Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

was Jesus ( peace be upon him ) sinless ? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Was Jesus sinless?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Lord All-Mighty Says in His Glorious Quran Chapter 19 Surah Maryam verses 16-36:

16 Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East.

17 She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them: then We sent to her Our Angel and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.

18 She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (God) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear God."

19 He (the Angel) said: "Nay I am only a messenger from thy Lord (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son (Jesus)."

20 She said: "How shall I have a son seeing that no man has touched me and I am not unchaste?"

21 He said: "So (it will be): thy Lord saith `That is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us': it is a matter (so) decreed."

22 So she conceived him and she retired with him to a remote place.

23 And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: she cried (in her anguish): "Ah! Would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!"

24 But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-free): "Grieve not! For thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee;

25 "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.

26 "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man say `I have vowed a fast to (God) Most Gracious and this day will I enter into no talk with any human being.' "

27 At length she brought the (babe Jesus) to her people carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! Truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!

28 "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil nor thy mother a woman unchaste!"

29 But she pointed to the babe (Jesus). They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"

30 He (the babe Jesus) said: "I am indeed a servant of God: He hath given me revelation and made me a Prophet;

31 "And He hath made me Blessed wheresoever I be and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live;

32 "(He) hath made me kind to my mother and not overbearing or miserable;

33 "So Peace is on me the day I was born the day that I die and the Day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"!

34 Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of Truth about which they (vainly) dispute.

35 It is not befitting to (the Majesty of) God that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter He only says to it "Be" and it is.

36 Verily God is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight.

Your Question: was Jesus ( peace be upon him ) sinless ? 

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, it is indeed the belief of the true believers that not only the Noble Messenger Isa ibn Maryam (a.s.), but every single Prophet of Allah Subhanah is sinless, for Allah Subhanah protects them from ever committing a sin.

The wisdom behind the Prophets of Allah being sinless is that they are appointed as Prophets and their lives are an example for their entire Ummah, and if they ever erred, their error would be imitated by their followers! Thus Allah Subhanah protects them from ever committing an error and saves them from ever committing a sin.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6759 (part) Narrated by Aisha

Aisha asked: ‘O Allah's Messenger (saws), is the ‘Shaytaan’ attached to everyone?’ He (saws) replied: ‘Yes.’ I (Aisha) again asked: ‘O Allah's Messenger (saws), is it (the Shaytaan) with you also?’ He (saws) said: ‘Yes, but my Lord has helped me against him as such that I am absolutely safe from his mischief.’

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan