Did Muhammad Ever Sin?

[Muhaba]

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) wasn't sinnless in that he wasn't capable of sinning but that he protected himself from sinning. It has been shown in various places in the Quraan that the Prophet (SAW) as well as all prophets were mere human beings and had human weaknesses. They were not angels nor some special creation.

In the following verses, Allah warns that if the Prophet (SAW) said anything from himself in Allah's Name, Allah would punish him. This shows that the Prophet was a human and capable of doing so but protected himself from disobeying Allah.

But Nay! I swear by that which you see and that which you see not,

That this is verily the word of an honored messenger;

It is not the word of a poet; little it is you believe!

Nor is it the word of a soothsayer; little admonition it is you receive.

(This is) a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds.

And if the Messenger were to invent any sayings in Our name.

We should certainly seize him by his right hand,

And We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart;

Nor could any of you withhold (Us) from him. (Surah 69 Al-Haqqah verses 38 - 47)


In Surah Yusuf Allah tells us about Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) (A.S) protecting himself from sinning in the following words:

Now the woman in whose house he was, began to tempt him, and one day she closed the doors and said, "COme here." Joseph replied, "May Allah protect me from this! My Lord (Allah) has given me a good abode (and should I, then, misbehave like this?) Such workers of iniquity never fare well." She advanced towards him, and he also would have advanced towards her, had he not perceived his Lord's argument....

Commentary: "His Lord's argument" means inspiration from Allah to rouse his conscience to the fact that it was not worthy of him to yield to the temptation by the woman. As regards the question, "What was that argument," it has been stated in the preceding verse, that is, "My Lord has shown much kindness towards me. Should I, then, misbehave like this? Such workers of iniquity never fare well." This was the "Divine argument" that saved Prophet Joseph in the prime of youth from that great temptation.

The significane of "Joseph also would have advanced toward her, had he not seen his Lord's argument" is this: "Even a Prophet like Joseph (A.S) could not have been able to save himself from sin, had not Allah guided him rightly with His argument. Incidently, this verse makes plain the nature of the "Immunity" of Prophets from sin. It does not mean that a Prophet is infallible and incapable of committing any error, offence, or sin or doing wrong or making a mistake. What it means is this: though a Prophet possesses passions, emotions, and carnal desires like other human beings, and is capable of committing a sin, he is so virtuous and God-fearing that he never deliberately cherishes any evil intentions, for he is endowed with such great arguments from his Lord as do not allow the lusts of the flesh over-power the voice of his conscience. And if ever he succumbs inadvertently to any of the human weaknesses, Allah at once sends a Revelation to him to set him on the right path. For the consequences of his error do not remain confined to his own person but react on the whole mankind, for even his slightest error might mislead the world to the most horrible sins.

Surah 12 (Yusuf) verse 23 - 24 (Translation and Commentary from the Meaning of Quraan by Saeed Abu Al Ala Maududi)

 

['Abd-al Hakim]

This is not only the case of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) but with every messenger of God. They had to make a complete example to their nations as how to act good or how to repent. They symbolized their entire existance to the humanity so that no confusion/difficulties left around if any of us got the similar situation. Therefore, God usually put them into trouble specially when they do mistakes. For example, Younus(pbuh) were eaten by a fish by comitting a mistake, Haroon(pbuh) prostrated the non-god i.e. the cow. Adam(pbuh) did mistake in paradise. Last messenger Muhammad(pbuh) did swear not to eat honey for their wives. Afterall, they all were human beings, but they all repent and had been forgiven in their life aswell so they all were dead sinless. Regards, Copyright©²ºº³ RoswellSoft™ Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

[AntiKarateKid]

That's very interesting, Yanal.
I have never heard this perspective before.

The biblical perspective is very much that all of God's prophets made mistakes and committed sins, just like all human beings are in the habit of.
Interesting to see that the Qu'ran states the same thing.

As far as mainstream Christianity is concerned, Jesus is the only human to have been without sin.
Does it specifically say anywhere in the Qu'ran that Jesus did not sin?

I have no clue where he got that from though. Where does it say that?

 

[AntiKarateKid]

That's very interesting, Yanal.
I have never heard this perspective before.

The biblical perspective is very much that all of God's prophets made mistakes and committed sins, just like all human beings are in the habit of.
Interesting to see that the Qu'ran states the same thing.

As far as mainstream Christianity is concerned, Jesus is the only human to have been without sin.
Does it specifically say anywhere in the Qu'ran that Jesus did not sin?

Yanal has erred a bit. Noone is totally sinless in Islam. The verse he is basing his view on is theone in Surah Maryam.

