How Do We Know That the Prophet Muhammad Is a True Prophet?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: Assalaamu alaikum,
How Do we know that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) is a real prophet sent by Allah?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.
The short answer is that we know the truthfulness of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) by virtue of his numerous, incapacitating miracles which reached us by way of mass transmission (tawatur), giving us certain knowledge (`ilm) of their occurrence, and thus the truth of his prophethood and message.
The greatest of those miracles is the Qur’an— the Word of Allah which is inimitable in every way. Allah Most High says, “Say, ‘Even if all mankind and jinn came together to produce something like this Qur’an, they could not produce anything like it, however much they helped each other.’” [17.88]
For detailed discussions, please read: The Truth of Islam, the Qur’an, & the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) and: How Do We Know That the Qur’an Is Inimitable and Thus From Allah?
I’d also recommend reading: (a) Proofs of Prophethood by Abdel Haleem Mahmood and (b) Prophethood and the Prophets by Muhammad Ali al-Sabuni.
And consider taking the following classes on Islamic Beliefs: Excellence in Faith & Action (from Ghazali’s 40 Foundations of Religion) and: Islamic Beliefs for Seekers: Dardir’s Kharidah Explained
And Allah alone gives success.
wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.