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The question

Does God grant a person miraculous provision—such as acquiring bulging muscles overnight—without that person's effort, and is it correct to say that this is illogical?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Miracles and divine favors (karamat) are only considered as such if they go against the usual course of events. It is not appropriate for a rational person to conduct their worldly affairs by awaiting the breaking of natural laws, and to abandon the legitimate means (asbab) available to them. That would be blameworthy dependence and incapacity, and not the commanded reliance on Allah (tawakkul). For Allah, in His wisdom, has decreed the connection of effects to their causes.

Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "Reliance on means is polytheism (shirk) in Tawhid (monotheism), and the denial of means being causes is a deficiency in intellect. Turning away from the commanded means is a defect in the Sacred Law. Therefore, the servant must have their heart reliant on Allah, not on a means, even if the means are within their capability and they are commanded to employ them. They should employ them with reliance on Allah. So, whoever abandons the commanded means is an incapable, negligent, and blameworthy person."

No rational person can stop drinking water when they need it, or refrain from marriage and expect a child, on the pretext that Allah will provide for them if He wills. Nevertheless, special circumstances have their own ruling regarding the occurrence of divine favors (karamat).

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported

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Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
183103
Imported
Translation status
Source text, unreviewed
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