Question:
Can the Prophets (عليهم السلام) ever lie?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Answer:
The Prophets (عليهم السلام) are infallible in the conveyance of revelation. They cannot commit lies, nor can they forget in matters of delivering Allah’s message. The Ummah is in consensus on this matter.
Scholarly Consensus:
❀ Ḥāfiẓ Ibn al-Mulaqqin رحمه الله (804 AH):
معصومون من الكفر والبدعة إلا من خالف من الخوارج ممن لا يعتد به، وأجازت الروافض عليهم إظهار كلمة الكفر تقية، والإجماع قائم على أن الكذب عليهم فى تبليغ الشرائع والأحكام الإلهية لا يجوز، وكذلك النسيان قبل التبليغ
“The Prophets are infallible from disbelief and innovation, except for the opposition of the Khawārij whose view is not considered. The Rāfiḍah claimed that Prophets could outwardly utter words of disbelief under taqiyyah, but there is consensus that lying in conveying the Sharīʿah and divine rulings is not permissible for them, nor can they forget before delivering revelation.”
(al-Iʿlām bi-Fawāʾid ʿUmdat al-Aḥkām, 3/255)
Conclusion:- Prophets are infallible in delivering revelation.
- They cannot lie or forget in matters of divine rulings.
- Consensus of the Ummah confirms this protection.
