Answer to Question No. 2

Let it be clear that the two verses quoted by the critic to prove that no miracle was shown by the Holy Prophet(sa), do not at all support such an inference. On the contrary, the verses prove that the Holy Prophet(sa) performed all the miracles which a true and perfect Prophet should be able to perform. The point is elaborated below.

The first verse, which the critic quotes out of context, is reproduced here in full, along with adjacent verses, to make the meaning clear:

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That is: They say, 'Why are not signs such as those (which you ask for, i.e., signs of chastisement) sent down to him?' Say, 'The signs are with Allah and within His power and I am only a Warner', i.e., my duty is simply to warn you of the Day of Punishment, and I do not bring it down on my own.

Allah further says: Is this sign of mercy not enough for them, (who want to have the sign of chastisement inflicted on them), that We have sent down to thee (O Unlettered Prophet(sa)), the Book (comprising all perfections), which is recited to them? i.e., the Holy Quran—which is a sign of mercy—serves the same purpose which the unbelievers want to achieve through the signs of chastisement. The purpose of the unbelievers of Mecca in demanding a sign of chastisement was that it should bring them the conviction which mere seeing could not do, for they feared that mere seeing might delude them and they may suffer from optical illusions. To remove this suspicion and misgiving, Allah says: You want a sign that should bring conviction to you. Why then ask for a sign of punishment? Is not the sign of mercy—the Holy Quran—sufficient for this purpose, whose bright and refulgent rays dazzle your eyes, and which reveals to you its inherent excellences, its verities and its miraculous qualities, the like of which you can never produce. The Quran is already exerting its miraculous influence on you and your people.3 It is descending upon hearts and bringing about a wonderful transformation. It is restoring life to those who have long been dead, and restoring vision to those who have been blind through generations. The Quran is curing a variety of diseases associated with disbelief and heresy. Lepers of acute prejudice are being washed clean of their prejudices. The Quran gives light and drives away darkness. It brings about union with God and produces signs indicative of this union. Why turn away from this sign of mercy which bestows everlasting life, and ask instead for a sign of death and destruction?

Allah goes on to say that the unbelievers seem to want only the signs of chastisement and want them soon, and do not have any desire to witness the signs of mercy. The Holy Prophet(sa) is asked to tell them that had it not been for the fact that signs of chastisement come at their own appointed time, they would surely have tasted Divine chastisement long ago. Punishment shall come, and it shall come unawares.

Come and judge, do you find in these verses any denial of miracles? On the contrary, the verses proclaim that, since the unbelievers demanded signs of death and destruction, they were first of all told that they have in their midst the Quran, which is a life-giving sign, and which has been sent, not to destroy them, but to grant them everlasting life. And if a sign of punishment were to come, it would surely destroy them. Why then do you wish to die? If you want nothing but chastisement, then you will surely have what you ask for, and you shall have it very soon.

Thus, in these verses, God promises a sign of chastisement, and, at the same time, draws attention to the signs of Divine mercy inherent in the Holy Quran, which bring about a miraculous change in people’s hearts. The critic’s assumption that this verse implies a negation of all miracles, without any exception, only betrays his ignorance of the rules of Arabic grammar. It should be remembered that the scope of negation is always limited to the intent of the speaker, whether indicated in words or by implication. If someone says, 'Cold weather has passed', it is obvious that this statement reflects the condition of the speaker’s own town, although he may not even have mentioned it by name. Who would ever think that such a statement could apply to all the cold countries, and that warm sunshine had replaced cold weather everywhere. It would obviously be wrong to argue that since this negation pertains to a class as a whole, it, therefore, applies to the whole world?

It is well known that the vanquished idolaters of Mecca finally believed in the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet(sa) and accepted his miracles as true miracles. And even as unbelievers, they did not deny his miracles outright. On the contrary, they were so bewildered by what they saw, that when they went to the Byzantine and Persian Empires they proclaimed that the Holy Prophet(sa) was a man with magical powers. Thus they admitted the signs, albeit in their own way, and these affirmations are to be found in the Holy Quran. They could not possibly have denied these manifest signs of the Holy Prophet’s(sa) Prophethood with such conviction, while they were so overawed by them. If they had indeed denied these miracles so forcefully, how could they have accepted Islam with such conviction that it became a small matter for them to shed their blood and sacrifice their lives for its sake.

