The mystical event in Fátima, Portugal known as the "Miracle of the Sun" or the "Miracle of Fatima" has captivated people for more than a century. His supernatural nature is studied and debated by many to this day. While some skeptics offer questionable explanations; and since Christians exaggerate the evidence, I have tried to provide a more objective assessment.
I started with extensive research, delving into key Portuguese sources and using translation tools to gain a full understanding of the testimonials. Considering the arguments of both skeptics and believers, I came to a conclusion based on Islamic methodology and hermeneutics.
My conclusion, free from naturalistic bias and with objective impartiality, is that there is nothing in the events of Fatima that undermines Islam, nor does it affirm any form of Christianity. I hope to provide a fair and well-reasoned answer to those who believe that these events validate their religion without question.
Here is the story of what happened at Fatima:
The mystical story of Fatima goes down in history with the supposed "miracle of the sun." Rumors of apparitions of the Virgin Mary spread in 1917 when three children claimed to have seen a woman dressed in white. Month after month, more and more people gathered to witness these recurring visions.
In October of the same year, an estimated gathering of between 40,000 and 70,000 people, including dignitaries, professionals and journalists, arrived at the location in the rain. The children were praying the rosary when the woman, posing as Our Lady of the Rosary, promised a miracle and asked that a chapel be built in her honor. She also warned of the end of the war and implored the conversion of sinners.
What followed was an impressive display, as witnesses reported seeing the sun transform into a dull silver disk with a glowing halo that rotated and cast colors on the clouds and crowd. The sun seemed to rotate and even collide with the earth before returning to its normal position.
In the midst of the controversies surrounding the "miracle of the sun" in Fatima, there are a large number of documents and sources that help shed light on the events of 1917. From the memoirs of Sor Lucía de Fátima, written between 1935 and 1941, even father José geraldesCritical documentation of Fatima, published by the Sanctuary of Fatima in 1988, these writings offer an illuminating look at what happened on that fateful day in October.
However, it is important to note that not all of these authors may have been free of bias or manipulation. However, these sources can provide a valuable point of reference for discovering the truth about the miracle of Fatima. Ask questions eg. B. who witnessed the apparition of the Virgin Mary; whether all those present saw the miracle of the sun or not; and if the testimonies match, we can work to develop a clearer picture and understand what really happened.
While there are reports of similar miracles occurring on August 13 and September 13, these reports are few and far between, with many outright denying their existence. This article will focus on the events of October 13, as I would later refute any claims of a miracle within this series of cases.
In my review of the available reports, I believe that while there are some contradictions, most of them can be reconciled to paint a plausible picture of the facts. However, it would certainly be inaccurate for someone to claim that all accounts are perfectly compatible.
The imagination of the faithful was stimulated by various representations of the events of Fatima in the form of various films. These depictions of the Virgin Mary descending from heaven, revealing mysteries to Lucia, and ascending back into heaven while she was watched by an enthralled crowd, are often exaggerated.
After evaluating all the reports, it is clear that the reality of the events was likely much more nuanced than these highly sensational dramatizations suggest.
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Kevin McClure's findings shed light on the fact that not everyone witnessed the sun miracle at Fatima, but some Christian apologists have tried to refute this claim. In 1961, John Hafferd claimed that every witness he met reported seeing something. Brother Michel da Santíssima Trindade, in his book,The whole truth about Fatima, gave examples of witnesses who did not see the sun, but simply dismissed them as unreliable, as several people were confused, anonymous, or possibly distracted.
However, my research has uncovered compelling evidence from early accounts of events indicating that a number of people did not witness the miracle of the sun. The testimony of Leonor de Avelar e Silva Constâncio revealed that among the most educated classes, not a single person claimed to have seen the celestial phenomenon, although they expressed their belief.
Critical documentation of Fatima, S.89-91:
Among the more educated classes, no one told me that they had seen the celestial phenomenon, but the truth is that all, educated and uneducated, professed their belief.
María José de Lemos Queirós also testified and said that her coachman did not see anything.
Critical documentation of Fatima, S.126-130:
It would not be surprising if among the thousands of people present there were others like our coachman, whom I asked at the foot of the car at the top of the valley: “So, Mr. Manuel, did you like it and did you see the sun? ?'...It seems that at that time he was feeding the horses! Great materialist (very good person, by the way)... Nothing surprising.
John Haffert's claims of a universal witness to the Fatima sun miracle are riddled with contradictions. He claims that everyone he knew saw the event, but there is evidence to suggest otherwise. A notable example of his embellishment is his claim that witnesses' clothes dried instantly during the miracle, a detail not found in the original sources. Such forgeries raise serious questions about the reliability of his testimony.
Father Martindale also mentions the people who did not see the miracle. He mentions meeting two English and two Portuguese women who reportedly didn't see anything, perhaps because they were in the middle of the crowd or because they were distracted.
The truth is that not everyone present witnessed the miracle of the sun at Fatima. Despite attempts by some Christian sources to deny this fact, there is ample testimony and evidence to suggest that many people did not have access to this extraordinary event.
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The veracity of the miracle of Fatima is a source of theological controversy between Muslims and Catholics. Certain scholars such as John de Marchi, Father Manuel Martins, and Francis Johnston state that there is no doubt that the event was not real. They say it was just a vision of the heart.