The Arabic word, which is often translated as “holy”, is “zakiyya”. First it’s important to look for the exact meaning of the word “zakiyya”. Different quran translators havetranslated it in different ways.
Yusuf Ali:[019:019] He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) tothee the gift of a holy son.
Sher Ali:[019:019] The angel said, `I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may give thee glad tidings of a righteous son.'
Shakir:[019:019] He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I will give you a pure boy.
Pickthall:[019:019] He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord that I may bestow on thee a faultless son.
Sale:[019:019] He answered, verily I am the messenger of thy Lord, and am sent to give thee a holy son.

Noowhere has it ever been translated as sinless so Yanal's view is not correct.

"Every son of Adam is a sinner, and the best of sinners are those who repentconstantly". - Ibn Majah, Tirmizi, Darimi

If Jesus was an exception, it would have been mentioned by the Prophet pbuh.

 

[Muhaba]

This is not only the case of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) but with every messenger of God. They had to make a complete example to their nations as how to act good or how to repent. They symbolized their entire existance to the humanity so that no confusion/difficulties left around if any of us got the similar situation. Therefore, God usually put them into trouble specially when they do mistakes. For example, Younus(pbuh) were eaten by a fish by comitting a mistake, Haroon(pbuh) prostrated the non-god i.e. the cow. Adam(pbuh) did mistake in paradise. Last messenger Muhammad(pbuh) did swear not to eat honey for their wives. Afterall, they all were human beings, but they all repent and had been forgiven in their life aswell so they all were dead sinless. Regards, Copyright©²ºº³ RoswellSoft™ Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Haroon (A.S) didn't prostrate before a false god.

Allah says in the Quraan in Surah 20 (Ta Ha):


85. (Allah) said: "Verily! We have tried your people in your absence, and As-Samiri has led them astray."

86. Then Musa (Moses) returned to his people in a state of anger and sorrow. He said: "O my people! Did not your Lord promise you a fair promise? Did then the promise seem to you long in coming? Or did you desire that wrath should descend from your Lord on you, so you broke your promise to me (i.e disbelieving in Allah and worshipping the calf)?"

87. They said: "We broke not the promise to you, of our own will, but we were made to carry the weight of the ornaments of the [Fir'aun's (Pharaoh)] people, then we cast them (into the fire), and that was what As-Samiri suggested."

88. Then he took out (of the fire) for them a statue of a calf which seemed to low. They said: "This is your ilah (god), and the ilah (god) of Musa (Moses), but [Musa (Moses)] has forgotten (his god).'"

89. Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good?

90. And Harun (Aaron) indeed had said to them beforehand: "O my people! You are being tried in this, and verily, your Lord is (Allah) the Most Beneficent, so follow me and obey my order."

91. They said: "We will not stop worshipping it (i.e. the calf), until Musa (Moses) returns to us."

92. [Musa (Moses)] said: "O Harun (Aaron)! What stopped you when you saw them going astray;

93. "That you followed me not (according to my advice to you)? Have you then disobeyed my order?"

94. He [Harun (Aaron)] said: "O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: 'You have caused a division among the Children of Israel, and you have not respected my word!' "

95. [Musa (Moses)] said: "And what is the matter with you. O Samiri? (i.e. why did you do so?)"

96. (Samiri) said: "I saw what they saw not, so I took a handful (of dust) from the hoof print of the messenger [Jibrael's (Gabriel) horse] and threw it [into the fire in which were put the ornaments of the Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people, or into the calf]. Thus my inner-self suggested to me."

97. Musa (Moses) said: "Then go away! And verily, your (punishment) in this life will be that you will say: "Touch me not (i.e.you will live alone exiled away from mankind); and verily (for a future torment), you have a promise that will not fail. And look at your ilah (god), to which you have been devoted. We will certainly burn it, and scatter its particles in the sea."

98. Your Ilah (God) is only Allah, the One (La ilaha illa Huwa) (none has the right to be worshipped but He). He has full knowledge of all things.

99. Thus We relate to you (O Muhammad ) some information of what happened before. And indeed We have given you from Us a Reminder (this Qur'an).

100. Whoever turns away from it (this Qur'an i.e. does not believe in it, nor acts on its orders), verily, they will bear a heavy burden (of sins) on the Day of Resurrection,

101. They will abide in that (state in the Fire of Hell), and evil indeed will it be that load for them on the Day of Resurrection;

102. The Day when the Trumpet will be blown (the second blowing): that Day, We shall gather the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, etc.) Zurqa: (blue or blind eyed with black faces).

103. In whispers will they speak to each other (saying): "You stayed not longer than ten (days)."

104. We know very well what they will say, when the best among them in knowledge and wisdom will say: "You stayed no longer than a day!"


http://noblequran.com/translation/index.html