A Reexamination of the Rational Explanation of Sensory Miracles Based on the Principles of the Primacy of Existence and the Unity of Being.

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Fatemeh Rahmani ¹

Amir Rastin Toroghi ²

¹ Master's Student in Islamic Philosophy and Wisdom, Shahid Motahhari University - Mashhad Branch. Mashhad, Iran.

² Assistant professor, Islamic philosophy and theosophy, Faculty of theology and Islamic teachings, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22067/epk.2026.98234.1529

Abstract

Miracle, as an extraordinary phenomenon, is regarded as one of the most important tests for assessing the internal coherence of any philosophical and theological system that affirms it. Within this context, Transcendent Philosophy, relying on its ontological foundations, possesses the capacity to interpret even the most exceptional events—such as miracles—not as a “violation of law,” but rather as a logical and intelligible component of the very same comprehensive order of being. The present study, employing a rational method and drawing upon the approach of the personal unity of existence—derived from a renewed reading of Mullā Ṣadrā’s doctrine of the primacy of existence—seeks to elucidate the nature of miracles. The findings indicate that interpreting miracles in light of the unity of existence fundamentally resolves long‑standing challenges, such as the apparent conflict with the principle of proportionality between cause and effect in sensory miracles. Accordingly, in the process of the occurrence of a miracle, we are not confronted with the “transformation” of one entity into another or the “creation” of something entirely new; rather, we encounter a distinct “unveiling” and “manifestation” of the very perfections that have always been present, albeit in a condensed manner, within the inner reality of simple existence. Within this same framework, the distinction between miracles and other extraordinary phenomena, such as sorcery and magic, can also be clarified. This perspective not only explains the mechanism of miracles within a coherent philosophical framework but also elevates their status as a tangible manifestation of the deeper structure of reality.

Keywords

Sensory Miracles

Primacy of Existence

Personal Unity of Existence

Multiplicity of Manifestations

Subjects

• Islamic Philosophy and Kalam

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