Why Prophets Don't Grant Miracles on Demand
The Conditions of Prophethood and the Purpose of Miracles in Surah Al-Anbiya
Summary
In this episode of Tafseer Surat Al-Anbiya, Sheikh Ali Mashhour addresses the Meccan disbelievers' demand for miracles according to their own specifications. He explains that miracles (Ayat) are signs and evidence of prophethood meant to establish beyond doubt that the prophet is from Allah, not arbitrary demonstrations granted upon request. The disbelievers' insistence on specific miracles reflected their predetermined rejection rooted in arrogance, not genuine doubt. The sheikh demonstrates that Prophet Muhammad received miracles equal to or superior to those of previous prophets, citing examples like the parting of the moon compared to Musa's parting of the sea.
The lecture then transitions to explaining the conditions and characteristics of prophethood as established in Surah Al-Anbiya. Sheikh Mashhour outlines the unanimous criteria that all prophets must meet: they must be human (not from the jinn), male, free (not enslaved), morally upright, and protected by Allah from major sins and obscene minor sins. He emphasizes that these conditions are consistent across all prophets from Adam to Muhammad. The sheikh concludes by explaining that the Quran's challenge to "ask the people of knowledge" refers to the People of the Book, particularly Jews, inviting them to verify the continuity and legitimacy of prophethood from Noah through Muhammad.
Note: This transcript was generated using YouTube's automatic captioning, with AI-assisted cleanup for readability. It may contain inaccuracies due to background noise, audio quality, or limitations of the transcription software — particularly during Arabic recitation. Listener discretion is advised; please refer to the original video for precise wording.
They wanted him to provide them with a miracle that would be according to what they wanted, what they requested. A miracle upon request And they came with all kinds of fanciful requests. We mentioned that it is not a condition. Nor is it even appropriate. That the prophets and messengers come to their people and provide miracles based on what their what agonist desire of them. This is not something which is the purpose of a miracle. The purpose of the miracles of the prophets and messengers and the signs of their prophethood is that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala named their miracles as not He named them as Ayat. Ayat. He referred to the miracles of the prophets as evidences signs and that is really gets to the core of what the purpose of these miracles are. It's supposed to be a sign, an evidence that is beyond any doubt. Beyond any reasonable doubt. That This is in fact a prophet from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. This is the purpose of these evidences, of these signs, these miracles. And the prophet was sent with a plethora of miracles. As was mentioned by and others Of the scholars of the Muslim that the prophet miracles were more than a thousand. If we were to really go through all of the miracles found in the Quran, mentioned in the Quran, mentioned in the sunnah, there are more than a thousand. So, it's not as if he didn't provide any evidence for his prophethood. This was provided abundantly. Rather what it is is that they wanted it to be according to their choosing, according to their request. However, the people that requested specific miracles from their messengers never believed. They would not believe because they had already predetermined and decided that they would not believe no matter what this prophet or messenger showed them or brought to them. It was an issue of arrogance and an issue of antagonism. Not an issue of doubt. They may express doubt. They may say we doubt this but in their heart of hearts, they do not doubt. And noone can doubt after having met with a prophet or a messenger and seen the miracles and seen thee. Seeing thee, substance of this prophet or messengers, religion would doubt. This doubt is is unfounded. illogical However, it's an issue of antagonism. We want to come up with any reason where we can exonerate ourselves from the shame of rejecting a messenger of god. and so they come with these fanciful requests and the prophet and the prophets and messengers are not in any way obligated to honor these requests. Because they are not part of the message. So, they say, if he is truly a messenger, why doesn't he provide us with miracles like the miracles of the prophets that preceded him? The scholars mention in reviewing and researching prophet life and legacy mentioned, they mentioned that There has never been sent a messenger or prophet except that our prophet Muhammad has been given similar or superior miracles to that prophet or messenger. As an instance of this, Musa Alaihi Salam, one of his miracles was that the sea parted and the miracle of the prophet is that the moon was parted. It's mentioned as well in the Quran that was able to was able by the will of Allah. you have the dead speak and this happened after the prophet with in the time of the companions. Ibrahim Alaihi Salam One of his miracles was that he was thrown in the fire and not burned. and this happened with one of the one of the in the time of the companions, in the time of Omar. Abu Idris The great Muhadith of Dimashk. And the Taberine, was in his home sleeping and his entire house burned down around him. Everything, and he was left unscathed. And subsequently, Omar Radi Allah demanded to meet. after this incident, etcetera, etcetera. Anything that is considered miraculous for his is part of his miracles as well. but the issue here is not just that We have an overwhelming body of evidence supporting the validity of the prophet message. The issue is as Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, No people, not a single town that we have destroyed, has preceded except that they as well ask for a sign, a miracle according to their discretion, and when it came to them, they rejected it and refused it. So, if that is the case and that is the pattern of history, shall we expect these individuals to believe, and to break that pattern obviously, the answer is no. Highly unlikely, if not impossible. While Allah him, Allah.
