Islam Critiqued receive inspiration; Quran says muhammad cannot do miracles?

In answer to the video "Top 10 Ways Muslims Ignore the Quran"

The Quran never says or implies any such thing. Before getting into that, let us just take a look at the HB.

Deut13 warns the people to be very suspicious of anyone with the ability to perform what may seem as unexplainable supernatural deeds. The NT similarly says false prophets may be allowed the performance of miracles as a matter of test to the believers Matt24:4-5,23-25,2Thess2:9-10. John the Baptist was a true prophet but performed no supernatural miracles Jn10:41,Matt21:25-26. Jesus, despite the spectacular wonders he performed, failed doing so when challenged by his opponents. Compare this to Muhammad whose miracle of eloquence was made available for all. His opponents labelled it magic and sorcery, as they could not accept its message while the Muslims believed it as God-sent. This is the typical reaction of one bent on denying the truth, who will always find an excuse to remain in disbelief

15:15"Even if we had opened opened a gate for them in heaven, and they had begun to ascend through it during day time, they would have said; our eyes have been dazzled, nay we have been bewitched".

Their constant demand for a "sign" although they would obviously never believe it no matter how clear it is, even if it came in accordance with their desires, was thus rejected, just as Jesus did. In 6:111,10:95-101 Allah speaks of those who continuously reject His communications, they will not believe no matter what sign is shown to them. All scriptures speak of such rejectors bent on denying revelation no matter what. In fact if they truly wanted a sign and werent instead seeking excuses for their disbelief, they would have at least considered the surrounding signs that point to the realities of which the Quran speaks of verse after verse. But the fact is these obdurate disbelievers see the Truth only when the promised divine torment in this earth or death overtakes them, just as Pharao came to believe only when he was drowning.

When Jesus was challenged by the wicked Pharisees to display supernatural wonders as he did in his ministry, he answered them

Mk8:11-13"Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it."

Jesus categorically denied them the performance of Signs. True to his word, Jesus never appeared to those very people who demanded him a miracle after his alleged resurrection. Although as a side note he is depicted as saying elsewhere that he will indeed reappear resurrected to them Matt12:39 yet in reality he never did. In fact the risen Jesus never appears to anyone but believers. Those stubborn disbelievers demanded miracles to excuse their unbelief.

The demand of a sign in itself is not condemnable when it is motivated by a desire of assurance of an already existing, sincere belief. Even prophets requested such signs from God, seeking to know the reality, the functioning of concepts like the resurrection 2:259-60. This is because prophets often had to face the staunchest barrages of calumnies and opposition, and would thus seek personal comfort, requesting to see miracles on a private level and not to vindicate themselves publicly. However when such demand is but a challenge with the aim of comforting one's disbelief, a mere display of mockery, then God either rejects the demand through His prophets or immediately punishes the culprits. This happened to the Jews who, after witnessing all sorts of signs and wonders in Egypt and during their journey, still demanded to see this God whom Moses claimed to have conversed with 2:55,4:153.

When some challenged similarly the prophet Muhammad, arguing that the absence of supernatural wonders is the reason of their disbelief, they are told that they instead have no real desire in them to seek the right guidance. Miracles do not conform to the whims and demands of such people, neither does Allah force belief upon anyone 10:99 much less if the person deliberately turns away from it. He lets such persons wander in their own ways 13:27.

In the NT Jesus reiterates the principle that miracles were only granted to those who desired them to confirm their faith, as Abraham or Gideon before (Judges6), and to grant satisfaction to those that already incline to truth. Miracles are not for those who

6:109"swear by Allah with the strongest of their oaths, that if a sign came to them they would most certainly believe in it. Say: Signs are only with Allah; and what should make you know that when it comes they will not believe?". 

Thomas and Philip for example Jn14 believed and inclined to the truth but wanted satisfaction and clearing of some remaining doubts. Jesus used the miracle argument to comfort them, he is not addressing unbelievers and trying to convert them using miracles, he is addressing believers and reminding them of his miracles as a support to some specific claim. Same in Jn11:1-44. In fact we even read in Mk10:46-52,Matt9:27-30 how it is faith that actually causes Jesus' miracles to succeed.

In Nazareth, Jesus was unable to do "powerful works" because he was not believed in. In Luke24 Jesus, after his crucifixion and alleged resurrection, encounters 2 men who declare their disbelief in Jesus, thinking that his mission had failed. Instead of revealing his identity which would have been a compelling evidence for them to believe, scolds them for their disbelief in scriptures which he claimed he fulfilled. His demand was to have faith in scriptures without the need to resort to supernatural evidence. Jesus alludes to this reality again in a parable where a disbeliever put in hell requests the performance of a miracle to his people -who possess and know the scriptures- still on earth that they might believe

Lk16:19-31"If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead".

The Quran, after mentioning the various miracles of Jesus, points that these were signs for the believers 3:49. Jesus, and the few other Prophets through whom God showed miracles, werent going around town squares performing magic tricks to awe passers by, or clapping their hands to cause rainfall upon request.

