Loading summary
Transcript1 lines
- [00:02]
A
The world moves fast. Your workday even faster. Pitching products, drafting reports, analyzing data. Microsoft 365 Copilot is your AI assistant for work built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps you use, helping you quickly write, analyze, create, and summarize so you can cut through clutter and clear a path to your best work. Learn more@Microsoft.com M365 copilot Most religions have miracles. But for almost every faith tradition, miracles are things that kind of happened in the past. They happen to different people, but they don't necessarily happen right now. But in Islam, that is a little different, because in Islam, that miracle is the Quran, and it's still going on as we speak. For more than 1400 years, Muslims have claimed that this book is so unique that no human being could have ever created it. And in fact, no human being could ever replicate it. The Quran itself issues a challenge, produce even just a single chapter like it. But inside the same book are some of the most extraordinary miracles and stories in religious history. A man thrown into a raging fire that suddenly turns cold and protects him. A staff that becomes a living serpent and defeats Egypt's greatest magicians. Sound familiar? Jesus creating a bird from clay and literally breathing life into it by God's permission. And Muhammad's mysterious journey through the heavens in a single night. So what does the Quran actually say about miracles? And why do so many Muslims believe that the greatest miracle is literally the text itself? Well, today we're going to dive into all of this and more, and we will explore the signs and the wonders of the Quran. So sit back, relax, and welcome to Religion Camp. What's up, people? And welcome back to Religion Camp. My name is Mark Gagnon, and thank you for joining me in my tent, where every single week, we explore, explore the most interesting, fascinating, controversial stories from every religion from around the world, from all time, forever. Yes, that is what I do in this tent. I try to figure out what everybody on this planet believes, and, oh, boy, there's a lot of stuff to dive into. All right, this is the reason I do the show is I, you know, I grew up in a specific faith tradition, and I'm so curious about what other people believe. What is their relationship with the divine, and what have human beings been telling themselves, or perhaps what have they been told about the mystical since we began recording it? I mean, that's just the way I see it. I think the best way to understand people is to understand the God that they worship. So in order to be a Better steward to my fellow humans. I just want to know what's in their books, you know, who are their prophets, who are their gurus. And today is no different. But before we jump in to today's episode, I just want to say thank you so much for clicking on this episode. Every time you subscribe, you comment, you keep the lights on of the tent and you keep the fire burning. And you know what? We got my friend here, Christos. I wanted to say a big shout to him, all right, because he makes the show possible. And even in my darkest hours, he stands there as a light. And perhaps that is just the reflection from his forehead. How are you? Oh, you're too kind. Oh, stop it, Christos. No, seriously, stop it, guys. We're talking about the Quran. Okay, now let me just say a few things off top. First off, I am not Muslim. I was not raised Muslim. I didn't really have a ton of, like, Muslim friends growing up that I'd spoke about, like, theology or religion with. And I got to, like, I don't know, 16, 17 years old being like, man, there's a billion Muslims out here and I don't really know the first thing about them. And I was, like, just so confused. I got propagandized a lot, and I've come to have a real appreciation and respect for my Muslim friends. And, yeah, so that's the first thing. So to all the Moses out there, you know, Ramadan, Kareem, Ramadan, Mubarak, all that, if you're watching this during Ramadan. I actually tried Ramadan this year, and I did pretty good. I would say, you know, I mean, I didn't get all the days done, but I tried my best. I try to be mindful. Every time I felt a hunger, pain, I would, you know, acknowledge God and, you know, say shout out to him. And yeah, it was an enlightening experience. I'm a big fan of fasting and, you know, sort of self deprivation for some type of spiritual connection. But just as a aside, but I just point that out to say I'm not an expert. I have not read the Quran. This is research that myself and my friends have amalgamated in order to better understand my Muslim brothers and sisters, especially in a moment like this. You know, there's around the world a ton of, you know, religious fear and hatred, you know, and again, I'm all for jokes. We should make as many jokes as we can about each other. But when I cross the line into, like, actual contempt, that's where I'm like, ah, come on, you know, whether it's, you know, anti Semitism or, you know, anti Christian rhetoric or Islamophobia, I'm like, ah, we're missing it. You know what I mean? I think we have a lot more in common than we would like to believe. And ultimately the people that practice, you know, any of the big faiths, and they do it well, I find are typically pretty good people. And I know the media is going to be like, no, these people are bad, these people are evil. Don't trust these people, guys. My Muslim friends are awesome and they have a connection with God that in a lot of ways I'm like, oh, wow, that's. I wish Catholics were more like this, you know, I mean, they're so hardcore. They're so devoted to their faith. I'm like, there's something I can learn from this in my own spiritual journey. So even though I don't subscribe to the faith, I think there's a. There's a lot to be learned from each other. And maybe if we just took a moment to listen, the world would be better off. So that's the first thing. Second thing, there might be some inaccuracies here. Again, I did not grow up in this tradition. So if I miss anything, if I skip over anything, or if I get anything just wrong, please don't hesitate to correct me. I am open to correction, of course, in the comments. Just keep it civil, be a human being. And furthermore, the truth doesn't fear interrogation. So if there's anything I missed, just drop the truth in there. That's all I ask for. As I try to get closest I can to the capital T, truth. Now, today we're going through the Quran. This is the holy book in Islam, but it is bigger than the holy book. I've heard different philosophers, namely Alex o', Connor, make this claim that the Quran exists not as, like the Bible for Christians. Like, it's almost not the same comparison. Like, the Quran is almost like Jesus for Christians. Like, it has, again, not like a deification. You don't worship the Quran, but it's such a sacred text and the book itself is so powerful to Muslims that I think it's, you know, it's almost