In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Indeed, studying the proofs of Prophethood increases the faith of a believer, rather it can be a reason behind entry into Islam by the one whom Allaah wishes good for. As for an atheist and one who willfully opposes the truth, then indeed he does not increase except in blindness even if every sign came to him just as Allaah stated about them:

وَلَوۡ فَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡہِم بَابً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَظَلُّواْ فِيهِ يَعۡرُجُونَ
لَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتۡ أَبۡصَـٰرُنَا بَلۡ نَحۡنُ قَوۡمٌ۬ مَّسۡحُورُونَ

And even if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they were to continue ascending thereto, they would surely say: “Our eyes have been (as if) dazzled. Nay, we are a people bewitched.” [Surah Al-Hijr. Aayaat 14-15]
And just as Allaah stated about the one who rejected Musa’s Prophethood:

وَقَالُواْ مَهۡمَا تَأۡتِنَا بِهِۦ مِنۡ ءَايَةٍ۬ لِّتَسۡحَرَنَا بِہَا فَمَا نَحۡنُ لَكَ بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ

They said [to Musa (Moses)]: “Whatever Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.” [Surah Al-A’raaf. Aayah 132]

And just as Allaah stated about Quraish:

وَقَالُواْ لَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ تَفۡجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَنۢبُوعًا
أَوۡ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٌ۬ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ۬ وَعِنَبٍ۬ فَتُفَجِّرَ ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرَ خِلَـٰلَهَا تَفۡجِيرًا
أَوۡ تُسۡقِطَ ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡنَا كِسَفًا أَوۡ تَأۡتِىَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةِ قَبِيلاً
أَوۡ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيۡتٌ۬ مِّن زُخۡرُفٍ أَوۡ تَرۡقَىٰ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيۡنَا كِتَـٰبً۬ا نَّقۡرَؤُهُ ۥ‌ۗ قُلۡ سُبۡحَانَ رَبِّى هَلۡ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرً۬ا رَّسُولاً۬

And they say: “We shall not believe in you (O Muhammad ), until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us; or you have a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst abundantly; or you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, as you have pretended, or you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face; or you have a house of adornable materials (like silver and pure gold, etc.), or you ascend up into the sky, and even then we will put no faith in your ascension until you bring down for us a Book that we would read.” Say (O Muhammad ): “Glorified (and Exalted) be my Lord (Allah) above all that evil they (polytheists) associate with Him! Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger?” [Surah Al-Israa. Aayaat 90-93]

And as Allaah said about them:

وَأَقۡسَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ جَهۡدَ أَيۡمَـٰنِہِمۡ لَٮِٕن جَآءَتۡہُمۡ ءَايَةٌ۬ لَّيُؤۡمِنُنَّ بِہَا‌ۚ قُلۡ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡأَيَـٰتُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ وَمَا يُشۡعِرُكُمۡ أَنَّهَآ إِذَا جَآءَتۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ
وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفۡـِٔدَتَہُمۡ وَأَبۡصَـٰرَهُمۡ كَمَا لَمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِهِۦۤ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ۬ وَنَذَرُهُمۡ فِى طُغۡيَـٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ
وَلَوۡ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلۡنَآ إِلَيۡہِمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ وَحَشَرۡنَا عَلَيۡہِمۡ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قُبُلاً۬ مَّا كَانُواْ لِيُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَهُمۡ يَجۡهَلُونَ

And they swear their strongest oaths by Allah, that if there came to them a sign, they would surely believe therein. Say: “Signs are but with Allah and what will make you (Muslims) perceive that (even) if it (the sign) came, they will not believe?” And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time, and We shall leave them in their trespass to wander blindly. And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed, but most of them behave ignorantly. [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayaat 109-111]

Allaah said: [وَلَوۡ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ كِتَـٰبً۬ا فِى قِرۡطَاسٍ۬ فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَيۡدِيہِمۡ لَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِنۡ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ – And even if We had sent down unto you (O Muhammad ) a Message written on paper so that they could touch it with their hands, the disbelievers would have said: “This is nothing but obvious magic!”] [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayah 7]

The miracles (given to Muhammad) are the greatest proofs regarding the fact that indeed Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, because indeed Allaah does not aid a liar, as Allaah said:

فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِمَا تُبۡصِرُونَ
وَمَا لَا تُبۡصِرُونَ
إِنَّهُ ۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٍ۬ كَرِيمٍ۬
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَاعِرٍ۬‌ۚ قَلِيلاً۬ مَّا تُؤۡمِنُونَ
وَلَا بِقَوۡلِ كَاهِنٍ۬‌ۚ قَلِيلاً۬ مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ
تَنزِيلٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
وَلَوۡ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيۡنَا بَعۡضَ ٱلۡأَقَاوِيلِ
لَأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُ بِٱلۡيَمِينِ
ثُمَّ لَقَطَعۡنَا مِنۡهُ ٱلۡوَتِينَ
فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ عَنۡهُ حَـٰجِزِينَ

