the wind as it sweeps over the open spaces of the desert. Pointedly, it
asks: "Are not these marvellous? What more do you want?" The
phenomena of nature, at once beautiful and mysterious, can fully
gratify man's sense of wonder. However, the people with whom the
Nabi of Islam had to deal were steeped in superstition. They were
obsessed with the craving for the miraculous. They not only
believed that the laws of nature could be violated but regarded such
a violation as the only proof that could be offered for the truth of a
statement. Instead of scrutinizing the rational grounds of the
statement and accepting it if adequate evidence was adduced in its
favour, they asked whether the man who made it could work
wonders or not. It was not easy to deal with and win over people
whose attitude to truth was so irrational. The Nabi did the best that
he could in these difficult circumstances. With gentle persuasion he
strove to turn their attention from figments of imagination to the
concrete facts of life and history. He exhorted them to reflect upon
nature and history and make a serious attempt to understand them
both. With fervent earnestness he assured them that he did not
claim the power to work miracles but that he rested his case on
rational arguments and on the beneficial effects of his teaching. His
opponents could not be expected to be satisfied with this simple
explanation. They retorted that if he were a true Nabi he would
surely have worked miracles; his inability to do so was proof that he
had no valid claim to nubuwwah. The accusation was without
foundation. If the Nabi had been an imposter, he could easily have
worked on their superstitious minds. A single instance will suffice to
prove his integrity of character. Soon after the death of his beloved
son, there was a solar eclipse. People were frightened by the unusual
darkness and they humbly suggested to the Nabi that nature seemed
to be convulsed by the shock of his son's death. Without the least
hesitation, he assured them that this was a natural phenomenon
and had no bearing on his personal affairs. Nature goes on its course
unconcerned with the calamities that may befall man. Only a man of
his stature could have refused to seize an opportunity of convincing
people absolutely that he was a miracle worker and, therefore, a true
Nabi. The incident throws ample light on the essential honesty and
integrity of the Nabi. No prospect of immediate gain could induce
him to come to a compromise with the superstitious unbelievers.
Islam: A Challenge to Religion 118