as He has said: ﴿لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ﴾[1]; “My covenant does not reach the oppressors.” This is because appointing as an intermediary someone who, due to being afflicted by some of these matters, lacks the ability or qualification to convey Allah’s rulings would be contrary to Allah’s wisdom and justice, and therefore, He does not do so. This means the necessity of the Prophet’s infallibility.

[The Possibility of the Oversight of the Prophet of Allah]

However, to be fair, the Prophet’s falling into certain types of oversights that do not disrupt his conveying of Allah’s rulings does not conflict with his infallibility—such as forgetting personal matters, making mistakes in permissible acts, hurrying in lawful acts, being unable to perform ordinary tasks, remaining unaware of non-essential matters, or lapses in involuntary actions, such as oversleeping during waking hours. This is because such shortcomings are an inevitable feature of humanity, which is shared by the Prophet and others; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ﴾[2]; “Say: ‘I am only a human being like you.’” It is clear that being free from such shortcomings is possible only for Allah, Who is the True Perfect, and there is no perfect being except Him. He alone is worthy of being exalted. The Prophets are not divine beings like Allah, nor are they to be exalted as He is; as He has said: ﴿وَلَا يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَنْ تَتَّخِذُوا الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ أَرْبَابًا ۗ أَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ﴾[3]; “And He does not command you to take the angels and the Prophets as gods; Would He command you to disbelieve after you are Muslims?” Rather, the Prophets are human beings who know everything that a human being can and must know, and avoid everything that a human being can and must avoid. Therefore, exaggeration concerning them—by elevating them to a position beyond human capacity, where they are considered free from all types of oversight, forgetfulness, and negligence—is not permissible. Likewise, neglect concerning them—by attributing to them acts contrary to piety, modesty, and chastity—is far from the truth and impermissible.