(part 1 of 2):
What is a healing miracle?
The word miracle has become so common in today’s language that it is often used for everyday things like individual happiness. The Merriam Webster online dictionary defines miracles as „an extraordinary event that manifests divine interference in human affairs“. The Bible’s Baker’s Dictionary defines a miracle as „an event in the outside world that is brought about by the direct power or simple will of God.“
Throughout history, the notion or belief that a healer’s prayer and or care can cure disease has been common. These miraculous healings are then attributed to a variety of techniques that are classified as miracle healings or miracles of healing. The term healing of faith is best known in connection with Christianity, although it is also used in many other religions, including New Age and pagan beliefs. For example, Tibetan Buddhism has always known and accepted belief healings. The practice of laying on of hands is practiced not only by Buddhist monks but also by magicians and the media. In religions based on magic or pagan customs, the use of spells and potions for healing requires
According to the majority of Christian denominations, the term healing of faith or miracle of healing refers to healing that occurs as a result of divine intervention or prayer in a supernatural manner rather than medical care. Medical and scientific research has shown that religious ties help prevent and treat emotional disorders, illnesses, and harm, and improve recovery. [1] In short, people with a religious belief sometimes get better faster than those without. This is usually attributed to an optimistic outlook and hope for the future. Unfortunately, some parts of society today refuse medical treatment and hope to be healed by the virtue of their faith alone.
In line with Islam’s holistic approach to health, there is no contradiction in seeking healing through both medical science and permitted spiritual means. The Prophet Muhammad, God’s blessing and peace be upon him, said: „There is no disease that God Almighty created without a cure for it.“ [2] It is also known that the Muslim world in the In the Middle Ages the ancient Greek traditions were preserved by medicine, translated into Arabic and further developed.
Islam views the miracles a little differently. He defines a miracle as an extraordinary act or event that contradicts the laws of nature and can only come about through the direct intervention of God Almighty Himself. Furthermore, a miracle can only be performed by the prophets of God. Therefore, an event brought about by a religious, righteous person is not classified as a miracle, but according to Islam it is known as Karamah. Here we see that healing of faith would fit into the category of the Karamahs. However, our goal here is not to measure Christianity according to Islamic standards, but to look at the healing of the faith and to discover under what circumstances these events occur.
The roots of today’s Christian faith healing movement are clearly biblical. According to Joe Nickel: „In Christianity, Jesus became a source of strengthening power, brought healing awareness, and brought about wonderful healings of both mind and body wherever he went.“ The Christian Gospels report over forty miraculous healings from both Jesus and his disciples.
One of the best known accounts of the healing of faith in the Catholic Church are miracles attributed to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our living wife of Lourdes at the grotto of Lourdes in France. The Catholic Church officially recognized 67 miracles that the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to have first appeared in Lourdes in February 1858.
The Faith Healing Movement across North America gave its followers the unrealistic message that if you are sick or poor, it is because you have too little faith. Regarding this concept, 37-year-old cerebral palsy Justin Peters, an evangelical pastor who leads the Justin Peters ministries, said: „Two of the most elementary human desires are to be rich and to be healed.“ and „If you believe that God can heal you, if you only have enough faith, then the burden lies on you. If you are not healed, then what? Who do you blame? Certainly not God Suffering is the heavy weight of thinking that your belief is too weak. “ Peters watches the teachings of evangelical prosperity priests like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copland,
In her 2003 essay on Modern American Faith Healers, Catie Caldwell described a movement aimed at surprising and inspiring a population overwhelmed by the trials and tribulations of life in the 21st century . The comfort and ease that should come from believing in God and His grace are relegated to a personal miracle that is granted only to those who have been found worthy of human test of their level of faith. She says, „These charismatic faith healers have a huge fan base and are centered around very powerful and wealthy individuals who claim to have special powers and anointing from God to heal any suffering. These leaders lead the nation, pull hundreds, even thousands at their rebirth-like events. People move to these events to seek healing and relief from their visible and invisible ailments. The atmosphere at these events is extremely emotional and the participants claim that the „Spirit of God“ is present and would actively heal them. The denominational representation at these events and among the leaders is diverse; it is a very interdenominational movement. „[3] The denominational representation at these events and among the leaders is diverse; it is a very interdenominational movement. „[3] The denominational representation at these events and among the leaders is diverse; it is a very interdenominational movement. „[3]
While Islam recognizes the healing powers of the Quran and prayers, there is no doubt that the world of the 21st century is populated more than ever by those who claim to be able to bring about miracles and miracle healings. You should be sure who you trust. There are many people who claim to be healers, whose intentions and methods are far from pure, and worse, many are downright evil.
A believer is encouraged to have complete trust in God, but this does not deny the healing efficacy of medicine. God actually has power over all things, so we have to trust Him, build a permanent relationship with His book of guidance – the Quran, follow the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad, and seek healing where we can find it. As believers, we are able to use the means that God and the Prophet Muhammad have made available to us to screen the truth from the false. Those who become prey to miracle healing may not know how to recognize the illusions; therefore in the second part we will discuss how these ´wonders´ come about and the goals of those
Footnotes:
[1] Matthews, D. (2000) Is Religion Good for Your Health in Stannard, R. (Ed) God for the 21st Century Philadelphia: Templeton Foundation Press.