easier to think about it, like, oh, this is almost like a borderline mystical divine text in and of itself that is treated with respect. It's treated with reverence. So anytime it's desecrated or burned or anything like that, it is particularly offensive to Muslims. And I think it's helpful to understand why. And as a matter of fact, one of the first miracles we're going to start with is a concept called Ijaz al Quran. And this roughly translates to the inimability of the Quran. The idea is that the Quran is linguistically and structurally and spiritually impossible for human beings to create or to replicate. It's not just a holy book. It is a standing miracle in and of itself to humanity. And the Quran basically makes this, you know, the challenge of the text to the audience pretty explicitly. In Surah al Buqarah, verse 23, Allah is speaking. He says, and if you are in doubt about what we have sent down upon our servant, then produce a surah, the like thereof, and call upon your witness other than Allah, if you should be truthful. So basically, in one chapter, you know, like, that's basically what it says, like, hey, just give me one chapter. Produce one chapter that is like the Quran, that is as poetic, that is structurally sound, that is as truthful. And the challenge gets even more bold. In sir, in the verse, specifically verse 13, it says, or do they say he invented it, say, then bring 10 surahs like it invented and call upon whomever you can beside Allah if you should be truthful. And then In Surah Al Isra, verse 88, the Quran basically throws down like the ultimate challenge and says, say, if mankind and the jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like of it even if they were helpers of one another. Now this is where things get interesting, okay? This isn't just theological, like posturing. Classical Muslim scholars would, you know, spend centuries analyzing exactly why the Quran is so special, so miraculous, so inimitable as it's referred to. Figures like Al Bakalani in the 10th century and Al Jurjani in the 11th century basically wrote entire, like, dissertations or like treatises, arguing that the Quran's eloquence and rhetorical structure and its layered meaning and its ring composition, it basically like this kind of like literary, like, symmetry where themes mirror each other across chapters are just beyond the capability of humans. The argument goes something like this. The Arabs of Muhammad's time, peace be upon him for the whole episode. If I miss one, just, just one big, peace be upon him for the whole thing. The Arabs of this time were masters of poetry. They prized eloquence above anything else. If the Prophet had simply composed the Quran himself, surely someone in that culture of literary giants would have been able to match it or at least come close. But according to Muslims, and, you know, just broadly Islamic tradition, no one ever did or has not in 1400 years. So for Muslims, this isn't just, you know, an interesting literary claim. For them, it is the proof. Other prophets had physical miracles, right? Moses had his staff that turned into a snake. Jesus had healings or, you know, bringing people up from the dead like Lazarus. But Muhammad's miracles in is basically the text itself, among other things, but namely the text. And unlike a parting sea, you can still experience it today, you can still purchase it, you can read it yourself, and I mean, you can hear it be recited. So the miracle, in other words, is continuous and ongoing and very much alive. So that is miracle one. It is the text itself. Now, Christians have a similar claim I've heard where Christians will suggest that, you know, the Bible is, you know, has so much beauty and infallibility and there's so many connections across books, over timelines, with references to previous books that they suggest that it is either, you know, the most miraculous, fascinating narrative ever written or it is the, you know, the act of God is the will of the Lord that is created and exists in the first place. Now, obviously Christians will hold that blue about that, that view about the Bible, but it's just another thing that, you know, we share. But I think for Muslims, the Quran just holds such a higher status and that the text itself wasn't written really by humans. It was orated by Allah himself to the Prophet and sort of spoken through him into creation that it is truly the word of God. But Muslims in some ways hold the Quran to just a higher standard. Christians will often say, you know, this is. This text is inspired. This is the inspired word of the Lord and that it was written by humans but inspired by God and it was guided by God. And I guess for Muslims, they have this view that is almost and maybe, can you correct me if I'm wrong? Croesus. But I think it's like it literally transcribes through Allah into the Prophet and almost like dictates directly from the mind of Allah. That's my understanding. Now, that is only. That is only the first miracle with many more to go. Is that roughly correct? I get so many headaches every month. It could be chronic migraine, 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more. Botox Onobotulinum toxin a prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine. It's not for Those who have 14 or fewer headache days a month. Prescription Botox is injected by your doctor. Effects of Botox may spread hours to weeks after injection, causing serious symptoms. Alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems or muscle weakness can be signs of a life threatening condition. Patients with these conditions before injection are at highest risk. Side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue and headache. Allergic reactions can include rash, welts, asthma symptoms and dizziness. Don't receive Botox if there's a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions including als, Lou Gehrig's disease, Myasthenia gravis or Lambert Eaton syndrome and medications including botulinum toxins as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. Why wait? Ask your doctor. Visit botoxchronicmigraine.com or call 1-844botox to learn more. An all new season of the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney. Mom talk has just been blowing up. Whitney and Jen are on Dancing with the Stars. Taylor is a bachelorette. Saying that out loud is crazy. Like that is huge. But all the cool opportunities could pull us apart. It's causing issues in everyone's marriage. My whole world is falling apart right now is chaos. Watch the Hulu Original series the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney plus for bundle subscribers Terms apply. Quran was revealed by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad who then transcribed it. So I don't know what that means. No, I think that's, that's basically what I'm saying. It's literally revealed by Allah and then transcribed by the Prophet, who I believe Muslims understand to be illiterate, that in his lifetime he wasn't able to read or write, but