Miracles are extraordinary events performed by prophets through the divine power of Allah SWT. They serve as signs to validate the prophet's divine mission and guide people towards the truth. While miracles can be a powerful tool for establishing a prophet's authenticity, they are not a prerequisite for prophethood. The number and nature of miracles can vary depending on the needs of the people and the will of Allah SWT. Ultimately, miracles are a manifestation of Allah's power, not a personal achievement of the Prophet.
The act of the miracles by the prophets is entirely dependent upon the will of Allah SWT. Thus, a miracle is neither a personal deed of a prophet nor the requirement of his prophethood nor a criterion of his status among the prophets. A higher-ranking prophet may show fewer miracles than a comparatively lower-ranking prophet. Depending upon the situation, these just happen with the will of Allah SWT by a prophet to demonstrate his truthfulness as and when required by Allah SWT. The type of miracle given to a prophet also depends upon the circumstances prevalent in the society where the prophet is sent for guidance. The miracles of the prophets can serve several purposes, as mentioned in the following text:
Miracles are usually seen as a way for Allah SWT to validate the Prophet's message. By witnessing events that cannot be explained by human means, people are more likely to believe that the prophet is truly speaking for God. However, it is not necessary that everyone would start to believe in the prophet after witnessing the miracles. Many stubborn people may choose to remain misguided even after witnessing clear miracles due to various worldly reasons. On the other hand, wise people may choose to believe in prophets even without the help of any sort of miracle. The following verses of the Holy Quran elaborate on the various types of miracles given to Prophet Esa AS (Jesus), Prophet Musa AS (Moses), and Prophet Saleh AS:
Prophet Esa AS (Jesus): “(Call to mind the time) when Allah will say, O Isa, son of Maryam, remember My blessing upon you and upon your mother; when I supported you with the Holy Spirit. You spoke to people while you were still in the cradle and when you grew to middle age. I taught you the Book and the Wisdom, the Torah and the Injil. You created from clay something in the shape of a bird, then you blew on it, and it became a bird by My leave. You cured those born blind and lepers by My leave. You raised the dead by My leave. I kept the children of Israel away from you when you came to them with clear signs, and the disbelievers among them said, This is nothing but a clear magic.” (Surah Maidah, Ayat 110)
Prophet Musa AS (Moses): “Musa said, O Pharaoh, I am a messenger from the Lord of all the worlds; it befits me not to say anything about Allah except the truth. I have come to you with a clear sign from your Lord. So, let the children of Israel go with me. He said, If you have come with a sign, then bring it forth, if you are really truthful. So he threw down his staff, and in no time it was a vivid serpent; and he drew out his hand, and it was luminous for the onlookers.” (Surah Araf, Ayat 104 – 108)
Prophet Salih AS: “To Thamud, (We sent) their brother, Salih. He said, O my people, worship Allah. You have no god other than Him. There has come to you a clear sign from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allah, a sign for you. So, leave her to eat on the earth of Allah, and do not touch her with mischief, lest a painful punishment should seize you.” (Surah Araf, Ayat 73)
Miracles can inspire awe and strengthen the faith of believers. Witnessing the divine at work firsthand can solidify one's trust in God and the Prophet's teachings. For example, the following verses of the Holy Quran inform us that the disciples of Prophet Esa AS (Jesus) asked for a miracle to further strengthen their faith despite already believing in him before this miracle:
“When the disciples said, O Isa, son of Maryam, can your Lord send down to us a repast from the heavens? He said, fear Allah if you are believers. They said, we wish that we eat from it, and our hearts be satisfied, and we may know for sure that you have told us the truth, and we may become witnesses to it. Esa son of Maryam said, O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a repast from heaven which may be a happy occasion for us, for all our generations present and future, and a sign from You, and give us provisions. You are the best Giver of Provisions. Allah said, I am going to send it down to you; but whoever among you disbelieves after that, I shall give him such a punishment as I shall not give to anyone else in all the worlds.” (Surah Maidah, Ayats 112 – 115)
These verses of the Holy Quran also show that miracles are the acts of God that are shown by a prophet. Prophet Esa AS (Jesus) prayed to God for this miracle of repast from the heavens. These verses also showed that the severity of accountability by Allah SWT increases for a person who has witnessed His clear miracles.
Sometimes, miracles are used by prophets to overcome obstacles or challenges in their mission. This could involve protecting them from harm, influencing events, or providing for their needs. The following verses of the Holy Quran give two examples of such miracles with Prophet Musa AS (Moses) and Prophet Ibrahim AS (Abraham):
Prophet Musa AS (Moses): “So they (the people of Pharaoh) pursued them (the people of Musa) at the time of sunrise. And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Musa said, Surely we are overtaken. He said, Never! Indeed with me is my Lord. He will guide me. So We revealed to Musa saying, strike the sea with your staff. So it was severed apart, and each part became like a big mountain. Then We brought others close to that place. And We saved Musa and all those with him. Then we drowned the others. Surely, in this there is a sign, but most of them are not believers,” (Surah Shuara, Ayats 60 – 67)
Prophet Ibrahim AS (Abraham): “They said, (O people) burn him and help your gods, if you are to take action. We (Allah) said, O fire, be cold and safe for Ibrahim. And they intended to harm him, but We made them the worst losers.” (Surah Anbiya, Ayats 68 – 70)
We are living in a unique era when the institution of prophethood has ended by the will of God. It means that no other prophet will be sent to this world now. God sent many prophets to the world with some unique miracles. As discussed earlier, these miracles were a further aid in recognizing the truthfulness of a prophet’s teachings. But what about us? Is there a miracle present today that we can still witness? The answer is yes. There is a timeless miracle of the Holy Quran that can be even experienced today by us and by the people who will come in the future.
Prophet Muhammad PBUH was not only the last prophet sent by God, but was also the greatest of all the prophets. The institution of prophethood not only ended upon the Prophet Muhammad’s PBUH arrival, but it also reached its climax. Unlike previous messengers of God, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH was not just sent specifically towards a particular nation and for a particular time. Instead, he was sent with the final message from Allah SWT towards the whole of mankind and for all time to come. God's guidance to mankind sent through His various prophets was ultimately completed with the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
Being a Prophet, Prophet Muhammad PBUH displayed miracles on various occasions. One example of such a miracle is mentioned in the following Hadith: “Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet asked for water and a tumbler with a broad base and no so deep, containing a small quantity of water, was brought to him whereby he put his fingers in it." Anas further said, “I noticed the water springing out from amongst his fingers." Anas added, “estimated that the people who performed ablution with it numbered between seventy to eighty." (Reported in Bukhari)
We believe that this miracle is correct, but we cannot witness this miracle or any such miracle, as the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is not present with us. Prophet Muhammad PBUH being the last prophet for everyone for all time to come, must have been given a miracle that can be experienced by us and all generations to come. This miracle is the miracle of the Holy Quran. Prophet Muhammad PBUH 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 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." (Reported in Bukhari).
The Holy Quran, being a miracle, should be a miracle for the people of the Arabian Peninsula who were present at the time of Prophet Muhammad PBUH as he was directly sent towards them. Additionally, the Holy Quran should be a miracle for the people for all times to come, including people like us who are currently living in this world. The miracle of the Holy Quran serves both of these purposes. Many people convert to Islam just by experiencing the miracle of the Holy Quran.