Was the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) a sinner because Muslims pray for him?

No. Praying for someone is no proof of sin, because Muslims pray for Jesus (as) in exactly the same way. And Jesus (as) himself declined to be called good, saying that God alone is good.

Some Christians argue like this: Muslims pray for God’s blessing and mercy upon their Prophet. Whoever needs mercy must have sinned. But Jesus (as) was without sin. Therefore Jesus (as) stands higher than the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw).

This argument does not hold. Muslims do not pray only for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). They pray in the same way for Jesus (as) and for all the other prophets. Every time his name is mentioned, they wish him peace. If praying for someone were a sign of sin, the same would have to apply to Jesus (as).

In truth, this prayer is a sign of love and honour. The verse above shows that God Himself and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. No one would say that God is thereby forgiving a sin. God’s blessing increases honour and rank. Whoever joins in this blessing honours the Prophet and receives blessing in return, as the hadith above shows.

It is also worth noting what Jesus (as) said about himself. The New Testament reports that someone addressed him as good teacher. He replied that no one is good except God alone. In this way Jesus (as) humbly placed himself beneath God. Every human being, even the greatest prophet, depends on God’s grace. That is no disgrace. It is the truth about the relationship between the creature and its Creator.