Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Bro. Burhan,

Assalamu alaikum,

May Allah reward you with best of this world and here-after for the excelent work you are doing. I would like to ask you in light of Quran and Hadeeth, what is "Mojiza" and what is "Karamat". Mojiza is some extraordinary powers given to prophets of Allah. Are there some such powers given to "Awliyahs" too.

pls answer in detail. 

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Answer:

Miracles and Karamat

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

A miracle is described as an out of the ordinary event or occurrence carried out by Divine Decree and Help. Allah has prescribed a way or ‘sabab’ for everything to happen in this world, and anything that happens beyond this way or ‘sabab’ is termed a miracle. For example, if one wishes to eat something he needs to make or go and get some eatables to eat; but if, without the usage of any ‘sabab’ the food were to appear in front of him out of thin air, it would be termed a miracle!

In Islamic terminology, when a miracle is performed at the hands of a Prophet it is known as a ‘Moajiza’; and when it takes place at the hands of anyone else it is known as a ‘Karamaat’.

One must know with conviction that a miracle cannot be performed by anyone, including the Prophets of Allah, by their own selves; but it is Allah Subhanah Alone Who bestows miracles at the hands of whom He Wills, Pleases, and Decrees.

Miracles are only in the domain of Allah Alone and nobody has a right to do or show any miracles whatsoever, unless Allah Himself commands and sends the miracle to any of his slaves. No one, absolutely no one, can do a miracle by his own self; not even the mightiest Prophets of Allah! Allah gives many examples of His Miracles in the Holy Quran which he gave to Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, Prophet Isa and many other Prophets. These miracles were not performed at the whim or desires of the Prophets, but were always in Allah’s Hands and Commands.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 38:

We have sent many Messengers before you (O Mohamed), and We assigned to them wives and children. And no Messenger had the power to show any Miracles without the sanction of Allah.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 49-50:

(Jesus said), “I have come to you with a clear Sign (Miracle) from your Lord. In your very presence, I make the likeness of a bird out of clay and breathe into it, and it becomes, by Allah’s Command, a bird. I heal those born blind and the lepers, and I bring to life the dead by Allah’s Command. I inform you what you eat and what you store up in your homes. Surely there is a great Sign for you in all this, if you have a mind to believe.”

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.379 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "There was no Prophet among the Prophets but was given miracles because of which people had security or had belief, but what I was given was the Divine Inspiration (the Al-Quran) which Allah revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will be more than those of any other Prophet on the Day of Resurrection."

Your Question: Are there some such powers given to "Awliyahs" too.

The biggest difference between the miracle or ‘moajiza’ performed at the hands of the Prophets and the ‘karamat’ which happens at the hands of anyone else is that Allah Subhanah informs His Prophets and makes it known to them by inspiration how exactly the miracle will be performed. The Prophets of Allah thus know, and if they will, declare the occurrence of a miracle before it happens.

But the ‘karamaat’ or extraordinary things that Allah Wills to establish or bring about at the hands of anyone other than His appointed Prophets happens first and only after it has happened do the beholder realize that it was done by the Command and Help of Allah Subhanah. Even the people on whose hands the ‘karamaat’ takes place do not know that a miracle is about to take place!

Secondly, it is only the right of the Prophets of Allah who come to mankind and declare that they have been appointed Prophets by their Lord. Any other title or status like Sheikh, or Peer, or Faqir, or Awliya, etc. are not bestowed by Allah Subhanah, but are the creation and self-invention of man. No Sheikh, or Peer, or Faqir, or Awliya, etc. can come to mankind and declare that he has been appointed thus by Allah Subhanah; and if he does so, Allah is our witness, he is a confirmed and manifest liar!

Allah Subhanah has not given or distributed any of His Powers to anyone in Creation; He Does whatever He Wills and Pleases, whenever He Wills and Pleases and wherever He Wills and Pleases!

To bring about a ‘miracle’ is in the sole Domain and Control of none except Allah Subhanah, and none except the Prophets of Allah who are foretold by inspiration, know the miracles that are about to happen by the Decree and Command of Allah Subhanah.

Regardless of how truly pious a person is, regardless of how many people regard him as a genuine ‘awliyaa’ of Allah, the person himself does not have any power to bring about any miracle, nor does he have any knowledge of the unseen, nor can he ever declare that he is about to show or bring about a miracle!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 38:

We have sent many Messengers before you (O Mohamed), and We assigned to them wives and children. And no Messenger had the power to show any Miracles without the sanction of Allah.

Beloved Brother, only as a general caution, always beware of those ‘awliyaas’ who are known to bring about miracles! It is generally the people who are obsessed with ‘personality’ worship who believe, propagate, and strive to make a public declaration of the fantastic and self-invented stories of the supposed magnificent miracles performed by their Peers and Faqirs to misguide mankind from the Straight Path of Allah Subhanah.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan