Concept
A number of terms are used in Islam to refer to the claims of events happening that are not explicable by natural or scientific laws, subjects where people sometimes invoke the supernatural. In the Quran the term āyah (ˈɑːjə; آية; plural: آيات āyāt, literally "sign") refers to signs in the context of miracles of God's creation and of the prophets and messengers (such as Ibrahim/Abraham and Isa/Jesus). In later Islamic sources miracles of the prophets were referred to by Muʿjiza (مُعْجِزَة), literally meaning "that by means of which [the Prophet] confounds, overwhelms, his opponents"), while miracles of saints are referred to as karamat (charismata). I'jaz al-Quran - literally the inimitability of the Quran - refers to the Quranic claim that no one can hope to imitate its (the Quran's) perfection, this quality being considered the primary miracle of the Quran and proof of Muhammad's prophethood. In recent decades, the term I'jaz has also come to refer to the belief that the Quran contains "scientific miracles", i.e. prophecies of scientific discoveries. Kharq al'adad - "a break in God's customary order of things" - was a term used in "theological or philosophical discussions" to refer to miraculous events. Karamat - "gifts or graces" - was usually used for miraculous performances of Sufi saints often used to convert unbelievers to Islam (considered a work of "divine generosity" rather than "divine power" employed in the miracles of prophets). A systematic definition of miracles performed by apostles can be found in the work of the Muslim scholar al-Īd̲j̲ī Mawāḳif, historian A.J. Wensinck states. The main purpose of miracle is to prove the sincerity of the apostle and has to satisfy the following conditions: It must be performed by God "It must be contrary to the usual course of things" It should be impossible to contradict it "It must happen at the hands of him who claims to be an apostle "It must be in conformity with his announcement of it, and the miracle itself must not be a disavowal of his claim" "It must follow on his claim" Belief in that which is transmitted by mutawatir is obligatory to believe in for Sunni Muslims.