as He has said: ﴿مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ﴾[1]; “Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah,” for he does not speak of his own accord but expresses the will of Allah; as He has said: ﴿وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى ۝ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى﴾[2]; “And he does not speak out of desire; it is nothing but revelation that is revealed.”

[The Necessity of the Infallibility of the Prophet of Allah]

Similarly, it is incumbent upon Allah to protect him from any defect that would disrupt the conveyance of His rulings—such as forgetting something that Allah has revealed to him; as He has said: ﴿سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنْسَى﴾[3]; “We will read to you, so you will not forget”; and changing something that Allah has revealed to him; as He has said: ﴿قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُ مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ نَفْسِي﴾[4]; “Say: ‘It is not for me to change it of my own accord’”; and attributing to Allah something that He has not revealed to him; as He has said: ﴿وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الْأَقَاوِيلِ ۝ لَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِينِ﴾[5]; “And if he had attributed some sayings to Us, We would surely have seized him with full might”; and refraining from conveying some of Allah’s rulings; as He has said: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ﴾[6]; “O Prophet! Convey that which was revealed to you from your Lord; for if you do not, you will not have conveyed His message, and Allah will protect you from the people”; and inclining toward oppressors in conveying Allah’s rulings; as He has said: ﴿وَلَوْلَا أَنْ ثَبَّتْنَاكَ لَقَدْ كِدْتَ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا قَلِيلًا﴾[7]; “And were it not that We had kept you firm, you would almost have inclined toward them a little”; and engaging in actions that lead to sinfulness and prevent trustworthiness in reporting; as He has said: ﴿إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا﴾[8]; “If a sinful person brings you news, investigate”; and deliberately violating the rights of others, which is considered oppression;