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Magic, Miracles, and the Supernatural in the Quran

See: https://islam4u.pro/blog/miracles-in-the-quran/

and: https://freejna.dewa.gov.ae/ramadan/the-miracles-of-some-prophets-and-messengers.html

Magic

Creatures

The existence and attributes of Jinn

The Quran, Hadith and Sira all support the existence of supernatural, generally invisible creatures known as Jinn (جن‎ ǧinn, singular جني ǧinnī ; variant spelling djinn) living among us. In the Qur'an, satan/devil(s) are also jinn (Quran 18:50), which like humans are sent prophets and have (at least some: see Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Predestination) free-will and will be judged accordingly alongside mankind (Quran 6:130). They can interact with us (Quran 6:128) and even possess humans (Quran 2:275) (which the main article elaborates on), and cause people to forget things (Quran 18:63). As well as create buildings/structures (Quran 34:12-13). There is no evidence that these exist.

El-Zein (2009) notes the Qur’an mentions only three terms related to the species of jinn: the generic “jinn,” marid, and ‘ifrit. However, Arabic and Islamic literature provides extended descriptions of them as sub-types of jinn (and others not specifically mentioned in the Qur'an.^[1]

Iblis/the Satan

Iblis (إبليس), also known as al-Shaytan (الشيطان) or "The Devil" (as opposed to other, lesser devils, or shayatin, who are not The Devil), is the Islamic equivalent of Satan who is responsible for Adam and Eve's fall from Heaven as well as for the perennial temptation of humankind to sin. Iblis is understood to be the specific name of the being who eventually becomes The Devil after disobeying Allah's order to prostrate to Adam, the first human. The classical Islamic tradition was divided as to whether Iblis is a fallen angel or merely a jinn who, after having been so devout as to rank among the angels, became jealous of Adam, arrogant, and then irredeemably evil. Today, however, Iblis is almost universally held to be a uniquely corrupt jinn. The Qur'an reads, "And (remember) when We said unto the angels: Fall prostrate before Adam, and they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord's command."

The existence and attributes of angels

The Quran, Hadith and Sira affirms the existence of angels (see angel and angels on Quran Corpus), traditionally said to be made from light as mentioned in (Sahih Muslim 42:7134 - Islamic tradition),^[2] while other have asserted they are made from fire like jinn based on (see: Quran 38:73-76 and Quran 7:11-12),^[3] before humans Quran 2:30.

They are also God's messengers like humans, and have two, three or four (pairs of) wings.

They are said to hold God’s throne (in the seventh heaven) (Q 40:7, 69:17) and some stand around it (Q 40:7). Eight angels will carry the throne of God on Judgement Day(Q 69:17). Two write down everyone's deeds for judgment day  (Q 50:17 – 21), they also ask forgiveness for the faithful on Earth (Q 42:5), help fight with believers against non-believers (Q 8:12) chastise unbelievers (Q 8:50). As well as blow the trumpets on judgement day^[4] in e.g. Q 6:73, Q18:99.

They praise and worship God constantly Q13:13 Q 7:206, 21:19, 40:7, 41:38, 42:5, 69:17 and carry out his divine will.

They also have an active role in the cosmos, striking spying jinn devils from attempting to listen in to divine information from the 'exalted assembly', to be stuck by stars/meteors/fireballs (see: shooting stars in the Quran). (Q 15:16 – 18), (Q 37:6 – 10) Q67:5, 72:8-9; with Q 72:8 – 9 says that the firmament is filled with guards [ḥaras], who are undoubtedly angels.^[5]

They can be messengers https://www.saet.ac.uk/Islam/Angels.pdf

There is no evidence that these exist.

Invisible armies assumed to be angels - fight in wars:

O you who have faith! Remember Allah’s blessing upon you when the hosts came at you, and We sent against them a gale and hosts whom you did not see, and Allah sees best what you do. Q33:9

The possible Existence of cherubs

The Qur'an mentions 'al-muqarrabūn' [Those close to god]. The traditional view of 'al-muqarrabūn' [Those close to god] is often a rank of angels.^[6] However some academics have suggested these are cherubs.

Houri's (Heavenly Virgins)

Heavenly maidens to service righteous men in heaven.

