prophethood that entails this. The assertion, “Were this not so, there could be no confidence in what they convey from Allah,” is an outright lie. A person may believe and repent until his virtue and righteousness become manifest, and Allah may then appoint him as a prophet—just as He appointed Joseph’s brothers, Lot, Shuayb, and others as prophets—and Allah Most High may support him with evidence of his prophethood. He will then be trusted in what he conveys just as someone with no such past would be trusted. Indeed, confidence in him may be even greater if, after believing and repenting, he has become superior to others. Allah Most High has stated that He transforms the evil deeds of one who repents into good deeds, as is also established in an authentic hadith. It is well known that, during the lifetime of the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and before they did any of the things alleged against them, the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—were among the finest of creation and were superior to their children who were born after the advent of Islam.

[The Third Approach: Repentance after sin raises one’s rank]

Then it may be said:

Furthermore, the majority of Muslims hold that a prophet must be among the people of righteousness and piety and possess the attributes of perfection. The occasional occurrence of certain sins, together with repentance that effaces them and raises his rank above its former level, does not conflict with this] (1).

Furthermore, insisting (2) that a prophet must never repent to Allah and thereby attain Allah’s love and His joy at his repentance, that his rank be elevated by it, and that after such repentance—which Allah loves to receive from him—he be better than he was before it: such a position, besides entailing denial of the Book and the Sunnah, diminishes the stations of the prophets, deprives them of this rank, and denies them Allah’s kindness and gracious favor through mercy and forgiveness (3).