Miracles Are Freckles On The Face Of Faith

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 1 April 2023 "Miracles are freckles on the face of faith." Bishop Desmond Tutu Mo'jizaat Muntashir Hain Har Soo Chahiye Nigaah Aur Saadiq Justajoo -Jaleel Manikpuri (Miracles are scattered everywhere/ All you need is deep observation and truthful search) Miraculous is human existence Nothing else makes any sense Walt Whitman (this quote is not from 'Leaves of Grass') Once someone approached a disciple of the mystic Junaid of Baghdad and said, " Tell me why your Master conceals his miracles. I've personally collected data that shows beyond any doubt that he's been present in more than one place at a time; that he healed people by the power of his prayers but tells them it was the work of nature; that he played people in their troubles and then attributes it to their good luck. Why does he do this? " I know exactly what you're talking about," said the disciple, " for, I've observed these things myself. And I think I can give you the answer to your question. First, the Master recoils from being the centre of attention. And secondly, he's convinced that once people develop an interest in the miraculous, they've no desire to learn anything of true spiritual value. "Faith, I mean true faith, is never miracle-based. That one requires miracles to believe, shows the fundamental weakness of belief and dilapidation of faith. Miracle is sorcery. It's a sleight of hand and exploitation of collective gullibility. Those who're firm in faith, never believe in miracles. And those who are truly enlightened, never resort to miracles to attract their followers. Human life itself is the greatest miracle. And every golden morning is nature's own way to mesmerise us with a miracle. Seeing an infant's guileless and angelic face is a miracle. Hearing someone's unaffected and hearty laughter is a miracle because in this age of universal gloominess and deep-rooted sorrows, a consummate laughter is an unexpected phenomenon. It's a miracle. To quote an Urdu poet Qahin Lakhnawi, 'Iss Daur Mein Tere Chehre Pe Hansi / Hansne Waale Tu Kahin Farishta Toh Nahin?' (There's a streak of smile on your lips in such difficult times/ Man, tell me, are you an angel)? Despite so much bloodshed, so many wars and so much violence, man has not lost his inherent goodness and faith in mankind and our audacious optimism that a day will come when there will be no differences, no distinctions and no discrimination among men and no boundaries among nations. However Utopian all this may sound and seem, is it not a great miracle? To have an unwavering faith in anything and in any idea is a faith of the most sublime form. Someone aptly said, 'Vishwas Khud Ek Chamatkar Hai' (Faith itself is a miracle). What else is required to be qualified as a miracle when miracles are all around us, albeit in disguised forms? We require miracles, when we lose faith in ourselves and in our universal goodness. Remember the words of W H Auden, ' Look deeper. The whole world and your own life will appear as the greatest miracles.' ------ A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/miracles-freckles-faith/d/129462 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism