The Infallibility of the Prophets of Allahu ta ‘ala

[alaihimus salaatu wa sallimu taslima]

By  Noori al-Qadiri

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Wa Sall Allahu ta ‘ala ‘alaa Sayyidil Mursaleen wa Imaamul Muttaqeen wa Qaa’idil Ghurril Muhajjaleen, Sayyidinaa wa Mawlaanaa Muhammadin wa ‘alaa Aalihi wa Sahbihi wa Ummati ajma’eeen.

It was very agonizing to have an email from a brother in which he asked me to assist him refuting some so-called Muslim ignorants who accused Prophets Alaihimus Salam of being Sinful and Polytheists (Ma’adh ALLAH). As a matter of fact, the insults of the Prophets made by the deviant sects and insolent individuals have encouraged some people to openly slander and ridicule the Prophets. In addition to this, there has arisen a sect which says that the Prophets are sinners and even polytheists and Infidels (May Allah forbid!), believing that the Prophets were polytheists and Infidels and major sinners and only became Prophets after repenting (Tauba).

It is incumbent upon each and every Muslim to affirm faith (have Imân) in all the Prophets, in such a manner that one does not differ between the Prophets in their core Prophethood. Furthermore, one should respect all the Prophets and believe that they are free from any sin, (major or minor) or imperfections; before their declaration of Prophethood or after, is also an essential element in belief. This is the sound position and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars.

The Major and Minor Sins:

It must be known that leaving obligatory (farḍ) or necessary (wājib) acts even once without excuse is considered an enormity (kabīra). Likewise, committing the unlawful (Harām) is also considered an enormity. Leaving the sunna act once without excuse due to laziness or taking the matter lightly is considered a minor sin (ṣaghīra), as is committing a disliked action (makrūh). However, habitually leaving the sunnah or committing disliked actions also becomes an enormity, though they are considered enormities beneath other enormities. This is because major and minor are relative terms, and thus it is said, “The good deeds of the pious are the sins of the intimate (muqarrabīn).”

Sunnah here is taken in the juridical sense where it refers to an action regularly performed by the Messenger of Allāh Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim and left at times in order for it not be taken as an obligation. This is then sub-categorized into the emphasized sunnahs and the non-emphasized sunnahs, the latter being more like the mustaHabb (preferred) acts, i.e., those performed by the Messenger Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim sometimes or encouraged in general.

Infallibility of the Prophets:

The Prophets (Alaihimus salaatu wa sallimu taslima) are all free from major and minor sins, enormities, unbelief, and wicked acts before and after receiving Prophethood (Nubuwwah). However, some slips and mistakes have escaped them.

An example of a slip (zalla) is when Ādam Alaihis Salam ate from the tree, and an example of a mistake (khaṭa’) is when Mūsā Alaihis Salam killed a member of Pharaoh’s people. He did not intend to kill him, but only to strike him with his hand in order to push him away from the Israelite. Thus, the strike was intentional, but the killing a mistake. The killing was also a slip, because every mistake is a slip, but not every slip is a mistake. Therefore, between the two is the universal-particular relationship. A slip sometimes occurs by mistake, sometimes out of forgetfulness, sometimes out of inattentiveness, and sometimes out of leaving the more worthy or preferred action.

Take as your place of worship -- the place where Ibrahim stood.

(Al-Qur'an 2:125)

The Spiritual Significance of Nisbah [Affinity]

The Maqam/Qabr of Sayyidinaa Ibrahim ‘alaihi salaam

(Nisbaton ki Baharain)
Professor Dr. Muhammad Mas'ud Ahmad
M. A., Ph. D.

Professor 'Azimi F. M. Shaikh
1415/1994

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

The word ' NISBAH ' is commonly used in Urdu and Persian to show inter-relationship between two or more persons, places and things. Here our emphasis is on attributary link, attachment, relationship or affinity between two or more persons affecting or being affected by one another, especially in religious and spiritual phenomena. We would use the word 'Nisbah ' to express our view-point which in itself will illustrate what we have in mind.

'Nisbah ' is a great reality, it elevates an ordinary and lowly thing and enhances its value and worth, as the 'Nisbah' becomes firm and lasting. We are in a sense the product or outcome of ' Nisbah' and the embellishment attached to or found round about us is on account of that 'Nisbah '. It preserves our identity and if for once this ' Nisbah' is taken away or we lose it through our fault we are reduced to nothingness -- a worthless entity. Our society owes its existence to inter-related cooperation and attachment amidst the individuals inhabiting and constituting it or in other words, the Nisbah between the corporate body of citizens as a unit and the society it self, is the very source or foundation of the human society.

Nations and communities are recognized through the 'Nisbah' of the countries or religions they belong to, while the individuals are identified with the 'Nisbah' of their country and religion. It is on account of these 'Nisbahs' that respect and honour are accorded to them. Nations, communities, dynasties, families and houses draw their recognition on the score of this very Nisbah. Islamic society and its institution has its roots and origin in the establishment and recognition of the 'Nisbah ' between Muslims who join hands for the cause of Islam and Almighty Allah. It is for this reason that Allah the Almighty through Revelations has stressed the sacred regard for apostles, prophets, Aulia Allah and elders who are the emblems of human dignity. Without this the establishment of society on firm foundation is unthinkable. Allahu ta 'ala the Almighty has taken the Oath in the name of Holy city of Makkah to which Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu ta 'ala alaihi wa Sallim) belonged and in the names of War steeds who carried the Ghazis of Islam on their backs. These instances should be enough to open our eyes!.

When we look to the world, we shall come across a host of things which should be better termed as wonders or curiosities belonging to distant age of the past preserved in the national archives as memorials to remind people of the patterns of things as they were in use in the past. For example a broken chair of any king which incidentally is of no worth in the material sense, suddenly becomes an object of wonder or curiosity and of great value when a historian or an archaeologist starts narrating special features of the concerned period of the past. Every interested person appreciates the management of museum where the chair is kept as an memorial. The value of the historical chair (kursi) at its base is the 'Nisbah' the chair had with the king as well as the age to which he belonged and left his marks on the pages of the history! Similarly we will also see other objects of historical or cultural significance -- kept in the show cases of the Museums such as ancient books, coins, weapons, specimens of art and culture, broken pieces of stones, torn and worn out robes etc etc in the Museum which will arouse and enhance our curiosity in respect of these things. What has given these seemingly worn out objects dignity and memorial worth. The plain answer is Nisbah and Nisbah alone -- the relationship of these objects with the age of their inception or usage; the Nisbah with the ancient countries, the Nisbah with the ancient kings (or other royal or court personalities), the Nisbah with ancient culture and ancient dignitaries! If this Nisbah was not there, then the valuable wonders of the past would not have found mention in the pages of the history and as such, being of no worth at all!