yet was able to transcribe the most beautiful text ever written. I don't think they like it put that way, but yeah, no, they, I've heard them say it. They're like, this is an illiterate merchant that literally wrote, or you know, transcribed rather from a lot of the most beautiful texts. I've seen some religion camp comments that beg to differ. Really? Yeah. Where they, they say, oh, he wasn't illiterate. Yeah. Really? Yeah. Oh, I've never heard that before. I mean, pull those up. My bad, y'. All. But the Quran doesn't start with the Prophet Muhammad. It starts with Adam. And in Islamic tradition, Adam's creation itself is considered a miracle. The Quran describes God forming Adam from clay, from the dust of the earth, similar to the Bible, and then breathing his spirit into him. The creation of mankind isn't evolution. It is a direct divine act, a suspension of the natural process in order to create the first human being. And the relevant verses appear across multiple chapters. So there is Surah al Baqarah, verse 30 through 39, Surah Al Araf, verses 11 through 25, Surah Al Hijar, verses 26 through 29, and Surah Sad, verses 71 through 72. Now, what's significant here is the framing. Adam's creation isn't presented as a scientific account. It's presented as a sign, an ayah, to use the Quranic term. The same word, ayat, is used for both the verses of the Quran and for miraculous signs. And that's not an accident. In Islamic thought, miracles and revelations are intimately connected. They're both ways that God communicates with humanity. And this theme, miracles as signs, basically pointing back to God runs through every prophetic story in the Quran. And the pattern continues with Noah. Yeah, Noah's Ark is in the Quran. For all the Christians watching this or, you know, Jews that read the Torah, you probably heard of Noah's Ark, but did you know it's still in the Quran? The Quran tells the story of Noah basically building the ark on a divine command and the great flood that destroys all the disbelievers and the saving of the few who were faithful. The relevant passages appear throughout the Quran. Surah, Surah al Muminun, Sira al Qamar, and the entirety of Surah Nuh. Now, classical commentators treat the ark and the flood not as mere, like historical curiosities, but as a meaningful sign of God's justice and his mercy. The flood punishes the wicked and the ark saves the righteous. And the miracle isn't just the water. It's the cosmic moral order that it reveals. And perhaps most, you know, the most dramatic early miracles belong to Abraham, perhaps the, you know, one of the, you know, the founders of these faiths. Christianity, Islam, Judaism, known as the Abrahamic religions. Now, according to Islam, in the Quran, Abraham's people grew so furious with his rejection of their idols that they decided to burn him alive. They built this massive fire, and some traditions describe it as so large that birds flying overhead were literally falling from the heat of the fire. And they just tossed Abraham into the flames. And then something extraordinary happens, something miraculous. In Surah al Anbiyah verses 68, 71, God commands, O fire, be coolness and safety for Abraham. And the fire itself obeys. Abraham walks out of the fire unharmed. The flames that should have consumed him became cool and peaceful and, like, protective. And it's a complete suspension of physical law, right, like fire that doesn't burn heat, that doesn't hurt you. And Muslim theologians treat it exactly as that. A clear demonstration of God's absolute control over nature. But Abraham's miracles don't just stop there. In Surah al Baqarah, verse 260, Abraham asks God to show him how he gives life to the dead. And God instructs him to take four birds, cut them into pieces, scatter the pieces on different mountains, and then call to them. And the birds reassemble and fly back to Abraham alive. And it's a graphic, visceral demonstration of resurrection, of the power to create and to breathe life, and the same power that will raise the dead on the day of Judgment, shown in miniature to a prophet who simply just asked to see it with his own eyes. Hey, we're going to take a break really quick because I need to talk to the fellas. All right? If you're a woman, you can skip forward. I don't really care. But, guys, I want to talk about one of the most probably demoralizing things that can ever happen to you. All right? You're in the bathroom, you're brushing your teeth, you look up in the mirror, and suddenly you realize, my forehead looks bigger than it did before. Well, the thing with that is that men don't go bald overnight. Right, Christos? Anyway, it's sneaky, okay? It's like, all right, well, the lighting here is a little weird. And then you're like, I just. I just, you know, took a shower. So, of course, you know, I mean, or maybe my barber just actually pushed it back. And then one day, someone tags you in a photo and you're like, what is going on? And the worst part is that most guys don't know what actually works. I mean, there's a million oils and, you know, all sorts of things like potions on the Internet, basically, that are going to claim to help you out. But the reality is there are doctor trusted ingredients that have been trusted for decades. I mean, truly, they've been studied for years. And that's why a lot of guys are using hims. All right? Hims makes it incredibly simple to get personalized hair loss treatment online. You don't have to go to the doctor, you don't have to take off work. You don't have to drive across town. You don't have to sit in a waiting room thinking like, well, everyone knows why I'm here. You know what I mean? Through hims, you get access to prescription hair loss treatments with ingredients that actually work, like finasteride. Minoxidil, the actual stuff that's going to actually help your hair loss. These are clinically studied ingredients that can stop further hair loss and even regrow hair in as little to three to six months. So it's amazing. And the best part is that it's 100% online. You literally just go to the website, do like a little consultation, you explain your situation and a licensed medical provider reviews it. And then if you qualify, they send you treatments directly to your door. No hidden fees, no surprise cost. It's not going to cost you an arm and a leg. You get real treatment designed around your goals. So for simple online access to personalized and affordable care for hair loss, weight loss and more, visit hims.comcamp that's hims h I m s.com camp c a m p for your free online visit hims.com camp featured products include compound drug products which the FDA does not approve or verify for safety, effectiveness or quality. Prescription required. See website for full details, restrictions and important safety information. Individual results may vary based on studies of topical and and oral minoxidil and finasteride. Let's get back to the show. Now, if Abraham's miracles demonstrated God's power over nature, Moses's miracles