If a person is given a chance to examine the biography of Prophet of Islam Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) comprehensively from all aspects, while breaking free from the fetters of personal bias, he will definitely conclude that such a great man cannot be but a Prophet who received revelation and a Messenger from the Lord of the Worlds.
This comprehensive examination can be done by two means:
First: A detailed exploration of his biography, probing into his life at times of peace and war, prosperity and distress, health and sickness, residence and travel, his private domestic life and public social life … etc.
Whoever probes deeply into these vital aspects of his life, assuming the role of a vigilant observer while considering the subsequent events, will inevitably conclude his Prophethood and deduce that he was not merely a great man but rather a Messenger of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) entrusted with the divine revelation.
Second: Reflecting on some of the abundant signs and miracles with which Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), The Exalted, aided him and which could only be possible by some form of divine intervention in violation of cosmic laws and norms.
As for the first means, there is no room here for a detailed account of the biography of the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) because this would entail narrating the contents of one of the reliable books on his biography, with a special emphasis on refuting any fabricated Ahaadeeth (Traditions). As for the second means, there are many books penned by the scholars to discuss the evidence proving the Prophethood of Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam). However, we may address the first means in brief points, for those endowed with sound minds to draw lessons there from:
One of the pious scholars says: “The evidence proving the truthfulness of the true Prophet of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) and the falsehood of the false claimant of Prophethood are quite many. A true Prophet of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) is one of the best people who are endowed with the most perfect shares of knowledge and religiosity. No one is better than the Messengers and Prophets of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), may Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) exalt their mention, though some of them surpassed the others in status, as Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), The Exalted, Says (what means):
تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ [البقرة: 253]
“Those are the messengers some of whom We have given excellence over some others.” (Al-Baqarah 2:253)
He also Says (what means):
وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيِّينَ عَلَى بَعْضٍ [الإسراء: 55]
“and We have certainly granted excellence to some prophets over some others” (Al-Israa 17:55)
On the other hand, a false claimant of Prophethood is one of the most wicked and evil people; Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), The Exalted, Says (what means):
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ قَالَ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ وَلَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ وَمَنْ قَالَ سَأُنْزِلُ مِثْلَ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ [الأنعام: 93]
“Who is more unjust than the one who fabricates a lie against Allah or says: ‘Revelation has been sent to me’, whereas no revelation has been sent to him, and the one who says: ‘I would produce the like of what Allah has revealed”. (Al-An’aam 6:93)
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ كَذَبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ إِذْ جَاءَهُ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِلْكَافِرِينَ•وَالَّذِي جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ [الزمر: 32-33]
“So, who is more unjust than him who forges a lie against Allah and rejects the truth when it reached him? Is it not that in Jahannum (Hell) there is an abode for the disbelievers? As for the one who has come with the truth and believed it to be true, then such people are the ones who are Allah-fearing.” (Az-Zumar 39:32-33)
وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تَرَى الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ وُجُوهُهُمْ مُسْوَدَّةٌ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِلْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ [الزمر: 60]
“And on the Day of Resurrection, you will see those who had forged lies against Allah (in a state) that their faces are turned black. Is it not that in Jahannam (Hell) there is an abode for the arrogant?” (Az-Zumar 39:60)
Lying is the root of all evil, and its gravest form is lying about Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), The Exalted. Conversely, truthfulness is the root of all good, and its greatest manifestation is saying the truth about Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), The Exalted.
It was narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah ibne Mas‘ood that the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said:
إِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ، وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ صِدِّيقًا، وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ، وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكْذِبُ، حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا ”.
“”Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Jannah (Paradise). And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajoor (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajoor (wickedness) leads to the Jahannum (Hell-Fire), and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Since truthful people are at the highest degrees of righteousness while liars are at the worst levels of wickedness, there is an enormous amount of differences between them and proofs that indicate the truthfulness of the first category and the lying of the second that are perceptible to everyone who knows about them. Therefore, the signs and proofs indicating the truthfulness of the true Prophets of Allah were plentiful and varied, and so were the signs and proofs indicating the lying of the false claimants of Prophethood.” (Al-Jawaab As-Saheeh Liman Baddal Deen Al-Maseeh)
We quoted the statement, from the above cited book, in full given its importance in clarifying the meaning. If we wish to put it in a nutshell, let us reflect on the following example: a person can easily distinguish between the brightness of day and the darkness of night even if he has weak eyesight. Similarly, distinguishing between a true Prophet of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), who has attained the perfection of righteousness, and a false claimant of Prophethood, who is at the worst levels of wickedness, is a generally easy matter for most people, regardless of their levels on the scales of culture and knowledge and their shares of intelligence and understanding.
There are numerous Muslim preachers who base their efforts in calling to Islam on the exploration of the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam)’s biography.
As underlined above, the secret lies in the fact that when a person breaks free from the fetters of personal bias, he can easily distinguish between a great good and a great evil. No one would confuse the superiority of honey over poison, or that of milk over wine, even if he chooses for himself to follow evil. If he is not insane, he can easily distinguish between clear truth and clear falsehood. If he is wise, he will take the side of the truth, otherwise he will follow his personal inclination and choose falsehood. Herein lies the ultimate test for mankind. In light of this meaning, you get to understand the words of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), The Exalted, comforting His Prophet (which means):
قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحْزُنُكَ الَّذِي يَقُولُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَكِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ [الأنعام: 33]
“Indeed We know that what they say makes you sad, because it is not you whom they reject, but the transgressors actually deny the signs of Allah.” (Al-An’aam 6:33)
If you were a university student at the prime of your life, then you would know that most students could easily distinguish between a proficient professor and one who was merely dishing out information to them without having a profound understanding of his subject. Likewise, it is easy for lay people, relying on their pure natural disposition, to distinguish between good and evil in general, between a truthful person and a liar, between a dexterous physician and a charlatan, between a knowledgeable person and an ignorant one, and between a pious person and an evildoer. A wise person will not be confused with greater reason, and he can distinguish between a true Prophet of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) conveying the divine revelation and a false claimant of Prophethood fabricating lies about Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), since the difference between the two is manifest, as stated above. This explains to you why people embraced Islam and entered into the true religion of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) in multitudes, and many of them did not even ask Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa)’s Messenger (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe Wasallam) to bring forth special proofs and signs, but simply listened to what he had to say, or observed his actions, or learned about his life, or witnessed firsthand his blessing, and they were accordingly guided by the shining signs of truth that illuminated their path.