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ʾam yaqūlūna ftarāhu qul fa-ʾtū bi-sūratin mithlihī wa-dʿū mani staṭaʿtum min dūni llāhi ʾin kuntum ṣādiqīna
Do they say, ‘He has fabricated it?’ Say, ‘Then bring a surah like it, and invoke whomever you can, besides Allah, should you be truthful.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Yunus – Verse 38
38. “Or they say, ‘He has forged it.’ Say: ‘Bring then a Surah like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, besides Allah, if you are truthful!’”
The Qur’an has reiterated on several occasions that the words of Allah (the Qur’an) are miracles because of the inability of man and jinn to present something similar, and it has presented this challenge to both of them. Among the verses that testify to this fact, one may cite verse 13 of the Surah Hud. Despite the fact that Islam has had millions of opponents throughout history and still has such enemies, and they have striven to weaken the Qur’an and defeat Islam, carrying out intensive activities in the process, yet this confident challenge of the Qur’an has been left unanswered and will continue to be so until the Day of Resurrection.
Since we are dealing with setting the dimensions and the definition of the Qur’an, we will now point out some aspects of this divine miracle.
1. It distills extensive and profound wisdom into concise words. For instance, regarding the relationship of man and woman, it comments:
“They ( your wives) are a clothing for you and you are a clothing for them.’ 1
To explain the fragility and vulnerability of the non-divine powers, it likens them to a spider’s web or declares that they are unable to create even a gnat. It says:
“…verily those whom you call upon besides Allah cannot create a gnat...” 2
2. Its profundity and the sweetness of words do not render it monotonous even if it may be read over and again for more than thousand times; on the contrary, each time it is studied it presents new messages.
3. Its harmony of words is especially outstanding and if a Qur’anic verse is placed among other Arabic texts or passages it can be easily distinguished from them.
4. The comprehensive nature of the Qur’an: It includes reasoning and demonstration to citing examples from worldly affairs to the life in hereafter, and also the facts concerning family problems, legal, political, military, ethical, historical teachings etc.
5. Its realism: Its contents are not based upon conjecture; even its stories are documented and real.
6. The universal and all-embracing nature of the Qur’an: All people will benefit from it at all levels and in all places regardless of whenever or wherever they are; it is not a Book particular to a special time, place, or people.
7. The eternal effect of the Qur’an: The older the age of humanity and the more the sciences progress the more of its secrets are discovered.
8. Its ever-increasing and its everlasting development: Despite having an increasing number of enemies and the growing number of attacks launched against it during its history, it has not only survived but also it has secured the highest station.
9. It is an ever-existing miracle by itself. A miracle that is available to all and is composed of the kind of words that put it at everyone’s disposal.
10. It is both a miracle and a Book of commandments and legal codes.
11. It is a token from an illiterate man from a region deprived of literacy.
12. Nothing has been added to it or deducted from it and it has been kept intact from distortion. The Qur’an puts forth the simplest challenge, of calling people to present a Surah like it, to prove its being miraculous.
It declares:
“Or they say, ‘He has forged it.’ Say: ‘Bring then a Surah like unto it...”
The Qur’an is a miracle not only in its entirety but also every one of its suras proves the same. This challenge of the Qur’an is not confined to a specific time and place. It will stand unanswered all over the globe until the end of the life of mankind and the Day of Resurrection. The Qur’an’s challenge is not only issued to the common people, on the contrary, it is issued to all of mankind, including: jurisconsults, men of letters, and geniuses.
It continues saying:
“…and call (to your aid) anyone you can, besides Allah, if you are truthful!’”
Footnotes