demonstrate God's power over human deception in a way. So Moses, also known as Musa in Arabic, if you ever meet a Muslim dude or an Arab dude that has the name Musa, it is literally just Moses. And for Jews, it's Moishe. It's all kind of the same and it occupies a unique place in the Quran. He's mentioned by name more than any other prophet over 130 times. And his story is just a masterclass in conflict and confrontation. So here's the context. Moses was sent to Pharaoh's Egypt, a culture steeped in magic and illusions. The magic and the magicians of Egypt were famous throughout the ancient world. So when God gave Musa, AKA Moses, these miracles, they were specifically designed to confront and surpass those magicians and what they could do. Now, one of the most famous miracles is the miracle of the staff. So in Surah al Araf verses 106 through 120, and again in Surah Taha verses 17 through 24, Moses throws down his staff before Pharaoh and it becomes a serpent. But not an illusion, not a trick, a real living snake. Pharaoh then summons his best magicians to counter Moses and they throw down their rods and ropes, which also appear to become snakes. But then Moses's serpent just devours them all. Now, the magicians who understand better than anyone the difference between illusions and trickery and reality. And like actual magic, immediately recognize what they're seeing and they fall into prostration before Moses and they declare, we believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses. And they know their tricks are tricks, but what Moses did was not a trick. Now, if you are Christian or if you're Jewish, you probably heard this before. If you've seen, you know, the Prince of Egypt, the animated movie, they highlight this specific moment and it exists in Muslim theology as well. Muslim theologians highlight this moment as paradigmatic. And basically that just means that the miracle isn't random, it's targeted. And God gives each prophet miracles that speak directly to the people that they're sent to. Moses goes to a culture of magicians, so his miracles are meant to expose their magic as inferior to God's power. But Moses has other miracles too. For example, his hand becomes radiant with divine light when he places it under his arm, described in Surah al Araf. And again in Surah Taha, he strikes a rock and water gushes forth for the thirsty Israelites. Surah al Baqarah, verse 60 and Sarah Al Araf, verse 160. Manna and quails fall from the sky to feed all of his people in the wilderness. Again in Surah al Baqara. And then of course there is the infamous parting of the sea. Three separate times in the Quran, it is described how God parts the sea from Moses and the Israelites, creating a path through the waters. When Pharaoh's army follows, the sea closes and drowns them. And it's one of the most iconic miracles and narratives that exist in any religious tradition. And the Quran tells it with the same dramatic power that you'll find in the Hebrew Bible or in the Christian Bible, while framing it constantly as a sign of God's sovereignty and his justice. Now the miracle shifts tone when we reach the stories of David and Solomon. So David, AKA Dawud in Arabic, is granted several extraordinary gifts in the Quran. Multiple times in the Quran, God softens iron for David, allowing him to mold it with his bare hands. In Surah al Anbiya, the mountains and the birds are made to echo David's beautiful recitation of praise. But it is Solomon, Suleiman in Arabic, who receives the truly spectacular powers. According to the Quran, Solomon could understand the speech of animals. In Surah al Namul verses 15 through 19, Solomon overhears an ant warning its colony to hide from his approaching army. And he laughs. And he literally just thanks God for the ability to, to understand and to have this gift, he also is said to have had the control of the wind itself. Suras Saba, verse 12 describes how God made the wind subject to Solomon, basically blowing at his command, covering a month's journey in just a single morning and another month's journey in the evening. And perhaps most strikingly of all, Solomon was the commander of the jinn. Now, the jinn in Islamic cosmology are these beings made of smokeless fire. They are invisible and powerful and often dangerous. And God subjected some of them to Solomon's authority. They built for him, they died for pearls, and they were bound for and to his service. Sara Saba, verse 12 through 13, and Sarah Saad, verses 35 through 38 describe this dominion. One story in particular stands out. In Surah an namul, verses 38, 40, Solomon asks his court who can bring him the throne of the Queen of Sheba before she arrives. A powerful jinn basically offers to bring it before Solomon is able to even get up from his seat. But then another figure, a man who had knowledge of the book, often identified in Islamic tradition as Asif IBN Barkiya, says that he can bring it. Before your glance returns to you, literally in the blink of an eye, a throne will appear. Now, scholars will use this story to illustrate a subtle but I think, important point, that miraculous powers aren't limited strictly to. To the prophets. Sometimes, like God will just grant extraordinary abilities to exceptionally righteous people who just, you know, aren't themselves prophets. A category that becomes really important later in Islamic theology. Now, I guess for context, jinn. I think a lot of people in the west would consider jinn to be evil. Some jinn are, but some jinn actually serve a lot. They're kind of maybe like a middle step between, you know, like angels and demons is one way to think about it. Now we come to Jesus, AKA Isa in Arabic. And his miracles in the Quran require careful attention because they reveal something crucial about how Islamic theology works and how they actually view Jesus Christ. Now, Jesus performs more dramatic miracles in the Quran than maybe any other prophet. And the list is just, I mean, extraordinary. So he speaks as an infant in the cradle. He defends his mother Mary against accusations of immortality. He molds a bird from clay and then breathes into it and then becomes a living bird. He. He heals the blind and a leper, and then he raises people from the dead. He tells people what they've eaten and what they've stored in their houses. And all of these miracles, even some miracles that don't exist in Christian literature, And all of this is described in Surah al Imran verse 49 and Surah Al Maida verse 1, 110. The verse in Al Imran basically says, I have come to you with a sign from the Lord. I create for you out of clay, the form of a bird. And then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird. By God's permission. I heal the blind and the leper and I give life to the dead by God's permission. Now notice the phrase that appears again and again by God's permission. And this isn't incidental. This is fundamental to understanding Islamic theology. The Quran is emphatic that Jesus is a prophet, he's just a messenger, he's a