May Allaah (swt) have mercy on Br. Talha (comment above) and May He (swt) bring him out of his ignorance and accusations and into an understanding of the ahadith and the revelation.

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The axiom used can be found in most usool texts under the chapter “The Prophets actions”. Sh. Dedew Al-shinqiti in his sharh of Nukhbat al-Fikr says that if the prophet had the intention to act and didnt, even though he had the opportunity, then there is no ruling based upon that intention (the example used above). On the otherhand, if the prophet had the intention, but did not act due to an extrenuating cirumstance (such as death, in the example of the fasting of ashoora), in that case there can be a ruling (it is sunnah to fast Ashoora, even though the prophet never did).

Reem –

This amazing easy to read seerah book has these stories: Muhammad – Man and Prophet.

It’s arguably the best seerah book in English.

It’s good to see a analytical response to this hadith. There are those out there who would rather re-write history or say the hadith is fabricated or extremely weak, instead doing what a scholar is supposed to do, i.e. the explanation in the article.

Jazak’Allaho khairan.

Jazak Allahu Khayr for the amazing explanation, it sums things up pretty well Alhamdulillah! Another thing that this has helped me understand is that the Prophet (s) was indeed human, but it was his character and Allah’s help that made him always do the right action, despite his initial intention, and that requires an even greater jihad on the Nafs which is why we are rewarded even more for not acting upon an evil intention.