Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:31 - Is Mohammed Allah in some way?

Question

I heard from a muslim that the grammar of this implies that Mohammed is Allah, i.e. that Mohammed will grant forgiveness. Is this true, or is he incorrect? I don't read Arabic.

I apologise if this is an offensive question, or it comes from some Islamophobic source originally. I don't frequent such places and have always held Islam in high esteem as a holy, monotheistic religion, which strongly objects to ideas of a corporeal/hypostatic/incarnate God as blasphemous and heretical. Then again, I am largely ignorant of much of the world of Islam so I thought it worth clearing up with Islamic scholars.

Thanks for taking the time to answer. God is Great.

Answer 1

No. Such a belief or interpretation is not held by orthodox Muslims. And they would instead rule that a person who claims this is a heretic who has committed Kufr and nullified his Islam.

Muhammad ﷺ is not Allah.

وما محمد إلا رسول قد خلت من قبله الرسل أفإن مات أو قتل انقلبتم على أعقابكم ومن ينقلب على عقبيه فلن يضر الله شيئا وسيجزي الله الشاكرين

Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.

^{— Quran 3:144}

لا تطروني كما أطرت النصارى ابن مريم، فإنما أنا عبده، فقولوا عبد الله ورسوله

Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Messenger.

^{— Bukhari}

And it is Allah and not Muhammad ﷺ who forgives sins, unless it is some sin in which Muhammad ﷺ is personally wronged, in that case he may forgive it just like other humans can forgive transgressions against themselves. He can however pray or intercede to Allah to forgive someone, when it is permitted by Allah.

استغفر لهم أو لا تستغفر لهم إن تستغفر لهم سبعين مرة فلن يغفر الله لهم ذلك بأنهم كفروا بالله ورسوله والله لا يهدي القوم الفاسقين

Ask forgiveness for them, [O Muhammad], or do not ask forgiveness for them. If you should ask forgiveness for them seventy times - never will Allah forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.

^{— Quran 9:80}

ما كان للنبي والذين آمنوا أن يستغفروا للمشركين ولو كانوا أولي قربى من بعد ما تبين لهم أنهم أصحاب الجحيم

It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.

^{— Quran 9:113}

As for 46:31 there is no evidence in it for anything being claimed. It is understood as follows:

يا قومنا أجيبوا داعي الله وآمنوا به يغفر لكم من ذنوبكم ويجركم من عذاب أليم

O our people, respond to the Caller [i.e., Messenger] of Allah and believe in him; He [i.e., Allah] will forgive for you your sins and protect you from a painful punishment.

^{— Quran 46:31}