The questioner from Morocco, may the Shaykh be honored, says: I hope the honorable Shaykh will tell me about the following
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The questioner : The questioner from Morocco, may the Shaykh be honored, says: I hope the honorable Shaykh will tell me about the following. First, I have heard about the awliya (close friends of Allah), this is the first point, and I have heard about the karamat (miracles granted to a righteous person) that occur for some of the pious. Can you tell us about the authenticity of that, may you be rewarded?
The Shaykh : First, we must know who the awliya (close friends of Allah) are? Who are the awliya of Allah? We say that the awliya of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, are those whom Allah mentioned in His saying:[Yunus 10:62-63] So whoever is a believer and pious, he is a wali (close friend of Allah) for Allah, whether the common people have made him famous and claimed him to be a wali, or whether he is hidden from the people and does not like to be known. The wali is the believing, pious person. This is the first point.
Second, does every wali have a karamah (a miracle granted to a righteous person)? The answer is no; not every wali has a karamah. Rather, among the awliya, there are those to whom Allah the Exalted grants a tangible karamah that he witnesses himself and that people witness. And there are people for whom Allah makes their karamah an increase in their faith and piety. This karamah is greater than the first, sensory karamah, because this karamah is more beneficial for the servant than the first karamah, since the first karamah is a cause for increasing faith and piety, whereas the increase in faith and piety is the ultimate goal. For this reason, we find that karamat were fewer among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) compared to the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions), because the karamat of the Companions were in the increase of their faith and piety, and the Tabi'un were not like the Companions in that regard. Therefore, karamat were more numerous in their time than in the time of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
And karamat are either in knowledge and unveiling, or in the manifestation of effects and powers.
As for the first, it is that something is revealed to a person that no one else knows. It is mentioned regarding the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), that he was preaching to the people on Friday on the minbar of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and they heard him saying: "The mountain, O Sariyah, the mountain, O Sariyah". They were amazed by that. The matter was that one of the commanders was besieged in a confrontation between him and his enemies, and it was revealed to 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was on the minbar, so he addressed him saying: "The mountain, O Sariyah". The commander heard him and moved to the mountain. This was a directive from the supreme commander, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), to the commander of the detachment or army from a distant place, and he heard it. At that time, there were no wireless or radio telephones, but it was the power of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. This is a karamah in unveiling; Allah revealed to him what was not accessible to others.
Also included in that is the karamah in power, where Allah the Exalted grants a person a power that was not granted to others. Among such things is what is mentioned in the expeditions of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him). He was fighting the Persians, and Allah opened up their lands for him, one country after another, until he reached the Tigris River. When he reached the river, he found that the Persians had sunk the ships, broken the bridges, and fled to the eastern side of the river. So Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) paused, wondering what to do. He called for Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him), who had experience with the conditions of the Persians and what they do in battle, and consulted him. That is, Sa'd consulted Salman al-Farisi about what to do. Salman said to him: "O Sa'd, there is nothing we can do except to look at the army and see if they have the faith and piety that qualifies them for victory, or not? Let me examine the people and look at their condition." So Sa'd waited for him. He went to the army and inspected their conditions and looked at their deeds. He found them (may Allah be pleased with them) spending the night in prostration and standing in worship to their Lord, and during the day they were rectifying their affairs and preparing for battle. After three days, he returned to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and informed him of the news. He said: "The people of Moses are not more deserving of victory than we are. Allah split the sea for them and saved them from Pharaoh and his people. And we will cross this river, by the permission of Allah." So Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) announced the departure and advance to the river. He said: "I will say the takbir (saying Allahu akbar) three times. When I say the third takbir, mount your horses and cross." So they did. They waded through the water as if they were walking on dry land, their horses, men, and camels, until they crossed the river while it was flowing and throwing up its foam. When the Persians saw them, some of them said to others: "You are not fighting humans, but you are fighting jinn." So they fled from al-Mada'in, which was their capital, until the Muslims entered it and Allah opened it for them.
This is a karamah where they were enabled to do something that humans cannot do by their own powers, where they waded through the water and the river was flowing. This is how the historians mentioned this story. This is a karamah in power, and the story of 'Umar is a karamah in unveiling, where Allah reveals to him what others cannot perceive.
And a karamah can be in knowledge, where Allah opens up for a person knowledge that He does not open up for others. Among those, in our opinion, is what Allah opened up for Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) of great knowledge, knowledge of transmission and knowledge of reason, until you almost doubt this great power that Allah enabled him to and opened up for him of knowledge.
Among the karamat is what happened to Maryam (peace be upon her) when she was pregnant with 'Isa ibn Maryam (peace and blessings be upon him). The pains of childbirth came to her at the trunk of a palm tree, and she sat on this trunk. She said:[Maryam 19:23-25] He said: [Maryam 19:25] But the branch of the palm tree shook and ripe dates fell from it. The palm tree is undoubtedly taller than a person's height, because if it were the height of a person, she would have been able to reach the dates with her hand. This is among the signs of Allah and is among the karamah of Maryam (peace be upon her).
