مَنwhoاَهْتَدَىhas been guidedفَقَدhasاَهْتَدَىbeen guidedبِهِدَايَةِby the guidanceاللَّهِof AllahوَمَنAnd whoeverضَلَّgoes astrayفَقَدhasضَلَّgone astrayبِاِضْلالِby the misguidanceاللَّهِof AllahكَماAsقَالَHe saidتَعَالَىMost HighيُضِلُّmisguidesمَنwhomيَشَاءُHe willsوَيَهْدِيand guidesمَنwhomيَشَاءُHe willsفَالْهِدَايَةُSo guidanceصِفَةٌis an attributeالرَّبِّof the LordجَلَّتGlorifiedقُدْرَتُهُis His powerوَالْاهْتِدَاءُand guidanceصِفَةٌis an attributeالْعَبْدِof the servantوَالْإِضْلالُand misguidanceصِفَةٌis an attributeالرَّبِّof the LordتَعَالَىMost Highوَالضَّلالُand going astrayصِفَةٌis an attributeالْعَبْدِof the servantوَالْرَّبُّAnd the Lordبِجَمِيعِwith allصِفَاتِهِHis attributesخَالِقٌis the Creatorلَمhas notيَزُلremainلَمhas notيَلِدgive birthوَلَمnorيُوَلَدbe bornوَلَمnorيُحْدِثْhas it occurلَهُto Himصِفَةٌany attributeعَلَىasمَاwhatبَيْنَنَاhas explainedوَالْعَبْدُand the servantبِجَمِيعِwith allصِفَاتِهِhis attributesمَخْلُوقٌis a created beingثُمَّThenالْإِنْسُhumansوَالْجِنُّand jinnغَيْرُare notمَعْصُومِينَinfallibleإِلَّاexceptالرُّسُلَthe messengersوَالْأَنْبِيَاءَand the prophetsصَلَوَاتُpeaceاللَّهِof Allahعَلَيْهِمْupon themأَجْمَعِينَallفَإِنَّهُمْfor indeed theyمَعْصُومُونَare infallibleعَنْfromالْكَبَائِرِthe major sinsفَإِنَّهُمْfor theyلَوْifلَمnotيَكُونُواwereالْأَنْnowمَعْصُومِينَinfallibleعَنْfromالْكَبَائِرِthe major sinsلَمnotيَنْكِفُواrefrainعَنْfromالْكَذِبِlyingوَالْكَاذِبُand the liarلَاdoes notيَصْلُحُfitلِلرِّسَالَةِfor the messageوَغَيْرُand notمَعْصُومِينَinfallibleعَنْfromالصُّغَائِرِthe minor sinsلَأَنَّbecauseاللَّهَAllahتَعَالَىMost Highأَثْبَتَhas confirmedلَهُمْto themمَقَامَthe stationالشَّفَاعَةِof intercessionفَلَوْIf theyعُصِمُواwere protectedعَنْfromالصُّغَائِرِthe minor sinsلَوَقَعَweakness would occurالضُّعْفُin weaknessفِيinمَقَامِthe stationالشَّفَاعَةِof intercessionلَأَنَّbecauseمَنْthose whoلَمnotيُبْتَلَbe testedبِبَلِيَّةٍby calamityلَمnotيَرْقَrise aboveعَلَىaboveالْمُبْتَلَىthe tested oneفَهَـٰذَاSo thisهُوَisالْحِكْمَةُthe wisdomفِيinزَوَالِthe removalالْعَصْمَةِof infallibilityعَنْfromالْأَنْبِيَاءِthe prophetsفِيinالصُّغَائِرِthe minor sinsوَبَعْضٌAnd someوَأَصْحَابُنَاof our companionsلَمnotيَلْفِظُواutterالصُّغَائِرَthe minor sinsوَإِنَّمَاbut theyيُسَمُّونَهَاcall themالزَّلَلَslipsوَلَاand notفَرْقٌa differenceبَيْنَbetweenاللَّفْظَتَيْنِthe two expressionsفِيinالْحَقِيقَةِrealityقَالَتْThe Mu'tazila saidالْأَنْبِيَاءُthe prophetsمَعْصُومُونَare infallibleعَنْfromالْكَبَائِرِthe major sinsوَالصُّغَائِرِand the minor sinsلَأَنَّهُمْbecause theyلَاdo notيَرَوْنَseeالشَّفَاعَةَthe intercessionمَعَwithالرُّسُلِthe messengersوَهُمْand theyالَّذِينَare those whoأُوحِيَتْhave been sent revelationاللَّهُby Allahإِلَيْهِمto themبِجِبْرِيلَby Gabrielعَلَيْهِpeace be upon himوَالْأَنْبِيَاءُand the prophetsهُمْtheyالَّذِينَwhoلَمnotيُوحَىrevealإِلَيْهِمto themبِجِبْرِيلَby Gabrielوَإِنَّمَاbut ratherأُوحِيَتْwas sentإِلَيْهِمto themبِمَلَكٍby another angelآخَرَanotherإِثْبَاتِestablishingعَصْمَةِthe infallibilityالرُّسُلِthe messengersوَالْأَنْبِيَاءِand prophetsالْكَبَائِرِthe major sinsدُونَbesidesالْأَغْبَارِthe minor flaws
Whoever is guided is by the guidance of Allah, and whoever goes astray is by the misguidance of Allah, as He the Most High said: 'He misguides whom He wills and guides whom He wills.' So guidance is an attribute of the Lord, exalted is His power, and being guided is an attribute of the servant. Misguidance is an attribute of the Lord, exalted is He, and going astray is an attribute of the servant. The Lord, with all His attributes, is the Creator, has always existed, has not given birth, nor has been born, and He does not have any attribute that has been created as we have explained. And the servant, with all his attributes, is created. Then humans and jinn are not infallible except for the messengers and prophets, peace be upon them all, for they are infallible from major sins. If they were not now infallible from them, they wouldn't refrain from lying and a liar is not fit for the message. And they are not infallible from minor sins because Allah, exalted is He, has established for them the station of intercession. If they were infallible from minor sins, a weakness would occur in the station of intercession because whoever is not tested by a trial cannot rise above the tested one. This is the wisdom in the removal of infallibility from the prophets regarding minor sins. And some of our companions do not use the term 'minor sins' but rather call them 'slips' and there is no difference between the two expressions in reality. The Mu'tazila said: The prophets are infallible from major and minor sins because they do not see intercession with the messengers, and they are those whom Allah revealed to by Gabriel, peace be upon him; and the prophets are those who were not revealed to by Gabriel but by another angel, thus establishing the infallibility of the messengers and prophets from major sins alone, excluding minor flaws.