Why do Muslims believe Muhammad ﷺ was a Prophet?

Why This Question Matters

A claim to prophethood should not be accepted merely because someone makes it. Islam encourages people to examine the messenger, his message, the revelation he brought, and whether his claim is consistent with the prophetic call to worship Allah alone.

Islamic Perspective

Muhammad ﷺ called people to worship Allah alone rather than himself or any created being. The Qur’an identifies him as Allah’s Messenger and the final prophet. It also points to circumstances surrounding his claim: he had not previously been reading or writing scripture from which the Qur’an could simply have been copied. An authentic report preserves the testimony of Abu Sufyan, who was still an opponent of Muhammad ﷺ at the time, that he had not known him to lie before his claim to prophethood. The Qur’an also declares that Muhammad ﷺ could not fabricate revelation against Allah and have that false attribution protected by Him. Muslims therefore consider his prophetic claim together with his known truthfulness, his call to Tawhid, and the revelation he conveyed.

Key Points

• His message centered on worshipping Allah alone.
• The Qur’an explicitly identifies him as Allah’s Messenger.
• The Qur’an identifies him as the final prophet.
• He had not previously been reading or writing scripture from which the Qur’an could have been copied.
• Even an opponent testified that Muhammad ﷺ had not been known as a liar before prophethood.
• The Qur’an itself is central evidence in evaluating his prophetic claim.

Supporting Evidence

• Qur’an 7:158 identifies Muhammad ﷺ as the Messenger of Allah and calls humanity to follow him.
• Qur’an 33:40 identifies him as the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets.
• Qur’an 29:48 states that before the Qur’an Muhammad ﷺ had not been reading scripture or writing it with his hand.
• Qur’an 69:44–47 declares that if Muhammad ﷺ had fabricated sayings against Allah, Allah would have seized him and no one could have protected him.
• Sahih al-Bukhari 7 records Abu Sufyan telling Heraclius that Muhammad ﷺ had never been accused of lying before claiming prophethood.

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