to what is reported from him after he became a prophet: his sayings, actions, and tacit approvals. His sunnah is established through these three means. If what he says conveys information, it must be believed; if it prescribes a ruling—an obligation, prohibition, or permission—he must be followed in it. The signs establishing the prophethood of the prophets also establish that they are protected from error in what they report from Allah, Mighty and Majestic; thus, what they report can only be true. This is the meaning of prophethood: Allah informs the prophet of the unseen, and he informs people of it. A messenger is commanded to call people to Allah and convey his Lord’s messages to them.

For this reason, every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger, although a prophet may be described as being sent in a qualified sense, as in His words:

“We never sent before you any messenger or prophet but that, when he recited, Satan cast something into his recitation. But Allah abolishes what Satan casts, then makes His verses firm. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

The Muslims have agreed that no falsehood can remain in what he conveyed, whether it is held that none of these satanic suggestions which Allah abolishes ever passed his lips, or that something did pass his lips which Allah abolished. In either case, Allah has abolished what Satan cast and made His verses firm; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Thus, everything he says is true.

The following account has been narrated: “ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr used to write down what he heard from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Some people told him, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, speaks when angry, so do not write down everything you hear.’ So he asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace