A Research review of the issue of the Infallibility of the Prophets in the context of the incident of Hazrat Dawud (AS)

Abstract

Allah created human beings as the most honored of all creations and sent prophets for their guidance. These prophets were chosen due to their purity, strength, and infallibility, as delivering divine messages without error required flawless character. The Qur’an repeatedly commands obedience to the prophets because their speech and actions are guided by divine revelation. Islamic belief holds that all prophets are infallible (ma‘soom) and protected from both major and minor sins before and after Prophethood. The misconception that prophets, such as Prophet Dawud (David), committed sins stems from Israelite narratives (Isra’iliyyat) that have infiltrated some Islamic commentaries. One such fabricated story claims that Prophet Dawud desired another man's wife and orchestrated the man's death. However, respected scholars like Ibne Kathir, Al-Alusi, and Imam Razi have firmly rejected these accounts, affirming that no authentic hadith supports them. Instead, they emphasize that the prophets’ trials were divine tests, not moral failings, and any ambiguity in the Qur’an should be left as such without interpreting it in a way that harms the prophets’ honor. All prophets are sinless, chosen servants of Allah, and accusing them of wrongdoing is contrary to Islamic belief and Qur’anic guidance.

Keywords: The infallibility of the prophets, Divine messages, Flawless character, Ma’soom, Prophet Dawud (David)