Simon, Peter, James and John did not need the slightest miracle to believe in Jesus' prophethood Matt4,Jn1:35-51 but all are said to "believe" in Jesus a second time after they saw his miracles and that is because it strengthened their already existing belief Jn2:11. When Moses was sent to announce the future deliverance of the Israelites, he was strengthened with miracles and sent to the elders of the community, those grounded in knowledge, devoted to study, already inclined to the truth and knew God Ex4. They were those who would first and foremost believe Moses' words and this is because they had preserved and faithfully transmitted the knowledge, that God would eventually remember them and lead them out of Egypt into the land promised to Abraham Gen50:24-25. The sign would be that one would come to them with the words matching exactly that promise and therefore Moses was commanded to remind them of it with the same words as sufficient proof of his prophethood Ex3:15-18.

From a purely comparative viewpoint, supposing Moses or Jesus' miracles were productive and crucial in supporting their missions as well as gathering followers, which they clearly were not, as seen from how readily the Israelites strayed from the path during and after Moses, as well as the very few number of followers in Jesus' lifetime despite all the miracles he showed. The fact remains that, like every action, a miracle is only temporary in nature and can not be seen twice. It disappears and becomes history as soon as performed, leaving those that did not witness it to rely at best on those claiming to have seen it. This issue in itself isnt really problematic so long as the line of prophethood hasnt been discontinued yet, since the subsequent prophet will perform his own miracles and endorse the prophet who preceded him. And the cycle would continue.

With Muhammad, the case was different. He was the Final of the prophets. His prophethood had to be asserted through miracles different than those bestowed in support of the likes of Moses, because no action can last long enough to be seen by other generations. Nor could he rely on the endorsement of a subsequent prophet. Thus the nature of the miracle that had to serve as decisive evidence of his truthfulness had to be of a different type. It had to be lasting in order to be witnessed and tested by the future generations as well as by his contemporaries. For that purpose, nothing was more adapted to the technology of the time than a miraculous speech, recorded in writing, preserved through a divine pledge as opposed to every past scripture, so that its superiority in terms of the truth it conveys, as well as the intricate subtlety of its content be witnessed and tested at any time by any generation to come. That is why the Quran repeatedly points to itself as proof of prophethood, although nowhere is it denied that the prophet could or did perform miracles of the type of "wonder workings". The ahadith contain more details, and the Quran passingly alludes to the disbelievers witnessing such secondary signs but remained in denial 2:118,37:14-15,38:4. Among such signs was the instance where the moon was split for all to see 54:1.

The Quran thus never denies the prophet Muhammad's ability, by God's will, of performing miracles the types of which his opponents demanded. It however drives home the point that the divine wonders will never be made to conform to the whims of the disbelievers. Besides, to base one's faith on the sight of "miracles" is very dangerous for one never really knows whether the "miracle" was in fact an illusion or other clever trick. The prophet Moses' opponents reflected that reality when they described his miracles as illusion without external reality

7:132"And they said; whatever sign you bring us to bewitch us, we are not going to believe you".

As the HB says, God may even purposefully allow a false prophet to perform miracles as a test to the people, whether their hearts and minds will be dazzled and swayed into ungodly ways or remain steadfast in their faith. In Ex7:11 Pharaoh commands his court magicians to imitate with their magic Moses' miracles, and some of these miracles were in fact successfully replicated, showing that seemingly supernatural occurrences do not necessarily come from God. Miracles therefore, whether in the Quran or the HB, do not serve the function of attesting to an individual claim to prophethood, rather have the twofold purpose of comforting an already believing heart as well as demonstrate the tremendous responsibilities of those that witness it.

The Bible doesnt even give instructions on how to recognize demonic miracles because technically, they are no different than the divine ones. But it shows how to recognize if the author is a false messenger. The djinn, as described in the story of the prophet Solomon, are capable of what is deemed supernatural bending of the expected laws of nature. But what they have no access to, except as Allah deems fit, is knowledge of the unseen, information that could only be obtained through revelation. Knowledge of the unseen, and of information that could not have been accessible to the messenger, prophecies coming true, uprightness of character are all very strong indications of a person's claims of prophethood. That is why the Quran, although it never denies that its messenger could and did perform miracles, treats this aspect of prophethood as inconsequential in determining the veracity of the claim, dismissing the requests of the doubters and disbelievers and leaving the matter to the Creator. The sending of signs is at all times depending in His will and wisdom. The Quran therefore, in its arguments, brings repeated attention the aforementioned 4 aspects of prophethood, with an additional focus on knowledge; based on what authority, and knowledge do the disbelievers among the polytheists and people of the book persist in their denial and deviations 

46:4"Say, [O Muhammad], "Have you considered that which you invoke besides Allah? Show me what they have created of the earth; or did they have partnership in [creation of] the heavens? Bring me a scripture [revealed] before this or a [remaining] trace of knowledge, if you should be truthful."

In conclusion, messengership does not necessitate that the forces of nature be bent at will and upon request. Miracles are entirely dependent on God's will and the prophets are nothing but mere mortals tasked with transmitting a message of warnings and glad tidings

17:90-3"And they say, we will by no means believe in you until you cause a fountain to gush forth..or you should cause the heavens to come down...or bring Allah and the angels face to face...or you should have a house of gold...Say; Glory be to God, am I aught but a mortal messenger?"