In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah tells us stories in the Qur'an. Surah al-Kahf that we should read today and every Friday, itself has four stories.
One of the most profound aspects of the Qur'an is the manner in which it narrates stories. These stories of past and future events serve primarily as guidance but unknown to many Muslims is that these stories also indicate the miraculous nature of the Quran (I'jaz Al-Quran ).
Falling stars, flying UFO’s, crying statues . . . Anything out of the ordinary unfailingly captures our attention. The more extraordinary the thing, the greater coverage it gets in media.
And so you will hear some people say things like, “I will go forward in marrying this person if Allah shows me a sign,” or, “I’ll start putting hijab once I see a sign from Allah.” Some people pray istikharah and then start asking, “I haven’t seen any signs from Allah regarding this matter— was my prayer defective? Should I pray again?” And still others advise them, “Yes! Do keep praying until Allah shows you a sign.
Still others, those of weak faith, want to justify their belief in the unseen world by forcing themselves to believe they saw a jinn. Or a “shaykh” of theirs has unusual powers by which he can talk to him long-distance without using a phone or the internet.
Nonetheless, wanting to see miracles with your own eyes is a natural urge of the human being. Even Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) asked Allah.
...وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِى كَيْفَ تُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِن ۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِى[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:260]
And [mention] when Ibrahim said, “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.” [Allah] said, “Have you not believed?” He said, “Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied.”
If you already have a strong faith in your Lord, trying to look for signs is following the sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim. However, for those of weak faith it could lead to dangerous results. It could lead them to believe in anyone claiming to have miraculous powers and narrating miraculous stories. Before believing any such stories we need to refer things back to the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Allah’s Signs
So we ask ourselves, why doesn’t Allah show us signs? Surely, all the prophets and messengers were shown signs from Allah. Imagine standing behind Musa (peace be upon him), watching the sea parting, or traveling with Musa and saw your fish morning meal went off swimming into the sea. Is it the same as hearing the story second hand? Surely not. As Allah explained in Surah at-Takathur, there is a difference between ilmul yaqeen (knowledge of certainty) and ‘aynal yaqeen (seeing the certain with your own eyes).
We look for miraculous signs when in difficulty, even if just to comfort us that Allah is there watching over. You might have heard in movies, when in a fix, the actor calls, “God, show me a sign.”
And then, when someone propecia online pharmacy doesn’t see any such signs, she or he asks, “Does God even exist?”
That is the mindset of the ignorant and disbelieving people.
وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۖ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْغَيْبُ لِلَّهِ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُنتَظِرِينَ ﴿٢٠[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 10:20]
And they say, “Why is a sign not sent down to him from his Lord?”
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ لَوْلَا يُكَلِّمُنَا ٱللَّهُ أَوْ تَأْتِينَآ ءَايَةٌ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۘ تَشَـٰبَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا ٱلْءَايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿١١٨[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:118]
Those who do not know say, “Why does Allah not speak to us or there come to us a sign?” Thus spoke those before them like their words. Their hearts resemble each other. We have shown clearly the signs to a people who are certain [in faith].
So the answer to “Why doesn’t Allah show me a miracle, a sign?” is that Allah does show you and me signs. But the question is, do you keep your eyes open enough to see them?
Who says a sign needs to be something outside of the ordinary, something breaking all laws of normal physics and chemistry?
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ وَٱلنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَٰتٌۢ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٢[Qur'an, An-Nahl 16:12]
And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى رَفَعَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ ﴿٢[Qur'an, Ar-Ra'd 13:2]
It is Allah who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne and made subject the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. He arranges [each] matter; He details the signs that you may, of the meeting with your Lord, be certain.
If you can grasp the fact that the universe runs according to Allah’s laws, you will start seeing signs everywhere you look:
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ يُرِيكُمُ ٱلْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَيُحْىِۦ بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٢٤[Qur'an Ar-Rum 30:24]
And of His signs is [that] He shows you the lightning [causing] fear and aspiration, and He sends down rain from the sky by which He brings to life the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that are signs for a people who use reason.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱلْفُلْكَ تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِنِعْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ لِيُرِيَكُم مِّنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ ﴿٣١[Qur'an, Luqman 31:31]
Do you not see that ships sail through the sea by the favor of Allah that He may show you of His signs? Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١[Qur'an, Ar-Rum 30:20-21]
And of His signs is that He created you from dust; then, suddenly you were human beings dispersing [throughout the earth]. And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ مَنَامُكُم بِٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱبْتِغَآؤُكُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَسْمَعُونَ ﴿٢٣[Qur'an, Ar-Rum 20:23]
And of His signs is your sleep by night and day and your seeking of His bounty. Indeed in that are signs for a people who listen. (23)
Allah Almighty does show some extraordinary miracles to certain people. Take the example of the people of the cave in Surah al-Kahf. Imagine waking up after 300 years of sleep. And yet . . . And yet, Allah Almighty says:
أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْكَهْفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا۟ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا عَجَبًا ﴿٩[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:9]
Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription were, among Our signs, a wonder?
Ibn Kathir explains this verse as Allah saying, Oh Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), the case of the People of the Cave and the inscriptions were not something really astonishing relative to My power and ability. The creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of night and day and the subjugation of the sun, moon and heavenly bodies, and other mighty signs all indicate something of the incredible power of Allah and show that He is able to do whatever He wills.
The Special Miracle
And what is the special miracle that Allah sent down for this ummah, the ummah of the last Prophet? The Qur'an, full of what Allah Himself calls ayaat or “signs” in English. There is a whole science built on this specific topic. But in order to immerse yourself in that ocean of miraculous beauty, we first need to learn Arabic.
May Allah make us of the people of reason and who listen. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
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