One of the extraordinary matters that rationalists find challenging to comprehend, leading them to skepticism and opposition, is the concept of divine grace (Karamat) bestowed upon the saints (Awliya’ Allah) and the religious leaders. The Mu’tazila’s and modern rationalists, who evaluate most matters through the lens of reason, have rejected the notion of divine grace. In this section, we intend to discuss this issue in detail from the perspectives of the Mu’tazila’s and the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah (Sunni Muslims).
Denial of Miracles
Regarding the denial of miracles, it should be noted that most Mu’tazila’s accept the miracles of the prophets, peace be upon them. However, some among them deny certain miracles. For instance, Nezam does not accept the miracle of the (Shaq al Qamar) splitting of the moon. He speaks on this matter without respect for the Sahaba, may Allah be pleased with them all, stating, “This is one of the lies that has no ambiguity, for Allah the Almighty would not split the moon just for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or for anyone accompanying him. Rather, He would split it as a sign for the entire world, a proof for the prophets, a deterrent for the servants, and as evidence in all cities. How could the masses be unaware of this? How did no poet mention it? And how did it not lead any disbeliever to embrace Islam, nor did any Muslim use it as an argument against an atheist?”
Karamat in Lexical Meaning and Terminology
Lexical Definition of Karamat:
Jawhari writes, “Karamat is the opposite of ‘lowness’ (meanness, baseness, and degradation).” In Mukhtar al-Sihah, it is stated, “K-R-M: (al-karam), with a fatha on the ‘kaf’ and ‘ra,’ is the opposite of lowness.” Linguistically, Karamat derives from the root letters “Kaf,” “Ra,” and “Mim,” which carry two primary meanings: one pertains to honor and greatness within something itself or an attribute of moral excellence, while the other refers to “karm” with a silent “ra,” meaning “necklace.”
Terminological Definition of Karamat:
Al-Baghdadi (may Allah have mercy on him) states, “Know that miracles and divine graces are equal in their ability to break normal patterns (defy natural laws).” Al-Safareeni (may Allah have mercy on him) says, “Karamat is an extraordinary act that is not accompanied by a claim of prophethood and occurs before it. Karamat manifests through a righteous servant of Allah, regardless of whether this righteous servant is aware of it or not.” In al-Ta’rifat, Allamah Jurjani defines Karamat as “an extraordinary phenomenon that appears from a pious person who does not claim prophethood. However, what is not accompanied by faith and righteous deeds is called istidraj, whereas that which accompanies a claim of prophethood is termed a miracle.”
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