How can an ordinary person distinguish between a prophet's miracle and the extraordinary feats of a sorcerer who claims prophethood?

Distinguishing between prophethood and magic is essential. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah authored the book "An-Nubuwwat" (The Prophecies) to highlight the difference between them, which is that a prophet receives an angel from God, while a sorcerer and soothsayer deal with Satan. The difference between them is greater than the difference between night and day.

Among the most important differences between the miracles of prophets and the extraordinary feats of sorcerers and soothsayers are: 1. Truthfulness: A prophet is always truthful, whereas sorcerers and soothsayers inevitably lie. 2. Command and Action: Prophets command justice, monotheism, righteousness, and piety, while their opponents command polytheism, injustice, sin, and aggression. 3. Habitual Nature: Magic and soothsaying are habitual matters for those who practice them, whereas the signs of prophets are extraordinary occurrences unique to them and their followers. 4. Acquisition: Magic and soothsaying are attained through learning and acquisition, but prophethood cannot be acquired. 5. Path: If prophethood could be acquired, it would be through righteous deeds, truthfulness, justice, and monotheism. 6. Ability: What sorcerers bring forth does not exceed the capabilities of jinn and humans, whereas the signs of messengers cannot be replicated by jinn or humans. 7. Opposition: The signs of sorcerers can be countered with similar ones, but the signs of prophets cannot be countered by anyone. 8. Commonality: The extraordinary feats of sorcerers are common among groups other than prophets, whereas the signs of prophets are not common among anyone other than the truthful. 9. Power: Some signs cannot be replicated by any creature (like the Qur'an), whereas magic can be performed by jinn and devils. 10. Source: Angels do not lie about God, but devils do. Miracles are common among the righteous, unlike the unique signs of prophets. 11. Consistency: A prophet commands what the messengers before him commanded, while sorcerers and soothsayers have counterparts. 12. Rectification: A prophet commands what benefits people in their worldly life and the hereafter, and his commands align with sound intellects and innate dispositions.