Why Muhammad was a military leader ?

Originally posted by NextElement

How are you so sure Muhammad was an actual prophet of God? I know for many Christians, the miracles Jesus performed and that his disciples literally said he was the Messiah certainly help them believe. How can you logically reason that God wanted to send his message through Muhammad, and that he wasn't "making it up"?

There are many ways to be sure of this. If you read his biography and study his teachings, you will find that the only logical conclusion is that he was a true Prophet of God. He was known among his people for forty years as a trustworthy and virtuous man, so he had a very noble reputation even before receiving revelation from God and his mission as a Prophet began. He had no reason to invent a lie against God - if he was honest in all other aspects of life, how could he invent the greatest lie of all? Moreover, the pagan Arabs tried to entice them with all kinds of worldly rewards in exchange for refraining from preaching the truth, but the Prophet  and his followers held firm to their message. Not only this, but the Muslims suffered immense persecution and their situation became increasinly difficult because of their faith. These are just some examples as to why there could be no ulterior motives behind this message. Even many years later, the Prophet  never pursued worldly gains and rewards - his sole aim was to fulfil his mission of delivering God's message and establishing the truth. He lived a very humble life, often having very little to eat. It is narrated that when he passed away, all that he left behind was his white riding mule, his arms, and a piece of land which he left to charity. 

The following links shed more light on the life of the Prophet :

Life of the Prophet 

Proofs of Prophethood 
[post] Prove that the Qur'an IS the word of God - in the initiation of revelation
Muhammad's Simple Life: A Proof of His Prophethood
12 Proofs that Muhammad (Peace be upon him ) was a True Prophet
How to prove Muhammad was a prophet (How to prove Muhammad was a prophet)- No material gain from Prophethood

Miracles
*!* Miracles Of Prophet Mohammad SAW(Pbuh)*!*
Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad
~ Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) Miracles ~
The Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad [salAllahu alayhi wa salam] (The Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad [salAllahu alayhi wa salam])
Concerning Masjid Al-Aqsa
http://www.scribd.com/doc/70819778/T...ad-Ibn-Kathi-r
Miracles in Islam 

Prophecies
Prophecies
[post] Abu Lahab worse than Abu Jahal
The enemy of Islam who was given ten years to prove the Quran wrong but failed
http://islamprophecies.blogspot.co.uk/

Prophet's (saw) excellent example and profound teachings
The Profound Teachings of Prophet Muhammad
Prophet Muhammed the best example for mankind!
[HudaTV] Best Example for Youth Today
The Character of The Prophet Muhammed (PBU)
The Messenger Of Allah (saw) Is The Best Amongst People In Disposition And Behaviour
The True Love & Mercy of the Prophet (Pbuh) for Mankind
Muhammad(s): A mercy to mankind
http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/in...cles&id=134199
[post] critisism and islam

Biography
Biography of Prophet Muhammad (saws)
The Life of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wassallam) - Anwar Al Awlaki
The Last Sermon
http://prophetictimeline.com/home/TheProject.php
http://www.pbs.org/muhammad/
http://www.islamreligion.com/category/82/

This is an interesting discussion exploring why the Prophet  could not have been a liar or deluded etc. as has been alleged against him:

He could not have been a liar, deluded or insane
Problem of evil [temp. split from TEOG thread]
[post] prove that the qur'an is the word of god (Prove that the Qur'an IS the word of God)

His coming was also prophecised in former scriptures:

Prophet Muhammad (saw) in other ScripturesProphet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Prophecised in other Scriptures.
The Sign of Muhammad in Deuteronomy
Refutation: "From among their brethren..." (A Jewish brethren only?)
Do Muslims believe Jesus as The Son of God ?
What is the exact meaning of Periklytos?
Muhammad (PBUH) in Buddhist scriptures
http://www.islamreligion.com/category/36/

The Prophet Muhammad  performed many miracles to prove he was a true Prophet. The greatest miracle is what we still have with us today:the Qur'an. The Qur'an is the revelation that God sent down to the Prophet , and till this day no one can produce anything like it. Its language and style outmatched the literary skill of the Arabs amongst whom it was revealed, despite their expertise in this field, and despite also the fact that the Prophet  was known to be illiterate. There are many aspects proving the miraculous nature of the Qur'an, including scientific details, some of which have been addressed here:

http://www.islamicboard.com/discover...ml#post1588513

Why was Muhammad a military leader? It just seems odd to me that a prophet of a relatively peaceful God would want to battle other humans.

It is the nature of this world that there cannot always be peace and harmony, even if that is desired. Sometimes a person has to use force in order to establish peace and justice, such as defending one's community from attack or liberating others from persecution and tyranny. Yet, the Prophet  was a Mercy to the worlds. There are many examples where he favoured peaceful solutions rather than resorting to war. Among his first actions after arriving in Madinah was to make a treaty guaranteeing the coexistence of the various groups living there. Even when he gained victory over Makkah - the very people who had severely tortured his followers and expelled him from his home, he set the most magnificent example of tolerance and forgiveness although he was able to take revenge. We learn from his life that the Prophet  never took revenge on anyone for personal reasons and always forgave even his staunch enemies. Moreover, he abided by the ethics of war and prohibited murdering children, women, and the elderly, as well as applying other rules.

I am desperately looking for spiritual guidance, and I've come here because I've always had this gut feeling that Islam may be right. How can I pray about this? Do Muslims believe that one can simply lay in bed and pray to Allah for guidance? Or do you have to do the whole wash feet and face East thing?

Yes, you can and should pray to Allaah  for guidance as He is the All-Hearer, the One who Responds, and guidance is in His Hands.

May Allaah  guide you to the truth and help you in this journey, Aameen.

Let us know if you have any other questions.