The Miracle of Mind

Studying the wonders of the human body, the mind is, without a doubt, an unparalleled edifice. It is strange, though, that when people were given a messenger from God, they would constantly ask for miracles that would override their minds! Given that the mind itself is a miracle, asking for something else to override it, surely, is an ignorance towards it. In fact, there have been many believers in the past who believed in the divine call without needing a miracle, but simply by using their rational and conscious minds.

Here, I want to focus on the example of Abraham pbuh, because he played on both sides of the story. That is, first, he searched for God using his rational mind, then he was appointed by God a messenger who could work miracles. Let's start by reading from the Quran his search for his Creator:

And thus did We show Abraham the realm of the heavens and the earth that he would be among the certain [in faith]. So when the night covered him [with darkness], he saw a star. He said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "I like not those that disappear." And when he saw the moon rising, he said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among the people gone astray." And when he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my lord; this is greater." But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah. Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah ." (Quran 6/75-79)

As you may realize, Abraham performed controlled experiments based on observations. Thus, he was verifying his theory about god. At each step, he had a condition for veracity. And when the theory failed, instead of exhibiting an emotional but irrational attachment to his failed theory, Abraham was brave enough to compose a newer version, and then was bold enough to put it to test. This passion of his for the truth took him out of layers of darkness that his people were in to the infinite light of God. And all this was not due to a miracle that would invalidate the mind, but rather a journey that would endorse the mind as the most powerful tool to reach God. This last point can be seen at least at two points in his life.

First, after he himself acquired a conviction of faith, he wanted to change the minds of his people. So he plotted a "game" in his mind that could show people the irrationality of the idol worshiping. Let's follow the story from the Quran:

And We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement before, and We were of him well-Knowing. When he said to his father and his people, "What are these statues to which you are devoted?" They said, "We found our fathers worshippers of them." He said, "You were certainly, you and your fathers, in manifest error." They said, "Have you come to us with truth, or are you of those who jest?" He said, "[No], rather, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth who created them, and I, to that, am of those who testify. And [I swear] by Allah, I will surely plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away." So he made them into fragments, except a large one among them, that they might return to it [and question]. They said, "Who has done this to our gods? Indeed, he is of the wrongdoers." They said, "We heard a young man mention them who is called Abraham." They said, "Then bring him before the eyes of the people that they may testify." They said, "Have you done this to our gods, O Abraham?" He said, "Rather, this - the largest of them - did it, so ask them, if they should [be able to] speak." So they returned to [blaming] themselves and said [to each other], "Indeed, you are the wrongdoers." (Quran 21/51-64)

As seen, the game plotted by Abraham to trigger a rational and conscious thought in the idol worshipers works at first. But, after this initial moment of victory of reason, the disbelievers suppress their minds, and they continue in their bigotry. But that is not our focus here; rather we want to look at how the use of mind and rational thought was endorsed by God through the life story of Abraham, and was used as an invitation for other people.

The second, and a stronger event in the life of Abraham occurs when he faces the ruler of his time who claims to be god. Inviting him to believe in the true, one God, Abraham uses rational speech. But before that event, we need to see another special and private event, when Abraham asks God to show a sign of resurrection after death:

And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead." [ Allah ] said, "Have you not believed?" He said, "Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied." [ Allah ] said, "Take four birds and commit them to yourself. Then [after slaughtering them] put on each hill a portion of them; then call them - they will come [flying] to you in haste. And know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise." (Quran 2/260)

So, this event is a fresh and a most convincing evidence for the power and will of God. So, Abraham uses it as his first argument to convince that ruler. But it doesn't work, since the ruler says that he can also kill someone, causing death, or forgive someone, hence giving life. Upon this, Abraham takes off his strongest weapon, that is his rational argument that he himself was guided upon:

Have you not considered the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord [merely] because Allah had given him kingship? When Abraham said, "My Lord is the one who gives life and causes death," he said, "I give life and cause death." Abraham said, "Indeed, Allah brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up from the west." So the disbeliever was overwhelmed [by astonishment], and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (Quran 2/258)

Having seen the example of Abraham, we can we can trace the same line of thought in the teachings of Jesus pbuh and Muhammad pbuh. Jesus himself was "word of God" (Quran 3/45, 4/171), and the first thing he did among people was preaching rational and conscious arguments, not miracles! Similarly, when Muhammad started his ministry among people, not only he used rational and conscious arguments but also his greatest miracle was the word of God, Quran.

What do these tell us, the believers far far away from the messengers in the past and extremely close to the end of time? Perhaps one answer is that instead of looking forward to miraculous events performed by God in order to guide people, we should inculcate rational and conscious thought among ourselves and among people, since it is the tool endorsed by God. That tool, as observed in history, has the most permanent effects in the minds as compared to miracles. And for the same reason, it is the same tool that is going to be targeted by Antichrist to create conflict and evil among people. If we don't want to fall prey to such assaults, we must equip ourselves with enough conviction in our minds, and develop conscious behaviors in our lives.