servant of God, which is an extremely high rank. But it's not how Christians will see him. Christians see Jesus Christ literally as God himself, as perfectly divine, right? I mean, Jesus's miracles are often understood as expressions of his own divine nature. And the Quran frames them from, you know, Jesus's miracles as just an act that God performed through Jesus. You can see the discrepancy, right? The power belongs to God. Jesus is the vessel, not the source. Now this preserves what is known as Tawhid. This is the oneness of God. And this is perhaps the most central doctrine of Islam. It's truly the worst sin that one can commit is to go against taweed, to go against the oneness of God, to be polytheistic. When Jesus heals or creates or resurrects, it is God. It is the one singular, non contingent creator Allah that is doing all of this, healing and creating and resurrecting. Jesus is honored and revered and maybe considered one of the greatest prophets. But he's not God. And his miracles are prove God's power, not his own divinity. That is how it's understood in Muslim theology. Now for viewers familiar with Christian theology, maybe you grew up Christian, maybe you went to Sunday school. This framing is pretty striking, right? The miracles are often the same or similar, but the theological interpretation is fundamentally different. So you have the same wonders. You have, you know, creation and you know, healing and all these things that you might find in the Bible. But just a completely different perspective. Now let's move on to another central F. Taco Bell is rolling out the new chicken bacon ranch street chalupas. And here's the thing, you literally can't just get one. They come in twos. And thank goodness they do because these toasted cheddar street chalupas filled with slow roasted chicken, crispy bacon and avocado Ranch are stacked with bold flavor that keeps you going. Back for more chicken bacon Ranch street chalupas Only a taco Bell. Get yours today at participating U. S Taco bell locations for a limited time only while supplies last. Bigger in Islam. And that is the prophet Muhammad again. Peace be upon him. I said it once before, but this just goes for the whole episode. Shout out to y'. All. Muhammad's greatest and most enduring miracle is according to Islamic theology, it is the Quran itself. Like we mentioned before, right, we talked about this at the beginning, but it's worth emphasizing. Unlike Moses staff or Jesus's healing, the Quran miracle isn't a one time thing. It's going on right now for Muslims. I mean, every generation can experience it. Every Muslim will experience it for the first time and they'll remember that feeling. Every person can hear it, be recited and read the words and literally challenge themselves based on what it says. But the Quran does describe one spectacular supernatural event in Muhammad's life and that is the ISRA and the mira, the night journey and ascension. Now In Surah Al Isra verse 1, the Quran states, glory be to him who took his servant by night from Al Masjid al Haram to Al Masjid al Aqsa, whose surroundings we have blessed to show him of our signs. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad was taken in a single night basically from Mecca to Jerusalem, a journey of over 750 miles, and from there ascended through the heavens, meeting previous prophets and ultimately coming into the divine presence. The hadith literature expands on this account dramatically and describes seven heavens and encounters with Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus and the establishment of the five daily prayers. I mean, you can imagine this event, right, happening in the Quran where you have the Prophet Muhammad literally meeting with all these other prophets, Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, all in one place in Jerusalem. It is such a miraculous moment. Like truly, it's like you can imagine for Muslims how central that one singular event is. Now, classical commentators treat this both as a literal miraculous journey and also a profound spiritual experience, kind of both things happening simultaneously. It affirmed Muhammad's status as a prophet amongst all these other prophets and really consoled him during a period of intense hardships. This came after the deaths of his wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib. And it also demonstrated his unique position amongst all the prophets. Now the hadith collections, basically the records of Muhammad's sayings and actions compiled after his death, describe additional physical miracles. The splitting of the moon, water flowing from his fingers, multiplication of food, trees moving to provide him shade. Muslim scholars like those at the Yakin Institute emphasize, these reports are subjected to rigorous Hadith criticism. Again, a hadith is maybe not the same level of perfection when, you know, in reference to Islamic literature, you have the Quran as the, you know, beautiful revealed words and thoughts of Allah. And the Hadiths is a human understanding, but a very old, ancient recollection of the life of the Prophet. Now, these hadith have been criticized and sort of analyzed by Muslim scholars for, I mean, literally centuries. Analysis of the, you know, chain of transmissions and the reliability of the narrators, and many are considered to be historically well attested. But the emphasis in Islamic theology remains very clear. Muhammad's primary miracle is the Quran. The physical wonders are secondary and ultimately are done only by the power of Allah, the Quran included. But the text is perhaps the most significant miracle in and of itself. What's up, guys? We're gonna take a break because I want to talk to you about something that happens in your late 20s, early 30s, that no one tells you that basically your ability to handle a night out drinking with the boys completely changes, bro. When I was 22, I could go out on like a Thursday, sleep three hours, wake up, go to work, then go to the gym, feel completely normal, and then do it again the same day. Like, I felt un invincible. And now I have like two glasses of wine, and the next morning I wake up and I'm like, what did I do? And the craziest part is I can actually, like, see it now. Like, I literally will wear like a whoop. And I can see my sleep score that night and be like, oh, I had two beers. So now I'm have like a 5% recovery. My body's trying to recover from alcohol in a bunch of different ways. Not just dehydration. I mean, it affects, you know, brain chemistry. And your liver has to process everything you drink. And that is why I started using Cheers Restore. Now Cheers Restore is unbelievable. I'm not even the biggest drinker, and this absolutely has saved me on multiple occasions. All right, this is an after alcohol aid that's designed specifically to support your liver and your brain after drinking. So the key ingredient is something called dhm, which researchers started studying for how it interacts with alcohol in the body. Cheers was