Muhammad's Miracles

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This article analyzes the Muslim belief that Prophet Muhammad was able to perform miracles.


While there are some Muslims who will say Muhammad's only miracle was the revelation of the Qur'an, the so-called "Moon splitting miracle" and other lesser-known miracles are widely believed by Muslims.

Are these beliefs genuine Islamic beliefs, or are they simply the attempts of Muhammad's followers to compete with the variety of miracles attributed to the founders of earlier faiths?


Moon Splitting Miracle[edit]

The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder.


And they call (it) a lie, and follow their low desires; and every affair has its appointed term.

Water Creation Miracle[edit]


Multiplied Bread Miracle[edit]



Bukhari's criteria[edit]

When dealing with sahih hadith narrations, the burden of proof is always on the person who claims a certain narration is not authentic to provide the evidence for why they consider it to be not authentic.

Imam Bukhari came up with three criteria which he used to determine whether or not a narration was sahih or not. His third criteria is regarding mat'n (text), i.e. the text/content of a narration must not be in contradiction with the Qur'an. The only exception to this rule is the narrations regarded by scholars to be Qudsi (narrations which contain non-Qur'anic words from Allah).

Hadith Evidence[edit]

When challenged by skeptics, the hadith record that Muhammad denied being able to perform any miracles. He admitted that although other prophets before him were given the power of performing miracles, his only miracle was the Qur'an:


Qur'anic Evidence[edit]

Reaffirming the previous hadith, in the following verse Muhammad is acknowledging that other prophets before him came with miracles or clear signs but still people rejected them, highlighting the futility of miracles as the proof of his revelation:


The unbelievers asked Muhammad to perform a miracle so that they too could believe. All they received in response was,


And he would reply:


People doubted Muhammad due to seeing nothing extraordinary or miraculous in him:


But Muhammad kept telling them that he is just an ordinary man, not an angel, meaning people should not expect miracles from him:


Common sense dictates that no one would deny and call a man who performs such mighty miracles a “mad man” or “possessed”. But the people who knew him actually called him by these names:

And your comrade is not mad.

No one would demand him miracles if he had already performed one:


But Muhammad responded:

We send not the angels down except for just cause: if they came (to the ungodly), behold! no respite would they have! “And the Unbelievers say: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" But thou art truly a warner, and to every people a guide.”

The Quraishites kept asking for a sign or a miracle to believe and Muhammad kept repeating that he was only a warner:


There are many more ayat that tell the same story. People asking for miracles and him saying “I am just a man, just like you, only a warner”.

Clear proof that Muhammad never performed any miracles is found in the following verse where it says that people rejected even those who came with miracles and clear signs, meaning miracles are not helpful:


In the above verses Muhammad has been denying any supernatural powers. If he could perform the miracles attributed to him in those ahadith, what is the meaning of these verses?

In the following verse he clearly rejects miracles as the proof of prophethood comparing them to witchcraft:



The hadith record that Muhammad denied being able to perform miracles, and an analysis of the Qur'an clearly shows that he had repeatedly done so when confronted by critics. Therefore, according to imam Bukhari's criteria, the narrations which claim miracles on Muhammad's behalf must be discarded.

In a sense, Muhammad was right in emphasizing that the real miracle is his message or the Qur'an, as that is what really counts. Miracles may serve as proof for those who witness them, but mean little to others. But although this is a valid principle, the Qur'an fails to deliver. It is no miracle at all, but a book full of errors and inconsistencies.


See Also[edit]