Mwanadamu ana chuki ya asili dhidi ya kujisalimisha kwa mtu mwingine, isipokuwa anapolazimishwa na nguvu za mwili za mtu huyo au ubora wake wa kiakili, au anapoonyeshwa mambo yanayozidi kwa mbali uwezo wa binadamu yeyote. Katika kesi mbili za kwanza, hujisalimisha kwa shingo upande, wakati katika ya tatu, hujisalimisha kwa sababu ya imani yake katika nguvu ya juu zaidi au uwezo usiolinganishwa na wa kibinadamu. Kwa hiyo, Allaah aliwapendelea Mitume Wake si tu kwa wahyi, bali pia kwa miujiza, akiwathibitishia watu wazi asili ya kimungu na ukweli wa ujumbe wao. Kushindwa kwa watu kuiga miujiza ya Mitume kuliwafanya wakubali kwa hiari kushuhudia umoja wa Allaah na kutii amri za Mitume.

Man has a natural distaste towards submitting to another man unless he is forced to by the latter’s physical strength or his mental superiority, or if he is shown feats far beyond the abilities of any man. In the first two cases, he yields reluctantly, while in the third, he yields because of his belief in a higher force or power defying all human comparison. Therefore, Allaah favored His messengers not only with revelation, but also with miracles, clearly proving to the people the divine origin and truthfulness of their messages. The inability of the people to imitate the miracles of the prophets made them willingly bear witness to Allaah’s unity and obey the commandments of the prophets.

Kutokana na matatizo yaliyopo katika mawasiliano na usafiri, manabii wa mwanzo walitumwa kwa watu tu miongoni mwa waliolelewa nao.

Due to the difficulties involved in communication and transportation, the early prophets were sent only to the people among whom they were raised up.

Hivyo basi, miujiza waliyoileta ilikuwa ikiendana hasa na nyanja za maarifa ambazo watu wao walikuwa mahiri zaidi, ili miujiza hiyo iwe na athari kubwa zaidi juu yao. Kwa mfano, Nabii Muusa (Musa), amani ya Allaah iwe juu yake, alilelewa miongoni mwa Wamisri, ambao walijulikana kwa ustadi wao katika sanaa za uchawi, ushirikina na uganga. Kwa hiyo, Allaah alimpa muujiza wa kuweza kuweka mkono wake ndani ya vazi lake na kulitoa likiwa jeupe linalong'aa sana. Na wachawi na waganga walipokusanywa kumpinga Nabii Muusa, na fimbo zao walizozitupa zikaonekana kwa hadhira kama nyoka, Allaah aligeuza fimbo ya Nabii Muusa kuwa nyoka mkubwa halisi aliyemeza "nyoka" za wapinzani wake. Kushindwa huko kulitosha kuwa ushahidi kwa wachawi na waganga, waliojua kwamba hakuna mtu anayeweza kubadilisha asili ya fimbo kama Muusa alivyoonekana kufanya. Walianguka kifudifudi kwa unyenyekevu na imani ya dhati kwa Mungu wa Muusa, licha ya vitisho vya kuuawa walivyotolewa na bwana wao, Firauni.

Thus, the miracles which they brought were particularly suited to the areas of knowledge in which their people excelled in order for the miracles to have the maximum effect on them. For example, Prophet Moosaa (Moses), may Allaah’s peace be on him, was raised up among the Egyptians, who were noted for their mastery of the occult arts, sorcery, and magic. Hence, Allaah gave him the miracle of being able to place his hand in his cloak and extract a brilliantly shining hand. And when sorcerers and magicians were gathered to challenge Prophet Moosaa, and the staffs which they had cast appeared to the audience as snakes, Allaah turned Prophet Moosaa’s staff into a huge, real snake that devoured the “snakes” of his opponents. That defeat was sufficient proof for the magicians and sorcerers, who knew that no one could change the nature of a stick as Moosaa apparently had done. They fell on their faces in submission and sincere belief in the God of Moosaa, in spite of the threats on their lives uttered by their master, the Pharaoh.

Mfano mwingine ni wa Nabii ‘Eesaa (Yesu), ambaye Allaah alimchagua kutoka miongoni mwa Wayahudi. Wayahudi walijulikana hasa kwa uwezo wao wa kipekee katika fani ya tiba. Madaktari Wayahudi waliheshimiwa sana na kupewa staha kubwa kwa uwezo wao unaoonekana wa kimiujiza wa kuunganisha mifupa, kutibu majeraha, na kuponya wagonjwa. Hivyo, Allaah alimpendelea Nabii ‘Eesaa kwa uwezo wa kimiujiza wa kuwafanya vipofu waone, viwete watembee, na kuwafufua wafu. Uwezo huu ulikuwa wazi kuwa ni zaidi ya ule wa madaktari Wayahudi wa siku hizo, nao walijua vizuri kwamba hakuna mtu wa kawaida angeweza kuyafanya. Lakini Allaah alimpa Nabii ‘Eesaa muujiza wa kustaajabisha zaidi: aliweza kuumba ndege kwa udongo, kuwapulizia, nao wakaruka mbali.