The assertion they frequently made during the time of their disbelief, and which is recorded in the Holy Quran, was that—owing to their lack of insight—they considered the Holy Prophet(sa) to be a magician. Allah says:

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That is: And when they see a sign, they turn away and say that this is a feat of magic.

He again says:

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That is: They wondered that a warner had come to them from among themselves, and the unbelievers said that he is a magician and a great liar. Since the unbelievers called the Holy Prophet(sa) a magician, and later accepted the same signs as miracles, and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula accepted Islam and became forever a witness to the miracles of the Holy Prophet(sa), it is, therefore, wrong to say that these people could have denied the miracles in such a categorical manner even though it went against their common perception.

On the other hand, the context makes it as clear as day that wherever the Holy Quran mentions the objection of the unbelievers that no signs have been given to the Holy Prophet(sa), it also clarifies that these people are only speaking of the signs of their own asking.6

In short, the critic has drawn a far-fetched conclusion from the negation [of miracles] mentioned in the above verse, and has gone far beyond the bounds of the text. The Arab contemporaries of the Holy Prophet(sa) could never have dreamed of drawing such a conclusion, for, in their heart of hearts, they were fully convinced of the truth of Islam. That is why they all eventually accepted Islam, barring a few who met their punishment as had been promised. Remember, that similar negations are to be found in the words of Jesus(as) as well. The Pharisees demanded signs, but Jesus(as) said regretfully: "Why doth this generation seek after a sign? Verily, I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation." (Mark, 8:11)

Just note how clearly Jesus(as) refuses to show miracles. If the critic would only ponder over this, he would find that his objection is nothing as compared to this objection. This is because the critic has only cited a denial of miracles by the unbelievers. And it is not a general denial, but a denial of some specific signs. And a denial by opponents can obviously not be credible, for they are likely to say things contrary to the facts. But here Jesus(as) himself refuses to show miracles to his people. He says, "There shall no sign be given unto this generation." There could not be a more emphatic refusal to show miracles, nor could there be a negation more general in intent.

The critic then goes on to object to another verse, which he has, again, taken out of context. If it had been taken in its context, it would become clear to all fair-minded observers that it does not contain even a word which suggests a denial of miracles. Rather, the words make it amply clear that miracles had certainly been shown. The verse in question and the accompanying verses, read as follows:

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The Glorious God says: Although We shall destroy every township before the Day of Resurrection, or shall punish it with a severe punishment, and this is what has been written down in the Book, We do not send afresh some of those past signs of chastisement (that have already descended as punishment upon people of the past), which were rejected by them. Thus We gave Thamud the she-camel, a clear sign, (as a fore-warner of the impending punishment, but they rejected it unjustly, and the she-camel caused the ponds of water to dry up for the people of Thamud, residents of the town of Hijr, and spared no grazing ground for their animals. They were thus caught in great suffering and distress because it ate and drank in plenty.) And We send not signs of punishment but as a warning, i.e., signs of punishment are sent so that people may be fearful. Why then go on demanding signs which the former peoples saw and which they rejected, and were not at all frightened or deterred by them?

Divine signs, let us say, are of two kinds: (1) Signs consisting of warning and punishment, which can also be called signs of Divine wrath. (2) Signs of glad-tidings or peace, also known as signs of Divine mercy. Signs of warning are shown to people who are hard-hearted, disobedient, faithless and of Pharaonic dispositions, so that they may take heed and their hearts may become overawed by the Might and Majesty of God. Signs of glad-tidings are meant for seekers after truth, sincere believers, lovers of guidance, and meek and humble people, who think lowly of themselves and seek to strengthen their faith. These signs are not meant as warnings. Their purpose is to bring comfort to God’s loyal servants, to deepen their faith and conviction, and to lay the hand of His grace and mercy on their troubled hearts. The believers, therefore, always continue to receive such signs through the Holy Quran and keep advancing in faith and conviction. Signs of Divine mercy bring peace and solace to the believers, dispel the anxiety which man is naturally prone to and bring tranquillity to his heart. As a reward for following the Book of God, he receives signs of glad-tidings throughout his life. Signs of peace and comfort keep descending upon him, so that he continues to advance in certainty and knowledge and reaches the stage of Haq-ul-Yaqin.8 Another blessing of these signs of glad-tidings is that, while they help a believer to advance in certainty and Divine knowledge and spiritual power, he also advances in his love for God, for he experiences His favours and His physical and spiritual bounties— both visible and hidden—with which the signs of gladtidings abound.

