Challenge of the Quran

Non-Muslims are challenged to produce a "statement" or speech similar to the Quran,[2] and the Quran explicitly challenges to produce either one, (10:38)[3][4] or ten[5] chapters similar to itself. Another verse states that neither humans, nor the jinns could create a book like it, even if they were working together.[6][7]

Some of the verses of the Quran which mention the challenge:

“And if you all are in doubt about what I have revealed to My servant, bring a single chapter like it, and call your witnesses besides God if you are truthful (24) But if you do not do this, and you can never do this, then fear the Fire which has been prepared for the disbelievers and which shall have men and stones for fuel” (Quran 2:23–24)

“Or do they say that he has invented it? Say (to them), ‘Bring ten invented chapters like it, and call (for help) on whomever you can besides God, if you are truthful.” (Quran 11:13)

“Say: ‘If all mankind and the jinn would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce its like even though they exerted all of their strength in aiding one another.” (Quran 17:88)

The people and the poets at the time of the Prophet were quite impressed with the Quran and praised its narrative style, so much so that some of the greatest Meccan poets of that time (which included the likes of Labīd ibn Rabī'ah, Hassan ibn Thabit, Al-Khansa, Ka'b ibn Zuhayr, and others) converted to Islam.

Even the Mushrikeen (polytheists) of Mecca, although they were against Islam and its concept of worshiping only one god, they were dazzled by the Quran; al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah (father of Khalid ibn al-Walid) who was one of the chieftains in Mecca, and although he never converted to Islam, he admitted to the greatness of Quranic text, and exclaimed:

“I have just heard Muhammad's words, which for sure are neither a human's nor a jinn's. They are euphonious and relaxing, like a tree full of reachable fruits. They are of the highest quality and cannot be out-perfected.”

Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb, in his book "Mohammedanism: An Historical Survey" wrote:

“But the Meccans still demanded of him a miracle, and with remarkable boldness and self-confidence, Mohammad appealed as a supreme confirmation of his mission to the Koran itself. Like all Arabs, they were the connoisseurs of language and rhetoric. Well then if the Koran were his own composition, other men could rival it. Let them produce ten verses like it. If they could not (and it is obvious that they could not), then let them accept the Koran as an outstanding evident miracle”[8]

Dr. Maurice Bucaille author of "The Bible, the Quran, and Science" wrote on page 86 of his book:

“The above observation makes the hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the author of the Qur'an quite untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author in terms of literary merit, in the whole of Arabic literature? How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have developed at the time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncements on the subject? The ideas in this study are developed from a purely scientific point of view. They lead to the conclusion that it is inconceivable for a human being living in the seventh century A.D. to have made statements in the Qur'an on a great variety of subjects that do not belong to his period, and for them to be in keeping with what was to be known only centuries later. For me, there can be no human explanation to the Qur'an.” [9]

While the Quran itself does not explain what the parameters are for judging the works attempting to meet its challenge, but implicitly, the first and foremost challenge is about the rhetoric and the style of narration of the Qur’an since it comments on historical facts in a very unique manner. The Quran was revealed at a time in history when eloquence and poetry were highly prized in the Arabian Peninsula, and Muslims believe that Allah revealed the Quran as a miraculous exposition to Prophet Mohammad. Since eloquence was valued incredibly amongst the Arabs, the most suitable miracle for Prophet Muhammad would've been a book that rivaled the works of even the most remarkable Arab poets. Arabs call non-Arabs "Ajami", a slightly derogatory term that translates to "mute', and refers to the fact that people who do not understand Arabic are considered dumb by the Arabs.

It is understood that 'producing a like of it thereof' also implies that the book created should be recited and memorized at a scale similar to the Quran. With a strong culture of committing the Quran to memory in the Muslim world with as many as ten (sometimes even more) huffaz in a single family, Muslims genuinely believe that writing such a book is impossible, and stamps the claim that the Quran is indeed divinely inspired. The oral tradition of the Quran (which is notable in the claims for the preservation of the Quran as well) is also vital. The Quran is meant to be recited loudly in public in three out of five prayers every day. According to the hadith literature, early Muslims and the Companions paid special attention to perfecting the pronunciation and developed the science of Tajwid to help new converts and non-Arabs. Muslim scholars argue that, for a book to pass the challenge of the Quran, it must not feel hard on the ear when recited out loud.

During the revelation of Quran, it first challenged the literary figures of the Arabian Peninsula, and then all the people throughout all ages, and at every level of knowledge and understanding until the Day of Judgement. Muslim scholars believe that the challenge can never be fulfilled, as no one can compete with the wisdom of God. This view holds that the Quran is the most perfect book to ever exist.[10] Muslims believe that this challenge was unable to be fulfilled in the era of Muhammad,[11] and will remain unfulfilled until the end times.[12] Some scholars attribute this to divine intervention, stating that God will prevent all those who attempt it from achieving their goal.[13]

A number of people including some atheists and members of other religions have nonetheless attempted to take up the challenge, but the attempts have been sporadic throughout Muslim history, and so far, no real work has gained any attention. The True Furqan, a Christian work written in Arabic and published in 1999, is one such attempt in recent times but it did not get any recognition either by Muslims or non-Muslims.[14]

Iranian polymath Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (d.925 CE) is quoted as criticizing the Quran

"You are talking about a work which recounts ancient myths, and which at the same time is full of contradictions. And does not contain any useful information or explanation. Then you say: “Produce something like it?[15]"

This is contrary to the claims of the Quran itself, which asserts in verse 4:82 that it has no internal contradictions:

“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’ān? If it had been from [any] other than Allah [God], they would have found within it much contradiction.”(Quran 4:82)

Some scholars question the attribution of such quotes to Muhammad al-Razi because these are quoted from a book titled Aʿlām al-nubuwwa (Signs of Prophecy) written by another person named Abu Hatim al-Razi and not in any extant work of Muhammad al-Razi himself.

Abu Hatim was an Isma'ili missionary who debated Muhammad al-Razi, but whether he has faithfully recorded the views of Muhammad al-Razi is disputed.[16] According to Abdul Latif al-'Abd, Islamic philosophy professor at Cairo University, Abu Hatim and his student, Ḥamīd al-dīn Karmānī (d. 1020 CE), were Isma'ili extremists who often misrepresented the views of Razi in their works.[17][18] This view is also corroborated by early historians like al-Shahrastani who noted "that such accusations should be doubted since they were made by Ismāʿīlīs, who had been severely attacked by Muḥammad ibn Zakariyyā Rāzī".[19] Al-'Abd points out that the views allegedly expressed by Razi contradict what is found in Razi's own works, like the Spiritual Medicine (Fī al-ṭibb al-rūḥānī).[17] Peter Adamson concurs that Abu Hatim may have "deliberately misdescribed" Razi's position as a rejection of Islam and revealed religions. Instead, Razi was only arguing against the use of miracles to prove Muhammad's prophecy, anthropomorphism, and the uncritical acceptance of taqlīd vs naẓar.[16] Adamson points out to a work by Fakhr al-din al-Razi where Razi is quoted as citing the Quran and the prophets to support his views.[16]

• Outline of Islam
• Glossary of Islam
• Index of Islam-related articles
• Quran and miracles
• Miracles of Muhammad
• Islamic view of miracles
• Hadith of the Quran and Sunnah
• Qira'at