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qul la-ʾini jtamaʿati l-ʾinsu wa-l-jinnu ʿalā ʾan yaʾtū bi-mithli hādhā l-qurʾāni lā yaʾtūna bi-mithlihī wa-law kāna baʿḍuhum li-baʿḍin ẓahīran
Say, ‘Should all humans and jinn rally to bring the like of this Quran, they will not bring its like, even if they assisted one another.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Isra’ – Verse 88
88. “Say: ‘If (the whole) mankind and the Jinn were to gather together to bring the like of this Qur’an, they could not bring the like of it though some of them be helpers of others’.”
The Arabic term /zahir/ is derived from /zahr/ meaning ‘backing up’ and ‘advocate’. The verse is an answer to the pagans who used to say: We, too, can bring the like of the Qur’an if we want to. This call of the Qur’an for challenging, and bringing an example like that, has remained unanswered for centuries and, up till now, the Arabic-speaking enemies from among the people of the Book as well as the atheistic schools, have been unable to bring the like of the Qur’an despite their hostility towards Islam and despite the support which they have enjoyed from the various sources of power.
Anyway, here the Almighty, addressing the Prophet (S), announces:
“Say: ‘If (the whole) mankind and the Jinn were to gather together to bring the like of this Qur’an, they could not bring the like of it though some of them be helpers of others’.”
This verse explicitly challenges all the beings of the world, including the small and the great, Arabs and non-Arabs, human beings as well as even intelligent non-human beings, scientists, philosophers, literary figures, historians, the genius and the non-genius, briefly speaking, all without exceptions throughout the centuries to face the challenge of producing the like of the holy Qur’an, proclaiming: If you think that the Qur’an is not the word of the Lord and it is man’s own fabrication, you are also a man and you can fabricate one like that. And, whenever you felt unable, after struggling hard, while combining your efforts, this provides you with the best reason for the miraculous nature of the Qur’an.
This call for challenging with the Qur’an, which is in the vocabulary of the scholars, expert in theology, known as /tahaddi/, (challenge) is one of the pillars of every miracle and wherever such a meaning is in force concerning a subject, we find transparency as to the miraculous nature of that issue in question. Incidentally, the unique specifications of the Holy Qur’an consist of being both miraculous while, at the same time, it is eloquent and varying; it foretells the future while containing the best of stories; it provides the best method of calling while it is expressive of all problems, whether social and individual needs, worldly and after-life requirements in all fields and at all times.