Hence signs of glad-tidings are truly glorious and powerful and blessed signs, leading men to their goal and carrying the seeker to the stage of perfect cognition and personal love for God, which is the ultimate stage for His friends.

Much is contained in the Holy Quran about the signs of glad-tidings. It says that these signs are not limited, and makes an eternal promise that the true followers of the Holy Quran will always continue to be blessed with such signs. He says:

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That is: For the faithful are signs of glad-tidings in the present life and also in the hereafter, which will help them advance to unlimited heights in the field of Divine love and knowledge in both worlds. These are the words of God that can never fail. To be blessed with signs of glad-tiding is the ultimate triumph. (This is what leads a person to the pinnacle of Divine love and knowledge).

Let it be known that the verse which the critic has quoted in support of his objection is concerned only with signs of warning, as this verse makes clear:

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We would be quite mistaken if we were to consider all the signs of God to be the signs of wrath, and were to understand from this verse that He sends every sign for the sole purpose of warning, and for no other reason. As I have already mentioned, signs are sent for two purposes: as warnings and as glad-tidings. The Holy Quran, and also the Bible, speak frequently of these two kinds of signs. Therefore, the only logical interpretation of the verse in question is that the signs mentioned in it are only signs of wrath. Otherwise, we will have to admit that all Divine signs are signs of wrath. But this is not at all true, for it can neither be substantiated by the Holy Book, by human reason, nor by the conscience of a pure heart.

It is now clear that, of the two kinds of signs, only the signs of wrath are mentioned in this verse. The question that now remains to be answered relates to the true connotation of the verse 11 Does it mean that God demonstrated no sign of warning at the hand of the Holy Prophet(sa); Or that such signs were not demonstrated by him as had already been shown to earlier people; Or that both were shown by the Holy Prophet(sa), with the exception of the signs of warning which had been shown to earlier people and had been rejected by them, because they did not consider them to be miracles.

A careful look at the verses under consideration makes it clear that the first two meanings cannot be correct. It would be wrong to understand from this verse that God will not send any of the numerous signs of warning which He can send, nor will He send any of the numerous signs of chastisement as are beyond human perception and are within His limitless power, merely because earlier people had rejected them. It is evident that earlier people rejected only those signs which they had witnessed, for how can something be rejected which has not been seen? While it is in the power of God to show such extraordinary signs as no man can deny, and to which everyone has to submit, and while He has the power to show every sign, and the signs of His power are infinite and limitless, how can it be correct to say that all of them have been seen and rejected within a short period of time! The fact is that only a limited number of signs could have been shown in a limited period of time. Therefore, the correct meaning of the verse is that it is futile to send again the signs which have been seen and rejected by earlier unbelievers. This is the meaning which emerges when the verse is seen in its true context. Here God refers to the she-camel of Thamud, and this reference shows that the verse relates only to signs of warning which were shown and rejected in the past. This is the third and true meaning of the verse.

Yet another point, which will make things even clearer to discerning people, is that the verse:

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bears an affirmation, rather than a negation, of miracles. The point relates to the definite article 'Al', which, according to the rules of Arabic grammar, bears either an all-inclusive connotation or a particular connotation. If the former connotation is adopted, the verse would mean, 'Nothing could hinder Us from sending all the signs, except that they have been rejected by earlier peoples.' And if we were to adopt the 'particular' connotation, the verse would mean, 'Nothing could hinder Us from showing the particular signs (which are being demanded by the unbelievers), except that they have been rejected by earlier people.' In either case, the verse affirms the showing of miracles. To say that all signs cannot be shown because they have been rejected by earlier people, proves that some signs will be shown. For instance, when somebody says that he has not given Zaid everything he possesses, it clearly means that he has given Zaid at least a portion of his possessions. Conversely, if the verse means that God did not send some particular signs, it also proves that some other signs were sent. For instance, when someone says that he has not given Zaid some particular things, it means that he has given Zaid something else.

