The Website
The inimitable Qur'an website is dedicated in educating the masses on the
literary and linguistic inimitability of the Qur'anic discourse. This site argues that
there can be no materialistic explanation for the miraculous nature of the Qur'an.
The Challenge
The Qur'an challenges humanity to attempt to match the reality of the Qur'anic
text, the smallest chapter (surah) to be exact. In chapter 2 verse 23 the Qur'an
states:
"And if you are in doubt about which We have revealed to Our Servant then
bring one chapter like it"
In order to understand this challenge one must first understand the reality of the
Qur'an. With regards to its language there are many features which render the
Qur'an matchless, unique and miraculous. The main arguments with regards to
its linguistic and literary superiority will be briefly explained below.
The Main Arguments
Unique Linguistic Genre
The Qur'an achieves a unique linguistic genre by unifying rhetorical and
cohesive elements of language in every verse. Most Arabic texts simply use
cohesive elements with some use of language that attempts to please or
persuade (rhetoric). Any change to the Qur'anic structure ceases to sound like a
Qur'an and removes its communicative effect.
Unique Literary Form
The Qur'an is a literary form in its own right. It is can not fit into the forms of
poetry, rhymed prose and prose. This is achieved by the unique combination of
metrical and non-metrical composition, by not adhering to the rules of poetry
and prose and by the use of literary devices that are unknown in Arabic prose.
This is done within the scope of the classical Arabic grammar.
Rhetoric and Eloquence
The Qur'an can only be described as a 'sea of rhetoric'. It employs more
rhetorical features than any other text. Also, the Qur'an achieves an amazing
accuracy of language with its choice of words, word order, sentence structure
and phrase order.
Historical Argument
It is a historical fact that the Arab linguists at the time of revelation
(approximately 1400 years ago) were the greatest at appreciating and
expressing themselves in the Arabic language. If the Arabs of the time were
unable to challenge the Qur'an then what does this say about its authorship?
Can it be the utterances of a human being?
What Does this Mean?
When questioning the authorship of the Qur'an in the context of the above
arguments one must first understand who the Qur'an could have possible come
from. There are a few options:
1) An Arab
2) A non-Arab
3) Muhammad
4) The Creator
The Qur’an is matchless in its Arabic and beyond comparison amongst other
literature. It defies sense for it to have been written by someone who could not
understand Arabic. Think of a literary work in English e.g. Jane Austen’s Pride
and Prejudice, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein or Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Could one without English have been the author? Do the same for literature in
other languages. Dante’s Divine Comedy, Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Tolstoy’s War
and Peace, Aristophanes’ Clouds and so on. It would not be serious to claim that
such work could be achieved without access to the language itself therefore the
first option of a non-Arab authoring the Qur’an can be safely eliminated.
If the Qur’an was authored by an Arab then the test of inimitability would not
pose a real challenge just as it does not in other languages. Whatever one writes
another can write a little in the same style but the challenge has been attempted
by leading authorities in Arabic throughout history and has left all exhausted.
Whenever an Arab attempts a passage trying to imitate the Qur'an's style and
literary form he/she remains utterly elusive so we can safely state that the
author of the Qur’an could not have been an Arab.
Muhammad, for all his greatness, was still an Arab like his brethren. It is also a
matter of fact that the Prophet Muhammad was never accused of authoring the
Qur’an by his contemporaries, even those who sought his death and ruin.
Furthermore the hadith (recorded narrations attributed to the Prophet) are in a
totally different style to the Qur'an. How can any man speak with two distinct
styles over a 23 year period?
The only rational answer left is the Creator.
* To be updated *
www.theinimitablequran.com
The inimitable Qur'an website is dedicated in educating the masses on the
literary and linguistic inimitability of the Qur'anic discourse. This site argues that
there can be no materialistic explanation for the miraculous nature of the Qur'an.
The Challenge
The Qur'an challenges humanity to attempt to match the reality of the Qur'anic
text, the smallest chapter (surah) to be exact. In chapter 2 verse 23 the Qur'an
states:
"And if you are in doubt about which We have revealed to Our Servant then
bring one chapter like it"
In order to understand this challenge one must first understand the reality of the
Qur'an. With regards to its language there are many features which render the
Qur'an matchless, unique and miraculous. The main arguments with regards to
its linguistic and literary superiority will be briefly explained below.
The Main Arguments
Unique Linguistic Genre
The Qur'an achieves a unique linguistic genre by unifying rhetorical and
cohesive elements of language in every verse. Most Arabic texts simply use
cohesive elements with some use of language that attempts to please or
persuade (rhetoric). Any change to the Qur'anic structure ceases to sound like a
Qur'an and removes its communicative effect.
Unique Literary Form
The Qur'an is a literary form in its own right. It is can not fit into the forms of
poetry, rhymed prose and prose. This is achieved by the unique combination of
metrical and non-metrical composition, by not adhering to the rules of poetry
and prose and by the use of literary devices that are unknown in Arabic prose.
This is done within the scope of the classical Arabic grammar.
Rhetoric and Eloquence
The Qur'an can only be described as a 'sea of rhetoric'. It employs more
rhetorical features than any other text. Also, the Qur'an achieves an amazing
accuracy of language with its choice of words, word order, sentence structure
and phrase order.
Historical Argument
It is a historical fact that the Arab linguists at the time of revelation
(approximately 1400 years ago) were the greatest at appreciating and
expressing themselves in the Arabic language. If the Arabs of the time were
unable to challenge the Qur'an then what does this say about its authorship?
Can it be the utterances of a human being?
What Does this Mean?
When questioning the authorship of the Qur'an in the context of the above
arguments one must first understand who the Qur'an could have possible come
from. There are a few options:
1) An Arab
2) A non-Arab
3) Muhammad
4) The Creator
The Qur’an is matchless in its Arabic and beyond comparison amongst other
literature. It defies sense for it to have been written by someone who could not
understand Arabic. Think of a literary work in English e.g. Jane Austen’s Pride
and Prejudice, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein or Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Could one without English have been the author? Do the same for literature in
other languages. Dante’s Divine Comedy, Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Tolstoy’s War
and Peace, Aristophanes’ Clouds and so on. It would not be serious to claim that
such work could be achieved without access to the language itself therefore the
first option of a non-Arab authoring the Qur’an can be safely eliminated.
If the Qur’an was authored by an Arab then the test of inimitability would not
pose a real challenge just as it does not in other languages. Whatever one writes
another can write a little in the same style but the challenge has been attempted
by leading authorities in Arabic throughout history and has left all exhausted.
Whenever an Arab attempts a passage trying to imitate the Qur'an's style and
literary form he/she remains utterly elusive so we can safely state that the
author of the Qur’an could not have been an Arab.
Muhammad, for all his greatness, was still an Arab like his brethren. It is also a
matter of fact that the Prophet Muhammad was never accused of authoring the
Qur’an by his contemporaries, even those who sought his death and ruin.
Furthermore the hadith (recorded narrations attributed to the Prophet) are in a
totally different style to the Qur'an. How can any man speak with two distinct
styles over a 23 year period?
The only rational answer left is the Creator.
* To be updated *
www.theinimitablequran.com
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