If the sun had danced in the sky on October 13, 1917, in broad daylight and at a time when photography was advanced and widespread, it is hard to believe that this happened to a few, those present at Fatima could witness the incident. Also, the fact that not everyone present saw the miracle that day casts further doubt on the whole incident. If this really was a real event, one would expect everyone to have seen it, not just a fraction of the attendees.
There is photographic evidence of the fact, but it contradicts the testimony of witnesses. Many of those present claimed that the people and the land turned a yellowish or purple hue, while coloring photographs from the period with contemporary software shows that the people looked perfectly normal.
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In Islamic hermeneutics we have something called mutawatir. This is a story handed down from generation to generation by honest, trustworthy, and conscientious storytellers to such an extent that it would be impossible for all of them to have contributed to the compilation of the story. A mutawatir testimony shows the highest level of truth and reliability. But does the Fatima event meet the criteria for a mutawatir testimony? To be considered as such, a narrative must have several credible testimonies, and its evidence must be proven by both reason and the senses.
Whether or not the Fatima event meets Mutawatir's criteria is quite difficult to determine, and several factors must be considered. This includes the possibility of unreliable sources, subjectivity in testimonials, and also the presence of reports that were doctored or even fabricated.
It is important to understand that individual perceptions of miracles can vary greatly. Some witnesses to the Fatima event were in ecstasy while others were on their knees. However, the idea that all accounts of this event are fabricated seems unlikely. There may have been exaggerations, as well as people who took advantage of the situation, but the idea that it was all false can be a difficult argument to make.
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The Fatima event provoked a variety of violent reactions, with some Catholics seeing it as an endorsement of Catholicism and others interpreting it as an exposure of Islam.
In Islamic thought, Satan has the ability to take human form. This is evidenced by several hadiths (prophetic accounts), including one in particular in which the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) says that whoever sees him in a dream really sees him, since Satan does not know his form and you can imitate it. he. it's.
Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrates:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Whoever sees me in a dream has certainly seen me, because shaytan cannot imitate my appearance." (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6997)
Abu Hurairah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered me to keep the income from the zakat of Ramadan. Then someone came up to me and started stealing groceries.
I picked him up and said: "I will take you to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)!"
Abu Huraira mentioned the narration and said:
This person said (to me): “(Please do not take me to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and I will tell you some words by which Allah will benefit you). When you go to bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2.255) because then there will be a watchman of Allah who will protect you throughout the night, and Satan will not be able to come near you until dawn."
(When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard the story) he said (to me): “He (who came to you at night) told the truth, although he was a liar. That was shaytan." (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5010)
Some scholars believe that Satan can even cause auditory or visual hallucinations.
The Bible also mentions Satan disguising himself as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14:
And it is not miraculous, because Satan himself becomes an angel of light.
The Catholic Church acknowledges the existence of possessions and hallucinations caused by Satan, and this is a possibility that no true Catholic can deny.
How, then, can we distinguish between divine events and those of the devil, and what should we look for?
First, it is known that God does not call idolatry.
The devil, on the other hand, often mixes the truth with falsehood.
Catholics claim that the Virgin Mary's apparition at Fatima was a call to repentance, but had a negative impact on the children involved, who harmed themselves. The "Virgin Mary" never asked her to stop. If a person's child began repeatedly self-harming after seeing apparitions, any reasonable Christian would assume that child was possessed, not that he or she is a prophet of God.
There is another important factor that we have not mentioned yet. The Fatima miracle apparitions were also marked by prophecies, one of which was completely absent. That was the prediction that World War I would end on the day of the miracle. Doubts were expressed, and Father Joaquim even wrote in a letter that some Witnesses had lost their faith because the war had lasted longer than promised.
I have asked many people about this and they all confirm what the witnesses of the same document said... what cooled the belief of some people at that time is that one of the shepherds said that the war would end the same day, or the the next night, and (the war) continued with all the increase.
Some saw the failed prophecy as evidence of a blatant falsehood, while others attributed it to the emotional state and age of the witness.
This answer sounds like an excuse to justify Lucia's mistake. In Islam and Christianity, God only sends prophecies to people who are trustworthy and capable of delivering the message accurately and reliably. If a supernatural event took place in Fatima, we can only conclude that it was the work of shaytan.
As it says in Deuteronomy 18:22:
If what a prophet proclaimed in the name ofSeñordoes not happen or come true, this is a message thatSeñorDid not say. This prophet spoke arrogantly, so don't be alarmed.
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The "miracle of the sun" in Fátima, Portugal continues to be the subject of much debate and speculation. While some believers view this event as evidence of the supernatural, skeptics question its authenticity. In this article we have tried to present a more balanced and impartial perspective on the subject, consulting the main Portuguese sources and considering the arguments of both parties.
Upon close examination of the available accounts, it is clear that the events of 1917 were likely more nuanced than the sensational dramatizations often presented in popular Christian media. Not everyone present at the gathering claimed to have seen the sun turn into a silver disk and cast colors over the clouds and the crowd, which leads us to question the validity of these claims.
The accounts of the events are also not without their contradictions, which further confuses our understanding of what really happened. It is also important to note that the authors of many of the sources used in this research may not have been free from bias or manipulation, adding another layer of complexity to our understanding of the alleged "solar miracle."
Ultimately, my investigation found no evidence that the events at Fatima confirm Christianity, and they certainly do not discredit Islam.
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