One should first examine the verses adjacent to the one in question and see how they both speak of the signs of chastisement. Secondly, is it conceivable that all the unlimited signs and wonders, which appear from time to time as a manifestation of God’s infinite power, could have been rejected by earlier people in their limited time? Thirdly, one should consider with all fairness, whether the verse speaks of the signs of warning in particular, or if there is some mention of the signs of mercy and glad-tidings as well. Fourthly, one should look again at the article 'Al' of the word Al-Ayat and see what meaning it conveys. Having considered all the four points, every person—except the one whom prejudice keeps away from the truth—will find, not one, but thousands of testimonies to prove that the negation in this verse pertains only to a particular category of signs, and it does not in any way affect the other kinds of signs; it, in fact, categorically affirms their existence.

In these verses, Allah clearly declares that the signs of chastisement which these people demand will not be shown to them because they have been rejected by earlier people. To show, over and over again, signs which have been rejected before, would be an indication of weakness, and would not be worthy of the All-Powerful One. Thus, these verses clearly state that signs of chastisement will be shown, but in different ways. There is no need whatsoever to show the same signs again that were shown by Moses(as) or Noah(as), or the signs that were given to the people of Lot(as) or ‘Ad or Thamud. These verses have been further explained by some other verses. Allah says:

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That is: And even if they see every sign, they will not believe therein, so much so, that when they come to thee, they dispute with thee. And when there comes to them a sign, they say: 'We will never believe until we are given something similar to that which Allah’s Messengers have been given.' Say, 'I have come with a clear proof from my Lord, you see that proof and yet you reject it. That which you wish to hasten (punishment) is not within my power. Judgement lies with no one but Allah. He will make the truth clear and He is the Best of Judges. Surely, one day He will judge between you and me. Clear proofs of my Prophethood have come to you from my Lord: so whoever chooses to see, does so for his own good; and whoever turns blind does so to his own peril, and I am not a watcher over you.' And they ask thee to hasten the punishment. Say, He has the power to send punishment upon you, from above you, or from beneath your feet, or to split you into groups and make you taste one another’s wrath. And say, all praise belongs to Allah; He will soon show you His signs, which you will recognize. Say, for you is the promise of a year24 from which you cannot remain behind a single moment, nor can you get ahead of it. And they enquire of thee: Is it true? Say, Yea by my Lord, it is most true and you cannot thwart the fulfilment of God’s promises. We will soon show them Our signs around their country, as well as among them until it becomes manifest to them that this Prophet is true in his claim. Man loves haste. Certainly I will soon show you My signs, but ask Me not to make haste.

Look, how clearly and firmly these verses hold out promises of the signs that were demanded. They go so far as to say that these signs will be so clear that people will easily recognize them. If someone were to say: It is true that the Holy Quran promises signs of chastisement at several places, and these signs will surely be fulfilled some day, and we also agree that these promises were fulfilled at the time when God manifested His power and rid the Muslims of their weak and helpless state, and from a few they became thousands, and through them He subjugated all the unbelievers of Mecca, who, during their time of tyranny, had arrogantly demanded the signs of chastisement; but where, in the Holy Quran, do we find evidence that the Holy Prophet(sa)? showed other signs besides these?

Let it be clear that the Holy Quran repeatedly mentioned the showing of signs. At places it referred to signs that had already been shown. See the verse:

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Part 7, Surah Al-An‘am

At other places, the Quran refers to the biased attitude of the unbelievers and records their assertion that the signs are no more than sorcery. See the verse:

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Part 27, Surah Al-Qamar

At places the Quran presents the testimonies of the unbelievers, that they had indeed witnessed the signs, as it says:

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They have testified to the truth of the Prophet(sa), and visible signs have come to them. At places specific miracles have been described, for instance, the miracle of the splitting of the moon, which is a most extraordinary miracle indeed, and is a perfect manifestation of the power of God. I have discussed this in detail in my book Surma Chashm Arya. Anyone interested may refer to it.

