The Prophets are the ideal examples to people. Allah beautified them with the good and praised attributes. He also protected them and purified them from having disgraceful attributes.

It is not permissible to attribute to the prophets lying, dishonesty, vileness, stupidity and dullness. They are also impeccable from kufr, big sins and mean abject small sins before Prophethood and after it. One of them might commit a small sin without it being mean or abject, but they will be warned immediately to repent from it before anyone follows them in [committing] that. But all the prophets are impeccable from kufr (blasphemy) before and after Prophethood.

None of the Prophets had doubt about Allah’s existence, and none worshiped other than Allah. All the Prophets were Muslims (worshipping one God) and they all believed that Allah existed eternally before the creations, and that He exists without being in a place, and does not need any of his creations.

Prophet Ibrahim Refutes the Planet Worshippers

When prophet Ibrahim saw that some of his people continued to worship the planets, he approached them with a smart way to refute them. One night when he saw the planet, Prophet Ibrahim said (what Allah told about him): {هذا ربي} it reads: [Hadha rabbi]

The ayah means:

[Is] This: my Lord!!. This was in objection to his people, who falsely claimed that such planet is God!.

This is [called] negative interrogative. So it was as if he said: “Is this my Lord per your false claim? Without a doubt Ibrahim already knew before that that Lordship and Godhood cannot be attributed to other than Allah. Because Allah ta^ala said in al-Qur’an:

مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَـٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٦٧﴾

The ayah that means: {Ibrahim was not a Jew and not a Christian, but was a Muslim on the straight path and did not associate a partner with Allah} (Al ^Imran 67).

So by this approach Prophet Ibrahim refuted them that how could you worship this thing that has a size and shape and changes? it comes and goes and it is created!! This thing cannot be God, you must worship Allah, the creator of all the creations whom does not change, He exists without a beginning, He is not like the creations in anyway.

Prophet Ibrahim Refutes the Idol Worshippers

Without a doubt the prophets of Allah are cleared of lying. They don’t lie; they don’t commit enormous sins nor mean small sins.

One day, when Prophet Ibrahim saw his people worshipping the idols, he went to warn them and guide them but they would not accept. So he then came to them with a smart approach to refute them so they can realize that those idols don’t deserve to be worshiped, they cannot create benefit or harm to anyone. So he went and destroyed their idols and then hung the axe on the head idol. Then when his people came and saw the idols destroyed, they questioned him: “Who did this to our idols”? Prophet Ibrahim told them what is mentioned in the ayah:

قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَـٰذَا فَاسْأَلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا يَنطِقُونَ ﴿٦٣﴾

The Ayah means: [The head idol (caused me to) destroy the other idols, ask them if they are able speak]!. Here, Prophet Ibrahim is in fact not lying, rather he answered in a way to refute those idol worshippers.

Its meaning is true and in reality what he said is true. This is so, because the head idol was the one who caused Ibrahim to destroy the other idols. Ibrahim did that out of his enormous anger from the biggest idol since Ibrahim’s people exaggerated in respecting and beautifying its image and form, and so they worshipped it, when only Allah deserves to be worshipped. So in what he said, attributing the action to the big idol is symbolic and there is no lying in that.

All Prophets are Always Muslim Believers

Allah sent the Prophets to guide the people, and so all the Prophets and messengers were guided and always had the proper belief in Allah.

Allah ta^ala said:

(كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ)

The ayah means: The people were at first one nation. Allah sent the prophets to give the good news and warn (al-Baqarah 213).

We ask Allah to keep us on the correct belief, and to end our life as good Muslim believers, and to gather us with the Prophets and pious ones in Paradise Ameen.

Allah knows best.