So I swear by whatsoever you see, and by whatsoever you see not, that this is verily the word of an honoured Messenger [i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel) or Muhammad which he has brought from Allah]. It is not the word of a poet, little is that you believe! Nor is it the word of a soothsayer (or a foreteller), little is that you remember! This is the Revelation sent down from the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). And if he (Muhammad ) had forged a false saying concerning Us (Allah), We surely should have seized him by his right hand (or with power and might), and then certainly should have cut off his life artery (Aorta), and none of you could withhold Us from (punishing) him. [Surah Al-Haaqqah. Aayaat 38-47]

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

وَإِن ڪَادُواْ لَيَفۡتِنُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ لِتَفۡتَرِىَ عَلَيۡنَا غَيۡرَهُ ۥ‌ۖ وَإِذً۬ا لَّٱتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلاً۬
وَلَوۡلَآ أَن ثَبَّتۡنَـٰكَ لَقَدۡ كِدتَّ تَرۡڪَنُ إِلَيۡهِمۡ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا قَلِيلاً
إِذً۬ا لَّأَذَقۡنَـٰكَ ضِعۡفَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ وَضِعۡفَ ٱلۡمَمَاتِ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ عَلَيۡنَا نَصِيرً۬ا

Verily, they were about to tempt you away from that which We have revealed (the Qur’an) unto you (O Muhammad ), to fabricate something other than it against Us, and then they would certainly have taken you a friend! And had We not made you stand firm, you would nearly have inclined to them a little. (see footnote a) In that case, We would have made you taste a double portion (of punishment) in this life and a double portion (of punishment) after death. And then you would have found none to help you against Us. [Surah Al-Israa. Aayaat 73-75]

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبً۬ا‌ۖ فَإِن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يَخۡتِمۡ عَلَىٰ قَلۡبِكَ‌ۗ وَيَمۡحُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَـٰطِلَ وَيُحِقُّ ٱلۡحَقَّ بِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦۤ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ

Or say they: “He has invented a lie against Allah?” If Allah willed, He could have sealed your heart (so that you forget all that you know of the Qur’an). And Allah wipes out falsehood, and establishes the truth (Islam) by His Word (this Qur’an). Verily, He knows well what (the secrets) are in the breasts (of mankind). [Surah Ash-Shooraa. Aayah 24]

And as Allaah [The Exalted] said:

وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوۡ قَالَ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ وَلَمۡ يُوحَ إِلَيۡهِ شَىۡءٌ۬ وَمَن قَالَ سَأُنزِلُ مِثۡلَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ

And who can be more unjust than he who invents a lie against Allah, or says: “I have received inspiration,” whereas he is not inspired in anything; and who says, “I will reveal the like of what Allah has revealed.” [Surah Al-An’aam. Aayah 93]

This is why those who falsely claimed Prophethood were afflicted with ignominy, such as Musaylimah the liar, Al-Aswad Al-Unsee, and those before them such as Mukhtaar Bin Abee Ubaid Ath-Thaqafee and others than them. (see footnote b)

And to not believe in the miracles of the Prophets is tantamount to an announcement of punishment in this life and the next. Allaah [Glorified and Exalted be He] said:

إِذۡ قَالَ ٱلۡحَوَارِيُّونَ يَـٰعِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ هَلۡ يَسۡتَطِيعُ رَبُّكَ أَن يُنَزِّلَ عَلَيۡنَا مَآٮِٕدَةً۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ‌ۖ قَالَ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ إِن ڪُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ
قَالُواْ نُرِيدُ أَن نَّأۡڪُلَ مِنۡہَا وَتَطۡمَٮِٕنَّ قُلُوبُنَا وَنَعۡلَمَ أَن قَدۡ صَدَقۡتَنَا وَنَكُونَ عَلَيۡہَا مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ ٱللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَآ أَنزِلۡ عَلَيۡنَا مَآٮِٕدَةً۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدً۬ا لِّأَوَّلِنَا وَءَاخِرِنَا وَءَايَةً۬ مِّنكَ‌ۖ وَٱرۡزُقۡنَا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلرَّٲزِقِينَ
قَالَ ٱللَّهُ إِنِّى مُنَزِّلُهَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ‌ۖ فَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بَعۡدُ مِنكُمۡ فَإِنِّىٓ أُعَذِّبُهُ ۥ عَذَابً۬ا لَّآ أُعَذِّبُهُ ۥۤ أَحَدً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

(Remember) when Al-Hawariun (the disciples) said: “O ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Can your Lord send down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?” ‘Iesa (Jesus) said: “Fear Allah, if you are indeed believers.” They said: “We wish to eat thereof and to be stronger in Faith, and to know that you have indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses.” ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: “O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be for us – for the first and the last of us – a festival and a sign from You; and provide us sustenance, for You are the Best of sustainers.” Allah said: “I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves, then I will punish him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among (all) the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns).” [Surah Al-Maa’idah. Aayaat 112-115]

