QUR'AN AND MIRACLES
MIRACLES IN THE QUR'AAN

A miracle is an extraordinary event manifesting Divine intervention in human affairs, or an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing or accomplishment. (Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, 1985)

Thus, a miracle is an act which is beyond human power and perception, a kind of impossibility which cannot be proven by either science or philosophical precision. It is a Divine act which defies and transcends universal norms and laws. It is only granted by Allah to His Messengers and Apostles in order to convince people of the truth of their message. With this heavenly support, mundane laws and natural phenomena are caused to yield in such an overwhelming way that all attempts at rational explanation are defeated. (Miracles of Qur'aan, al-Sha'rawi)

Magic & Miracle

Magic is wrought by the devil. It is an act practiced by invoking certain incantation to deceive people. Names of Jinns are sometimes invoked by magicians and medicine-men to perform wonderful acts before the gaze of the people. This sort of magical act is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an as follows:

'They followed what the devils gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaimaan. Sulaimaan did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Harut and Marut, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone till they had said, 'We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).' And from these (angels) people learned by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's leave. And they learned that which harm them and profits them not. And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold their ownselves, if they knew.' (Baqarah 102)

From the Islamic point of view, magic is prohibited. It is deceitful and harmful not only to people but also to its practitioners. The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) listed the practice of magic among the major sins capable of destroying societies and individuals involved in it. He says that magic degrades those who practice it in this world prior to the Hereafter

'Avoid the seven destructive sins." The listeners asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, what are they,' He said, "Associating (partners) with Allah (Shirk), magic, taking a life which Allah has made sacred except in the course of justice, devouring usury, appropriating the property of an orphan, fleeing from the battlefield, and slandering virtuous believing women who are indiscreet.' (Bukhari and Muslim)

In fact, magic is considered as unbelief (Kufr) by some jurists. Some have even suggested that those who practice it should be put to death in order to purify the society of their evil.

The majority of the present-day hawkers of miracles are indeed magicians. They employ satanic means to cast spell, on their victims to make them fall in trance and hallucination through which nonsensical visions are made manifest to them. They perform their tricks through incantations which they utter an thus cause havoc in families setting children against their wives. The kind of damage they cause to the society is so profound that if, as suggested by a section of Muslim jurists, they are put to death, it is justifiable.

Miracle

Miracle is the one that is real. It ensues from the Divine. It is the power vouchsafed to the messengers of Allah through which they were able to perform wonders which remain permanent and lasting in the memories and lives of the people.

Such miracles are called Ayaat or signs in the Qur'an. These were the types given to the messengers of Allah before our Noble Propher Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). The Quran mentions how Prophet Ibrahim was saved from the burning in the fire into which his people had thrown him as a revenge for insulting their idols.

We said: 'O fire. Be coolness and peace for Ibrahim.

Also, the Qur'an narrates how Prophet Musa (Moses) drew out water from the rock by striking it with his staff:

"And when Musa (Moses) asked for water for his people, We said: 'Strike the stone with your stick.' Then gushed forth therefrom twelve springs. Each (group of) people knew its own place of water.'

Prophet Isa (Jesus) performed a number of miracles by Allah's leave also:

"And WE (appoint) him (Isa) a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying). 'I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave; and I heal those born blind and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allah's leave. And I declare to you what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely therein is a sign for you, if you believe.'

Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), similarly, performed a number of miracles during his lifetime. These miracles, which are mentioned in the books of Sunnah and Seerah or life-history, (of the Noble Prophet) include virtually all that which his preceding Prophets performed by way of miracles.

But Islam does not attach serious importance to miracle as it does not form an essential aspect of Islamic faith. It is regarded no more than a sign to show the veracity of the claimant to prophethood and authority granted by Allah with a view to making the people accept His guidance brought by him.

