The noble tongue of the Prophet ﷺ would never speak anything but the truth. He did not speak of his own accord; rather, his words were rooted in divine revelation, as Allah states:
"Nor does he speak of his own whims. It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺" (Surah An-Najm, 53:3-4).
Explanation by Scholars:
1. Tafsir by Ibn Kathir (7/443):
"The verse states: {Nor does he speak of his own whims}; meaning, the Prophet ﷺ never speaks from personal desire or ulterior motives. {It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺}; that is, he conveys only what he has been commanded by Allah, fully and perfectly, without any addition or omission."
2. Tafsir by As-Sa‘di (p. 818):
"{Nor does he speak of his own whims}: His words are not driven by personal desires. {It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺}: He follows only what Allah reveals to him in guidance and piety, both for himself and others. This highlights that the Sunnah, like the Quran, is a form of divine revelation. Allah also says, { Allah has revealed to you the Book and wisdom} (Surah An-Nisa, 4:113). The Prophet ﷺ is thus infallible in what he conveys from Allah about His commands and laws."
3. Commentary by At-Tahir ibn Ashur in At-Tahrir wa’t-Tanwir (27/93):
"Whims refer to the inclinations of the soul toward what it desires without being supported by sound intellect. People may differ in their whims, but they never differ regarding the truth. The negation of speaking from whims indicates the absolute purity of the Prophet’s speech, whether it is Quranic or his noble teachings. This negation encompasses all forms of communication—teaching, addressing, and wisdom. The Quran is specifically mentioned here because it is the direct focus of this rebuttal against the disbelievers."
Supporting Evidence from Hadith:
1. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As narrated:
"I used to write everything I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to remember it, but Quraysh forbade me, saying, 'Do you write everything while he is just a human who speaks in anger and pleasure?' So I refrained. Then I mentioned it to the Prophet ﷺ, who pointed to his mouth and said: Write, for by the One in Whose Hand my soul is, nothing comes out of it but the truth." (Ahmad, Abu Dawood – Sahih)
2. Abu Hurairah reported:
They said, "O Messenger of Allah, you jest with us?" He ﷺ replied: I speak nothing but the truth. (Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi – Hasan Sahih)
Insight by Ibn Al-Qayyim (At-Tibyan fi Aqsaam al-Quran, p. 153):
Allah says:
{Nor does he speak of his own whims. It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺} (Surah An-Najm, 53:3-4).
This verse exalts the Prophet’s speech, ensuring it does not arise from whims or errors. The phrasing also negates the possibility of any deviation, affirming that his words stem purely from divine guidance.
