WHAT DOES PROPHETHOOD MEAN ? (II)

Extraordinary events, such as, affecting objects and substances as one wishes; effecting the wind, earthquakes and fires when one likes or a ship’s sinking; a man’s dying or a tyrant’s going to his doom upon one’s wish are the human soul’s influence on matter. In fact Allâhu ta’âlâ, alone, is the One who affects matter. Allâhu ta’âlâ creates this effect on whomever He wills, whenever He wills. For this reason, it cannot be said that extraordinary things or wonders are peculiar to Prophets only. This is admitted by philosophers, too. Therefore, how could this ever be the distinction between Prophets and others?

Although ancient Greek philosophers said that wonders could also happen through non-prophets, they did not accept the frequency or the degree of wonders reaching the capacity of i’jâz (miracle). They said that because such extraordinary things happen through Prophets a Prophet is distinguishable from others.

Philosophers’ stating that an angel manifesting itself to Prophets and revealing Allâhu ta’âlâ’s wahî as a condition for prophethood contradicts their own philosophy. Their saying such things are intended to mislead holders of îmân, for, according to them, angels are immaterial and speechless. To produce sounds requires being material, they say. Sound is produced through waves of air. We can say that these conditions put forward by philosophers might come to mean that angels can show themselves and talk by taking material forms.