Book Name:Allah Walon kay Ikhtiyarat
Shaykh-ul-Hadees, ‘Allamah Maulana Mufti ‘Abdul Mustafa A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: If a pious true believer performs something very unusual and amazing, which is not performed normally, it is called a ‘Karamah’ (saintly-miracle). Similar things if performed by the Ambiya عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام before their declaration of Nubuwwah, is called ‘Irhaas’ and after their declaration of Nubuwwah it is called a ‘Mu’jizah (miracle)’. If the same thing is performed by ordinary true believers, it is called ‘Ma’oonat’ and if an unbeliever performs such an action according to his wish, it is termed as ‘Istidraaj’.
(Karamaat-e-Sahabah, pp. 36)
Contrary to usual practices means that anything that is contrary to a normal thing, meaning that an action cannot be performed by any human normally such as flying in the air, walking on the water etc. because normally, neither can a person fly in the air (on his own) nor can he walk on the surface of the water. (Faizan Mazaraat-e-Awliya, pp. 46)
Dear Islamic brothers! Undoubtedly Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has bestowed the power of flying in the air upon the blessed saints رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی who can easily fly and reach from one place to another without wings. Some virtuous bondmen of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have such miraculous power that they even dominate rivers and oceans and they can walk on water fearlessly as they walk on land.
It is stated in narrations that Sayyiduna Sa’d Bin Abi Waqas رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was the commander-in-chief when the event of battle of Faaras took place. On the way was the Dajlah (Tigris) river and they had no boats. Leading his army, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ commanded the army to cross the river and he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ himself began to walk on the water reciting the following supplication:
نَسْتَعِیْنُ بِاللہِ وَ نَتَوَ کَّلُ عَلَیْہِ وَ حَسْبُنَا اللہُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَ کِیْلُ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّ ۃَ اِلَّا بِا للہِ الْعَلِیِّ الْعَظِیْمِ