Muslims hold that the prophets are free of major sins, especially acts of gross indecency. Allah Most High has not mentioned that any prophet committed a major sin, let alone an act of gross indecency. Rather, in the account of Joseph, He relates what shows that He averts evil and sexual immorality from His sincere servants. The prophets are to be emulated only in conduct that was sanctioned for them and not prohibited.

Moreover, sins are of different kinds, and it is well known that not every kind can be committed by them. Indeed, lying is entirely impossible for them under any circumstances, for it negates truthfulness as such. This is why a witness’s testimony is rejected on account of a single lie, even if, according to one of two scholarly views, it is not a major sin. This is also one of the two reports from Imam Ahmad. If a false witness repents of lying, will his testimony be accepted? Scholars hold two views on the matter, and the well-known position reported from Mālik is that it will not be accepted. Likewise, if someone fabricates even a single hadith against the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and then repents, his narrations will still not be accepted according to one of their views. This is the position of Mālik and Ahmad, adopted to close the door to abuse, since one cannot be sure that he did not merely make an outward show of repentance so that his hadith would be accepted.

Thus, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—could never deliberately lie, whether the lie were a minor or a major sin. Indeed, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“It is not fitting for a prophet to signal covertly with his eyes.” (1)

As for his statement—may Allah bless him