Mawdudi’s Position on the Infallibility of the Prophets ﵈

Question

A certain scholar says that Allah the Exalted has, by deliberate intent, at one time or another lifted His protection from the prophet and allowed slips to occur, so that people would not take the prophets for God and would know that they too are human beings (bashar). Is it correct in principle to say this? Until now, concerning the prophets, we have heard from the ulama only that they are infallible (ma‘sum). Does this not cast a stain upon their infallibility (‘isma)?

Answer

That the prophets ﵈ be regarded as human beings and not regarded as God — to cause slips to issue from them for this purpose and to lift His protection from them is something that, before this scholar, perhaps no one ever said, nor wrote, nor did it occur to anyone’s mind, nor was this reason ever stated in the time of the Noble Prophet ﷺ.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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