It is to observe decorum (adab) in one's inhalation and exhalation. All these, in our view, are spiritual karāma (saintly wonders) of the awliyāʾ (friends of God), in which there is no admixture of trickery or istidrāj (gradual entrapment by means of wonders). (Futūḥāt, II, 363; Asfār, 97) Indeed, these are evidence of fulfilling one’s covenant, of sincerity in intention, and of responding to divine decree with riḍā (contentment with God's decree), even if one’s request is not fulfilled or one encounters something undesirable. In such karāma, only the muqarrab (near) angels and the select, virtuous people of God (ahl Allāh) can accompany you (this karāma is not granted to everyone). (Futūḥāt, II, 363)
karāma/karāmāt 539
The station of khāriq al-ʿāda (the station of breaking the norm) occurs in many different forms: Among these are matters related to the powers of the nafs (the lower self). The bodies found in the cosmos and the powers of the nafs influence one another. Thus, the Exalted Allah brings about an extraordinary situation there. Sometimes this occurs through the known skill of nature; sometimes it is by arranging letters according to their natal constellations, which pertains to the astronomers.
Sometimes it occurs through the utterance of names by the one engaged in dhikr (remembrance of God), as with celestial bodies and the like. This matter is known among the scholars. In the end, from those names, the action associated with that name appears as extraordinary not in the person himself but in the eyes of the one who witnesses it. Sometimes, however, the action itself occurs in accordance with the power of that name. All these are within the capacity of the servant by Allah’s creation. Then come the extraordinary acts that are specifically assigned to the divine aspect (beyond the servant’s power).
There are various degrees of this; the muʿjiza (miracle) is among them. There are conditions for this, and certain known attributes. The āya (verse, sign) is also among them. This is not a muʿjiza. Among these are karāma, muʾayyad (supported), those that serve as warning, those for punishment, those for trickery, or those that are mustadraj (gradual entrapment). According to the people of God (ahl Allāh), although these exist, each has its own signs. Unlike the first group (the scholars), the people of God may not have knowledge of any of these signs, yet they act upon the knowledge that emanates from themselves. In this second group (the people of God), there is no act that can be attributed to Allah, except for muʿjiza and āya, that does not carry the possibility (iḥtimāl) of occurring or not occurring through (divine) grace (ʿināya). These (muʿjiza and āya) have manifested due to grace. For their verification, truthfulness is required from the one who reports them and the one who supports them. Those outside of these, as we have mentioned, carry the suspicion of possibility.
Let us return to the point required by our path. The phenomenon of suspending the norm (performing extraordinary acts) among the awliyāʾ is only possible by the person who suspends the norms within his own nafs, removing his nafs from the point to which the reality of his nafs has brought him. This is done by exercising authority over his nafs concerning matters that are permissible (mubāḥ), abandoning what is obligatory (wājib) that Shayṭān (Satan) has adorned for him, or other matters that may be harmful to him. Whoever removes these norms from his nafs, Allah will also suspend the norms of the cosmos for him. Thus, acts such as telling what is in another’s heart, walking in the air, and similar extraordinary feats will issue from him. (Futūḥāt, II, 365-366)
People have disagreed as to whether a miracle (muʿjiza) of a prophet can occur for a walī (friend of God). Except for Master Abū Isḥāq Isfarāyinī, the majority of scholars have said that it is permissible. He, however, holds the view that it is not possible. In our view, it is likewise.
However, we are of the opinion that this can occur with one condition, which is this: The walī must do it not as a karāma, but in order to affirm the prophet. In that case, karāma/karāmāt
in our view, such a karāma occurs, and we have witnessed (shāhid) it. As we have said, what is a muʿjiza for a prophet appears as a karāma for a walī. If Master (Isfarāyinī) had paid attention to this, he would not have denied it and could have said that it is possible. For this is not outside the category of muʿjiza. However, the muʿjiza that is the subject of disagreement is not the muʿjiza that appears as the karāma of a walī (an extraordinary event that previously occurred at the hands of a prophet and rendered his audience powerless). Rather, those who deem it permissible have stipulated that the extraordinary event manifesting for the walī does not appear in the same way as the muʿjiza at the hands of the prophet, and that if the walī challenges others regarding his walāya (friendship with God) with this, it is permissible for Allah to create that extraordinary event. If a liar challenges with a karāma in a matter in which he is lying, he is sincere in his lying. Then it is permissible for Allah to create an extraordinary event (a wonder that turns out contrary to his intention, i.e., khiyāna [betrayal]) as evidence of his sincerity in lying. Thus, the difference between them becomes clear. (Futūḥāt, II, 366)
Shayṭānic spirits (arwāḥ shayṭāniyya) are the spirits that, according to the author of the work Futūḥāt, brought this kitāb (book) to him. For this reason, he mentions many such things in his book. For example, he claims that when alone, they bring him whatever food he desires, provide whatever he wants, etc. Such things actually arise from contact with jinn and shayṭāns. People think these are karāmāt al-awliyāʾ (saintly wonders of the friends of God). But these are nothing other than shayṭānic states. I know many such people: those who fly through the air to distant places and return, those who find stolen goods—though it is the shayṭān who steals and brings it to him—those whom shayṭāns guide to theft by enabling them to obtain things from people, or when they are inclined to theft, guide them to give what they have taken, and similar things. (Furqān, 87)
Karāmāt al-awliyāʾ (saintly wonders of the friends of God) only occur by the blessing of following the Messenger of God (peace be upon him). In reality, karāmāt are included within the muʿjizāt (miracles) of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him). For example: the splitting of the moon, the pebbles in his palm glorifying God, the tree moving from its place and coming to him, the palm trunk moaning out of longing for him, his describing Bayt al-Maqdis after the Night Journey, bringing the Noble Book, the repeated increase of food and drink; in the famous hadith of Umm Sulaym, during the Battle of the Trench, the soldiers being satisfied from a single pot of food without any decrease, during the Battle of Khaybar, the soldiers quenching their thirst from a single water skin without any decrease, and during the Battle of Tabūk, the soldiers filling their vessels from a small amount of food without any decrease. (Furqān, 124)
Karāmāt occur according to the need of the person. If his iman (faith) is weak or he is in need, he is given a karāma sufficient to strengthen his iman or to fulfill his need. Those among the friends of God whose walāya is most perfect have no need for this. Thus, it is not because their walāya is deficient, but because their rank is high and they have no need for such karāmāt, that these are not given to them. For this reason, such acts have appeared more among the tābiʿūn (successors) than among the Companions (ṣaḥāba). However, those among whom extraordinary acts occur in order to guide the people to hudā (guidance) and to fulfill their needs are not like this. They are those of the highest rank. Shayṭānic states, on the other hand, are the opposite of this. (Furqān, 132)
Karāmāt al-awliyāʾ (saintly wonders of the friends of God) and the karāma that partially resembles it