Miracle

By Hafiz Azhar Nkuutu Basaalirwa, Missionary

Among all the prophets who came to the children of Israel, Prophet Moses (Peace be upon him) was truly a great man. He was humble, gentle, and the miracles he performed in his lifetime were signs that people could not easily forget. We all know the story of his Rod, that same Rod that swallowed the fake snakes that Pharaoh’s magicians had thrown down in Egypt around 1400 BC (Qur’an 7: 118-123).

We also know how he struck a rock with that same Rod and water came out from twelve different places, enough for all the twelve tribes of Israel to drink (Qur’an 2:61). These were powerful things, and nobody among the Israelite prophets, not Jesus, not Daniel, not Samuel, could match what Moses(as) did.

But now, as Muslims, we believe that the miracles of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were even greater than those of Moses(as) and all the other prophets combined. This is not something we say to cause trouble or to look down on anyone. It is simply because Prophet Muhammad(SAW) was given the highest title of all, the Chief of all Prophets (Quran 33: 41) and the miracles he came with matched that title.

Let us look at just two of those miracles so we can understand what we are talking about.

The Miracle of Transformation

The first one is the Holy Quran itself. When Allah was sending down the Quran to the Prophet(SAW), He described it as something so heavy that if it were placed on a mountain, that mountain would break apart(Qur’an 59:22). Yet this same Quran was placed inside the heart of one man, and he carried it, memorized it, taught it, and passed it on.

Now here is the thing that everyone should reflect upon. Up to today, hundreds of millions of Muslims across the world have memorized the entire Quran, word for word, cover to cover. You will find children in Uganda, in Indonesia, in Nigeria, in Pakistan, who can recite the entire Quran without looking at a single page. This has been going on for over one thousand four hundred years without stopping. That is the miracle. It did not end when the Holy Prophet(SAW) died. It is still happening today, right here among us.

The second miracle is what the Holy Prophet(SAW) did to the Arab people. Before he came, the Arabs were in a very bad state. They were fighting each other over trivial matters, burying their baby daughters alive, worshipping statues made of stone, and living without any real moral direction. Within just a period of 23 years, this same Prophet(SAW) changed all of them completely. They became people of prayer, people of justice, people who valued knowledge and treated others with respect. That kind of change in human beings, changing their hearts and their character entirely, is itself a miracle that no rod or stick can compete with.

Now, these days when you walk through the streets of Kampala or listen to some Christian preachers, you will hear them asking Muslims a challenging question. They say, “Show us any miracle that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) performed with his own hands.” It is a fair question and we want to answer it properly.

The miracles of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) came in two forms. The first type were the miracles that served the people of his time. For example, during some of the early battles, water was very scarce and the companions were suffering from thirst. The Prophet prayed over a small amount of water that was in a leather container, and that small amount was enough for everyone to drink. Another time, the people were going through a dry season and there was no rain. He prayed to Allah and the rain came, benefiting both the people and their animals. These miracles were real and they were witnessed by many people at the time.

The second type were the miracles that were meant to last forever, not just for that generation, but for all human beings until the end of time. The greatest of these is the Quran, received by the Holy Prophet (SAW), memorized by him and his companions, and now memorized by millions of ordinary people all over the world today.

Some of our Christian brothers and sisters like to say that the miracles of Jesus(Peace be upon him), such as turning water into wine at a wedding, prove that he was greater. But we would like to ask them one honest question, where is that miracle today? It happened once, it served its purpose, and it is now gone. Nobody is turning water into wine today as a continuation of that miracle. But the miracle of the Quran is happening right now as you read this article.

Somewhere in Uganda today, a young student is sitting down and memorizing the Quran. That same thing is happening in every country in the world at this very moment. The Quran has never been changed, never been lost, and never stopped being memorized in its original Arabic language since the day it was revealed. The Gospels of Jesus (as), on the other hand, have never been fully memorized by any Christian in the entire history of Christianity. They have also gone through many translations and changes over the years.

This is not about disrespecting anyone. It is about being honest with the facts of history.

We therefore call upon all people, whether Muslim or not, to take a serious look at the life and message of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). His miracles are not things of the past that you have to take on faith alone. They are visible, verifiable, and happening all around us every single day. In the mosques of Kampala, in the villages of Uganda, and in every corner of the world, his legacy continues to speak. That is the mark of a man who was truly sent by God.

The Author is a Missionary of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, Uganda.