If a Muslim has doubts, will it harm him to ask about the truthfulness of some miracle?
Question

                If a Muslim has some doubts about Islam and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he seeks to put his mind at rest regarding these doubts that are troubling him, so he asks about the soundness of reports that speak of a miracle that occurred at the hands of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), does this put him beyond the pale of Islam? Will Allah forgive such sins?
Praise be to Allah.
	The Muslim should praise Allah, may He be exalted, and thank 
	Him for the blessing of Islam and right guidance, for it is the greatest of 
	blessings, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the 
	meaning):

	“Is he who 
	was dead (without Faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by 
	knowledge and Faith) and set for him a light (of Belief) whereby he can walk 
	amongst men, like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and 
	hypocrisy) from which he can never come out? Thus it is made fair-seeming to 
	the disbelievers that which they used to do”

	[al-An‘aam 6:122]

	“Is he whose 
	heart Allah has opened to Islam, so that he is in light from His Lord (as he 
	who is non-Muslim)? So, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against 
	remembrance of Allah! They are in plain error!”

	[az-Zumar 39:22]

	“And had it 
	not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would 
	ever have been pure from sins. But Allah purifies (guides to Islam) whom He 
	wills”

	[an-Noor 24:21]. 

	If this Muslim looks at the world around him and reflects 
	upon what the people of polytheism and idolatry, such as the Christians and 
	others, follow, he will realise the greatness of the blessing that Allah has 
	bestowed upon him. 

	Yet despite that, the Muslim may experience some doubts, 
	because of his lack of knowledge or weakness of faith, or because there is 
	someone who tries to make him doubt. In that case, he has to dispel the 
	doubt by asking people of knowledge, and reflecting upon the words of Allah, 
	may He be exalted, and the words of His Prophet (blessings and peace of 
	Allah be upon him), and by studying the Seerah (Prophet’s biography) and 
	signs and miracles, for these are things that will increase his faith and 
	bring him peace of mind and reassurance. 

	There is nothing wrong with asking about a miracle and how 
	sound it is, so as to increase one’s certainty and steadfastness. Asking 
	such questions is not regarded as going beyond the bounds of Islam, but he 
	should beware of persisting in doubts or stopping good deeds, such as giving 
	up prayer – Allah forbid – because giving up prayer constitutes disbelief 
	(and puts a person beyond the bounds of Islam), according to the more sound 
	of the two scholarly opinions. 

	The Muslim should understand that no matter what sins he may 
	commit, if he then repents and seeks forgiveness, Allah, may He be exalted, 
	will forgive him no matter what his sins are. Allah, may He be exalted, 
	turned in mercy to people who had lived all their lives in disbelief, 
	polytheism and barring people from the path of Allah, then they became 
	leaders of guidance, lights that illuminated the darkness and beacons on the 
	path of truth and righteousness. Allah, may He be exalted, says 
	(interpretation of the meaning):

	“Know they 
	not that Allah accepts repentance from His slaves and takes the Sadaqat 
	(alms, charities) and that Allah Alone is the One Who forgives and accepts 
	repentance, Most Merciful?”

	[at-Tawbah 9:104]

	“And He it is 
	Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what 
	you do”

	[ash-Shoora 42:25]. 

	No matter how great the sin, Allah’s mercy, forgiveness and 
	generosity are greater. 

	The poet spoke well who said: 

	O Lord, although my sins are great and many, I know that Your 
	forgiveness is greater

	If it be the case that only doers of good can hope for Your 
	grace, then who could the sinner turn to for mercy? 

	Our advice to the one who is faced with doubts is that he 
	should turn to the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, for it is a remedy and 
	a healing, as Allah, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the 
	meaning):

	“And We send 
	down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe 
	(in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zalimoon 
	(polytheists and wrong-doers) nothing but loss”

	[al-Isra’ 17:82]. 

	So let him turn to Allah, calling upon Him and hoping that He 
	will remove his worry, relieve his distress, illuminate his heart and free 
	him from the tricks of the Shaytaan. 

	If his doubt is based on a particular specious argument, let 
	him ask the scholars about it, for the religion of Islam is so great and 
	strong that no specious argument can stand up to it or resist it. 

	If what he is dealing with is a kind of waswasah (whispers 
	from the Shaytaan) that is not based on a particular argument, then the 
	remedy for that is remembering Allah (dhikr), doing acts of obedience and 
	worship, seeking refuge with Allah, keeping busy and ignoring it. See 
	question no. 12315. 

	We ask Allah to help us all to do that which He loves and 
	which pleases Him.

	And Allah knows best.