The Scandalous Lives of God's Prophets

In an era where moral perfection is expected of spiritual leaders, critics comb through the lives of prophets and saints, searching for flaws that would discredit their messages. But if moral failings, scandal, accusations or even public sin were grounds to deny divine authority, then nearly every prophet in the scriptures would be rejected-starting with Noah, Abraham, David, and even Muhammad.

When we read the Bible, the Qur’an, and other sacred texts, one theme becomes clear: God’s messengers have always faced accusations and slander. Yet, these same texts show how God vindicates His prophets, defending them from the falsehoods spread against them during their lifetimes.

From our perspective, reading these stories centuries later, it is easy to assume that during the prophets’ lifetimes it was obvious to everyone that the accusations were false. We may think that, for the believers of that time, it was simple to dismiss those slanders and recognize the innocence of God’s messengers. However, even today, we see critics and atheists recycle the same old accusations, using the same examples to attack God’s religion and criticize His prophets.

For example, in the Qur’an, Mohammed is accused of being a madman, a liar and a magician.

“You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.” (Qur’an 68:2)

“They say, ‘You, Muhammad, are but a fabricator.’” (Qur’an 16:101)

“The wrongdoers say, ‘You follow but a man affected by magic.’” (Qur’an 25:8)

Similarly, Jesus was accused of being demon-possessed (John 10:20) and a deceiver (John 7:12).

Besides the accusations directed at the prophets, they were also involved in actual scandals during their lifetimes. So, even a full-blown scandal is not a sufficient reason to dismiss a prophet. Let us examine these cases one by one.

Is witnessing a prophet intoxicated grounds for disbelief? Consider Noah, revered by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. After the flood, scripture states, "Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent" (Genesis 9:20–21). 

And what of excess or desire? King Solomon, son of David, was described as loving “many foreign women,” despite explicit divine warnings. “He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines” (1 Kings 11:3). Despite this, it is his wisdom that defines his legacy in the religious canon.

If obedience to God is the measure, then how do we reconcile the actions of Jonah, who fled from God's command? “But Jonah got up to run away from the Lord by going to Tarshish” (Jonah 1:3). Or Adam, the first man, who disobeyed God and ate from the forbidden tree? 

Perhaps the most controversial ground is criminal accusation. Moses, the deliverer of Israel, was once accused of murder. “Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” a man asked him (Exodus 2:14). Moses fled. Yet it was this same man Moses who would later stand before Pharaoh with God’s authority.

Then there's David, the shepherd-king, who not only committed adultery with Bathsheba but arranged her husband’s death. “She came to him, and he slept with her…The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, ‘I am pregnant’” (2 Samuel 11:4–5). And still, God calls David “a man after my own heart.”

Furthermore, the Kingdom of Israel, once seen as a divine beacon of stability under King David’s rule, was rocked by an extraordinary series of events that laid bare not only political turmoil but deep fractures within the royal family. At the heart of it all was Absalom, David’s son, whose rebellion against his father culminated in one of the most stunning personal betrayals in biblical history: sleeping with his father’s concubines on the palace rooftop for all of Israel to witness.

The implications were devastating. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, seizing a king’s harem was not merely an act of sexual impropriety, it was a declaration of sovereignty, a public rejection of both paternal and divine authority. What began as a political coup had turned into a deeply personal scandal, one that underscored the disintegration of both royal order and family bonds.

Looking at this story that is detailed in the Bible, how could we reject any prophet for involvement in personal and even sexual scandals?

Even the Prophet Muhammad faced scandal in the eyes of some, especially regarding his marriage to Zaynab, the former wife of his adopted son. The story claims he saw Zaynab and desired her. Yet the Quran defends this event: “We married her to you in order that there not be upon the believers any discomfort concerning the wives of their claimed sons” (Qur’an 33:37), using the marriage as a means to abolish pre-Islamic adoption customs and clarify social norms.

If family morals are grounds for disbelief, Jacob’s household presents a grave dilemma as well. Reuben slept with his father’s concubine, and Joseph’s brothers plotted his death. “Come on! Let’s kill him…Then we’ll report that some wild animal devoured him” (Genesis 37:20). Yet Jacob remains a patriarch of the faith.

Prophet Lot’s story is among the most disturbing. He was made drunk by his daughters and unknowingly fathered children by them (Genesis 19:30–36). Abraham, for his part, openly said of his wife, “She really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife” (Genesis 20:12).

Should the act of visiting a prostitute nullify a prophet’s status? Samson, judge of Israel and Nazirite of God, once “went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her” (Judges 16:1). Despite this, God continued to work through him until his final breath.

These examples from the lives of the prophets are not meant to dismiss the importance of morality. Instead, they challenge the modern assumption that divine authority is dependent upon human perfection. Though prophets and messengers faced accusations, endured slander, and sometimes stumbled as human beings, their calling and authority ultimately rested not on human approval, but on God’s choice. Throughout scripture, it is not the flawlessness of the messenger that matters most, but rather the truth of their message, their divine appointment, and the impact of their guidance.

Even today, the reputations of many prophets remain subjects of debate and controversy. For example, Jesus’ status is still unclear to many Jews, and the events surrounding his death and resurrection continue to be debated between Christians and Muslims. Likewise, the reputation of Muhammad and his family is still not fully understood or accepted by the majority of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. The shadow of accusation and scandal still lingers. Yet, history shows that God always finds a way to clarify the truth and vindicate His chosen ones. 

For believers, the lesson is clear: Judging the truthfulness of a messenger based on the opinions and accusations of their enemies is a recipe for spiritual failure. We live in a world where immorality is often celebrated, and where nothing good is achieved without effort and pain. Jesus himself warned:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Bible, Book of Matthew, Chapter 5, Verses 11-12)