actually invented by a student at Princeton, and now it's everywhere. I mean, it's been on Shark Tank, 50 million doses, 30,000 stores. It also has thousands of five star reviews on Amazon and has been backed by doctors and PhDs and clinicians and all this stuff. And the idea is very simple, you're a normal adult, you're having a couple drinks, all right? Cheers help support your body so that you feel way better the next morning. And all you do is you take three capsules after your last drink or before bed. And obviously this isn't for like the insane, you know, college nights. All right, if you have like 12 tequila shots, I don't know what to tell you. But if you're a responsible adult, having a couple drinks at a wedding, it's going to make a huge difference. And honestly for me, the biggest thing is that, you know, I just wake up feeling like a functional person that's still able to get stuff done. I'm able to recover better and I'm still able to have fun with the boys at night. So same night out, but a way better morning. And that is with Cheers. So for a limited time, our listeners are getting 20% off their entire order when they go to to cheershealth.com and they use the code camp. So you just go to Cheers Health, use the code camp and you're gonna get 20% off. And after your purchase, they're gonna ask where you heard about Cheers. Please tell them it was from the good people over at Camp Gagdon. It really helps us. It keeps the fire burning, it keeps the lights on. Thank you guys so much. Cheers has been amazing. I can't handle the uneasiness of the next day. And Cheers makes it all possible. Now let's get back to the show. Now, in the 20th and 21st centuries, a new category of Quranic miracles emerged. The so called scientific and mathematical miracles. Now it's really interesting the way that Muslims will view this in the Quran versus how Christians view this in the Bible. Contemporary Muslim writers point to verses that they believe anticipate modern scientific discoveries. So for example, the stages of embryonic development described in Surah al Muminan verses 12 through 14, the expansion of the universe mentioned in Surah at Duriyat verse 47. The barrier between two seas in Surah Al Rahman, verses 19 through 20. And the descriptions of mountains having roots or pegs to, to stabilize the earth. Now, the argument is that the Prophet, an illiterate man living in 7th century Arabia, could not have known these things through natural means. Therefore, the Quran must have been divinely revealed. Some scholars will also highlight that these like mathematical miracles are basically like patterns evolving the number 19 or symmetrical word counts or numerical relationships between chapters and verses that seem too precise and too frequent to just be, you know, an accident. And now what makes it interesting from you know, the Muslim view versus Christianity is that a lot of my Muslim friends will accept this type of scientific challenging that they want the Quran to be challenged through a scientific lens because they believe that it is the singular revealed words of God himself. But a lot of Christians will look at the Bible and they don't necessarily have the same level of scrutiny. A lot of my Christian friends will view the Bible and say, yeah, you know, there's things that maybe, you know, are scientifically accurate and that's awesome, but if they're not scientifically accurate, that's also okay. It's sort of metaphorical and there's some other type of explanation. And that's not to say that Christians think that the Bible is, you know, fallible or isn't true, but just to say that the level of scientific scrutiny that they hold over that text is, I think, different than how Muslims view it. But what's interesting is that even within Muslim and Islamic scholarship there's debate. Some mainstream scholars accept that the Quran's numerical structure and its alignment with certain scientific observations reflect divine wisdom. Yet others would warn against this for fear of over claiming, arguing that scientific interpretations are inherently, you know, provisional, basically like science changes over time and that forcing modern science onto ancient texts can lead to some retractions. And that the Quran's primary miracle is the language and the guidance and you know, literally the text itself, not necessarily its compatibility with biology textbooks. And the caution there I get right, it's shared across multiple schools of Islamic thought, from Sunni to Shia to rationalist traditions alike. And then when early proponents of these scientific miracles claimed that the Quran described embryology in terms identical to modern science, critics pointed out that similar descriptions could have existed in different medical texts available in the ancient world. But maybe they didn't connect each other, maybe they didn't hear each other. But of course this debate continues. But what most Muslim scholars agree on is this the Quran's credibility doesn't depend on whether it predicted the Big bang or not. It's, you know, it's not whether embryology or understanding, you know, insects or bees or anything like that. It's, it's miracle is the text, it's the eloquence and the guidance and what a lot of Muslims perceive as this spiritual truth, like the challenge that remains unanswered after 14 centuries. And that the scientific miracles might be interesting and really support, you know, evidence for some believers, but they're not necessarily the foundation. I find them really interesting. As a matter of fact, we actually did an episode was it religion camp or was it the main camp gag on channel religion camp? It was religion camp, right. We did an episode going through a lot of these miracles in the Quran. The specifically the scientific mathematical miracles, which is really interesting. You guys can check that out. We can put it in the description or something like that. Now there's is another. This is the theology of miracles and sort of how Muslims will perceive miracles generally. Like how do scholars categorize and understand these extraordinary events? Now classical Islamic theology makes a crucial distinction between two types of wonders. The first is mujiza. This is a prophetic miracle. This is an extraordinary event that God creates through a prophet paired with a challenge to opponents or people that are denying the oneness of God specifically to prove the truth of the prophetic claim. Like the staff becoming the serpent, the sea parting the the Quran itself. These are mujazat signs that validate a prophet's mission. And the second is Karama, a saintly wonder. This is an extraordinary event granted to a non prophet or not literally a nonprofit, like someone that isn't a prophet, specifically to a wali, a friend of God or a saint. Now the difference between these kinds of miracles is really important because a kurama doesn't come with a prophetic claim. The person experiencing it isn't challenging anyone to accept a new revelation. It's simply just a