Introduction
The definition of a miracle in religious studies varies from one faith to another. In the Islamic faith, a miracle is believed to have happened when a set of events have taken place. In general, the Muslim faith believes that a miracle is an act of bone out of a supernatural act or involvement. This act must have happened to be experienced by a human being. Miracles in Islam are based upon three fundamental foundations: through the Quran (Muslim Holy book) which details Islamic history, through the prophet Muhammad and in relation through various disclosures. Muslim theologians have always argued that for an act to be considered a miracle, it must have followed some conditions i.e. the act must have been performed by a supreme being, God. The act should be different and must be unusual and cannot be explained using human knowledge. The act should be impossible to challenge and should also occur at the hands of an individual declared to be an apostle of the Muslim faith.
The Quran as a Miracle
The Quran is believed to be a miracle of miracles as it is considered to be a creation of the supreme maker, Allah. The Quran is believed to have remained the same and constant since the early days of Prophet Muhammad. The exact year has been estimated to be 610. Miracles have also been included in the Quran and fall under specific categories. Miracles are based on science, prophecies, and miracles based on exclusivity or matchlessness. Another reason that it is believed that the Quran is a miracle is that Muhammad was illiterate and had never written a book in his life. This has however been refuted by critics claiming that the Quran has been influenced by other religions such as Christianity and Judaism (Islam-guide.com).
Muhammad
Although there is no place or part of the Quran that mentions the prophet executing any miracles, he is associated with the miracle of how the Quran came to being. Scholars and traditions have credited the prophet with performing some supernatural acts. Such acts include the prophet “spitting the moon.” during the maltreatment of his followers. This incident is said to have happened in the full view and presence of the Quraysh (Islam-guide.com). This single action encouraged poets and artists. Another miracle action that is believed to have been orchestrated by the great Prophet is when he was approached by 2 men who dared him to prove that he was a prophet, he instructed them to go to nearby trees and ask them who was calling, it is believed that the trees elevated themselves and went to where the Prophet was standing and the trees bowed and stooped to him.
Miracles based on Historical Acts
There are also miracles that are based on historical times before the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. One such act of a miracle was when it is believed that Noah, announced that the floods are coming and this was followed by torrential floods (Islam-guide.com). In general, there were acts that were done in the past that have been deliberated to be miracles but the same actions are criticized by other scholars and religions as not true. The act by Noah however remains to be described in the Quran and the event has also been mentioned in the Bible. Hence it is widely believed to be true.
Work Cited
“A brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Muslims and the Quran.” Islam guide.com, Islam guide, n. d. Web. 2009.