The signs of Prophethood are the greatest proofs regarding the truthfulness of our Prophet Muhammad together with what Allaah blessed him of good character. [An Excerpt from ‘As-Saheeh Al-Musnad Min Dalaa’il An-Nubuwwah’. Slightly paraphrased. pages 6-8. By Al-Allaamah Muqbil Bin Haadee (may Allaah have mercy upon him)]
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Footnote a: [ وَلَوْلَا أَن ثَبَّتْنَاكَ لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا قَلِيلًا – And had We not made you stand firm; you would nearly have inclined to them a little. [Surah Al-Israa, Ayah 74]

Imaam Ash-Shanqeeti [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: This noble Ayah makes explicitly clear the Messenger’s innocence from inclining towards the disbelievers a little let alone inclining towards them. That is because [لَوْلاَ (i.e. And had it not )] necessitates negation of the occurrence of something, so the phrase ‘you would have nearly inclined’ is negated by [لَوْلاَ ] due to Allaah’s bestowal of firmness to the noblest person amongst His creation [i.e. Muhammad]. So it is established with certainty that he never inclined towards them the least let alone inclining towards them.[An Excerpt from ‘Adwaa Al-Bayaan. slightly paraphrased]

Footnote b: Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Mad’khalee [may Allaah preserve him] said: Amongst the different types of liars are the Dajaajilah [i.e. those whose lies are accompanied with deception, beatification of the lies and tricks to convince the people], whom the Prophet [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] spoke about, and reality testifies to the truthfulness of that which this noble Messenger stated, because he never speaks out of his own desire. He [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] said: “The hour will not be established until two big groups fight each other whereupon there will be a great number of casualties on both sides and they will be following one and the same religious doctrine, and until about thirty Dajjaals and liars appear, and each one of them will claim that he is Allaah’s Messenger, and until sound religious knowledge is taken away [i.e. due to death of rightly guided scholars], earthquakes will increase in number and time will pass quickly”. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari] The testimony in this hadeeth is the statement of the Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam], “Until about thirty Dajjaals and liars appear, and each one of them will claim that he is Allaah’s Messenger”. The Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] said, “During the close approach of the hour there will be liars, so beware of them”.

Unfortunately, many people do not take this Prophetic advice in order to be cautious of the liars. There is a long hadeeth narrated by Thawbaan [radiyallaahu-anhu] from Allaah’s Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam], who said, “What I fear for you the most is the leaders of misguidance” until he said, “Indeed, there will be thirty liars in my Ummah and each of them will claim that he is a Prophet, but I am the seal of the Prophets and there no Prophet after me”.

The greatest trial will be that of the greatest Dajjaaj whom all the Prophets warned against, and the one who warned against him the most was our Prophet [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam]. The narrations regarding this are Mutawaatir and its affair is well-known amongst the Muslim, but despite this Allaah’s Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] stated that there is one more dangerous for the Ummah than Dajjaaj. Sam’aan [radiyallaahu-anhu] said, “Allaah’s Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] mentioned Dajjal, one morning, as something despised but also alarming, until we thought that he was in the stand of date-palm trees. When we came to Allaah’s Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] in the evening, he saw that (fear) in us, and said, ‘What is the matter with you?’ We said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! You mentioned Dajjaal this morning, and you spoke of him as something despised but also alarming, until we thought that he was in the stand of date-palm trees’. He said, ‘There are things that I fear more for you than the Dajjaal. If he appears while I am among you, I will contend with him on your behalf, and if he appears when I am not among you, then each man must fend for himself, and Allaah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf’”. [Saheeh Muslim 2933]

Amongst these Dajjaals – liars – whom Allaah’s Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] warned against was Musaylimah the Liar at Yamaamah and Al-Aswad Al-Unsee who claimed prophethood, and as a result many Arabs exited Islaam; so Allaah destroyed them and others were destroyed, and their trial was ended by way of the swords of the companions of Allaah’s Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam].

And amongst the liars who claimed prophethood was Mukhtaar Bin Abee Ubayd Ath-Thaqafee, the liar about whom the Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] stated, “A liar will appear from Thaqeef a blood shedder”. [Saheeh Muslim 2545] The liar was Al-Mukhtaar and the blood shedder was al-Hajjaaj.

And from those who claimed prophethood was Al-Haarith the liar, and Ghulaam Ahmad Al-Qadiyaanee Al-Hindee who had followers dispersed in the world and they claim that Prophethood is still ongoing. Every liar has other wicked liars connected to him – those similar to their Shaikh. [https://salaficentre.com/2020/07/24/the-danger-of-lies-and-its-evil-consequences-and-different-types-of-liars-by-shaikh-rabee-bin-haadee/ ]

To be continued…InShaaAllaah