QUR'AAN AND
MIRACLES
Qur'an as Mother of All Miracles
Prophet Muhammad {peace be on him)
categorically said in one of his sayings that the Quraan is the
miracle bestowed on him by Allah Almighty:
Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet
(peace be on him) said, "Every Prophet was given miracles because of
which people believed but what I have been given is the Divine
inspiration which has been revealed to me. So, I hope that my
followers will out-number the followers of the other Prophets on the
Day of Resurrection.'
In fact, in answer to those who were
asking Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) for a miracle. Allah asked
him to answer them as follows:
"Is it not enough for them that we
have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the book (Qur'an), which is
rehearsed to them. Verily in it is a mercy and reminder to those
who believe.’
As proof of Divine and miraculous nature
of the Holy Qur’aan, two arguments are advanced by Allah Himself:
* the fact that the
Prophet was unlettered
‘Those who followed the Messengers,
the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) they find
written in the Torah and the Injil (Gospel).’
* The testimony of
the Qur’aan to the effect that Muhammad (peace be on him) could
never have composed the contents of the Holy Qur'an; he could not
have been its author:
"Neither did you (O Muhammad) read
any book before it (the Qur'an) nor did you write (any book) with
your right hand, in that case the followers of falsehood might have
doubted."
The Immediate Ayah i.e. verse, states
categorically that the Qur'an is the miracle for men of wisdom,
people with literary and spiritual insight who are honest to
themselves:
"Verily, here (in Qur'an) are signs
(miracles) self-evident in the hearts of those endowed with
knowledge and none but the unjust shall reject our signs
(miracles."
Identifying Allah's Miracle
Five conditions have to be met by an
event to qualify as a miracle from Allah.
1.
That no one except Allah, the Lord and Master of the worls,
is able to do it by Himself or through any of His messengers.
2.
That the incident breaks the usual norms and differs from the
law of nature.
3.
That it serves as a proof for the trust and claim of the
messenger
4.
That it happened in accordance with the messenger’s claim,
and
5.
The the event happens through the messenger and no one else.
The stand of Islam on miracles is that
it is exclusive for the messengers and apostles of Allah. He
honoured them with the ability to perform certain feats by His
leave. Apart from messengers and apostles of Allah, certain human
beings, at one time or the other, were also honoured to perform
wonders similar to the miracles of the messengers of Allah. This is
distinguished from magic, whose source is Satan and which is wrought
by evil men and women.
Dr. Kamil Kayejo Oloso
Last modified:
July 19, 2007
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