Questions And Answers On Ijaaz Al-quran

Questions and answers on 'Ijaz ul Qur'an The Qur'an is the mu'ajizaa (miracle) shown at the hands of Muhammad (saw) proving his prophethood. It's 'ijaaz (miraculousness) lies in it's Arabic construction, that is it's eloquence (balaagha). Knowing the Qur'an's origination from the Creator means knowing it's eloquence is not in man's ability to match. It could be said that such a fact is not within the ability of the 'ajamee (non-Arab) to comprehend and hence it cannot be used as a proof against them. However this assertion is fallacious and superficial. Differentiation between 'ajamee and Arab has neither proof nor relevance here. Rather the knowledge of balaa'gha (eloquence) and it's sciences is something not widely known to the Arabs (that is the common Arabs) let alone the 'ajamee. Hence the verification of the mu'jizaa is not a new problem but rather has existed since the time of the prophet (saw) and his companions. Furthermore during the time of the companions lands were conquered which were inhabited, in the most, by 'ajamee people, yet they embraced Islam in their masses. This is true with the fact that the Sahaabah propagated the Islamic 'Aqeedah with definite proofs. Hence the miracle of the Qur'aan is capable of being grasped by non-Arabs in a definite manner. However the confusion does not rest upon this point but rather a rational point. That is the discussion regarding what constitutes valid proof and what doesn't. It is assumed, by those that ask the question, that only direct knowledge or perception of the miracle yields yaqeen (certatinty), that is only understanding directly the miraculousness by knowing Arabic and it's sciences. This is void. Rational thought is composed of previous information, mind, senses and reality. Whenever these exist judgement is possible. So thought is something meaningful that corresponds to a reality which is itself perceptible or which is perceptible from something other than it. Allaah's (swt) existence, for example, is not perceptible in itself but rather is definitely known from man, life and the universe. As regards the question specifically it is true that the miraculousness lies in its Arabic usage however it cannot be inferred from this that the sensation of this lies only with in itself, knowing the Qur'an words itself and comprehending its language deeply (i.e. knowing it's sciences). This is since the fact, it's inimitability, is clearly perceptible from other than it (other than the Qur'aan). That is through other perceptible facts such as its (miraculousness) confirmation by those who comprehend the language deeply, non-Muslim and Muslim. The non-Muslims say: "THAT THE BEST OF ARAB WRITERS HAS NEVER SUCCEEDED IN PRODUCING ANYTHING EQUAL IN MERIT TO THE QUR'AN ITSELF IS NOT SURPRISING" PROFESSOR E.H. PALMER IN HIS INTRODUCTION TO THE KORAN, LONDON 1820 "WELL THEN, IF THE QUR'AN 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 QUR'AN AS AN OUTSTANDING EVIDENTIAL MIRACLE." H.A.R GIBB, MOHAMMEDANISM, LONDON, 1953, P33 "THE QUR'AN IS UNAPPROACHABLE AS REGARDS CONVINCING POWER ELOQUENCE AND EVEN COMPOSITION."HARTWIG HIRSCHFIELD, NEW RESEARCHES, LONDON 1902, P8 "THE TRUTH IS, I DO NOT FIND ANY UNDERSTANDING AUTHOR WHO CONTROVERTS THE ELEGANCY OF THE ALCORAN, IT BEING GENERALLY ESTEEMED AS THE STANDARD OF THE ARABIC LANGUAGE AND ELOQUENCE."DR HENRY STUBBE, M.A., RISE AND PROGRESS OF MOHAMEDANISM, LONDON, 1911, P158 ON ITS WRITTEN FORM, THE QUR'AN HAS SET THE STANDARD FOR ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE AS THE PROPER AND INDEED THE HIGHEST EXPRESSION OF LITERARY ARABIC." MIRCAEA ELIADE (EDITOR IN CHIEF), THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF RELIGION, VOLUME 12, MACMILLAN PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1987, P179 "FROM THE LITERARY POINT OF VIEW, THE KORAN IS REGARDED AS A SPECIMEN OF THE PUREST ARABIC, WRITTEN IN HALF POETRY AND HALF PROSE. