The Qur’an’s Challenge: A Literary and Linguistic Miracle

Prepared by: Zairil Azmir bin Zaiyadi (JBIK/FSS)

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Introduction

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) began receiving divine revelations in 610 CE during the month of Ramadan while in a cave known as Hira near Mount Jabal Nur, located close to Mecca.
This prophetic revelation continued for a duration of 23 years.
The initial verses received by Muhammad (pbuh) are the first five verses of Surah Al-’Alaq (The Clinging Clot), also known as Iqra’ (Read).
The first complete Surah revealed to the Prophet was Al-Fatihah (The Opening), which consists of verses 1-7.
The Qur’an comprises a total of 114 Surahs, with Al-Fatihah as the first and Al-Nas (Mankind) as the last.

Verse 1: Proclaim! (or Read!) in the name of your Lord and Cherisher, Who created-
Verse 2: Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood:
Verse 3: Proclaim! And your Lord is Most Bountiful-
Verse 4: He Who taught (the use of) the Pen-
Verse 5: Taught man that which he knew not.

(Reference: ‘Abdullah Yusuf ‘Ali, 2007, The Holy Qur’an: Text and Translation, Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust)

Arabic literature can be categorized into two main forms: prose and poetry, with various sub-forms existing within these categories.

In Arabic, poetry (ash-shi’r al-arabiya) is characterized by metrical speech with rhyme.
The structure of Arabic poetry employs rhyme (qafiyah) with every line ending on specific letters and follows rhythmical patterns (arud).
There are sixteen rhythmical patterns known as 'al-bihar' (or buhur), meaning “The Seas” in Arabic, which include:

Prose in Arabic is defined as non-metrical language lacking a consistent rhythm.
Arabic prose is further divided into:

The literary style of the Qur’an is considered a miracle as it exceeds the expressive capacities of the Arabic language.
No human has managed to produce any text that matches the Qur’an's unique style, despite the rich grammatical rules and extensive vocabulary of Arabic.
The Qur’an's inimitability is emphasized by the failure of even the most skilled Arabic linguists to challenge or replicate it.

The essence of the Qur’anic miracle lies in its singular literary form that cannot be replicated with the finite linguistic tools available.
Muslim theologians argue that a Divine entity (Allah) is the sole explanation for the Qur’an's uniqueness, as human authors are confined to existing literary forms.
Taha Husayn, a prominent Egyptian litterateur, stated that the Qur’an cannot be classified strictly as prose or verse but has a distinctive form unique to itself, making it unparalleled.

Surah Al-Kawthar (108) exemplifies why the Qur'an should not be categorized strictly as poetry. The structure does not adhere to established rhythmical patterns of Arabic poetry.

Unique Qur’anic style not confined to poetic conventions.
While possessing rhyme and rhythm, it doesn’t follow the consistent rhythmic patterns of al-bihar.
Resembles