger (peace be upon him) of such a verse does not harm him in what is related to his call; because he has conveyed it. And therefore that man was able to read it, so when the man read it, the messenger (peace be upon him) remembered it. So such forgetfulness does not harm him.
Likewise, the occurrence of some of the prophets and messengers in some of the minor sins does not harm them; because it does not repel the called ones from his call, unlike the occurrence in major sins. And therefore they are sanctified from them, unlike the minor sins.
The Shaykh : I believe that before answering this question directly, it is a question that, as they say today, is irrelevant; because the matter does not concern our methodology, or the rectification of our beliefs and deeds, but rather it concerns the prophets and messengers who preceded the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So I do not find that such a question should be given attention, but it is necessary to answer it; so that we clarify what we have of knowledge in this issue.
We believe that the infallibility that is established for the prophets or messengers is:
First: infallibility in conveying the call.
Second: infallibility from committing major sins while they are aware of them.
As for committing a minor sin from the minor sins that results only in the absence of absolute perfection; then there is no harm in some of that occurring from the prophets and messengers, and that is so that it remains settled in the hearts of the believers that absolute perfection belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, alone, with no partner.
The Qur'an contains many texts and evidence in affirming this reality regarding other than one prophet or messenger. So the story of Adam (peace be upon him) regarding the Lord of the worlds forbidding him to eat from the tree, and the saying of the Lord of the worlds:
And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred
وَعَصَى آدَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَىHe frowned and turned away.
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىMay Allah pardon you, [O Muhammad]; why did you give them permission
عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْكَ لِمَ أَذِنْتَ لَهُمْJust as we say: Does it defect the prophet or messenger that he is exposed to what people in general are exposed to, such as forgetfulness and negligence? We say: No; there is no barrier to one of the messengers or prophets being exposed to such a thing; because it does not touch the station of the call with which he was sent to all people.
So his saying (peace be upon him) in what was narratedThe Shaykh : from the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) when he prayed the midday prayer with them five rak'ahs, so when he finished the prayer they said to him: You prayed five, so he prostrated the two prostrations of forgetfulness, then he said (peace be upon him):
but I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. So if I forget remind me
إنما أنا بشر مثلكم أنسى كما تنسون، فإذا نسيت فذكروني(6) We will make you recite, [O Muhammad], and you will not forget, (7) Except what Allah should will.
سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلا تَنْسَى * إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُMay Allah have mercy on so-and-so, he reminded me of a verse that I had forgotten
رحم الله فلاناً، لقد ذكرني آية كنت أُنسيتهاLikewise, the occurrence of some of the prophets and messengers in some of the minor sins does not harm them; because it does not repel the called ones from his call, unlike the occurrence in major sins. And therefore they are sanctified from them, unlike the minor sins.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.