[Silence]
Why would you follow a man just yourselves? He should have been an angel. He should have been this. He should have been that. He should have been from another country. He should have spoken another language. All of these silly things that they came up with. And so Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala addresses this and he says That which translates to and we have never sent before you accept, meaning as messengers or prophet, except men whom we send revelation to. So, then, ask the people of knowledge before you, if you do not know. So, here, we have a couple of things. Number one, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala mentions that he has always sent men. and that is the One of the conditions of prophethood All of the prophets have conditions, unanimous conditions, unanimous criteria that they meet. Number one, they are all human beings. They are not from the Jin. And that goes back to the nature of the that they are. That they are obscure from us as humans, but we are not obscure from the and so it would stand to reason that messengers and prophets from the time of Adam until the time of Muhammad would all be from a people that everyone could observe and see and have access to. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala mentions that he place prophethood and he placed the book and the revelation in the offspring and the lineage of Noor and Ibrahim. And there is no jin from their lineage. Number two, that they are male It must be male There are no female prophets. There are no female messengers. and that is clear with regards to in reading the Quran and that is the correct opinion. Very very few scholars throughout history have ever viewed that a woman may be a prophet or a messenger. a prophet such as Mariam Alaihi Salam or Umusa These were not prophets. They were merely righteous women. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says about Isa and his mother Mariam and if anybody in the whole Quran of the women mentioned is more likely to be a prophet, it would be Mariam Alaihi Salam. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says,.
[Silence]
High-ranking in righteousness. If she was more than that, he would've he would've mentioned that she's a prophet or that she's a messenger. Likewise, another condition of prophethood is that The prophet be emancipated, not be a slave own owned by another person because this would limit this prophet's ability to spread and propagate the message of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So, when a prophet is sent, they are sent as free. Another condition to prophethood is morality. trustworthiness They cannot be immoral, untrustworthy, deceitful not before prophethood and not after certainly. Likewise, general morality That is protected by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala which is referred to as Al Isma. Al Isma means that they are protected and prevented by Allah. From committing major sins. from consistently committing minor sins committing minor sins that are obscene or perverse in nature. and whether they can may is it possible for one of them to commit a minor sin not continuously, and not a minor sin that is perverse in nature, or not? This is a difference of opinion amongst the scholars of Islam. After agreeing on all of the previously mentioned things. And so all of the prophets and messengers who preceded the prophet Muhammad they were of this caliber and they had these descriptions. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala then says, ask then the people of knowledge if you do not know. This is a reference to the people of the book. predominantly the Jews because they are more of a people of knowledge and so this is a challenge to trace the lineage of the prophets and messengers in the previous revelations of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. and two, compare the prophet Muhammad in those descriptions. And does he fit that criteria? Is he unique in any of those senses? The answer is no and you will find a solid, connected interwoven, chain of prophethood from the time of Noah Alaihi Salam to the time of the prophet.
[Arabic recitation]