Allah says (meaning):

قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَىٰ أَن يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا

“Say (O Muhammad) if mankind and jinn were to come together to produce -something- like this Qur’ân, they would not be able to do so, even if they were to help one another.”

[Quran - Sûrah al-Isrâ’ 17: 88]

• Understanding the Quran Challenge

  Understanding the Qur’an’s Literary Challenge: to “Bring Something Like It”

  | Prepared by the Research Committee of IslamToday.net under the supervision of Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî|
  
  A lot of people misunderstand the Qur’ân’s literary challenge to produce something like it. Many people assume it simply means writing something as “good” as the Qur’ân.

  Because of this, many skeptics point out – and rightly so – that literary value judgments are highly subjective. If someone says that he thinks a certain selection of prose or poetry is better than the Qur’ân, who can argue with him? Isn’t it really a matter of personal judgment and taste? Who is to be the arbiter?

  The Qur’ân’s challenge, however, is not simply to write something of equal literary merit, but rather to produce something like the Qur’ân.

  We can see this in all the verses of challenge:

  Allah says: “Say (O Muhammad) if mankind and jinn were to come together to producesomething like this Qur’ân, they would not be able to do so, even if they were to help one another.” [Sûrah al-Isrâ’: 88]
  
  Allah says: “Or they say: ‘He has forged it.’ Say: ‘Then bring ten forged chapters like it and If then they do not answer you, know that it is sent down with the Knowledge of Allah, besides Whom there is no other God. Will you then be Muslims?” [Sûrah Hûd: 13]

  Allah says: “Or do they say ‘He has forged it.’ Say: ‘Then bring a chapter like it and call and call whoever you can besides Allah if you are truthful’.” [Sûrah Yûnus: 38]

  Allah says: “And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call your witnesses besides Allah if you be truthful. If you do not do so – and you will never do so – then fear a fire whose fuel is men and stones prepared for the disbelievers.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 23-24]
  

  Therefore, it is not simply a matter of quality – it does not even have to be of equal merit! Similarity is all that matters. What is required by the challenge is to achieve at least a comparable degree of the literary beauty, nobility, and sublimity of the Qur’ân while at the same time emulating the Qur’ân’s particular style.

  It is possible to superficially mimic the style of the Qur’ân, and many people have been successful in doing so – but all such attempts from the days of Musaylimah to the present have proven to be silly and absurd, and have often invoked laughter and derision. This is the unanimous consensus of everyone who has ever heard or read those attempts.

  It is, likewise, possible for a person writing in Arabic to reach a great level of literary excellence and, in the most moving of poetry and prose, convey the noblest thoughts and sentiments – but nobody has ever done so using the Qur’ân’s particular style.

  And what an elusive style it has proven to be! The Qur’ân is neither in Arabic prose nor in what is acknowledged as Arabic verse. It is not written in a combination of both prose and poetry, but in neither of those modes. It is unique. At the same time, the Qur’ân is internally consistent in maintaining its unique style.

  
  Only the Qur’ân achieves the highest level of literary excellence – so much so that it brings people to ecstasy and tears – while maintaining this style.

  This, then, is the acid test: Write something in the exact same style as the Qur’ân and in doing so produce something of arguably similar quality and sublimity.

  Still, one could argue that the evaluation of the results is still grounded in subjective literary tastes. This is agreed. However, the second part of the challenge is to bring witnesses to attest to the quality of that evaluation, not just to stand there and make the claim.

  Throughout history, people have attempted to write in the style of the Qur’ân. The results have always been so laughable that no one would venture to say that he believes the effort equals the Qur’ân in literary merit. The reason why no one would dare do so is not the fear of reprisal – as some skeptics have suggested – but rather the fear of looking like a complete idiot.

  One early example was:

  Al-Fîl
  Mal-Fîl
  Wa mâ adrâka mal-fîl
  Lahu dhanabun radhîl, wa khurtûmun tawîl

  which translates as:

  The Elephant –
  What is the elephant?
  And what would have you know what the elephant is?
  It has a scraggly tail and a very long trunk.

  We can grant that this is a successful attempt at imitating the superficial style of the Qur’ân. It is clearly modeled after the opening verses of Sûrah al-Qâri`ah or Sûrah al-Hâqqah. However, with such fare on offer, it is no surprise that people are unwilling to stake their reputation on attesting to its literary excellence.

   

  We should pause to consider: What other literary style can we think of which has produced an indisputably great work of literaure but is at the same time guaranteed to bring the most wretched failure to anyone else who tries his hand at it?

