Miraculous Acts: Possibility and Pathology

A miraculous (karāma) act in Islamic culture and ideology, especially in Shī‘ism, is possible; accordingly, the writer proceeds to prove its possibility by giving two historical examples and one contemporary one from reliable sources. Although in view of some rationalists, miraculous act, which is an extra-ordinary event, is regarded as contrary to the law of causality, it is to be noted that there are spiritual and non-material causes in this respect, confirmed by new researches, which can cause unusual events. In the meantime, it is mentioned from the pathological perspective that many a time the exaggerations and misrepresentations imposed on a miraculous act would throw doubt on the very act itself.