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT IN SOME CASE GRAMAMRIANS HAVE ADOPTED THEIR RULES TO AGREE WITH CERTAIN PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS USED IN IT, AND THAT, THOUGH SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO PRODUCE A WORK EQUAL TO IT AS FAR AS ELEGANT WRITING IS CONCERNED, NONE HAS YET SUCCEDED." F.F. ARBUTHNOT, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BIBLE AND THE KORAN, LONDON, 1885, P5" "THAT A COMPETENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE KORAN IS INDISPENSIBLE AS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF ARABIC LITERATURE WILL BE ADMITTED BY ALL WHO HAVE ADVANCED BEYOND THE RUDIMENTS OF THE LANGUAGE. FROM THE PURITY OF ITS STYLE AND ELEGANCE OF ITS DICTION IT HAS COME TO BE CONSIDERED AS THE STANDARD OF ARABIC EVEN BY THOSE WHO HAVE NO BELIEF IN ITS PRETENTIONS TO A DIVINE ORIGINS, WHILE SO GREAT IS ITS AUTHORITY AMONG THE FOLLOWERS

OF MOHAMMED, THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO NAME A WORK BY ANY MUSSULMAN WRITER WHICH DOES NOT ABOUND IN ALLUSIONS TO ITS PRECEPTS OR IN QUOTATIONS FROM ITS PAGES. IT IS NOT TO BE EXPECTED THAT ALL THE TRANSCENDENTAL EXCELLENCIES AND MIRACULOUSNESS BEAUTIES DISCOVERED IN THE KORAN BY ITS COMMENTATORS AND OTHERS SHOULD IMMEDIATELY UNVEIL THEMSELVES TO OUR COLD AND UNSYMPATHIZING GAZE; BEAUTIES THERE ARE, MANY AND GREAT; IDEAS HIGHLY POETICAL ARE CLOTHED IN RICH APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE WHICH NOT UNFREQUENTLY RISES TO A SUBLIMITY FAR BEYOND THE REACH OF ANY TRANSLATION; BUT IT IS UNFORTUNATELY THE CASE THAT MANY OF THOSE GRACES WHICH PRESENT THEMSELVES TO THE ADMIRATION OF THE FINISHED SCHOLAR ARE BUT SO MANY STUMBLING-BLOCKS IN THE WAY OF THE BEGINNER; THE MARVELLOUS CONCISENESS WHICH ADDS SO GREATLY TO THE FORCE AND ENERGY OF ITS EXPRESSIONS CANNOT FAIL TO PERPLEX HIM, WHILE THE FREQUENT USE OF THE ELLIPSE LEAVE IN HIS MIND A FEELING OF VAGUES NOT ALTOGETHER OUT OF CHARACTER IN A WORK OF ITS ORACLAR AND SOI-DISTANT PROPHETIC NATURE." PREFACE OF "A DICTIONARY AND GLOSSARY OF THE KORAN", JOHN PENRICE, PRAEGER PUBLISHERS, 1970 AT THE TIME OF MUHAMMAD THERE WAS NO WORK OF THE FIRST ORDER IN ARABIC PROSE. THE QUR'AN WAS THEREFORE THE EARLIEST, AND HAS EVER SINCE REMAINED THE MODEL, PROSE WORK. ITS LANGUAGE IS RHYTHMICAL AND RHETORICAL, BUT NOT POETICAL. ITS RHYMED PROSE HAS SET THE STANDARD WHICH ALMOST EVERY CONSERVATIVE ARABIC WRITER OF TODAY CONSCIOUSLY STRIVES TODAY." HISTORY OF THE ARABS", PHILIP K. HITTI, SEVENTH EDITION, MACMILLLAN & CO LTD, 1960, P127 "THE KORAN WAS ALSO LINGUISTIC DOCUMENT OF INCOMPARABLE IMPORTANCE. IT WAS VIEWED AS A SOURCE OF GRAMMATICAL AND LEXICOGRAPHICAL

INFORMATION. ITS STYLISTIC INIMITABILITY NOTWITHSTANDING, IT EVEN CAME TO BE TREATED AS A STANDARD FOR THEORIES OF LITERARY CRITICISM." THE LEGACY OF ISLAM, EDITED BY THE LATE JOSEPH SCHACHT WITH C.E. BOSWORTH, 1974 P321 "AS HAS BEEN NOTED, THE LANGUAGE OF THE QUR'AN IS REGARDED AS SUPPARSING EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE WRITTEN IN ARABIC. THE QUR'AN ITSELF IS A MIRACLE AND CANNOT BE IMITATED BY MAN." THE NEW ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA, VOL15, 15TH EDITION, 1983 It is said by the Muslims: "AL KHATTABI ARGUES THAT ALL SPEECH IS MADE UP OF THREE ELEMENTS: (I) WORDS CONVEYING MEANING, (II) IDEAS SUBSISTING IN WORDS, AND (III) STRUCTURE ORGANSING BOTH. HE MAINTAINS THAT HUMANS CANNOT IMITATE THE QUR'AN BECAUSE THEIR KNOWLEDGE DOES NOT ENCOMPASS ALL THE WORDS OF ARABIC, ALL THE IDEAS IN THEM, AND ALL THE VARITIES OF STRUCTURE. FURTHERMORE, THEY CANNOT IMITATE THE QUR'AN BECAUSE IT HAS THE MOST ELOQUENT WORDING, CONVEYING THE BEST IDEAS, PRESENTED IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE. AL KHATTABI STRESSES THE FACT THAT RHETORICAL EFFECTIVENESS RESULTS NOT ONLY FROM THE CHOICE OF WORDS BUT ALSO FROM THE ORDER IN WHICH WORDS ARE PUT. A CHANGE OF WORDING OR OF ORDER ALTERS THE MEANING