It should also be remembered that the majority of those who demanded from the Holy Prophet(sa) signs of their own imagining, ultimately became witnesses to the signs of the Holy Prophet(sa) by accepting Islam and spreading it far and wide. As witnesses to the signs and miracles of the Holy Prophet(sa), they also had their testimonies recorded in books of Hadith. The attitude of critics in our time is strange: They keep repeating how these elders of faith denied these miracles in their time of ignorance—even though they ultimately withdrew from their denial with penitent hearts; but they refuse to accept the testimonies provided by the same people after they had turned to the right path!

The miracles and signs of the Holy Prophet(sa) shine from every angle, it is impossible for them to remain hidden. The miracles that have been testified by the Companions of the Holy Prophet(sa) are about three thousand in number. In addition, there are prophecies, that have already been fulfilled or are continuing to be fulfilled with the passage of time, and they number about ten thousand. Then there are some miracles and prophecies of the Holy Quran, the fulfilment of which we perceive and witness even in this age and no one can ever deny them. These are as follows:

First are the miracles of the signs of chastisement, which were shown to the unbelievers at that time, and it seems as if we too are a witness to these signs even in this age, because they are the inevitable result of some sure and inviolable premises which neither friend nor foe can deny. The first premise, which forms the foundation for these miracles, is the self-evident and incontrovertible fact that these signs were demanded from the Holy Prophet(sa) when he and his few Companions in Mecca were themselves undergoing great suffering and hardship on account of inviting people to the truth; and Islam was in such a weak and helpless state that the infidels would ridicule and taunt the Muslims by saying, "If you are true, why then are you suffering such pain and torment at our hands? Why does your God, on whom you depend, not come to your rescue? Why are you such an insignificant little group of people who are soon going to be annihilated? And if you are indeed true, then why does no punishment come down upon us?"

The Holy Quran’s reply to these taunts, at a time when the Muslims were in such a desperate state, forms the second premise which helps us to understand the true grandeur of this prophecy. It was a very trying time for the Holy Prophet(sa) and his Companions; they were always fearful for their lives and failure stared them in the face from all sides. It was at such a time that the unbelievers demanded the signs of chastisement and were told, in clear and unequivocal terms, that they would soon be shown the sign of the triumph of Islam and of their own chastisement. And Islam—which was no more than a seed at the time—would manifest itself in the form of a great tree. Those who demanded the sign of chastisement would be killed by the sword. The Arabian Peninsula would be cleared of all disbelief and all non-believers, and the governance of the whole of Arabia would fall into the hands of the believers. God Almighty would establish the faith of Islam to such an extent that idol-worship would never recur in the land. The current state of fear and insecurity would give place to peace and tranquillity. Islam would gain strength and continue to dominate until it would become victorious over other lands, and its triumph would spread far and wide. A great kingdom would be born which would not see decline till the end of the world.

When a person first looks at these two premises, and discovers that the time when this prophecy was announced was one of great hardship, despair and misery for Islam, and how the prophecy made at that time was diametrically opposed to prevailing conditions, and how it was beyond all imagination and conjecture, and was, in fact, an outright impossibility, and then casts an unprejudiced look at the history of Islam—which is accessible to friend and foe alike—he will see how clearly this prophecy was fulfilled, how powerfully it moved hearts, and how it manifested itself far and wide with all its might and power; he will then be obliged to admit that this is most certainly a miracle to which he himself is a witness, and he will remain in no doubt about it whatsoever.

The second miracle of the Holy Quran, which we can perceive and witness in our own time, is the marvellous transformation of the Companions of the Holy Prophet(sa), through their submission to the Holy Quran and under the influence of the Holy Prophet’s(sa) companionship. When we look at the kind of people they were and how they behaved before they accepted Islam, and how they were transformed by the company of the Holy Prophet(sa) and by submission to the Holy Quran, and how, in respect of their morals, their beliefs, their behaviour, their demeanour, their conduct, and all their practices, they rid themselves of their evil condition and entered into a pure and immaculate state; and when we look at the wonderful influence which brought a strange light and radiance to their rusty beings, we have to concede that this change was indeed miraculous and it was brought about specially by the Hand of God, as He says in the Holy Quran: I found them dead and I brought them to life, I found them falling into the pit of hell and I rescued them from this dreadful state, I found them ailing and I healed them, I found them in darkness and I gave them light.

