What if the person raising the shubuhāt (specious arguments and doubts) about Islam is a Muslim?

To begin with, it is important to note that the shubuhāt (specious arguments and doubts) about Islam may arise from sources that can be categorized into three main types:
Inauthentic ḥadīths: fabricated narrations introduced into the Islamic tradition by forgers and falsely attributed to the Prophet (PBUH).

Fallible ijtihād: independent reasoning by scholars of Islamic law, which, by its nature, is subject to human error; every mujtahid (a qualified jurist who exercises independent reasoning in Islamic law) is liable to make mistakes.

Speculative “rational” thought: ideas or assumptions that the person raising the shubhah prioritizes over the clear guidance of the religious texts.

Given this, the question arises: how can a Muslim concern himself with inauthentic ḥadīths, fallible ijtihāds, or his own conjectural reasoning, while disregarding the countless authentic texts that record the miracles performed by the Prophet (PBUH), transmitted by narrators known for their truthfulness, righteousness, and exceptional accuracy? In other words, if an atheist finds grounds for doubt in flawed or speculative sources, then a Muslim—guided by the infallible Qurʾān and the rigorously authenticated Sunnah—has all the more reason to accept the undeniable signs and miracles that confirm the truth of Muḥammad’s (PBUH) prophethood and his inspiration by Allāh. These include:

1.The Noble Qurʾān: the greatest and everlasting miracle.

2.The sīrah (recorded life history) of Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH), which overflows with miraculous events performed by him—acts that no other human being could have accomplished without the help of Allāh.

3.The numerous prophecies concerning the coming of Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH) found in the Torah and the Bible, which mention his name, physical description, and the specific location from which he would emerge.

4.Allāh’s continued support for the Prophet (PBUH) until the religion was completed and perfected—that is, until he (PBUH) fulfilled his divinely appointed mission on earth and passed away, having left nothing incomplete.

It is no exaggeration to say that every shubhah (specious argument) raised by atheists against Islam contains within it a sign that affirms the truth of Islam’s message. I will elaborate on this in the following chapters, where I respond to these shubuhāt (specious arguments) in detail. How, then, can a Muslim overlook such compelling evidence for the prophethood of Muḥammad (PBUH) and become unsettled by baseless shubuhāt? A Muslim who raises shubuhāt might say, “I am a Muslim and firmly believe in the prophethood of Muḥammad (PBUH), but there are certain aspects of the Qurʾān and Sunnah that do not seem rational to me.” Before seeking answers to his shubuhāt, such a Muslim must first acknowledge that these shubuhāt stem from a flawed perception. He perceives a conflict between Islam and reason only because he has given precedence to his intellect over the revealed texts. Yet he may ask, “Why should I assume, even before finding an answer to my shubhah, that it stems from a misunderstanding on my part?” I would respond to such a question by inviting the person asking it to consider the following analogy: suppose you went to a doctor who holds a medical degree and a valid license to practice. Would your confidence in him falter simply because you do not understand why he prescribed a particular medication, or because another patient did not recover as expected? Of course not. You recognize that his qualifications reflect his competence, and your inability to understand the treatment is not sufficient reason to doubt him. You may reason that the other patient perhaps failed to follow the instructions properly, or that Allāh, in His wisdom, delayed the recovery. In short, your trust in the doctor remains intact despite your limited understanding of his methods. If this is your attitude towards a doctor whose knowledge is not based on divine revelation, then how should you regard the Prophet who spoke only by revelation, the infallible Messenger in whose prophethood you profess belief? Simply put, once you are certain of the truth of Muḥammad’s (PBUH) prophethood and the authenticity of his message, anything in the Revelation that you fail to grasp becomes inconsequential. You will then recognize that any shubhah you entertain arises solely from a baseless and mistaken perception, and you will approach the Qurʾān and Sunnah with due caution, using your intellect responsibly—without overstepping its limits or rejecting the texts unjustifiably. In brief, as long as a person truly believes in their heart, words, and actions, passing doubts will not harm them. Moreover, by the grace of Allāh, every shubhah raised by Islam’s opponents has been addressed by scholars whom Allāh describes as ūlū al-ʾalbāb—people of sound reason—endowed not only with sharp intellects but also with the wisdom to use them rightly. These outstanding scholars, who harmonized their understanding of the Book of Nature with the Book of Revelation, have not left a dubious matter except that they clarified it to people. Therefore, if you are sincere and objective in your search for answers, you will often find that the shubuhāt troubling you are surprisingly shallow and easily resolved. Once belief in Muḥammad’s (PBUH) prophethood and Islam’s divine origin is firmly rooted in your heart, all shubuhāt will naturally fade. You will then seek answers not out of fear or confusion, but through reflection on Allāh’s wisdom and through the pursuit of sound religious knowledge. This is the attitude every Muslim should adopt when facing shubuhāt. Therefore, do not let your heart waver, O Muslim, simply because you do not yet know the answer to a shubhah. And do not let atheists—who fail to think logically even about the implications of their own worldview—cause you to feel weak or shaken through their shubuhāt, their jesting, their taunts, and their derision. Allāh says: {And do not be bluffed by those who have no sure faith} (Qurʾān 30:60). Instead, they should find you so firm in faith and conviction that they are unable to lure you away from Islam by the shubuhāt they raise.