Another example is that of Prophet ‘Eesaa (Jesus), who was chosen by Allaah from among the Jews. The Jews were especially noted for their exceptional abilities in the field of medicine. Jewish doctors were highly respected and revered for their seemingly magical ability to mend bones, heal wounds, and cure the sick. Thus, Allaah favored Prophet ‘Eesaa with the miraculous ability to make the blind see, the lame walk, and to bring the dead back to life. These abilities were clearly beyond those of the Jewish doctors of that day, and they knew well that no regular man could do them. Yet, Allaah gave Prophet ‘Eesaa an even more dazzling miracle: he was able to mold birds out of clay, breathe on them, and they would fly away.

Kwa kuwa Nabii Muhammad (ﷺ) alikuwa ndiye wa mwisho wa manabii, aliyetumwa si kwa watu fulani tu bali kwa wanadamu wote, alipewa muujiza ambao haukuwashangaza tu watu aliolelewa miongoni mwao, bali ambao utaupa changamoto na kuushangaza akili ya binadamu hadi siku za mwisho wa dunia hii. Nabii Muhammad (ﷺ), kama manabii wengine waliotangulia, alipewa miujiza mingine kadhaa ambayo athari zake kimsingi zilibaki kwa watu wa wakati wake; kwa mfano, kupasuka kwa mwezi kutokana na ombi la kabila lake la kupewa ishara, kububujika kwa maji kutoka mikononi mwake siku moja alipokuwa yeye na masahaba zake wamekosa maji, na jambo la mawe na kokoto kumtolea salamu (yaani, kumsalimia kwa maneno: “as-salaamu ‘alaykum,” yenye maana ya, “amani iwe juu yenu”), na mengine machache tu kutaja.41 Hata hivyo, muujiza wa Nabii Muhammad (ﷺ) ulioendana na msaada wa Allaah kwa manabii waliotangulia ulikuwa ni muujiza wa kifasihi.

Since the Prophet Muhammad (r) was to be the last of the prophets sent not only to a particular people, but to all of mankind, he was given a miracle which not only amazed people among whom he was raised, but which would challenge and amaze the human mind until the last days of this world. Prophet Muhammad (r), like the other prophets before him, was given a number of other miracles whose effects were basically limited to the people of his time; for example, the splitting of the moon upon his tribe’s request for a sign, the outpouring of water from his hands on one occasion when he and his companions were short of water, and the phenomenon of pebbles and rocks giving salaams to him (i.e., greeting him with the phrase: “ as-salaamu ‘alaykum,” meaning, “peace be on you”), just to mention a few.41 However, the miracle of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) which was consistent with Allaah’s aid to the prophets before him was a literary miracle.

Waarabu walikuwa na ujuzi wa kipekee au maarifa yaliyokusanywa kidogo sana, lakini walijivunia sana ufasaha wao wa kusema na ustadi wao wa fasihi. Kila mwaka zilifanyika mashindano katika maonyesho kama lile la ‘Ukkaath, ambapo mistari mingi ya hotuba na mashairi ilisomwa kwa kukariri. Lugha yao ilikuwa imefikia kilele cha maendeleo yake, na ufasaha ulichukuliwa kuwa sifa ya juu kabisa ambayo mtu angeweza kuwa nayo. Kwa kweli, mashairi kumi maarufu zaidi yaliheshimiwa sana hivi kwamba yaliandikwa kwa dhahabu na kutundikwa Ka‘bah kwa ibada ya heshima.42 Kwa hiyo, Allaah alimteremshia nabii wake wa mwisho kitabu, kikianza sehemu fulani kwa herufi zisizoeleweka kama "Alif Laam Meem" au "Qaaf" au "Noon", zikiuchochea akili ya Kiarabu, kana kwamba zinasema: "Kutokana na herufi hizi mnazozichanganya kuunda mazungumzo yenu ya kila siku, pamoja na kazi kubwa za nathari na mashairi, kumeundwa kitabu ambacho sura yake fupi kabisa haizidi mistari mitatu, lakini hamwezi kukiiga, bila kujali mnavyojitahidi!" Hivyo, muujiza wake wa kudumu haukuwa mwingine ila Qur'aan yenyewe, kama Nabii (ﷺ) mwenyewe alivyosema,

The Arabs had very little in the way of unique skills or accumulated knowledge, but they took great pride in their oratory and literary skills. Yearly contests were held in fairs like that of ‘Ukkaath, in which many lines of speeches and poetry were recited from memory. Their language had reached its peak of development, and eloquence was considered the highest quality a man could possess. In fact, the ten most famous poems were so revered that they were etched in gold and hung in the Ka‘bah for solemn adoration.42 Consequently, Allaah revealed to His last prophet a book, beginning some parts with unintelligible letters like, “Alif Laam Meem” or “Qaaf” or “Noon,” tantalizing the Arab mind, as if to say, “From these letters which you combine to form your daily conversations, as well as great works of prose and poetry, is formed a book whose shortest chapter does not exceed three lines, yet you cannot imitate it, no matter how hard you try!” Thus, his standing miracle was none other then the Qur’aan itself, as the Prophet (ﷺ) himself stated,