Refuting Atheism 2: Evidence for God’s existence from Prophet Muhammad’s life

Dr Daud Batchelor

Cosmologist-atheist Stephen Hawking believed it implausible for God to exist and have a personal relationship with humans. Abrahamic religions counter that God as Mercy for His creation, sent Messengers as exemplars and glad tider-warners bearing scriptural guidance on how believers could succeed by conducting a pious life and worshipping The Almighty.

This article focusses on proofs for God’s existence from the Seerah (Life) of Prophet Muhammad (s). Next edition will present evidences about the Qur’an that it is indeed God’s Revelation.

Said Nursi, wrote that after the Qur’an, the greatest miracle was Muhammad’s (s) own sublime character.

Indeed, I authored “Muhammad (s) The Ultimate Leader: From Western Business Perspectives” to convince any skeptical Westerners that he was the world’s ultimate leader, using leadership criteria of western business, demonstrating Muhammad (s) excelled in all these and to the maximum extent.

I challenge atheists to read my book and conclude he was anything but a noble Prophet of God.

As God-instructed, he is also the ultimate change manager ever, with the enduring individual/societal changes he brought upon idol-worshipping tribal Arabs, such that within a few centuries Islam spread to become the way of life for one-quarter of humanity.

Guided by an All-Seeing God, Muhammad (s) could foretell certain future events. Only a few examples are provided here, validated by authentic Hadiths.

Hadiths refer to reports of acts, utterances, silent approvals of Muhammad (s). These are mostly recorded in six main collections; Bukhari and Muslim are the most trustworthy. An ingenious methodology was developed by classical scholars to evaluate authenticity of hadith from their transmission chains.

Mongol invasion:

Almost 600 years after Prophet’s death, Mongols invaded Muslim lands and in 1258 CE ransacked Baghdad. Mongols had flat noses, small eyes, and fur covers over their boots.

This was foretold by Muhammad (s):

“The Hour (Judgement Day) will not be established till you fight the Khudh and Kirman from among the non-Arabs. They will have red faces, flat noses, small eyes; their faces will look like shields, and their shoes will be of hair.” (Hadith: Muslim)

Competing constructing tall buildings: Hadiths record that Muhammad (s) when asked about signs of the ‘Last Hour’ said: “You’ll see barefoot, naked, destitute herders competing in constructing tall buildings.” (Hadith: Muslim/Bukhari)

Scholars Ibn Hajar and Imam Nawawi centuries ago identified these to be Arab Bedouins.

It describes specifically people who became rich suddenly. We see this in the Gulf States. People who 80 years earlier had barely means of existence, after rapid oil boom developments, now compete in erecting the tallest buildings.

Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world’s tallest at 828 metres. Saudi royal family shortly afterwards announced it would build taller, and Kuwait this month announced it will dethrone Burj Khalifa with Burj Mubarak (1,000 metres).

These developments reflect Prophet’s prophecy accurately.

Great victories:

Seerah records that while digging the trench outside Madinah preceding the Battle of Khandaq, a hard unbreakable rock was met.

The Prophet (s) took a pickaxe and entered the trench. He struck hard at the stone which emitted a spark. The Prophet raised the cry “God is the Greatest” and remarked “I have been given the keys of Syria. With my own eyes I see the red palaces of the land.”

He struck another blow; the stone was split and another spark emitted. He again cried out “God is the Greatest” and observed: “I’ve been given the keys of Persia. By God! I see the white palaces of Mada’in.”

The third attempt broke the stone into pieces and the Prophet announced he would be given the keys of Yemen.

“By God! I’ve been shown the gates of Sana’a.” [Ibn Hajar]

Siddiqui remarked: “history bears out the fact that the prophecies of the Prophet came true in all de- tails and these kingdoms … fell like a pack of cards before the rising tide of Muslim power.”

In an authentic narration, Muhammad (s) informed his Companions what was happening in the Battle of Mu’ta near Damascus as if he was seeing it directly: “Zayd has taken the banner and been struck [killed]; now Ibn Rawaha has taken the banner and been struck; now Ja’far has taken the banner and been struck; now one of God’s swords [Khalid ibn Walid] has taken it.”

After three weeks riding, Ya’la ibn Munabbih returned from the battlefront. Muhammad (s) then described to him the battle details; Ya’la swore the battle was exactly as Prophet described.

God has set natural (scientific) laws that constrain human interactions in His created universe, especially as a compassion for humanity to facilitate conducting their daily affairs with confidence, and being able to harness these laws in developing technologies for human comfort. God, being Omnipotent, is not however, constrained by His laws.

To demonstrate His power, He may facilitate miraculous acts by His prophets (eg Abraham unharmed in the furnace) that contravene natural laws.

Water miraculously increasing:

Jabir b Abd Allah al-Ansari said: “We [companions] were thirsty during the Hudaybiyya Campaign.

The Messenger (s) performed ablutions from a leather water-bag, then dipped his hand into it. Then I saw water flowing from his fingers like a spring. 1500 men drank from it and filled their water-bags.” (Hadith: Bukhari/Muslim)

Making Food Abundant

Authentic hadith relate that during the feast on occasion of Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab, Umm Sulaym prepared a dish by frying two handfuls of dates and sent it with Anas to the Prophet.

Prophet told him: “Go and invite soand-so and whomever you encounter.”

Anas invited all those he met. About 300 Companions came

Then the Prophet said, “Make circles of ten.” He placed his hand on that little amount of food, uttered supplications, and told them to help themselves. They all ate and were fully satisfied.” (HadithBukhari/Muslim)

Protection of the Prophet (s):

God revealed: “Allah will defend you (O Messenger!) from men.” (Quran 5:67)

Hadiths/Seerah report that Quraysh made an agreement in Makkah to kill Muhammad (s). One member of every branch of the Quraysh tribe was represented forming a large group under Abu Jahal/Abu Lahab’s leadership to kill him. They then attacked Prophet’s house.

The Messenger waited till the Quraysh completely surrounded his house, then he went out throwing a handful of earth at their heads. Miraculously, no one saw him as he passed through and escaped. (Hadith: Musnad/al-Haythami)

The Prophet (s) organized 64 military campaigns, leading 26 of them. He led the Muslim armies to victory.

Ali recounted, “Whenever the fighting grew fierce, we would take refuge behind God’s Messenger.”

Muhammad’s forces always faced alarming odds – their enemies outnumbered them typically 3-to-1. This demonstrates the faith the Companions had in God’s promise that He would make them victorious: If there are 100 patient ones of you, they shall overcome 200 … by God’s permission. (Quran 8:66) This all came to pass, yet the Prophet himself died peacefully at home.

The first battle faced after Prophet’s (s) migration to Madinah was at Badr.

The poorly-equipped force of 313 Muslims faced a mounted enemy of 1000 Quraish. It wasn’t expected moral strength of the Muslims alone could overcome such disparity.

God, however, provided miraculous assistance: Remember you implored the assistance of your Lord, and He answered you: “I will assist you with a thousand angels in ranks.” (Quran 8:9) Only because of this divine support, the Muslims were victorious.

Evidence provided from reliable sources demonstrates clearly the existence of an Omnipotent God who favoured His Prophet (s)with divine support, the ability to glimpse future/distant events, and to perform wonderful miracles, including restoring sight and healing the sick.