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
O beloved brothers, O honorable listening brothers, the honorable Shaykh Muhammad has answered your questions.
The Shaykh : First, we must know who the awliya (close friends of Allah) are? Who are the awliya of Allah? We say that the awliya of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, are those whom Allah mentioned in His saying:
(62) Unquestionably, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve (63) Those who believed and were fearing Allah
أَلا إِنَّ أَولِياءَ اللَّهِ لا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم وَلا هُم يَحزَنونَ * الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَكانوا يَتَّقونَSecond, does every wali have a karamah (a miracle granted to a righteous person)? The answer is no; not every wali has a karamah. Rather, among the awliya, there are those to whom Allah the Exalted grants a tangible karamah that he witnesses himself and that people witness. And there are people for whom Allah makes their karamah an increase in their faith and piety. This karamah is greater than the first, sensory karamah, because this karamah is more beneficial for the servant than the first karamah, since the first karamah is a cause for increasing faith and piety, whereas the increase in faith and piety is the ultimate goal. For this reason, we find that karamat were fewer among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) compared to the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions), because the karamat of the Companions were in the increase of their faith and piety, and the Tabi'un were not like the Companions in that regard. Therefore, karamat were more numerous in their time than in the time of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
And karamat are either in knowledge and unveiling, or in the manifestation of effects and powers.
As for the first, it is that something is revealed to a person that no one else knows. It is mentioned regarding the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), that he was preaching to the people on Friday on the minbar of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and they heard him saying: "The mountain, O Sariyah, the mountain, O Sariyah". They were amazed by that. The matter was that one of the commanders was besieged in a confrontation between him and his enemies, and it was revealed to 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was on the minbar, so he addressed him saying: "The mountain, O Sariyah". The commander heard him and moved to the mountain. This was a directive from the supreme commander, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), to the commander of the detachment or army from a distant place, and he heard it. At that time, there were no wireless or radio telephones, but it was the power of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. This is a karamah in unveiling; Allah revealed to him what was not accessible to others.
Also included in that is the karamah in power, where Allah the Exalted grants a person a power that was not granted to others. Among such things is what is mentioned in the expeditions of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him). He was fighting the Persians, and Allah opened up their lands for him, one country after another, until he reached the Tigris River. When he reached the river, he found that the Persians had sunk the ships, broken the bridges, and fled to the eastern side of the river. So Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) paused, wondering what to do. He called for Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him), who had experience with the conditions of the Persians and what they do in battle, and consulted him. That is, Sa'd consulted Salman al-Farisi about what to do. Salman said to him: "O Sa'd, there is nothing we can do except to look at the army and see if they have the faith and piety that qualifies them for victory, or not? Let me examine the people and look at their condition." So Sa'd waited for him. He went to the army and inspected their conditions and looked at their deeds. He found them (may Allah be pleased with them) spending the night in prostration and standing in worship to their Lord, and during the day they were rectifying their affairs and preparing for battle. After three days, he returned to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and informed him of the news. He said: "The people of Moses are not more deserving of victory than we are. Allah split the sea for them and saved them from Pharaoh and his people. And we will cross this river, by the permission of Allah." So Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) announced the departure and advance to the river. He said: "I will say the takbir (saying Allahu akbar) three times. When I say the third takbir, mount your horses and cross." So they did. They waded through the water as if they were walking on dry land, their horses, men, and camels, until they crossed the river while it was flowing and throwing up its foam. When the Persians saw them, some of them said to others: "You are not fighting humans, but you are fighting jinn." So they fled from al-Mada'in, which was their capital, until the Muslims entered it and Allah opened it for them.
This is a karamah where they were enabled to do something that humans cannot do by their own powers, where they waded through the water and the river was flowing. This is how the historians mentioned this story. This is a karamah in power, and the story of 'Umar is a karamah in unveiling, where Allah reveals to him what others cannot perceive.
And a karamah can be in knowledge, where Allah opens up for a person knowledge that He does not open up for others. Among those, in our opinion, is what Allah opened up for Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) of great knowledge, knowledge of transmission and knowledge of reason, until you almost doubt this great power that Allah enabled him to and opened up for him of knowledge.
Among the karamat is what happened to Maryam (peace be upon her) when she was pregnant with 'Isa ibn Maryam (peace and blessings be upon him). The pains of childbirth came to her at the trunk of a palm tree, and she sat on this trunk. She said:
She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten." (24) But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. (25) And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.
يا لَيتَني مِتُّ قَبلَ هذا وَكُنتُ نَسيًا مَنسِيًّا * فَناداها مِن تَحتِها أَلّا تَحزَني قَد جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحتَكِ سَرِيًّا * وَهُزّي إِلَيكِ بِجِذعِ النَّخلَةِ تُساقِط عَلَيكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّاAnd shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree
وَهُزّي إِلَيكِ بِجِذعِ النَّخلَةِThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
O beloved brothers, O honorable listening brothers, the honorable Shaykh Muhammad has answered your questions.