Aristotelian Framework of Shah Waliullah's Theory of Miracles in Tawil-ul-Ahadith

Abstract

Miracles are an intriguing subject of introspection not only in the religious but also the philosophical arena. They are considered to be the proof of religion, for within Themis a vigor that aids in validating the existence of the supernatural realm, deity, and the deity’s pulsating relation to humans. It is pertinent to note that amidst all religious symbols, miracles enjoy a special and distinct status. Owing to their supernatural and divine nature (as the textual evidence suggests), it has been generally believed that Miracles are inexplicable. Nevertheless, people of all ages and religions have tried to offer a framework to help explain, understand, and contextualize the wide range of miracles across the traditions. A variety of explanations ranging from naturalistic to mystical are readily available. Shah Waliullah of Delhi also tries to offer an explanation in this regard which is Aristotelian and naturalistic in spirit. The present study is an attempt to highlight the Aristotelian substructure of Shah Waliullah’s theory of Miracles in his Tawil-ul-Ahadith. It tries to reveal how Waliullah’s theory of miracles is a close ally of Aristotelian theory of causation, which is evident from its harmony with Aristotle’s principle of reason, theory of causation, and God. Furthermore, an evaluation has been made to determine the status of Waliullah’s theory particularly with reference to its consistency and explanatory power to unleash its problems.