In order to manifest this miracle, God Almighty has, on the one hand, described the evil condition of the people of Arabia before they accepted Islam, and, on the other, He has described their transformation into a state of piety after their acceptance of Islam, so that whoever analyzes the condition of the Arabs at the time of their denial, and compares it to their condition after they had entered the fold of Islam, will become convinced that this change was completely out of the ordinary, and was no less than a miracle.

The third miracle of the Holy Quran, to which we can ourselves testify, lies in the truths and verities, and points of beauty and subtlety which abound in its eloquent text. This miracle has been greatly emphasized in the Holy Quran. It says, let the Jinn and men join in their effort to produce the like of this Book; they shall fail. This miracle is corroborated by the fact that, although this challenge of the Holy Quran has been proclaimed loud and clear in every corner of the world for the last thirteen hundred years, no one has been able to take it up. This categorically proves that the whole human potential put together is incapable of contesting the Holy Quran. In fact, if we were to search for the equivalent of just one, out of the innumerable excellences of the Holy Quran, it would be beyond the capacity of a poor mortal to produce anything like it.

One of the many beauties of the Holy Quran, for instance, is that it is a compendium of all religious verities. There is not a single religious verity, relating to truth and wisdom, which is not to be found in the Holy Quran. But can anyone show us another book which possesses this quality? If anyone is in doubt about the Holy Quran being the compendium of all religious verities, regardless of whether he is a Christian, an Arya, a Brahmu Samajist or an atheist, he is welcome to test this claim in the manner of his own choosing and thus satisfy himself; and I undertake to satisfy any seeker after truth who comes to me.

All the sacred truths found in the Bible, all the points of truth and wisdom contained in the writings of the sages which have come to my knowledge, all the verities which have perchance been recorded and have survived in the Vedas of the Hindus that I have had the occasion to see, and all the finer points of truth and wisdom contained in hundreds of books by the Sufis that I know of, I find them all in the Holy Quran. It has become categorically and unambiguously clear to me, as a result of the perfect inductive knowledge that I have acquired from thirty long years of deep and extensive observation, that there is not a single spiritual truth that can contribute to the consummation of the self and development and training of the human mind and soul, which is not to be found in the Holy Quran. I am not alone in reaching this conclusion, the Holy Quran itself makes this claim—a claim which has been tested, not only by myself, but by thousands of scholars who have all along testified to its truth.

The fourth miracle of the Holy Quran is its spiritual influence which endures to this day, i.e., those who follow the Holy Quran, attain stations of Divine acceptance and are blessed with Divine discourse. God hears their prayers and answers them out of His love and grace. He communicates to them some of the secrets of the unseen, just as He does to His Prophets, and He distinguishes them from His other creation with signs of His help and succour. This is a sign that will last in the Muslim umma till the Day of Judgement. It has continued to be manifested in the past, it lives on to this day, and is a verifiable fact. Even today there are people among the Muslims whom God blesses with His special support and honours them with pure and true revelations, glad-tidings and news of the unseen.

Now, you who seek after truth and crave and thirst for true signs, be fair, and ponder with an unbiased mind how wonderful the signs that God Almighty has mentioned in the Holy Quran are, and how they can be seen and felt in every age! As for the miracles of earlier Prophets, they are a thing of the past and are much like fairy tales. Only God knows how authentic they really are.

This is particularly true of the miracles of Jesus(as) mentioned in the New Testament. Even though we allow for the fact that they have been related in the form of fables and tales and are full of exaggerations, it is still difficult to clear them of all the doubts and misgivings to which they are susceptible. Even if we were to suppose for a moment that there is no exaggeration in all that has been written in the New Testament about Jesus(as) curing the lame, the crippled, the paralyzed, and the sick, etc., by his mere touch, and that it is all to be taken literally, and it does not have any other connotation, even then it would not confer any merit on him.

