Was Muhammad Sinless?

The Qur’an tells Muhammad to ask forgiveness for his sin. Qur’an 47:19Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalSo know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) says to know that there is no deity except Allah, and to ask forgiveness for your sin and for believing men and women. Qur’an 48:2Qur’an 48:2 · Saheeh InternationalThat Allāh may forgive for you what preceded of your sin [i.e., errors] and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight pathQur’an 48:2 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) says Allah may forgive what preceded of his sin and what will follow. A reading that treats the command as humility still has the command in the text. Jesus is God. The Gospel says he knew no sin.

Key Points

• Qur’an 47:19Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalSo know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1), in Saheeh International, says: ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women.
• Qur’an 40:55Qur’an 40:55 · Saheeh InternationalSo be patient, [O Muḥammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.Qur’an 40:55 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) says to be patient, and to ask forgiveness for your sin, and to exalt Allah morning and evening.
• Qur’an 48:2Qur’an 48:2 · Saheeh InternationalThat Allāh may forgive for you what preceded of your sin [i.e., errors] and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight pathQur’an 48:2 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) says Allah may forgive what preceded of his sin and what will follow, and complete his favor.
• Qur’an 19:19Qur’an 19:19 · Saheeh InternationalHe said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son]."Qur’an 19:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (2) has the angel tell Mary he was sent to give her a pure boy. John 8:46John 8:46 · King James VersionWhich of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?John 8:46 · King James VersionOpen source (4) has Jesus ask who convinces him of sin. Hebrews 4:15Hebrews 4:15 · King James VersionFor we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.Hebrews 4:15 · King James VersionOpen source (5) says he was tempted, yet without sin.
• Qur’an 33:21Qur’an 33:21 · Saheeh InternationalThere has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often.Qur’an 33:21 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (3) calls the Messenger an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day. That praise does not erase the command to ask forgiveness.
• Jesus is God. 2 Corinthians 5:212 Corinthians 5:21 · King James VersionFor he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.2 Corinthians 5:21 · King James VersionOpen source (6) says he knew no sin. What Do Christians Believe About Muhammad? is the Christian reading of his claim.

Ask Forgiveness for Your Sin

Qur’an 47:19Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalSo know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1), Saheeh International, addresses Muhammad by name in the translator’s brackets and tells him to ask forgiveness:

So know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.

Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh International

Qur’an · accepted by Muslims

The command is “your sin,” and then the sins of believing men and women. It is not only a prayer for other people. Qur’an 40:55Qur’an 40:55 · Saheeh InternationalSo be patient, [O Muḥammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.Qur’an 40:55 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) says, “So be patient, [O Muḥammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.” Qur’an 48:2Qur’an 48:2 · Saheeh InternationalThat Allāh may forgive for you what preceded of your sin [i.e., errors] and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight pathQur’an 48:2 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) says, “That Allāh may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight path.” “What preceded” and “what will follow” are both called his sin in that rendering.

Some readers treat these lines as a prophet’s humility, or as a prayer that does not mean a moral fault. The sentences still say “your sin.” They tell him to ask forgiveness for it. What Was Muhammad’s First Revelation? is the cave of Hira, where he came home afraid. Fear in that hadith is not the same sentence as these verses. These verses name sin.

Jesus and Sin

Qur’an 19:19Qur’an 19:19 · Saheeh InternationalHe said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son]."Qur’an 19:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (2) is the angel’s word to Mary:

He said, “I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son].”

Qur’an 19:19 · Saheeh International

Qur’an · accepted by Muslims

Saheeh International’s gloss is “a pure boy.” The Qur’an speaks of Jesus as that child. It does not, in this verse, tell Jesus to ask forgiveness for his sin. Jesus in the Qur’an and the Gospels is the wider comparison. Was Jesus a Muslim? is the claim that he was a prophet of Islam.

John 8:46John 8:46 · King James VersionWhich of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?John 8:46 · King James VersionOpen source (4) has Jesus ask, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” Hebrews 4:15Hebrews 4:15 · King James VersionFor we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.Hebrews 4:15 · King James VersionOpen source (5) says he was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 2 Corinthians 5:212 Corinthians 5:21 · King James VersionFor he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.2 Corinthians 5:21 · King James VersionOpen source (6) says he knew no sin, and that God made him to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 1 Peter 2:221 Peter 2:22 · King James VersionWho did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:1 Peter 2:22 · King James VersionOpen source (7) says he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Jesus is God. The one who knew no sin is the one who bears sin. Is Jesus God?

An Excellent Pattern

Qur’an 33:21Qur’an 33:21 · Saheeh InternationalThere has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often.Qur’an 33:21 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (3) is the verse Muslims cite for Muhammad’s character:

There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often.

Qur’an 33:21 · Saheeh International

Qur’an · accepted by Muslims

That is a real commendation. It calls him an excellent pattern. It does not say he had no sin, and it does not cancel Qur’an 47:19Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalSo know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1). A pattern can be held up and still be told to ask forgiveness. The Gospel’s claim about Jesus is narrower and higher: he did no sin, and he is God. Who Was Muhammad? The Trinity

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Qur’an Say Jesus Was Sinless?

Qur’an 19:19Qur’an 19:19 · Saheeh InternationalHe said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son]."Qur’an 19:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (2) calls him a pure boy. It does not print the sentence “Jesus never sinned.” John 8:46John 8:46 · King James VersionWhich of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?John 8:46 · King James VersionOpen source (4), Hebrews 4:15Hebrews 4:15 · King James VersionFor we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.Hebrews 4:15 · King James VersionOpen source (5), and 1 Peter 2:221 Peter 2:22 · King James VersionWho did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:1 Peter 2:22 · King James VersionOpen source (7) do say that he was without sin.

Did Muhammad Sin in the Qur’an?

Qur’an 47:19Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalSo know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) tells him to ask forgiveness for his sin. Qur’an 40:55Qur’an 40:55 · Saheeh InternationalSo be patient, [O Muḥammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.Qur’an 40:55 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) repeats that command. Qur’an 48:2Qur’an 48:2 · Saheeh InternationalThat Allāh may forgive for you what preceded of your sin [i.e., errors] and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight pathQur’an 48:2 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) speaks of what preceded of his sin and what will follow. The text uses the word sin of him.

Did Allah Tell Muhammad to Seek Forgiveness?

Yes. The command in Qur’an 47:19Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalSo know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.Qur’an 47:19 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) and Qur’an 40:55Qur’an 40:55 · Saheeh InternationalSo be patient, [O Muḥammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.Qur’an 40:55 · Saheeh InternationalOpen source (1) is to ask forgiveness for his sin. A reading that calls this humility still has the command in the verse.

Keep Reading

• What Was Muhammad’s First Revelation?
• Who Was Muhammad?
• Jesus in the Qur’an and the Gospels
• Was Jesus a Muslim?
• Did Jesus Die on the Cross?
• Is Jesus God?