[2] Sahieh Al-Bukhari
[3] (http://home.wlu.edu/~lubint/touchstone/FaithHealing-Caldwell.htm)
(part 2 of 2):
The business of healing
It might seem that in the 21st century – the corrupt century, many of us are suffering from trials and suffering like never before, the poor are poorer, the sick are sicker, diseases attack us when we least expect it, and our immune system is reaching its limits. More than ever before, people have access to miracles of healing. Christians no longer need to look for traveling priests in tents; Nowadays it’s just one thing to turn on the TV or drive a short distance. There’s even a drive-in service, which means you don’t even have to get out of your car! But are these cures full of lies and deceit? Let’s take a look at today’s healing services.
Catie Caldwell, author of Modern American Faith Healers, summarizes the premise of the Faith Healing Services when she describes the system as a system that „tries to mix two areas: the religious and the scientific.“ This blending uses supernatural powers to achieve a natural, physical result. Faith healing is a charismatic movement that claims that „the Spirit of God“ is present and that it is actively moving through the sessions that it holds. Participants claim to perform or experience „modern miracles“ similar to those performed by Jesus and his disciples in the New Testament scriptures. „
As Muslims, we feel content with the fact that Jesus performed miracles as a direct result and with God’s permission. However, our belief tells us that these miracles cannot be repeated today. God no longer sends us prophets because Prophet Muhammad is the last prophet that God has sent. This does not mean that God no longer works miracles; many of us even consider the sunrise every day as a miracle. And everyone who has had a birth knows that he has witnessed a miracle. In the second decade of the 21st century, we find the Christian world, especially Central America, populated by men who do the healing business. They refer to what they call „special“ God-given gifts to heal the sick,
In 2008, when Pastor Benny Hinn attended Australia for three shows, he returned to America after $ 28,000 more after 28 hours. After leaving Australia, he traveled aboard his $ 36 million Gulfstream jet as part of a 27-stage world tour that was expected to generate over $ 10 million. As a former Eastern Orthodox Palestinian, Hinn has caused much controversy with the theological remarks and allegations he made on television. In 1999, Hinn claimed that God had given him a vision by predicting the resurrection of thousands of dead people after seeing his show. He is also known for false prophecies about the end of the days.
Of course, faith healers span the spectrum from cynical tricksters to well-meaning, even misled believers. However, the turn of the century has produced prominent faith healers who can attract a huge fan base. With these revivals, healing is not a process, it is an instantaneous incident. In a typical faith healing ceremony, the healer puts his hands on the patient and commands them to be healed. The „healed“ is then presented to the audience as evidence of the miracle.
The deaf can suddenly hear, the blind can suddenly see, the lame can walk and suffering can disappear. Bodies are changed without any medication. Negative results are always explained by specifying personal mistakes. If the healing of faith by qualified people has been carefully examined, no evidence has ever been found. Even in Lourdes in France, a grotto where sick people were miraculously healed by water, there have only been 4 recognized healings since 1978, out of over 5 million people who come to seek healing every year. Medical science unanimously discredits any healings of this kind [2]; however, medical science recognizes that people with religious beliefs are often healed faster than those without. This is usually attributed to an overall attitude of hope and optimism. Now you could ask, what’s the danger? According to a lot of sources, the dangers are numerous.
Many tactics are used to defraud gullible people. including wrong listeners and information using headphones. Some people seem to be cured because their illnesses were actually psychosomatic and the emotionally charged healing sessions are the perfect place to cure illnesses that are psychological rather than physical in nature. In addition, many people are seized by the euphoria of the moment and actually feel better, this applies especially to conditions whose main symptom is pain. Other conditions would of course heal, regardless of whether the person is participating in a healing event or not.
On the other hand, what about those who attend healing sessions filled with hope just to go home without being healed? These people are hurt, both physically and emotionally. There have been cases where people have stopped taking the much-needed medication, which is not good for their health. The effects of not being healed can be terribly sobering, and healers like Hinn have distracted criticism by accusing the sick of not having enough faith.
On its website, the American Cancer Society says that „People who seek healing through healing and are not cured feel hopeless, guilty, useless, and depressed and think they have failed. In some groups, the person is told their or their beliefs „Don’t be strong enough. The healer and others blame the person for failing to heal. This can scare and discourage the person who is still sick.“
For Muslims, people who believe in the absolute and constant power of God, it might seem unusual for people across the Christian world to believe in such arrogant and money-focused men; Christian experience, however, warns us that belief in anything other than God’s power is useless and dangerous. It is a warning to those of us who rely on amulets, magic formulas, or strange rituals to cure diseases. God doesn’t want us to leave illnesses and injuries untreated, and He doesn’t want us to pay unscrupulous people for potions and poisoned words.
Belief and submission to the will of God is the most important part of good health care. The words and recitations of the Quran heal the hearts and minds, as well as helping to overcome illnesses and injuries, however, full trust in God does not undermine the healing properties of medication, provided we use it only in an authorized manner . The Prophet said: „There is no disease that God Almighty has created without He also creating her remedy.“ [3]
Footnotes:
[1] Finn, Robin. COVER STORY; Want Pathos, Pain and Courage? Get Real, New York Times, 2001-04-15
[2] Mackay 1841; Rose 1968; Nolen 1974; Randi 1989; Nickell 1993; Hines 2003; Barrett 2003.
[3] Saheeh Al-Bukhari
Source: https://www.islamland.com/deu/articles/christliche-heilungswunder–eine-darlegung