Islam: why and how? Episode 17

Is performing miracles sufficient to prove that the claimant to prophethood is a prophet?

4:18

4:18

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The belief of followers of heavenly religions in the miracles of their prophets and leaders is understandable and worthy of respect. Because someone who believes in a God with infinite power and knowledge considers completely possible the performance of works beyond ordinary human capacity and known laws of nature for him or his representatives and does not see the existence of unknown and superior forces in contradiction with rationality and opposed to science and knowledge.

But someone who is still examining and has not previously accepted the accepted premises of believers, even if they observed something extraordinary from a person who claims to be a prophet, has the right not to rule out possibilities like magic, deception, involvement of diabolical forces and the like and not to consider miracle a suitable or necessary criterion for occupying such a position.

The history and teachings of great religions that have attributed themselves to messengers from God also confirm this point and show that almost none of the faithful companions of these prophets believed merely by observing miracles and most covenant-breaking and excuse-making in front of religious leaders were done by those who had closely witnessed the most amazing miracles.

By examining these religious texts we find that even schools that emphasize belief in miracles consider the purpose of presenting these extraordinary matters as reassuring believers and completing the argument with enemies who had already discovered the righteousness of God’s messenger with another criterion; therefore, it is necessary to identify that main criterion and evaluate its value and credibility with an impartial view.

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