sign of God's favor, sort of in favor of just a, you know, like a righteous person. And this distinction is important because Islam, like other traditions, has to account for why people that aren't prophets sometimes seem to experience miraculous things. Sufi literature is full of stories about saints performing wonders. Now if you don't know, Sufism is the mystical tradition within Islam. It's kind of a not really different sect. It's sort of just a different philosophy towards Islam. It has a real strong desire to experience Allah now and in the present. So as a result, Sufi literature and many, you know, Sufi scholars will talk about, you know, miraculous provision and bilocation, basically being in multiple locations at once and clairvoyance and all these miraculous things. The theology surrounding the Karama category allows these experiences to be affirmed without threatening the unique status of a Moses or a Jesus or a prophet. Muhammad scholars also warn about a third category. This is known as astidras. These are the deceptive wonders. Now these are extraordinary events that appear miraculous but don't come from God's approval. Now these might be things like magic, demonic assistance, psychological manipulation, like the Egyptian magicians tricks before Moses serpent devoured them fall into this category, right? Like, they look supernatural, but they aren't. They are not from the one God, according to Muslims. And this is why in Islamic literature, miracles alone aren't proof of anything really. Like, the content of the message matters a lot in the context and who it's happening to and for what reason. A miracle performed by someone preaching falsehood isn't from God. The miracles authenticate the truth. Ultimately, they authenticate the message. And the message must be examined for its veracity. Now, what's the purpose of all these wonders anyway? Muslim theologians are consistent about this one single thing. Miracles exist for four reasons. Confirm prophets, strengthen believers, expose falsehood, and point back to Allah. They're not for entertainment. They're not, you know, magic tricks or to aggrandize human beings. They are signs. Again, that word ayat, that, that direct attention to God and ultimately God's power and his mercy and his justice and his wisdom. And that's why the Quran keeps on calling these miracles signs. They are signs from Allah. The word ayat is used both for verses of scripture and miraculous events, because both are communications, both are signs, and they both require interpretation and ultimately point beyond themselves to the one who sent them, who Muslims believe is Allah. Now, one important note. Much of what we've covered today reflects mainstream Sunni theology, the tradition followed by roughly like 85 to 90% of the Muslims of the world. But again, Islam, like many traditions, is not monolithic. It's not one single thing. Shia scholars sometimes emphasize different aspects of prophetic miracles, particularly relating to imams and their spiritual authority. Rationalists and some modern Muslim thinkers may interpret some miracle stories is more symbolic. And of course, the Sufi traditions, like we mentioned before, often place a greater emphasis on karamat, the ongoing miracles of saints and, you know, perhaps being able to experience a miracle in your own life. And many conservative schools are, you know, perhaps less comfortable with this type of philosophy. The core framework is shared, but the ideals and the emphasis vary across, you know, this massively diverse religious traditional. Now, here's what's fascinating about the Quranic approach to miracles. It never lets you forget who's actually performing them. It's so clear. Every miracle, without exception, points back to Allah. Moses staff becomes a snake, but it is God. Abraham gets thrown to a fire but survives. It's God. Jesus raises the dead. God's permission. Even Muhammad's greatest miracle, the Quran itself is just once again framed as divine revelation, not a human composition. The prophets are just vessels, and the power is ultimately one God. This is remarkably consistent across the entire Quranic narrative from Adam's creation story to Muhammad's night journey. The miracles are diverse. I mean, you have a flood, and then you have flames, and then you have a snake, and then a resurrection and gins and, you know, turning clay into birds. But the theological framework never wavers. There is only one God, and He alone has all the power, and he alone is ultimately creating everything and doing all these miracles as a sign for people to point back to Him. And that is ultimately the meaning, that is the why behind the miracles of Islam. Now, whether you are Muslim yourself and you believe these events literally occurred, or maybe you read them as these powerful spiritual metaphors, or maybe you're not Muslim at all and you're kind of skeptical. But, you know, the literary and the religious impacts of what the Quran had on history is undeniable. And it leaves us with a question that every tradition eventually has to answer, right? What would it take to convince you that miracles happen and even might still be happening? And for Muslims, the answer is sitting right in front of them for the past 1400 years, and it's still issuing the same challenge. It's still waiting for someone to match the beauty, the structure and the eloquence of this infamous text. And that is a brief summary of the miracles of the Quran. I mean, it's very interesting, I think, for. I think, for a lot of Christians. I think there's so many, like, similar overlaps with, you know, Islam, where there's like, some very, like, you know, vivacious, charismatic Christians that might belong to, you know, a different denomination. They want to experience the. The power of God. Right now, I wonder if you could think like, you know, some charismatic movements, like, you know, Pentecostal, perhaps. I wonder if that would be similar to Sufism, where they're like, we want to experience this divine thing. We want miracles to occur in. In our everyday life. And, you know, if you're a Sunni, I wonder if that's more like Catholic, where it's much more, you know, traditional. It kind of is the most broad one. It goes across so many different cultures and kind of has a more balanced approach to, you know, like, miracles that happen to prophets and miracles that occur in everyday life. And I don't know. I think. I think it's interesting how a lot of it is framed. You know, there's so many of the same stories, but then there's stories that are added that you might not find in the Hebrew Bible or they might not find in the Christian Bible. And I find them fascinating. It's interesting that I think functionally they do the same thing for Christians. It is ultimately a validation that God is active in the lives of the people that he loves and is still working with people to this day. And I think it's really interesting and I think important for Muslims that they have a book that they consider themselves