  Generally, it is not a bad idea for a writer to emulate a successful style. However, a challenge to produce a single chapter like the Qur’ân – the shortest chapter being merely three verses of modest length – has proven impossible to meet.

  We should remember that not all Arabic speakers are Muslim. Many are Christians and Jews. Some are atheists. They live all over the world. Among all of these non-Muslim Arabs, there are leading poets and prose writers and important literary critics. None of them claim that they or anyone else has produced a literary work that resembles the Qur’ân in both style and quality.

  For an Arabic speaker, this is an obvious thing. Any Arab who looks at people’s attempts to write in the Qur’ân’s style usually breaks out in laughter at its awkwardness or banality.

  For non-Arabic speakers, though they cannot experience this directly, they can ascertain that no serious literary claim has been made.

  Granted, there is subjectivity in any literary evaluation. This would pose a problem in a challenge with a single judge or a panel of judges, or if there is a biased criterion like “only Muslim scholars can be judges”.

  However, there is no such restriction in the challenge.

  The general consensus of the international Arabic literary community – and the Arab masses – is that nothing exists to meet the challenge. This is an objective yardstick.

  And Allah knows best.

  Source: IslamToday.com

   

Responses of Non Muslims to the Qur’an Literary Challenge:

Classical Era:

• Musaylimah the Liar

  Musaylimah al Kadhdhab’s Response to the Challenge:

   

  Musaylimah Al-Kadhdhab (Musaylimah the Liar) was a man who claimed to be a Prophet during the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him’s) lifetime.

  Here is an example of his ‘Quran’ which he made up, mentioned in Tafseer Ibn Katheer (tafseer of surah al ‘Asr).

  
  ذكروا أن عمرو بن العاص وفد على مسيلمة الكذاب [ لعنه الله ] وذلك بعد ما بعث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقبل أن يسلم عمرو فقال له مسيلمة : ماذا أنزل على صاحبكم في هذه المدة ؟ قال لقد أنزل عليه سورة وجيزة بليغة . فقال : وما هي ؟ فقال : ” والعصر إن الإنسان لفي خسر إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات وتواصوا بالحق وتواصوا بالصبر ” ففكر مسيلمة هنيهة ثم قال : وقد أنزل علي مثلها . فقال له عمرو : وما هو ؟ فقال :يا وبر يا وبر ، إنما أنت أذنان وصدر ، وسائرك حفز نقز. ثم قال : كيف ترى يا عمرو ؟ فقال له عمرو : والله إنك لتعلم أني أعلم أنك تكذب .
  
  http://www.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?idfrom=1976&idto=1976&bk_no=49&ID=2072
  

  They have mentioned that `Amr bin Al-`As went to visit Musaylimah Al-Kadhdhab after the Messenger of Allah was commissioned (as a Prophet) and before `Amr had accepted Islam. Upon his arrival, Musaylimah said to him,

  “What has been revealed to your friend (Muhammad) during this time”

  `Amr said, “A short and concise Surah has been revealed to him.”

  Musaylimah then said, “What is it” `Amr replied;

  ﴿وَالْعَصْرِ - إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ - إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالصَّبْرِ ﴾

  (By Al-`Asr. Verily, man is in loss. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience.)

  So Musaylimah thought for a while. Then he said, “Indeed something similar has also been revealed to me.”

  `Amr asked him, “What is it”

  He replied, “O Wabr* (a small, furry mammal; Hyrax), O Wabr! You are only two ears and a chest, and the rest of you is digging and burrowing.”

  Then he said, “What do you think, O `Amr”

  So `Amr said to him, “By Allah! Verily, you know that I know you are lying.”

  
  The Wabr is a small animal that resembles a cat, and the largest thing on it is its ears and its torso, while the rest of it is ugly. Musaylimah intended by the composition of these nonsensical verses to produce something which would oppose the Qur’an. Yet, it was not even convincing to the idol worshipper of that time!

  (From Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surat al-Asr)
  http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=103&tid=59151

   

  

  * Wabr (aka Hyrax):

   

  
  Ibn Kathir mentions in his famous book Al Bidaayah wal-Nihaayah:

  فأظهر الله كذبه ولصق به لقب الكذاب، وأراد إظهار كرامات تشبه معجزات النبي ، فقد ذكر ابن كثير في البداية أنه بصق في بئر فغاض ماؤها، وفي أخرى فصار ماؤها أجاجاً، وسقى بوضوئه نخلا فيبست، وأتى بولدان يبرك عليهم فمسح على رؤسهم فمنهم من قرع رأسه ومنهم من لثغ لسانه، ودعا لرجل أصابه وجع في عينيه فمسحهما فعمي.

