Multiplication by a nonzero element of an integral domain is injective, by multiplicative cancellation. When the domain is finite, this self-map is surjective, so some element satisfies . Commutativity gives , so every nonzero element has a multiplicative inverse and the domain is a field.
Even when the domain convention does not initially assume an identity element, finiteness produces one. Surjectivity supplies with ; then forces for every . Commutativity makes a two-sided identity, after which the inverse argument applies.

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