al-Imām ‘Abd al-Salām Ibn al-Laqqānī (d. 1078) says in Ithāf al-Murīd:
"The definition of a miracle is: A break in normalcy that is coupled with a challenge that is not opposed [by something else].
And the challenge is: Claiming Prophethood.
"The definition of a miracle is: A break in normalcy that is coupled with a challenge that is not opposed [by something else].
And the challenge is: Claiming Prophethood.
This definition includes what scholars have concluded to be the 7 conditions of a miracle:
1. That it is an action of Allah ﷻ for it to be an affirmation from Him ﷻ.
Like water pouring from his blessed fingers ﷺ, or the fire not burning Ibrāhīm عليه السلام.
1. That it is an action of Allah ﷻ for it to be an affirmation from Him ﷻ.
Like water pouring from his blessed fingers ﷺ, or the fire not burning Ibrāhīm عليه السلام.
2. That it is against normalcy, since there is nothing miraculous without it.
3. That it comes at the hands of a claimant of Prophethood, for it to affirm his claim.
3. That it comes at the hands of a claimant of Prophethood, for it to affirm his claim.
4. That it comes after his claim to Prophethood; since (the miracle) is a testimony of his truthfulness, which can't be before he makes the claim.
5. That it is the same as what he claimed, thus what contradicts it doesn't count as an affirmation (of his Prophethood from Allah).
5. That it is the same as what he claimed, thus what contradicts it doesn't count as an affirmation (of his Prophethood from Allah).
Like someone who says: I will split the sea,
But the mountain splits instead.
6. That it doesn't testify to him lying.
Like someone saying: My miracle is that this stone will speak.
And then it speaks and says: You are a lying fabricator.
But the mountain splits instead.
6. That it doesn't testify to him lying.
Like someone saying: My miracle is that this stone will speak.
And then it speaks and says: You are a lying fabricator.
7. That it cannot be replicated, except by another Prophet.
Some scholars added an 8th condition: That it does not occur at a time where normalcy is already being broken. So what will happen at the final hour will not count as an affirmation for a claimant of Prophethood.
Some scholars added an 8th condition: That it does not occur at a time where normalcy is already being broken. So what will happen at the final hour will not count as an affirmation for a claimant of Prophethood.
As al-Sa‘d [al-Taftāzānī] said: A miracle is that which occurs against normalcy, at the hands of a claimant to Prophethood, when the claimant is opposed by deniers (of his Prophethood), in a way the deniers would be unable to replicate it.
And Allah ﷻ knows best."
And Allah ﷻ knows best."
Note: This is aside from concluding whether something actually happened or not, which would then be the job of the science of Mustalah not Kalām.
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