Why I Became Convinced That Muhammad ﷺ Was a Prophet of God

Summary

The speaker explains why he became convinced that Muhammad ﷺ was a prophet of God. He focuses on two accounts: Muhammad’s response to a solar eclipse on the day his son Ibrahim died, and the account of the first revelation.

The Eclipse After Ibrahim’s Death

An eclipse occurred when Muhammad’s son died, and some people said the sun had darkened in mourning. According to the hadith quoted, Muhammad ﷺ corrected them, saying that the sun and moon are signs of God and are not eclipsed because of anyone’s death or birth. He instructed people to pray and supplicate during an eclipse.

The speaker argues that someone falsely claiming prophethood might have used the event to make himself seem cosmically significant. Instead, Muhammad ﷺ rejected an interpretation that could have increased his authority. The speaker sees this as evidence of sincerity and humility.

He connects this view to the opening verses of Surah 53, which say that Muhammad did not speak from his own desires and that the Quran was revelation. The speaker reads a translation attributed to Abdul Halim.

The First Revelation

The speaker recounts a hadith narrated by Aisha. Before receiving revelation, Muhammad ﷺ reportedly experienced true dreams and sought solitude in the Cave of Hira. An angel commanded him to read, and the account links this encounter to the opening verses of Surah 96.

Muhammad ﷺ returned home frightened and told Khadija what had happened. She reassured him, citing his good character and care for others, then took him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal. After hearing the account, Waraqa identified the visitor as the angel who had come to Moses and predicted that Muhammad’s people would oppose and expel him. The speaker says that revelations paused for a time after Waraqa’s death.

Together, the speaker presents Muhammad’s refusal to claim personal significance from the eclipse, the account of the first revelation, and the support of Khadija and Waraqa as reasons for believing in his prophethood.

Speakers and Sources

• Speaker/narrator: An unnamed presenter explaining his personal conviction.
• Muhammad ﷺ: Quoted in the eclipse and first-revelation hadith accounts.
• Aisha: Named as the narrator of the first-revelation account.
• Khadija: Quoted reassuring Muhammad ﷺ.
• Waraqa ibn Nawfal: Quoted responding to the account of the revelation.
• Hadith sources: Reports identified by the speaker as appearing in both Bukhari and Muslim; he also reads from a hadith collection compiled by Guy Eaton.
• Quran: Surah 53, verses 1–12, and Surah 96, associated with the first revelation.
• Translation cited: A Quran translation attributed to Abdul Halim.