One May Not Compare Every Speaker to a Prophet

Question

If, despite repeated sermons, people do not benefit, and someone praying behind the imam (muqtadi) says that those who preach lack sincerity (ikhlas) — and in reply the imam of the mosque says that such a statement would amount to an objection against Hazrat Nuh ﵇ and the Messenger ﷺ as well, since they too, by this logic, lacked sincerity, which is why Abu Jahl and the other disbelievers did not accept faith — is what the muqtadi said correct or not?

Answer

It is not correct to compare every speaker to a prophet, nor can every speaker be called insincere.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.