How to reconcile this apparent contradiction between the Quran and the Ahadith?

[Abu Omar]

My question is how we reconcile verses like hos below and some Ahadith.

And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayât (proofs, evidences, signs) but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamûd as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction). - 17:59

And they say: "We shall not believe in you (O Muhammad

), until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us; Or you have a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst abundantly; Or you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, as you have pretended, or you bring Allâh and the angels before (us) face to face; Or you have a house of adornable materials (like silver and pure gold, etc.), or you ascend up into the sky, and even then we will put no faith in your ascension until you bring down for us a Book that we would read." Say (O Muhammad

): "Glorified (and Exalted) be my Lord (Allâh) above all that evil they (polytheists) associate with Him! Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger?" - 17:90-93

And they say: "Why are not signs sent down to him from his Lord? Say: "The signs are only with Allâh, and I am only a plain warner." Is it not sufficient for them that We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur'ân) which is recited to them? Verily, herein is mercy and a reminder (or an admonition) for a people who believe. - 29:50-51

In short, these Ayat reproduce how the Mushrikeen asked for miracles but were refused.

On the other hand, the authentic Ahadith narrate about a lot of miracles which were preformed. Some articles on this:

Some of the Miracles of Muhammad(P)

Prophet Muhammad's Miracles

So how do we reconcile this? We have the Quran reproducing how the Mushrikeen complained that there was no miracles, yet authentic Ahadith narrate that a lot of miracles were preformed!

One brother told me once regarding this that there might be that the Mushrikeen asked for miracles out of pure stubborness and therefore were refused any miracles because miracles won't guide people to belief.

But there is a problem with this. In the case of the splitting of the moon (and some other reports of miracles I found, but could not assure that the source was authentic), it is reported that the people of Mekka asked for a miracle and it was preformed:

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said, "The people of Makkah asked the Prophet for a miracle and the moon was split into two parts in Makkah. Allah said,


[اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ ]


(The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder.)'' Muslim also collected this Hadith. Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik said, "The people of Makkah asked the Messenger of Allah to produce a miracle, and he showed them the splitting of the moon into two parts, until they saw (the mount of) Hira' between them.'' This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs with various chains of narration.

Yet in the Quran it is reproduced that the Mushrikeen complained about that there was no miracles.

Also some of the enemies of Islam said that if the Prophet (sall'Allaahu aleyhi wa sallam) preformed miracles, it would falsify verse 29:51 which says that the Quran is sufficient as a miracle.

How did the Ulama (both in our time and in the past) reconcile and explain this?

Please note that I'm not discussing the authencity of the Ahadith which narrate about supernatural events, so it is not connected to this thread. And I'm aware of that there is stated in the Injeel that they (the contemporaries of Isaa (aleyhi salaam)) would recieve no miracles and thus they suffer from the same kind of problem as described above, even if they out of stubborness refuse to admit that (which is no wonder, since the entire Christian faith is established on a supposed specific miracle, the supposed resurrection of Isaa (aleyhi salaam)).

What I'm wondering is merely how this apparent contradiction between the Quran and the authentic Ahadith and it's implications is reconciled by Islam.

Barakum Allaah feek.

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

http://www.islamicboard.com/4612-post2.html

The above post and the linked article it contains should answer this question, inshaa'Allah.

 

[kadafi]

What I'm wondering is merely how this apparent contradiction between the Quran and the authentic Ahadith and it's implications is reconciled by Islam.

The ayaat that you cited did not deny the Prophetic miracles, rather it enforces the point that miracles soley come from Allaah (Exalted is He) and that the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not create these [signs/miracles]. That's why Allaah (Exalted is He) commanded His Messenger to say: "Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger?" to refute the claim of the Quraysh that in order for them to believe the Prophet; he should have the ability to perform miracles whenever he desires. It is also reapplied in the statement where the Prophet says:

The signs are only with Allaah, and I am only a plain warner.
​

meaning, the signs come only from Allaah and as I am only a plain warner.

There is a passage in the Bible where Eesa ibn Maryam (Peace be upon him) refused to give a miracle to those who requested:

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."

Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.
Mark(11-13)
​

This did not stop him from performing miracles but it demonstrated the Prophet's avowment that all Prophets are humans, just like you and they or the nation that they were sent to cannot demand a miracle according to their desires.

Allaah (Exalted is He) says:

We did send messengers before thee, and appointed for them wives and children: and it was never the part of a messenger to bring a sign except as Allaah permitted (or commanded). For each period is a Book (revealed).
(Soorah Al-Rad:38)

​

Additionally, some of the 'miracles' requested by the Mushrikeen had no connection in establishing the truthfulness of a claim to prophethood while the other requests where inconceivable demands.

To make it clear, they demanded six things in the ayat; three of them were inconceivable whilst the other three had no connection with establishing the truthfulness of a claim to prophethood.

The first inconceivable claim from the Mushrikeen was causing the heaven totfall upon them piecemeal. This would entail the destruction of the Earth and the death of its inhabitants. Obviously, such thing was already prophesised that it would occur at the end of time. Further, if this 'miracle' was granted, it would be incompatible with the survival of mankind and the guidance toward their perfection that wisdom has determined.

The second inconceivable claim from the Mushrikeen is to see Allaah and this is impossible as Allaah cannot be seen with this wordly eyes. It also attributes limitation to Allaah (Exalted is He).

The third inconceivable claim from the Mushrikeen is to bring down a letter from Allaah. Here they attribute human characteristics to Allaah and far exalted is he from what they ascribe to him.

The other three things had no bearing on the truthfulness of the claim to be a prophet. This is because the Mushrikeen demanded that he should cause a spring to gush forth from the earth, or that they own a garden of date-palms and grapes and abundant rivers, or own a house of gold. Obviously these things have no connection with the claim to be a prophet. How many people have them, yet are not prophets. Indeed, some people have all three of them, yet they are not necessarily believers, let alone prophets. So thus since these things have no bearing on the claim of prophethood, and do not prove its veracity, producing them in the context of proving this veracity would be a futile act that any prophet would not perform.

These are simply reasons behind the rejecting of some Signs that where demanded by the Mushrikeen. The main reason is that all miracles come from Allaah (Exalted is He).