OTHERWISE INTENDED OR IMPAIRS THE BEAUTY OTHERWISE OBTAINED." "THE RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE QUR'AN: I'JAZ AND RELATED TOPICS." ISSA J. BOULLATA, PG 144 "THE STATEMENTS OF IMAM GHAZZALI AND OTHER WRITERS ON THE SUBJECT OF USUL ENABLE US TO SUGGEST THAT THERE ARE THREE SOURCES OF FIQH: WAHY OR DIVINE INSPIRATION: THIS INCLUDES BOTH THE RECITED, OR INIMITABLE QUR'AN, AND THE UNRECITED, OR THE SUNNAH." SOURCE METHODOLOGY IN ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE", TAHA JABIR AL 'ALWANI, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ISLAMIC THOUGHT, 1994 P86

RECENT SCHOLARS HAVE USED THE NAME OF THE SECOND SUBDIVISION, SYNTAX AND STYLE, FOR ALL THREE SUBDIVISIONS, BECAUSE THE ANCIENT SCHOLARS HAD DISCUSSED IT FIRST......THE FRUIT OF THIS DISCIPLINE IS UNDERSTANDING OF THE INIMITABILITY OF THE QUR'AN. THIS CONSISTS IN THE FACT THAT THE (LANGUAGE OF THE QUR'AN) INDICATES ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SITUATIONS (REFERRED TO), WHETHER THEY ARE STATED OR UNDERSTOOD. THIS IS THE HIGHEST STAGE OF SPEECH, IN ADDITION, (THE QUR'AN) IS PERFECT IN CHOICE OF WORDS AND EXCELLENCE OF ARRANGEMENT AND COMBINATION. THIS IS THE INIMITABILITY, A QUALITY THAT SURPPARSES COMPREHENSION." AL MUQADDIMAH, IBN KHALDUN, TRANSLATED BY FRANZ ROSENTHAL, ROUTLEDGE AND KEGAN PAUL, 1967, P 437 "IT IS NAZM THAT CREATES DISTINCTIVE STYLE BY THE CHOICE AND ARRRANGEMENT OF WORDS TO BRING OUT MEANING. WORDS ARRANGED DIFFERENTLY CONVEY DIFFERENT MEANINGS. THUS THE BEST STYLE IS ONE WHICH HAS THE BEST CONSTRUCTION POSSIBLE FOR THE MEANING INTENDED, AND THAT CHOOSING THE MOST EXPRESSIVE WORDS FOR THE PURPOSE AND PLACING THEM IN THE MOST LIKELY ARRANGEMENT. ACCORDING TO AL JURJANI, THE QUR'AN USES THE BEST NAZM WHICH, WHEN THE ARABS HEARD IT, THEY REALISED THEY WERE UNABLE TO MATCH." ISSA J. BOULLATA, THE RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE QUR'AN: I'JAZ AND RELATED TOPICS., P146 'IT HAS BEEN REALISED THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW WORDS IN LANGUAGE WHICH ARE SYNONYMOUS; IN THE QUR'AN THEY ARE RARE, ALMOST NON EXISTENT,. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND A WORD WHICH CONVEYS ALL THE MEANINGS WHICH ARE CONVEYED BY ANOTHER WORD; AT BEST, IT WILL BE AN APPROXIMATION. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE QUR'AN IS INIMITABLE. IN THE VERSE, "ON THE DAY WHEN THE

FIRMAMENT WILL BE IN SWIFT COMMOTION (MAWR)." (52:9) FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU EXPLAIN THE WORD MAWR BY HARAKAH, MOVEMENT, THIS WOULD BE AN APPROXIMATION; FOR MAWR MEANS A LIGHT SWIFT MOVEMENT." SHAIKH UL ISLAAM IBN TAYMIYYAH AN INTRODUCTION INTO THE PRNCIPLES OF TAFSEER, AL HIDAYAH PUBLISHING & DISTIBUTION, PG 24 "ANY RENDITION OF THE QUR'AN INTO ANOTHER LANGUAGE CANNOT BE DESCRIBED AS THE QUR'AN IN THAT LANGUAGE', BUT RATHER AN ATTEMPT AT TRANSLATING THE MEANINGS OF THE VERSES AND WORDS AS THEY ARE INTERPRETED BY THE TRANSLATOR. THUS, AN ESSENTIAL AND CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE OF THE HOLY QUR'AN IS THAT IT IS WHOLLY IN ARABIC. THIS INSEPERABILITY OF THE QUR'ANIC MESSAGE AND IT IS DIVINE LINGUISTIC GARB HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY POINTED OUT BY ALL ARAB SCHOLARS AND SHOULD NEVER BE OVERLOOKED BY TRANSLATORS" DR ASHRAF ABDUL FATTAH, ALAADIN HUSSANIN AND SALEH SALEH, TAJWID UL QUR'AN, A NEW APPROACH TO MASTERING THE ART OF RECITING THE HOLY QUR'AN, BAKKAH TRANSLATION AND PUBLISHING LTD, 1989, P4 "THE QUR'AN HAS MADE THE ARABS POWERLESS AND IMPOTENT TO BRING THE LIKE OF IT AND CHALLENGED THEM TO DO THAT. THE MOST HIGH (SWT) HAS CHALLENGED THEM: "AND IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT AS TO WHAT WE HAVE REVEALED FROM TIME TO TIME TO OUR SERVANT THEN PRODUCE A SURA LIKE THEREUNTO; AND CALL YOUR WITNESSES OR HELPERS (IF THERE ARE ANY) IF YOU BE TRUTHFUL." (2:23-24) AND ALSO SAID: "SAY: BRING THEN A SURA LIKE UNTO IT AND CALL YOU TO YOUR AID ANYONE YOU CAN BESIDES ALLAH, IF IT BE YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH." THE CHALLENGE CAME TO HIGH FOR THEM THAT HE SAID TO THEM YOU CANNOT BRING THE LIKE UNTO IT, SO THE MOST HIGH (SWT) SAID: "SAY: IF THE WHOLE OF MANKIND AND JINN WERE TO GATHER TOGETHER TO PRODUCE THE LIKE OF THIS QUR'AN, THEY COULD NOT PRODUCE THE LIKE