Giants?

According to some prominent tafsirs these powerful people were giants.^[7]

Gog and Magog

Yājūj and Mājūj - Get hadith/tafsir with them being described as monsters - TMA video. Most say humans, some say mythical creatures.

Buraq, the winged horse

While it took one week to travel from Mecca to Jerusalem (the location of the alleged 'farthest Mosque') by camel, the Qur'an states that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, transported Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem in a matter of minutes. Creatures like the Buraq were common characters in near Easter myths.

The existence of magic and sorcerers

Main article: Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Witchcraft and the Occult

No evidence has ever proven that magic is real. However, Quran 113:4 ("evil of those who blow on knots") is reported in commentaries as referring to those who practice magic.^[8] Knots were commonly associated with magic in antiquity.^[9] The next verse, Quran 113:5 ("evil of the envious when he envies), is said to refer to a superstitious belief known as 'The Evil Eye', a physical and mental supernatural condition that affects those who envy. For further explanation see the main article.

At least once, humans are taught magic by satans (believed to be jinn) and angels (Harut and Marut are named in this verse):

Miracles and myths

While miracles by definition are supposed to defy the laws of nature and scientific explanation, the examples of myths and legends briefly listed in this section illustrate the pre-scientific worldview with which the Quran was composed.

Prophet Miracles

Adam

Noah

Lived to be 950 years old

q

Abraham

Magically cooling fire

We said, ‘O fire! Be cool and safe for Abraham!’ [21: 69]

Cut up birds and bring them back to life

And when Abraham said, ‘My Lord! Show me how You revive the dead,’ He said, ‘Do you not believe?’ He said, ‘Yes indeed, but in order that my heart may be at rest.’ He said, ‘Catch four of the birds. Then cut them into pieces, and place a part of them on every mountain, then call them; they will come to you hastening. And know that Allah is all-mighty and all-wise.’ [2: 260]

Stars guiding

Ishmael

Joseph

Dream interpreting

Birds are seen in a dream which Joseph (q.v.) interprets (Q 12:36, 41).

Job

Moses

Sea split in half

The Quran present a version of the Biblical story where Moses splits the sea and crosses it with the Israelites. There is no historical or other evidence that such an event occurred.

Plagues of Egypt

God sent plagues of locusts, lice and frogs to punish the sinful Egyptians who thought themselves mighty (Q7:133)

Mountain lifted up and dropped in front of him

David

Mountains and birds sing psalms

The Qur'an states that hills and birds would sing the psalms with David.

A

Solomon

Solomon's Army of jinn and birds

A story in the Qur'an, drawing on Jewish folklore, states that Solomon commanded a massive army comprised of 'Jinns and men and birds'. Solomon is described as speaking with a Hoopoe bird and thereafter desiring to execute the bird when it is tardy to his assembly. The Hoopoe bird, it is then revealed, was only delayed because it had been spying on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba, who Solomon subsequently insists is misguided and must be conquered. At this point, Solomon assigns a Jinn from his assembly the task of stealing Queen Sheba's magnificent throne. There is, however, no scientific evidence that Jinn exist, that birds can be commanded as soldiers, or that birds can engage in elaborate conversations with humans.

Jesus

Jesus talking from his Cradle

(And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah). He will speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the righteous. Quran 3:45-46

Supernatural food

The Qur'an states that Jesus received a feast sent down from heaven.

Allah Miracles

Mooing statue

The Qur'an describes a statue of a calf that was capable of mooing.

Stick turned serpent

The Quran states that Moses' staff transformed into a serpent.

Qarun swallowed

“Qarun was of the people of Moses, but he acted insolently towards them, even though We had given him such great treasures that even its keys would be too heavy for a company of strong men. His people said to him: ‘Exult not, for Allah does not love those who exult (in riches)… and do good (to others) as Allah has done good to you, and do not seek to make mischief in the land…’ He said: ‘I have been given this only on account of the knowledge I have’… So We caused the earth to swallow him up and his house. Then he had no one to help him against Allah, nor could he help himself.” (26: 76-78)

Living inside a big fish

The Quran presents a version of the Biblical tale in which Jonah is swallowed by a whale ('the big Fish') and then lives in the whale for some time while praying. Scientific research, however, suggests that a person could not persist long inside a whale's digestive tract and, if not crushed by the whale or by water pressure, would almost immediately suffocate.

