What is That the Prophet did Not Speak about of His Own Desire?
1. By the star when it goes down, (i.e consider this unfolding [of Allah’s message], as it comes down from on high!)
2. Your companion has neither gone astray nor has erred.
3. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire.
4. it is just a revelation that is revealed [to him],
The Prophet does not speak according to his own desires; what he says is nothing but revelation. After this statement, a generalization was made to everything he said, "Therefore, every word the Prophet spoke and every action he took throughout his life was revelation from God," thus paving the way for additions to the religion with this verse.
The Quran makes a clear distinction between the Prophet's ordinary daily conversations and what was revealed to him as "revelation." According to the Quran, only the Quran itself, not the Prophet's daily pronouncements, is considered revelation from Allah.
1) If everything the Prophet said throughout his life was "revelation," why weren't believers satisfied with his words outside of the Quran? Doesn't the fact that those around the Prophet eagerly awaited the revelation of the verses in the Quran demonstrate that only the Quran, and not everything the Prophet said, is the revelation of Allah?
Those who believe say: "Why is not a Surah (chapter of the Quran) sent down? But when a decisive Surah is sent down, and fighting is mentioned therein, you will see those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy) looking at you with a look of one fainting to death. But it was better for them.
2) If everything the Prophet said were divine revelation, believers wouldn't have to search the Quran for answers to their religious questions. They could have received a divine response whenever they asked the Prophet a question, not just when the Quran was being revealed. The following verse, which asks believers to seek answers to their questions in the Quran, shows that not everything the Prophet said was based on divine revelation.
O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if you ask about them while the Quran is being revealed, they will be made plain to you. Allah has forgiven that, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.
3) Allah asks the Prophet to consult with other believers about matters not mentioned in the Quran. If everything the Prophet said and did was based solely on revelation, would Allah have asked him to consult with believers?
And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allah's) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).
4) In Surah Al-Araf, we see that when the Prophet did not come with a new revelation, the unbelievers criticized him in the following way:
And if you do not bring them a sign(verse), they say: "Why have you not brought it?" Say: "I but follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. This (the Quran) is nothing but evidences from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe."
This verse clearly shows that the Prophet's ordinary conversations were not divine. If everything the Prophet said were a revelation from Allah, Allah would not have said, "When he did not bring them a sign..." If every word that came out of the Prophet's mouth were a revelation from God, unbelievers would not be able to distinguish between what the Prophet said in daily life and the revelation from God, and they would not be able to criticize the Prophet for not bringing a new sign. The verse above shows that the Prophet only brought the verses of the Quran as revelation to people.
5) In the following verse, the prophet is criticized for not waiting until the liars and the truthful were distinguished, and for allowing those who did not want to fight alongside the believers to do so. If everything the prophet said and did were divine revelation, would the Quran criticize the prophet for allowing the hypocrites not to fight? This verse shows that not every word and action of the prophet was based on revelation.
May Allah forgive you. Why did you grant them leave, until those who told the truth were seen by you in a clear light, and you had known the liars?
6) In the following verse, the Prophet acted according to his own decisions. Otherwise, the Prophet could not have forbidden something that Allah had permitted, and Allah would not have warned the Prophet for forbidding something that was made permissible.
O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.