THEREOF EVEN IF THEY BACKED UP EACH OTHER WITH HELP AND SUPPORT." THUS THOSE WHO WERE SPOKEN TO BY THE QUR'AN WERE COMPLETELY UNABLE TO BRING THE LIKE UNTO IT. THIS INCOMPETENCE IS ASSURED AND PERMANENT IN A CONTINUOUS WAY (MUTAWAATIR) AND HISTORY HAS NOT KNOWN ANYBODY SINCE THEN THAT ANYONE HAS BROUGHT THE LIKE OF IT." IMAAM TAQIUDINE NABHANI SHAKSIYYAH ISLAMIYYAH, VOL I, "THE QUR'AN IS INIMITABLE IN THAT IT EMPLOYS THE MOST ELOQUENT WORDS IN THE IDEAL FORMS OF COMPOSITION EMBODYING THE TRUEST MEANINGS." IMAAM KHATTABI, KITAB BAYAN I'JAZ AL QUR'AN, PG 27 "ILM UL MA'ANI I.E KNOWLEDGE OF SEMANTICS, BECAUSE PHRASE CONSTRUCTIONS ARE UNDERSTOOD FROM THEIR MEANINGS. ILM UL BAYAN I.E. KNOWLEDGE OF FIGURES OF SPEECH, LIKE SIMILIES AND METAPHORS, DUE TO WHICH EXPRESSIONS OR SHADES OF MEANING OR SIMILIES AND METAPHORS BECOME KNOWN. ILM UL BADI I.E. KNOWLEDGE OF RHETORIC, THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH REVEALS THE BEAUTY OF LANGUAGE AND IT'S IMPLICATIONS. THE LAST THREE ARE THE BRANCHES OF 'ILM UL BALAGHAT (KNOWLEDGE OR ORATORY) WHICH ARE CONSIDERED VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECTS, WHICH THE COMMENTATOR SHOULD MASTER, BECAUSE THE GLORIOUS QUR'AN IS A PERFECT MIRACLE AND ITS AMAZING CONSTRUCTIONS CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD AFTER MASTERING THESE SUBJECTS." MAULANA MUHAMMAD ZAKARIYYAH KANDHALVI, TABLIGHI NISAB, R.A, P29-31 All these prove the fact that the Qur'an is inimitable. As regards the claim that some of these quotes originate from Muslims whose testimony cannot be trusted (due to bias). This is of no consequence. There are numerous statements from the kaafir in different contexts which suffice to prove the point. Besides these are only a fraction of what has been said. Moreover it is false to discount the comments of the Muslims here, these comments have great weighting hence they are proof. It is impossible for any report which is witnessed in a widespread way to be fabricated. News reports, which are usually heard through khabar Aa'haad (single narrator Hadith), which are additionally da'eef (due to originating from kaafir known for lying and distortion,), are known to be true on account of their being accessible to

multitudes of those who witness the same reported events, hence error in them not possible. The Arabic construction of the Qur'an is perceptible in a widespread way, hence it is not possible that such large numbers of people, Muslim or otherwise, to fabricate such famous ideas in the presence of many who witness the same subject matter. What proves this even more is that not only is the event (miraculousness of the Qur'an) commonly reported but also the details of the event in a high degree. That is the description of the eloquence is commonly reported, this would not be possible if these were fabricated. ( Hence if it was fabricated it would not be possible for all numerous Muslim scholars to all describe and illustrate the miracle in identical ways. They would not be able to describe style, meaning, grammar and those sciences such as lexicography, syntax, grammatical devices and the like and their examples in the Qur'an without discrepancy.) In addition these statements can also be joined with other facts. For example the fact that the Qur'aan is the reference point and highest specimen of the language and linguistics and used as such in colleges and universities in the Arab countries and abroad. It has been said that there have been pieces of Arabic which have been proposed as meeting the challenge. In addition it has been said that certain Muslim scholars have regarded the