Are Non-Muslim Miracles Real or a Test From Allah?
Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch
Question
How do we explain modern Christian miracles and near-death experiences where people, including Muslims, reportedly see Jesus, heaven, and hell—sometimes even the Prophet in troubling states?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I commend your resubmission of your question after finding that the initial answer given did not satisfy you. May Allah increase you in knowledge and certainty.
As a convert myself, I find that the more one increases in the knowledge of our blessed religion, all matters such as these become clear and all confusion is dispelled. However, often this takes dedication to continuous learning.
Understanding Miracles
To answer your question, there are certain issues that we must explain. Firstly, what are miracles?
The definition of a miracle is a break in the laws of physics/natural order upon which Allah has made the affairs of the world run. [Laqqani, Jawhara al-Tawhid]
The normal causational order would dictate that certain effects, such as burning when fire is contacted or wetness when water is contacted, would come about when their causes are found. If something like cotton were to contact fire and not burn, this is a break in the natural order and therefore a miracle. [Ibid.]
Allah is the Only Source of Miracles
It must be understood that Allah Most High is the Creator of the causes as well as the effects, and that things that we call “causes” have no inherent ability to produce an “effect”. This means that fire does not actually have an inherent ability to burn, even though this is what we observe; in fact, it is Allah who creates burning when something is exposed to fire. If Allah Most High chooses not to create burning when something is exposed to fire, that would be a break in the observed norms that He established. Thus, it is Allah Most High that is the source of all miracles. [Ibid.]
Types of Miracles
Depending on the circumstances in which Allah creates a miracle, it is understood with different terms that have different rulings:
Prophetic Miracle (Mu‘jiza)
A break in the observed norms that Allah causes at the hands of a Prophet in support of his claim of Prophecy. [Ibid.]
Example: The Quraysh challenged the validity of the Prophet Muhammad’s prophethood and challenged him to split the moon if indeed he was telling the truth. Allah Most High thus caused the moon to split at the moment that the Prophet pointed to it in support of his claim of Prophethood. [Ibid.]
Preparatory Miracle (Irhas)
A break in the observed norm that Allah causes at the hands of someone who will become a Prophet in the future. [Ibid.]
Example: When the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was born, a light emanated from his mother that illuminated for her the castles of greater Syria. This is a break in the norm that Allah caused to occur for the Prophet before him officially receiving Prophethood.
Saintly Miracle (Karama)
A break in the observed norm that Allah causes at the hands of steadfast, righteous Muslims to enoble them and to show their status with Allah Most High. This can occur in connection with a voluntary action of theirs, or it can happen to them unexpectedly. [Ibid.]
Example: Mary, the Mother of Jesus (peace be upon them) had foods that were out of season. For her to become immediately 9 months pregnant. For the people of the cave to sleep for 300 plus years.
Helping Miracle (Ma‘una)
A break in the observed norm that Allah causes at the hands of your average Muslim, to assist them and increase their resolve to strive for Allah Most High. [Ibid.]
Example: A muslim is diagnosed with an incurable sickness, but due to their supplication of Allah, Allah breaks the norm and cures them.
Exposing Miracle (Ihana)
A break in the observed norm that Allah causes at the hands of someone who rejects Allah and/or disbelieves in Islam, in contrast to what they hoped for. This miracle is brought about to expose and disgrace such a person in the eyes of the people. [Ibid.]
Example: During the life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), a man named Musaylama claimed to be a prophet of God. He was thus labeled Musaylama the Liar. Musaylama’s follower demanded a miracle from him because the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) showed his followers many miracles.
Musaylama once spat in a well whose water was diminishing in hopes that the water would become plentiful from his saliva, as did occur when the Prophet Muhammad spat into a drying well. When Musaylama spat into the well, what little water was in it also dried up, and this was a point of disgrace for Musaylama, the Liar.
The final type of miracle is directly related to your question:
Misleading Miracle (Istidraj)
A break in the observed norm that Allah causes at the hands of someone who rejects Allah and/or disbelieves in Islam, in accordance with what they hoped for. This miracle is brought about as a means of causing this individual to become further deluded and as a test for the onlookers. [Ibid.]
Example: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), as well as all previous Prophets, warned us of the Dajjal (Antichrist). The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us that the Dajjal will point to the sky and cause it to rain. He will point at a deceased person and bring them back to life.
