How do we distinguish between a prophetic miracle, a miracle granted to a righteous person, and fortune-telling?
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The questioner : O Shaykh, how do we distinguish between a prophetic miracle, a miracle granted to a righteous person, and fortune-telling?
The Shaykh : Yes, the prophetic miracle occurs with the prophets, the miracle granted to a righteous person occurs with the awliya, the close friends of Allah, and the third, fortune-telling, is for the awliya of Satan.
The questioner : But how, I mean?
The Shaykh : Now, a prophetic miracle cannot occur now, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the last of the prophets, so it cannot occur. A miracle granted to a righteous person may have existed before the Messenger and after the Messenger until the Day of Resurrection. It occurs through the hand of a righteous wali. If we know that this man through whom this miracle occurred is a straight man who upholds the right of Allah and the right of worship, we know that it is a miracle granted to a righteous person. Is that clear?
The questioner : Do we look at the man?
The Shaykh : We look at the man. So, if this is from the awliya of Allah, and if this miracle comes from a fortune-teller, we know, I mean, from a man who is not straight, we know that it is from the jinn. The jinn sometimes assist the children of Adam for their own purposes. So, for example, it may be that one of the sorcerers is carried by the jinn to distant places and brought back. Do you understand? A jinni said to Sulayman:[An-Naml 27:39] meaning, with the throne of the Queen of Yemen, [An-Naml 27:39] look, from Yemen, from the far south to the north, from Yemen to the Levant, [An-Naml 27:39] and it was known that he would rise from his place at a specific time.
The questioner : Well, if it is ...
The Shaykh : Do not think; there is a difference between the hypocrite and the sincere person, no matter what. No matter how much he puts on the appearance of piety, Allah the Exalted will expose him. Yes, but you mentioned the term "prophetic miracle," and the correct thing is not to say "prophetic miracle," but rather to say "sign," because not a single letter in the Qur'an or the Sunnah has ever called the signs of the prophets "prophetic miracles." Rather, they are called "signs," and "sign" is more indicative of the intended meaning than "prophetic miracle," because a "prophetic miracle" can even be produced by sorcerers; even a sorcerer can bring forth "prophetic miracles." But the "sign" of his truthfulness is the one that came[Al-Hadid 57:25] meaning: with clear signs. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Therefore, if Allah wills, erase the word "prophetic miracle" from your dictionary, and do not be deceived by the fact that it is found frequently in books. Do you understand? The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) pointed this out in his book *Al-Nubuwwat* (The Prophethoods), and clarified that the correct thing is to say "sign" instead of "prophetic miracle." Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, the prophetic miracle occurs with the prophets, the miracle granted to a righteous person occurs with the awliya, the close friends of Allah, and the third, fortune-telling, is for the awliya of Satan.
The questioner : But how, I mean?
The Shaykh : Now, a prophetic miracle cannot occur now, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the last of the prophets, so it cannot occur. A miracle granted to a righteous person may have existed before the Messenger and after the Messenger until the Day of Resurrection. It occurs through the hand of a righteous wali. If we know that this man through whom this miracle occurred is a straight man who upholds the right of Allah and the right of worship, we know that it is a miracle granted to a righteous person. Is that clear?
The questioner : Do we look at the man?
The Shaykh : We look at the man. So, if this is from the awliya of Allah, and if this miracle comes from a fortune-teller, we know, I mean, from a man who is not straight, we know that it is from the jinn. The jinn sometimes assist the children of Adam for their own purposes. So, for example, it may be that one of the sorcerers is carried by the jinn to distant places and brought back. Do you understand? A jinni said to Sulayman:
I will bring it to you
أنا آتيك بهI will bring it to you before you rise from your place
أنا آتيك به قبل أن تقوم من مقامكbefore you rise from your place
قبل أن تقوم من مقامكThe questioner : Well, if it is ...
The Shaykh : Do not think; there is a difference between the hypocrite and the sincere person, no matter what. No matter how much he puts on the appearance of piety, Allah the Exalted will expose him. Yes, but you mentioned the term "prophetic miracle," and the correct thing is not to say "prophetic miracle," but rather to say "sign," because not a single letter in the Qur'an or the Sunnah has ever called the signs of the prophets "prophetic miracles." Rather, they are called "signs," and "sign" is more indicative of the intended meaning than "prophetic miracle," because a "prophetic miracle" can even be produced by sorcerers; even a sorcerer can bring forth "prophetic miracles." But the "sign" of his truthfulness is the one that came