challenge as beatable. With regards to what has been said regarding the claimed challengable pieces then there are two points. Firstly these pieces are, in their style and meaning, not comparable to the Qur'an in small or in large pieces. This is known be those with skill in the language. (All these 'pieces' are analysed linguistically in the books on the miracle of the Qur'an like Baqillani's 'Ijaz ul Qur'an, hence they are well known. What is more the disparity between the Qur'an and these pieces are so large that even common Arabs (those who are not scholars in the language) are able to remark on the difference.) A claim is in the ability of anyone with any idea (i.e. any person can claim what he wants), they are only proof for us if they can be demonstrated. These pieces are mere claims and the language cannot be demonstrated to compare with that of the Qur'an due to their poor level. As for the 'aammi (common Muslim.) then this is easily known due to the level of evidence. That is that it has been established by Tawaatur that the Qur'an is inimitable and that no one has brought the like of it, this as all and sundry know is well known. These facts are definite therefore any evidence that comes contrary to these must necessarily be false. This is since, rationally, two definite things can never contradict. (If this was believed that 2 definite things could contradict then it would have to believe that an absurdity such as New York definitely existing and definitely not existing at the same time was possible). Consequently these narrations (which as we have discussed earlier be shown to weak and fabricated in any case.) must be rejected outright since they cannot with any possibility be true (Even entertaining the possibility of a mutawaatir narration being disproved is irrational since it means saying something definite can be disproved! If such a thing is said it would mean entertaining the possibility of 1 + 1 = 2 being disproved or that a narration can come to disprove the occurrence of World war II!). This is all that is needed to disprove such allegations. Similarly the second claim (that certain Muslim scholars regarded the Qur'aan's language as matchable) is equally false. Such baseless understanding only results

from irrational thought or lack in intelligence. Such scholars belonged to the Mu'atazila. Their opinion on miracles, generally, was that, when accompanied by a challenge, were potentially within the ability of man. This is through their understanding that Allaah (swt) is just hence if Allaah (swt) was to challenge man then such a challenge must necessarily lie within man's ability. Hence they formulated the doctrine of sarfa (prevention). This means that certain actions are potentially within the capability of man however Allaah (swt) prevents man from doing them after he has challenged them to do it. This, as is the case with 'ilm ul kalaam (theological rhetoric) is mere playing with words and semantics, the view is essentially no different from the view of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamm'ah, that is that a miracle an event beyond man's limitations. The only difference lies in whether the limitation that prevents man from meeting the challenge is inherent within man or rather imposed by Allaah (swt) after the challenge. All this is evident if one consults their books. What even more refutes the assertions is that many Mu'atazila scholars have written on 'ijaz ul Qur'an such as Qadi Abdul Jabbar's "Al Mughni fi abwab al-tawhid wa'l-'adl" and Imaam Zamaksharee's "Kashaaf" in which they explain why the language is unattainable for humans. Consequently there is no reality to such claims, the truth of the matter is that these originate in certain orientalist books (such as Golzheirs for example.). These cannot be trusted due to their untrustorthyness and malice against the deen. Muslims who take such information with trust are either low in intellect or harbor evil intent.