In all these cases, it is in fact Allah who is the cause of these breaks in the norm; however, it is only the believers who will be able to discern this phenomenon from a true proof of divinity.
The noble companion, Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him), narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“The Dajjal will emerge, and a man from among the believers will go out to meet him. The guards of the Dajjal will confront him and ask: ‘Where are you going?’ He will reply: ‘I am going to this man who has appeared.’ They will ask: ‘Do you not believe in our Lord?’ He will reply: ‘Our Lord is not hidden.’ They will say: ‘Kill him.’ Then some of them will say to one another: ‘Has not your Lord forbidden you to kill anyone except him?’ So they will take him to the Dajjal.
When the believer sees him, he will say: ‘O people! This is the Dajjāl whom the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) mentioned!’ The Dajjal will order that he be stretched out. They will say: ‘Take him and strike him!’ They will beat his back and stomach severely. The Dajjāl will ask him: ‘Do you not believe in me?’ He will reply: ‘You are al-Masih al-Kadhdhab (the false Messiah).’
Then he will be commanded to be cut from his midsection until he is split between his legs. The Dajjal will walk between the two halves and then say to him: ‘Stand up!’ So he will rise, standing whole again. The Dajjal will ask: ‘Do you now believe in me?’ He will reply: ‘I have only increased in certainty about you.’ Then he will say: ‘O people! He will not do this to anyone after me.’
The Dajjal will then seize him to slaughter him, but what is between his neck and collarbone will become like copper, and the Dajjal will not be able to harm him. He will take hold of him by his hands and feet and throw him. The people will think that he has been thrown into the Fire, but in fact, he has been cast into Paradise.”
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“This man is the greatest martyr in the sight of the Lord of the Worlds.” [Muslim]
Modern Christian Miracles
Firstly, we need to distinguish between a confirmed miracle and historical accounts of a miracle occurring. There are many miracles mentioned in the Bible that Christians use as proof of Jesus’ divinity, but even Christian biblical scholars deny their authenticity. [Erhman, Misquoting Jesus]
If this is true about the source text, then what about other historical accounts, like the one you mentioned in your question: Joan of Arc?
I am not asserting that any particular miracle did not occur; I am just making a point that without an unbroken chain of transmission from a trustworthy and competent narrator all the way back to the original people who saw the miracles with their own eyes, one cannot be sure that the miracle actually happened.
Historian are never looking for certainty, as that is not their criterion; they are merely looking at probability. Once they find probability, they can then call something historical.
Suppose They Did Occur
If such a miracle occurred at the hands of a Christian, such as healing or otherwise, we would first assert that it was in fact Allah Most High who caused that miracle, and secondly, it would fall under the final type of the five types of miracles.
It is therefore a test for others. Will they put their confidence in something that their eyes observe or in that which their heart believes? This is the test, and this is why Allah praises the believers in the first verses of Surat al-Baqara, saying, “…those who believe in the unseen.” [Quran; 2;2]
Dreams and Visions
You correctly mentioned in your question the Prophetic narration:
“Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, for Satan cannot come in my form.” [Bukhari]
Thus, the scholars clearly mention that if someone comes and says they saw the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in their dreams, they would immediately ask them to describe him (Allah bless him and give him peace). [Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari]
If their description accurately matches the description of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) as was narrated to us from the companions, then one can be sure that they truly saw the Prophet due to the above Hadith. [Ibid.]
However, if their description is off, this would mean that the dream is not of the Prophet and is, in fact, from Satan. [Ibid.]
If someone sees the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) with his accurate description, however, they see the Prophet in a negative state, the scholars are clear that this is indicative of the state of the one dreaming and metaphorically represents their lack of following the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace). [Ibid.]
Abu Sa‘d, Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Nasr (Allah have mercy on him) said, “If someone sees the Prophet upon his accurate description and in his actual (good) state, this is proof of the righteousness, excellent rank, and success of the dreamer. If he sees the Prophet in a negative state, such as seeing him sad or the like, that is proof of the bad state of the dreamer.” [Ibid.]
In such a case, one should turn to Allah Most High in repentance for falling short of the way of the Prophet, turn back to learning and following his sunna, and live a righteous life. [Ibid.]
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.
There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.
Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.