First of all, there was a pool in those very days which could cure people suffering from all such ailments if they had a dip in it at a particular moment. This has been mentioned in the New Testament itself.

Secondly, it has been proven by long observation and research that the healing of the sick is one of the many branches of science, and many people are to be found even today who are adept in this field. This science requires extreme concentration, mental power, and expertise in controlling another person’s thoughts. Hence, this ability has nothing to do with Prophethood, and it does not even require that the person practising it should be pious. This science has been in vogue since times immemorial. Some eminent Muslim scholars—such as Mohyuddin Ibn-e- ‘Arabi, author of the Fusus, and some elders of the Naqshbandi order—are known to have been great experts in this science and had no equal in their own times. Of some of them it has been said that, with perfect concentration, and with the leave of God, they could even talk to the people who had recently passed away;28 and that they could gather two or three hundred patients around them and restore them to health with a single glance. Those who were less proficient in this art would cure a patient by touching him or his clothes. When he practised this art, the practitioner would feel as if some sort of energy was radiating from his person; and the patient would at times feel as though some poisonous matter within him was moving down to his lower limbs until it vanished altogether.

Muslims have written numerous books on this subject, and I believe the Hindus have done the same. The art of mesmerism invented by the Europeans in our time is also a branch of the same knowledge. Upon examination, the New Testament reveals that Jesus(as) was also, to an extent, proficient in this art, though not to the degree of perfection. Nevertheless, since people in those days were simpleminded and ignorant of this art, it was considered deserving of greater acclaim than it actually was. But, as time passed, and the truth became more and more evident, people grew weaker in their faith, until they began to say that healing the sick or curing the insane by such practices is not something that deserves merit, and it does not even require that one should be a believer, let alone that it should serve as a proof of someone’s Prophethood or Sainthood. They even say that to become perfect in the exercise of curing bodily ailments and to occupy oneself day and night in this vocation is very harmful for spiritual advancement, and such people are poor at imparting spiritual training, and their heart’s ability to give light to others also becomes feeble.

Perhaps it may be for this very reason that Jesus(as) proved to be so weak in imparting spiritual training. Reverend Taylor, who appears to be a man of stature on account of his office and his personal ability, writes with great regret that the spiritual training imparted by the Messiah(as) proved to be weak and ineffective. The people who formed his company, and were known as the Apostles, showed no enviable example, either in their spiritual development or in the perfection of their human capacities. (Would that Jesus(as) had concentrated less on the practice of healing the sick and had given more attention to curing the spiritual weaknesses and ailments of his disciples, and particularly those of Judas Iscariot.) At this point, the said gentleman also writes that if the Apostles are compared with the Companions of the Prophet of Arabia(sa), in their spiritual development and the strength of their faith, we would have to admit, albeit regretfully, that the Apostles were seriously lacking in spiritual development, and that Jesus’ companionship proved of little help in enhancing their faculties of mind and heart which could have earned them any merit vis-à-vis the Companions of the Holy Prophet(sa). Rather, they showed cowardice, lack of faith, meanness, worldliness and infidelity at every step. The Companions of the Arabian Prophet(sa), on the other hand, showed such sincerity and devotion, the like of which can hardly be found amongst followers of any other Prophet. This was the result of perfect spiritual training which completely transformed them and raised them to immeasurable heights. Likewise, many Western intellectuals have recently published books in which they have admitted that, if we leave aside those miracles of the Prophet of Arabia(sa) which are found duly recorded, and consider only the circumstances of his devotion to God, his faith, his steadfastness, his perfect and pure teachings, his spiritual influence, his reformation of many mischief-makers, and the implicit and explicit Divine support he enjoyed, our sense of justice compels us to admit that all these accomplishments are undoubtedly miraculous in nature and are beyond the realm of human power, and these signs are potent and powerful enough to prove the truth and authenticity of someone’s Prophethood. No man, unless God is with him, can ever succeed and become perfect in these matters, nor can he be accompanied by such unseen support.