backbiting a noble prophet, speaking falsely about him without evidence, and attributing to him things from which Allah has declared him free. It is quite possible that this originated with the Jews, those given to slander who accused Moses of things of which Allah exonerated him. How, then, would they treat the other prophets? Their reports were accepted by those who trusted them and made their interpretation of the Quran conform to this belief.

Know that those who deviate concerning the prophets’ protection from sin fall into two opposing extremes, both of which conflict with the Book of Allah in certain respects:

One group went to excess in claiming that the prophets could not sin, to the point of distorting the Quranic texts that recount their repentance from sins, Allah’s forgiveness of them, and His raising their ranks thereby. Another group went to excess by relating things about them of which the Quran declares them innocent, attributing to them sins and faults from which Allah has declared them free. The former contradict the Quran, and the latter contradict the Quran. Whoever follows the Quran as it is, without distortion, belongs to the community of the middle way and is guided to the straight path—the path of those whom Allah has blessed: the prophets, the utterly truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The Jews have incurred wrath, and the Christians have gone astray.”

It is also authentically reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“You will surely follow the ways of those before you, matching them exactly, so that even if they entered a lizard’s hole, you would enter it. They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, the Jews and the Christians?’