The guidance of Alimah Ibn Battaal and its clarification to resolve the issue of seeking forgiveness for the prophets.

توجيه العالمة ابن بطال وتوضيحه لرفع اإلشكال في استغفار األنبياء

Abstract

Prophet’s repentance and its clarification according to Allama Ibne Battal
Al ESTEGFAR means to ask Allah’s forgiveness of sins, and the only way of
this is true repentance according to Islam, being guilty by nature, human
beings need to turn to Allah in repentance again and again.
The Messenger of Allah had used to seek Allah's Pardon and had
turned to Him in repentance so many times a day. But why did Prophets of
Allah Peace be upon Them repent, even though sinless, and even though Allah
has forgiven them, their faults, as narrated regarding the Prophet’s struggling
hard to offer night prayers.
The Prophets of Allah were the most Allah fearing, and they know
Allah better than all of us do, hence they were most grateful servants of Allah,
and they used to strive hard to perform Allah's due right in worship, more than
any one else among the human beings.
Despite this fact, to perform Allah's due right is so difficult to
achieve, due to Allah's lavished favors, and the limited capability of humans.
Therefore the Prophets of Allah had been considering there struggle
for performing worship less than the required due right, and were always
seeking Allah's Pardon for this deficiency, and so had used to turn to Him in
repentance repeatedly.