However, the Qur'an which is the ultimate miracle of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), mentions the Mi'raj i.e., the ascension of Prophet Muhammad to the high heavens:

"Glorified be He (Allah) who took His servant (Muhammad) for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem) whose precincts We did bless in order that We might show him (Muhammad) our miracles (aAyaat)'

The miracle of Al-Isra' and Al-Mi'raaj, i.e., the Terrestrial and Celestial journeys differs from the miracles of the Prophets of Allah already mentioned. While the previous Prophets' miracles involved natural observable phenomena and universal laws which they disrupted within the gaze of an audience on this planet, the miracle of al-Israa and al-Mi'raaj, involved the disruption of cosmic and heavenly laws away from eyewitnesses. Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) was the only human to be carried by night upon a heavenly creature, al-Buraaq, to be shown some of the greatest portents of Allah.

It has been a common trait of mankind since time immemorial that whenever a Messenger from Allah appeared to redirect their steps to the will and plan of Allah, they demanded supernatural proofs from these men of Allah instead of accepting the message on its merits. This explains why the Thamid people asked their Prophet, Salih, to bring forth a miracle before they could believe him:

"They said: 'O Salih, you have been among us as a figure of good hope till this (message) asks that we leave that which our fathers have worshipped. We are in doubt concerning that which you invite us to."

He said, 'O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my lord... O my people! This, she Camel of Allah, is a miracle (a sign) to you. Leave her to feed on Allah's earth and touch her not with evil, lest a swift torment will seize you."

Also, when Jesus (peace be on him) began to preach to the people of Israel to mend their ways and refrain from mere legalistic formalism and imbibe the true spirit of the laws and commandments, his people demanded miracles from him to prove his genuineness. This is recorded in the Christian scripture as follows:

"Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Master, we would have a sign (miracle) from thee." But he answered and said unto them. "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign (miracle) and there shall no sign (miracle) be given to it, but the sign (miracle) of the Prophet Jonas.'

Although, Jesus refuses to oblige the Jews here, in fact, he did perform many miracles as shown by the Gospel narratives and corroborated by the Holy Qur'an as already shown. Jesus's reproach of the scribes and Pharisees in the above references was borne out of his knowledge that no matter how spellbinding the miracle any Prophet might perform, the doubting Thomases would still not believe.

Again, he knew that if miracle became the uppermost thing in the minds of a people, such people will always be liable to be deceived by liars, charlatans and evil-doers; all of which may lead lo the woes of any nation. One cannot but advise the followers of other religions, who peddle fake miracles of healing the lame and the lepper as well as reviving the sight of the blind and the dead, to ponder over the above biblical reference. But if their claim that they can perform these miracles like Jesus is to be given any credence, our hospitals and cemeteries must be opened for them to test their claim.

The polytheists of Makkah made identical request for miracle from Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) as had the previous peoples

"And they (Makkah polytheists) say "Why are not signs sent down to him (Muhammad) from his Lord?"

To this question, the Almighty Allah commanded Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) to reply to the un-believers in the following manner:

"Say, (O Muhammad): "the signs (miracles) are indeed with Allah. and, most certainly, I am only a clear warner."

The word used in the Qur'an for miracle is Ayah, the primary meaning of which is an apparent sign or mark by which a thing is known. In the Holy Qur'an, it generally carries one of the two significations: an indication, evidence or proof; and a Divine message or communication. In the first sense, it includes a miracle in its apparent meaning, and, in the second sense, it stands for the holy Qur'an as a whole or even a part of it.

The adoption of the same word to indicate a Divine message as well as its proof is noteworthy. It shows that the Divine message itself is, first and foremost, the proof of its own truth and that is why the Holy Quraan has always been looked upon by Muslims as the greatest miracle of the Noble Prohet Muhammad (peace be on him).

Miracle is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end. It has not come automatically even to the Prophets of Allah, for it is vouchsafed to them by Allah when it becomes expedient to demonstrate the veracity of their claim as His genuine messengers. This explains why all the Prophets at certain times in their lives were faced with trials and tribulations before which they proved powerless.

Dr. Kamil Kayejo Oloso

Last modified: July 19, 2007

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