# If miracles don't break nature's laws, what is the point of miracles?

*Why need miracles? Believe privately if you wish, but do not preach them*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/eo90sv4jvho/s/19/
- Date: 2021-01-05 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #196 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (1:29:58–1:33:00)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo90sV4JVHo&t=5398s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/eo90sv4jvho/

**Topics:** Prophethood and miracles; Dawah and debate culture

**Question as asked:** Somebody may ask, what then is the point of miracles?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Belief does not need supernatural miracles; private belief in them is fine, but preaching them as standard Islam damages Islam.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says Muslims may privately believe in supernatural miracle stories, though he does not think they are correct; his only problem is when they are preached as standard Islam.

**Evidence, his words at 1:32:09:** “I will say that I don't believe they're correct but I'm not going to try to force you or strongarm you. My only problem is when you preach them as standard Islam” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo90sV4JVHo&t=5529s)

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth poses the question of what the point of miracles is and asks where the idea comes from that belief requires a miracle, when life, consciousness and the hand of God in our lives are miracle enough. He says that believing only with a miracle is not faith. Replying to a chat comment, he says people may privately believe in supernatural miracles, rocks cracking open and animals jumping out, and he will not try to refute or strongarm them, though he does not think they are correct. His problem is when such stories are presented to non-Muslims as standard Islam, are destroyed, and make Islam look silly. He adds that the topic raises the deeper question of why such miracles do not happen today.

## Sources and names cited

- iman

## Transcript (machine tier, 1:29:58–1:33:00)

[1:29:36] Um, it was not because I uh, you know, some people said, "Oh, were you scared of his argument?" Obviously, I'm not. I'm more than happy to entertain any argument, but it was just it's making me feel not too well discussing it. Okay. So, cool. Let's move on.

[1:29:58] So, somebody may ask, look, what is then the point of miracles? And I've said, look, where do you get this from that we need miracles? Where do you get this from that we need a miracle to believe? Is not life a miracle enough?

[1:30:19] Is not consciousness a miracle enough? Do you not experience the hand of God touching your lives a miracle enough? Why? Why? Where do you get this that I will only believe in God when I have a miracle? Well, you know that belief is is for for the weak. You know, it's not real.

[1:30:45] I iman is this is what faith is. It's believing. Okay. So, cool. I hope that makes sense. Uh, you're doing it. said a mui. Some people said to some it isn't. I get that. To some it isn't. And look in your personal lives, whatever you want to believe is up to you.

[1:31:11] Okay? If you want to believe that certain miracles happen, that's fine. If you want to believe like supernatural miracles happen, that's fine. If you want to believe that rocks cracked open and animals jumped out and all of these things, fine. The only problem is when you start presenting this to non-Muslims as a universal claim and then they come back and destroy it [Laughter] and by destroying it they then make Islam look silly.

[1:31:43] So as a personal private belief you can believe it. I have no problem with whatever you believe. You can believe in you know in supernatural laws and uh anything. I mean person can believe in goblins and whatever. To me even if you as a Muslim believe in all these supernatural stories it doesn't bother me. I'm not going to try to refute you. I'm not going to try to say to you you need to stop believing in them.

[1:32:09] Um obviously I mean I will say that I don't believe they're correct but I'm not going to try to force you or strongarm you. My only problem is when you preach them as standard Islam and then they get destroyed and as a consequence Islam gets damaged. That's my problem. Cool.

[1:32:34] Uh and I think one of the serious problems with this topic as well is because people feel then why are these miracles not happening today? Why are they not happening? Because there's an element of God has changed. You see, so these are deeper philosophical questions. Cool. Let's move on to some of the questions that you guys are asking.

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment eo90sV4JVHo/s/19. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/eo90sv4jvho/s/19/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.