The She-Camel of Salih

https://quranx.com/tafsirs/7.73

And to [the people of] Thamud [We sent] Salih, their brother. He said, ‘O my people, worship Allah! You have no other god besides Him. There has certainly come to you a manifest proof from your Lord. This she-camel of Allah is a sign for you. Let her alone to graze [freely] in Allah’s land, and do not cause her any harm, for then you shall be seized by a painful punishment.

Quran 7:73

Speaking body parts

The Quran states that human organs will, on the Day of Judgement, testify against their own persons.

Manipulating the wind

The Quran says that Solomon had the power to control the wind and traditional sources elaborate that Solomon could use this wind to fly upon a gigantic wooden carpet to wherever he pleased.

Testimony of a dead man

The Quran states that Allah instructed a group of people to strike a murdered man with a piece of a heifer (young female cow that has not yet borne a calf) in order to temporarily resurrect him and discover the identity of the murderer.

Add fish coming back to life/magical sea as one Q 18:61-5;

Dead fish (for food) comes back to life at the junction of the two seas

Moses's dead fish comes back to life at the junction of the two seas, showing a huge parallel with late antique Christian? literature

dsda

Army of magic birds attacking Abraha's army

Main article: Historical Errors in the Quran - Surah of the elephant

Talk of interpretation of words issue or not? Link to explanation of event such as tafsir.

Jews transformed into pigs and apes as a punishment

Q5:60 transforming jews into apes and pigs and some Jews were transformed into detestable apes as punishment for breaking the Sabbath (Q 2:65; 7:166).

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes.

Solomons dead body doesn't decompose properly

The mention of the termite (dabbat al-ard) gnawing Solomon’s staff displays knowledge of its eating habits (Q 34:14).

Solomon speaks to an ant

Solomon (q.v.) understands the speech of an ant advising caution to his fellows (Q 27:18.)

Raven

• God also dispatched the raven which showed Cain how to hide the corpse of his brother Abel

Vivifying Rainfall and Resurrection

The author of the Qur'an claims several times that rainfall brings trees of a dead land to life, so in the same way, people will be brought back to life. This is a non-sequitur fallacy. One is a natural process; the other is not possible, hence it cannot be deduced from the first.

It is Allah Who sends forth the Winds, so that they raise up the Clouds, and We drive them to a land that is dead, and revive the earth therewith after its death: even so (will be) the Resurrection!

Quran 35:9

That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead);-

Quran 43:11

And among His Signs in this: thou seest the earth barren and desolate; but when We send down rain to it, it is stirred to life and yields increase. Truly, He Who gives life to the (dead) earth can surely give life to (men) who are dead. For He has power over all things.

Quran 41:39

Cures Yahya's wife barreness

“And (remember) Zakariya, when he cried to his Lord: ‘O, my Lord! leave me not childless, and Thou art the best of inheritors.’ So We responded to him, and We granted him Yahya, We cured his wife’s (barrenness) for him. These (three) were ever quick in emulation in good works; they used to call on Us with love and reverence, and humble themselves before Us.” (21: 89-90)

Gives Abraham and his old wife a child

“There came Our messengers to Abraham with glad tidings. They said, ‘Peace!’ He answered, ‘Peace!’ and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf. But when he saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: ‘Fear not: we have been sent against the people of Lut.’ And his wife was standing (there), and she laughed, but We gave her glad tidings of Isaac, and after him, of Jacob. She said, ‘Alas for me! shall I bear a child, seeing I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would indeed be a wonderful thing!’ They said, ‘Dost thou wonder at Allah’s decree? The grace of Allah and His blessings on you, O, ye people of the house! For He is indeed worthy of all praise, full of all glory!’” (11: 69-73)

Punishment narrative miracles/destructions

Explain narrative - get quote from Marshall or Durie.

Or just keep solely to myths and link to the Chronology page where it can be discussed in more detail / broken down into early/late middle Meccan periods?