to be miraculous, that they can look to and be like, this is literally so important. Which is why, I mean, you'll see across the board for Muslims, you know, there's not a ton of iconography. Again, they don't show the Prophet, they don't show his face, they don't really show any of the prophets. And what they'll do for so much Muslim art is they'll just show the Quran. They just will have the text literally of different verses just around things. So like, you know, you might see like a border of like a painting. And it's literally just the verses of the Quran sort of like going in a circle. And that is the art in and of itself. Because the book is, is so miraculous, it's revealed by Allah that that is all the art that humans need and that only Allah alone should be worshiped and we shouldn't be, you know, deifying any of these other prophets. That is sort of the philosophy behind why Muslims do what they do. But I'm curious, what do you guys think? I mean, if you were raised with a Muslim worldview, if you, you know, grew up in a Muslim household or perhaps you reverted later in life. Was there anything I missed? Was there anything I got wrong? Is there anything that you could contribute to this? Have you ever experienced a miracle from Allah in your own life? I would love to know. Please drop a comment. Please correct me if I missed anything. And if you're not Muslim, what do you think of this? Does it resonate with your experience as a religious person or as a non religious person? Did you look at this and say, oh, wow, I can see how you know the importance of these scriptures and how the importance of these stories means something impactful to this group of people that maybe you didn't know before. I'd love to know if there's any, any highlights. I mean, Krystos, you know, I always got to throw it to you. What did you think? Is there anything you learned? Blizzard Entertainment presents Midnight, the newest expansion for World of Warcraft. Midnight calls every hero home to Azeroth. All paths lead to this moment. Xal' Atath rises, the void follows, and the sunwell stands in peril. Raiders, explorers, storytellers, newcomers and legends alike. This Is your world, your story, your moment. Because Azeroth is home. And home is always worth fighting for. Available now at worldofwarcraft.com@blinds.com it's not just about window treatments. It's about you, your style, your space, your way. Whether you DIY or want the pros to handle it all, you'll have the confidence of knowing it's done right. From free expert design help to our 100% satisfaction guarantee, everything we do is made to fit your life and your windows. Because@blinds.com the only thing we treat better than Windows is you. Visit blinds.com now for up to 50% off with minimum purchase plus a professional measure at no cost. Rules and restrictions apply. I just think it's the ultimate one up to be like, our whole book is the miracle facts. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That the Muslims kind of dialed in some things, you know what I mean? Like, that I think, you know, they had, you know, maybe it is the, you know, the divine word, maybe it's inspired by Allah. But, but dude, they, they figured some stuff out. Like, they were like, hey, you guys have a book. That's cool. We have literally, God's words put directly down. I, I, I think, I don't, I don't know for sure, but my Muslim friend was telling me that it's understood that Arabic is the language of Allah. That, that is like, literally, like, because we read the Bible and we're reading, you know, Aramaic and Greek and Hebrew translated into, you know, Latin translated into English translated into modern English and all those translations, you kind of lose something. But for, I think for Muslims, if I'm not mistaken, they are like, hey, we have like, the OG copies of the Quran. We have like, the very first iterations in the same language. Am I right on that? It says, no, Arabic is not considered the language of Allah in the sense of being his native tongue, but it is the language that he revealed it to the Prophet. Right? Yes. Interesting. So, I mean, I guess it, I guess it stands significant amongst the languages. Perhaps also if we could break the fourth wall for a little bit. You sneezed. And what you say in Arabic is yar hamuk alak, sorry, yarhamuk Allah. Oh, thank you, Christos. And what does that mean? God bless you very much or Allah bless you. Sorry. Appreciate that that means same thing, you know. Anyway, thank you guys so much. I appreciate you always. I have great news, by the way. If you are a fan of history and you like going on history deep dive, specifically all the interesting, bizarre, strange things of History, perhaps some historical conspiracies. Great news for you. We have History Camp. You can check that out in the description. We also have Camp Gagnon. That's where I go through crazy deep dives on all sorts of wild stuff, from conspiracy stuff to, you know, what is this, Christos? We have a Patreon. Oh, yeah, that's right. So you can check out Camp Gagnon. We also have a Patreon. That is the campfire. You guys can gather around the campfire, join the inner sanctum, get close. You know what I mean? This is for the most, you know, the most committed, you know, Die Hard folks that are listening to every single episode. And we just hang out there. We got extra content, we're dropping additional episodes. We have ad free episodes. We got merch discounts and all sorts of stuff. So you guys can check that out there. It's awesome. It's a good hang. And it's just other like minded people that I feel like are like me. So you can join it and feel more like yourself with people that think like you. Also, one of our good buddies, Jason, he is one of the editors, researchers, you know, one of the people behind the scenes that make camp possible. He's truly a brilliant dude and is, you know, so smart and funny and really helps keep me on track. He wrote a book, it's called History Written by Losers by Jason Hassett. He's a wonderful Irishman living in Mexico and basically outlines an entire book of all the most significant historical events kind of told from a different perspective. So if you are interested in historical literature, specifically nonfiction that goes through history in a way maybe you wouldn't hear in history class, maybe kind of like how you would hear on History Camp. This is the book for you now, of course, if you like religious deep dives, we're here every single Sunday. Thank you guys so much. I appreciate you deeply and I will see you next Sunday. God bless you and peace be with you. Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster Zero Ultra, that's the og it kicked off this whole Zero sugar energy drink thing. But Ultra is a whole lineup now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy punch. So if you've been living in the White can branch out. Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe, and every single one is Zero Sugar. Tap the banner to learn more.