  
  Allah exposed his lies and from then on the title of ‘The Liar’ has always been associated with his name. He wished to show miracles (to the people) similar to the Miracles of the Prophet (peace be upon him)

  Ibn Katheer has mentioned in His Book Al-Bidaayah that he (Musailimah) Spat in a well, and its water dwindled and dried up. And he spat in another well and that water turned to bitter salty water.

  He watered a date tree with the excess water from his Wudhoo’ and the tree dried up and died.

  Two boys were brought to him so that he may bless them and so he wiped their heads with his hand, as a result of that, the head of one of them became bald and the other developed a speech defect.

  A man who was suffering from an ailment in his eyes came to him (for a cure) but when he wiped them, the man became blind.

  Two individuals came to Musaylimah and said: Muhammad gets messages from heaven, so tell us some of what you get: Musaylimah said:

   

  
  

  يا ضفدع يا ضفدعين … نصفك في الماء و نصفك في الطين

  “O Frog, O frog … Half of you is in water, and (the other) half is in dirt/earth.”

   

  The two looked at eachother, and then one of them said, verily I testify, that you are a liar, and that Muhammad is truthful.

Medieval Era:

• Andalusian Yahya b. al-Hakam al Ghazal - the sage and poet of al-Andalus (Spain)

  “If you are in doubt of what We have revealed to Our messenger, then produce one chapter like it. Call upon all your helpers, besides Allah, if you are truthful” Quran Chapter 2 Verse 23.

  
  …the Andalusian belletrist Yahya b. al-Hakam al-Ghazal, called by his biographers the ‘The sage of al-Andalus, its poet and oracle’, dared to attempt to produce a pendant to surah 112 containing the Islamic credo. ‘But he has overcome by terrible fear and shuddering when he embarked upon this work and thus returned to God.’

  Source: Ignaz Goldziher, Ed. S M Stern, Muslim Studies (Muhammedanische Studien) II, 1971, George Allen & Unwin Ltd., London, pp. 364
  More: http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Miracle/ijaz1.html#Mus

Modern Era:

“Surah” al Iman [the Faith]- & Our Detailed Criticism of it.

What Orientalists said about the Qur’ans Challenge:

• What they Said.

  E H Palmer, as early as 1880, recognized the unique style of the Qur’an. But he seem to have been wavering between two thoughts. He writes in the Introduction to his translation of the Qur’an:

  That the best of Arab writers has never succeeded in producing anything equal in merit to the Qur’an itself is not surprising. In the first place, they have agreed before-hand that it is unapproachable, and they have adopted its style as the perfect standard; any deviation from it therefore must of necessity be a defect. Again, with them this style is not spontaneous as with Muhammad and his contemporaries, but is as artificial as though Englishmen should still continue to follow Chaucer as their model, in spite of the changes which their language has undergone. With the Prophet, the style was natural, and the words were those in every-day ordinary life, while with the later Arabic authors the style is imitative and the ancient words are introduced as a literary embellishment. The natural consequence is that their attempts look laboured and unreal by the side of his impromptu and forcible eloquence.^[7]

  E H Palmer (Tr.), The Qur’an, 1900, Part I, Oxford at Clarendon Press, p. lv.

  The famous Arabist from University of Oxford, Hamilton Gibb was open upon about the style of the Qur’an. In his words:

  …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.

  H A R Gibb, Islam – A Historical Survey, 1980, Oxford University Press, p. 28.

  And in some other place, talking about the Prophet^(P) and the Qur’an, he states:

  Though, to be sure, the question of the literary merit is one not to be judged on a priori grounds but in relation to the genius of Arabic language; and no man in fifteen hundred years has ever played on that deep-toned instrument with such power, such boldness, and such range of emotional effect as Mohammad did.

  H A R Gibb, Islam – A Historical Survey, 1980, Oxford University Press, p. 25

  As a literary monument the Koran thus stands by itself, a production unique to the Arabic literature, having neither forerunners nor successors in its own idiom. Muslims of all ages are united in proclaiming the inimitability not only of its contents but also of its style….. and in forcing the High Arabic idiom into the expression of new ranges of thought the Koran develops a bold and strikingly effective rhetorical prose in which all the resources of syntactical modulation are exploited with great freedom and originality.^[10]

  H A R Gibb, Arabic Literature – An Introduction, 1963, Oxford at Clarendon Press, p. 36.

