A Response to Those Who Say: What Is Permissible as a Prophetic Miracle Is Permissible as a Miracle of a Close Friend of Allah

The questioner : In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and may blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them. As for what follows:
He says:The questioner : We heard one of the shaykhs say: What is permissible as a miracle for a Prophet is permissible as a miracle for a close friend of Allah?

The Shaykh : It is sufficient for us to say that this statement is the word of some shaykhs, and the matter ends there. It is not the word of Allah, nor a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), for us to concern ourselves with addressing it or exposing its falsity. On the other hand, it is a false statement from its very origin. This is because among the miracles of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is this Noble Qur'an, which is the miracle of all miracles, as indicated in some authentic hadiths. If we take that statement in its absolute sense—that what was a miracle for a Prophet is permissible as a miracle for a close friend of Allah—then the Qur'an was a miracle for our Prophet. Is it permissible for that to be a miracle for a close friend of Allah among the followers of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)? This is impossible.
Yes, according to the method of the extremists among the Sufis, it is possible for that to be the case. But what is built on a defective foundation is itself defective. Unfortunately, it is mentioned in a book that has perhaps been reprinted more times than "Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim." It is the book known as "Tabaqat al-Awliya" (The Ranks of the Close Friends of Allah) or "Tabaqat al-Awliya" by 'Abd al-Wahhab al-Sha'rani. In this book, he mentioned many and very many grave errors and calamities that contradict the principles and rules of the Islamic Shari'ah. I am amazed at how this book is printed dozens of times and circulated among Muslims, while the "Two Sahihs" do not have such circulation!
It is mentioned in it what fits the answer to the previous statement: that he visited a shaykh of his, and stood under the door, beneath a window. Then he heard a voice that seemed as if its owner was reciting from the Noble Qur'an. But when he listened carefully and understood what was being read, he found that it was not something from the Qur'an, because he knew the verses of the Qur'an, and he could distinguish Qur'anic speech from human speech like it. He said: When the man finished his recitation, I was certain that he was reciting divine speech other than the Noble Qur'an; because he said: "O Allah, bestow the reward of what I have recited from Your speech upon my shaykh so-and-so ibn so-and-so," as is their custom. This is mentioned in "Tabaqat al-Awliya" by al-Sha'rani. So, it is possible that this statement originated from that misguidance that became a rule among them. We refute it with our correct 'aqidah (creed): that this statement, or this rule, is a false rule; because it necessitates that speech like the Noble Qur'an from the Lord of the Worlds be brought by one who is not a Prophet. Because they said: What was a miracle for a Prophet is permissible as a miracle for a close friend of Allah. And we find this stated in the book "Tabaqat" by al-Sha'rani. Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to be deceived by such a statement. It is sufficient for one to know that it is a statement for which Allah has not sent down any authority.