Quotes from other scholars

(early Meccan period quote

Main academic works on this inc Marshall, David. God, Muhammad and the Unbelievers, Durie, Mark. Biblical Reflexes in the Qur'an: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion Chapters 2 & 3.

Threatened to Mecca as well

Natural law in the Quran

Get Al-Ghazali quote on every single thing being determined by God.

God active in the Cosmos & continuous creation

• war:

“They have taken gods other than He, in order that they be given victory, but they are not able to give them victory.” (36: 74-75) - also loses battles to

Similarly: “Why did those whom they had chosen for gods as a way of approach (unto God) not help them? Nay, but they did fail them utterly. And that was their lie, and what they used to invent.” (46: 28)

Quran 9:26 (angels you can't see help)

“You did not kill them, but God killed them, and you didn’t shoot the arrows when you shot, but God shot them.” (8: 17)

“Allah had helped you at Badr, when ye were a contemptible little force; then fear Allah, that you may show your gratitude. Remember, you said to the Faithful, ‘Is it not enough for you that Allah should help you with three thousand angels, sent down?’ Nay, but if you remain firm, and act aright, even if the enemy should rush here on you suddenly, your Lord would help you with five thousand angels, making a terrific onslaught. Allah made it but a message of hope for you, and an assurance to your hearts. There is no help except from Allah. The Exalted, the Wise.” (3: 123-126)

• wind

(It is) God who sends the winds, and it stirs up a cloud, and We drive it to some barren land, and by means of it give the earth life after its death. So (too) is the raising up. (Q 35:9)

• ships that drown
• Birds held up by God & parallel
• Inanimate objects worship god: All created things naturally adore God (Q 13:13: “the thunder adores by praising him”). See Q22:18 "Have you not regarded that whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth prostrates to Allah, as well as the sun, the moon, and the stars, the mountains, the trees, and the animals and many humans?."
• Moreover, all the creatures in heaven or on earth, as a sign of their devotion to the creator, perform this act directly or by means of their shadows (Q 7:206; 13:15; 16:4.8-9; 22:18; 55:6).
• Wind by allah - pre-Islamic allah poetry parallel in Sinai paper?
• Mountains and earth couldn't deal with task of being human? Worshipping or something they were asked?
• he animals (every dabba, Q 16:49; 22:18) worship God by prostrating themselves, including the birds, which do so while flying (Q 24:41).
• Cause of Lightning: The Quran claims that Lightning is a sign of Allah, it frightens people and gives them hope. But lightning is a complex electrical phenomenon and only somebody without this knowledge would simply attribute it to Allah. And among His Signs, He shows you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope, and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is dead: Quran 30:24

Not random cause and effect;

Bestows favours: “And whatever favour is (bestowed) on you it is from God.” (16: 53)

Regulates all affaris: “He regulates affairs from the heaven to the earth.” (32: 5)

“Say: the angel of death, who is given charge of you, shall cause you to die.” (32: 11)

“And His are the ships sailing smoothly through the seas, lofty as mountains.” (55: 24) “And, surely, We have honoured the children of Adam, and We carry them in the land and the sea.” (17: 70) “Your Lord is He Who speeds the ships for you in the sea that you may seek of His grace; surely He is ever Merciful to you.” (17: 66)

Makes female & male: scientific error? :makes barren “He creates whatever He wants and bestows female to whomever He wants and bestows male to whomever He wants. Or He mingles them, males and females, and He makes barren whom He pleases. Lo! He is Knower, Powerful.” (42: 49-50)

Punishes towns that aren't grateful to him in general

“And Allah sets forth a parable: (Consider) a town safe and secure to which its means of subsistence come in abundance from every quarter; but it became ungrateful to Allah’s favors, therefore Allah made it to taste the utmost degree of hunger and fear because of what they wrought.” (16: 112)

Anthropomorphisms of Allah

Non transcendent - Hands, eyes, ears, throne, carried light - photons,

Look up Nicolai Sinai Entry 2024 and Intro 2017 book

External Links

Yasir Qadhi on Ya'juj & Ma'Juj (Gog and Magog) - YouTube video by Hassan Radwan

The lost tribes of Gog & Magog in Islam - YouTube video by The Masked Arab

References