  On the influence of the Qur’an on Arabic literature Gibb says:

  The influence of the Koran on the development of Arabic Literature has been incalculable, and exerted in many directions. Its ideas, its language, its rhymes pervade all subsequent literary works in greater or lesser measure. Its specific linguistic features were not emulated, either in the chancery prose of the next century or in the later prose writings, but it was at least partly due to the flexibility imparted by the Koran to the High Arabic idiom that the former could be so rapidly developed and adjusted to the new needs of the imperial government and an expanding society.^[11]

  H A R Gibb, Arabic Literature – An Introduction, 1963, Oxford at Clarendon Press, p. 37

  Source: http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Miracle/ijaz.html#1

What Experts & Orientalists said about the Qur’ans Language:

• Alî bin Rabban at-Tabarî

  Alî bin Rabban at-Tabarî who was Nestorian Christian, and at the age of 70 converted to Islam, asserts that he has never in any language found stylistic perfection equaling that of the Qur’an:

  When I was a Christian I used to say, as did an uncle of mine who was one of the learned and eloquent men, that eloquence is not one of the signs of prophethood because it is common to all the peoples; but when I discarded (blind) imitation and (old) customs and gave up adhering to (mere) habit and training and reflected upon the meanings of the Qur’an I came to know that what the followers of the Qur’an claimed for it was true. The fact is that I have not found any book, be it by an Arab or a Persian, an Indian or a Greek, right from the beginning of the world up to now, which contains at the same time praises of God, belief in the prophets and apostles, exhortations to good, everlasting deeds, command to do good and prohibition against doing evil, inspiration to the desire of paradise and to avoidance of hell-fire as this Qur’an does. So when a person brings to us a book of such qualities, which inspires such reverence and sweetness in the hearts and which has achieved such an overlasting success and he is (at the same time) an illiterate person who did never learnt the art of writing or rhetoric, that book is without any doubt one of the signs of his Prophethood.

  ^cAbdul Aleem, I’jaz ul Qur’an, Islamic Culture, Op. Cit., pp. 222-223.

Related Links:

Islamic-Awareness.Org – Quran Linguistic Miracle Challenge

What is the Qur’an?

Unique Aspects of the Quran Structure:

The Qur’an is a Unique Book in every way, not just by the text and message that it contains, but even by its means of layout, structure, and the names it gives to these.

• Qur'an

  The Quran is Unique as a piece of Literature in all Aspects. Even its name is Unique – Qur’aan ( قُرْآن ) means ‘that which is Recited Abundantly’

• Surah

  It is divided into Suwar (plural of Surah [mentioned in The word surah comes from classical meaning of; “the outer walls of a city.” If you can visualize: in the old days, they didn’t have borders and signs saying  “Welcome to such-and-such city.” Rather, there were outer walls that you had to go through; it was a security measure.

  Inside of the city, there are a bunch of things happening – commerce, residences, markets, etc – but it is all connected. That is kind of what is going on in a surah – there’s a lot of different things going on, but it’s all connected somehow for one main purpose.

  [Explanation given by Nouman Ali Khan in the introduction of Surah Naba']

• Ayah

  The word ‘Ayah’ ( آيَة ) is commonly translated as ‘verse’, but this is not accurate;

  The word ‘Ayah‘ is unique, meaning ‘a Miraculous sign’.

   

  It cannot be translated as ‘verse’ because poetry is termed as ‘verses’ and Allah says that the Qur’an is not poetry;

  وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَاعِرٍ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تُؤْمِنُونَ

  “and it is not the speech of a poet..” – (Qalam 69:41)

  The word ‘Ayah’ cannot be translated as ‘sentence’ because some ayah’s have more than a sentence (i.e. the aayaat on Inheritance law [surah الرَّحْمَٰنُ ] ar-Rahman = 1 word) [Miraculous Nature

  Now we will discuss why the Qur’an is miraculous in its Structure:

  When me and you speak, we can speak words and organise them to explain what we will explain in the future. But we cannot Organise our Words based on what we will say later. This is a Unique method used in the Qur’an wherein all words used in earlier parts of the Qur’an have a specific role in relating to later words used in the surah – enhancing the power and Theme of the entire surah.

  Another miraculous aspect of it is that it was spoken at the time it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him.) This means once he had said it, he could not edit it or republish it after it had come out of his lips. It would be challenged as the word of God till the end of time. Yet still none is able to come up with something similar to it, even though nothing is preventing others from editing their works to come up with something ‘similar to it’.