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In order to understand the proof that establishes the Qur'an, we
need to understand what is meant by a miracle (mu'jiza). A miracle
is when the natural laws are suspended or eliminated in order to
prove that a certain individual is a prophet or messenger of Allah (swt).
For example, according to the natural law, fire burns; thus, when
Ibrahim (as) was thrown into the fire and it was cool, this was a
miracle for him.
Also, Allah (swt) addressed people in a relevant way, and this
relevant dimension is reflected in the manner in which Allah (swt)
chose miracles for His prophets and messengers. Typically, one will
find that the miracle that was given to a certain prophet or
messenger challenges the very thing that the people are known to
excel in. For example, the people of Firaun were known for black
magic, sorcery, and deception, and the miracles of Musa (as)
destroyed their credibility in the very thing that they were known
for. As a result, the magicians of Firaun, being the masters of this
art, knew that what Musa brought was real, and they were the first
ones to accept his message. During the time of Isa (as), the people
were known for their skills in medicine and healing, and the
miracles of Isa was beyond what they could achieve, even beyond what
modern medicine could achieve.
This brings us to Muhammad (saaws). The Arabs during the time of
Muhammad (saaws) were a backward people, but they were known for one
thing: Their mastery of the Arabic language. In fact, it was the
Arabs who invented the rules and structure of their language, and
they took such pride in their language that they would compete with
one another in poetry and linguistic aptitude. No other generation
would ever have the same mastery over Arabic as these Arabs, which
is why the scholars of Arabic language stated that an individual
must have lived during the 2nd century after Hijra in order to be
considered as an authority in the Arabic language. Thus, when the
Qur'an was revealed, Allah (swt) challenged the Arabs in the very
thing that they excelled in and attained mastery over. Being the
masters of the language, if the Qur'an was made by a human being,
then they would have been able to produce something equivalent or
superior to the Qur'an. According to the natural law, human beings
grow and develop, and whatever is produced by a human being,
successive generations of human beings will eventually produce
something equal to it or better. This is the case with all fields of
knowledge; one only has to look at the scientific and technological
achievements of the last century and compare them to this century.
However, when the Qur'an was revealed, its linguistic style could
not be challenged even by those who invented the language. This
proves conclusively that the Qur'an was from Allah (swt).
Some other features of the Qur'an's style that establish its
miraculous nature are the following:
1). The Qur'an was revealed over a 23 year period, yet it retains
the same superior style of language that is beyond the need to be
updated or revised. If you look at the work of any writer, he
changes his style. This is a reflection of the nature of the human
being. Because human beings are imperfect and limited, they have the
capacity to grow and revise themselves, and this constant revision
is reflected in their writing. From the moment the writer finishes
his last sentence and then reviews his work, he begins to update and
revise what he wrote. However, the Qur'an, over its 23 years of
revelation, retains the same superior style that is beyond the need
to be revised or updated. This illustrates that the Qur'an could not
have been the work of a human being; otherwise, one would notice
variations in its level of style over the 23 years of its
revelation.
2). The manner in which the Qur'an was revealed was discontinuous,
meaning that the temporal order of the revelation does not parallel
the sequential order of the verses in the Qur'an. This is analagous
to somebody beginning a book at page 300 and putting the pen down,
only to start again a few months later at page 150, and then going
back to page 10, and then going to page 240, and finally to continue
at page 301, and so on. And when all is done, the complete work
flows coherently without any flaws. This is impossible for a human
being to accomplish.
Having Arabic language as a prerequisite for directly appreciating
the miraculous eloquence of the Quran, however, does not preclude
the possibility that those who do not speak Arabic or speak only a
little Arabic would be able to appreciate some aspects of the
Quran's eloquence through a deep study of its verses. Here we
present a few examples of the Quran's style and eloquence to give
those deficient in Arabic language a glimpse into the miracle of the
Quran.
1. Allah says,
And it was said: O Earth! Swallow thy water
and, O sky! Be cleared of clouds! And the water was made to subside.
And the commandment was fulfilled. And it [the ship] came to rest
upon [the mount] Al-Judi and it was said: A far removal for
wrongdoing people(11:44)
This verse (ayah) is talking about the time of Noah . It consists of
only 17 words, yet in it, Allah has related to us the entire events
of the flood and its aftermath. It tells us that the earth was
filled with water and the clouds were overhead, then Allah ordered
the Earth to drain the water from the land and the sky to be clear
of clouds. Then, the Earth and the Sky complied with this order such
that the land was no longer flooded, and the ship of Noah came to
rest on a mountain. Then, Allah informs us that Noah's people were
saved from their oppressors as well as the fact that those people
were destroyed. All of these ideas are expressed in just one verse
with very short sentences using conjunctive letters six times and
still not being repetitive or without any faltering in the
exceptional eloquence or style of the Quran. In fact, it is reported
that when Ibn Muqaffah, a person commissioned by some Arabs to
produce something like the Quran, heard this ayah being recited by a
person, he gave up his effort and submitted to the superiority of
the Quran's eloquence (balagha).
2. It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words.
However, when it comes to the Quran, with the use of very few words,
Allah provides us with vivid descriptions of complex events such as
that of a battle in one of its chapters (surahs). In this Surah,
Allah describes the scene of a battle in such a manner that the
reader would be able to visualize not just a snapshot of it, but
rather the entire course of the battle. He says,
By the steeds that run, with panting
(breath), Striking sparks of fire (by their hooves), And scouring to
the raid at dawn. And raise the dust in clouds the while,
Penetrating forthwith as one onto the midst (of the foe)
[Al-Adiyat 100: 1-5]
Here, Allah details for us the energy of the horses as they snort in
anticipation and the sparks arising from the clashing of their hoofs
against stones on the ground in their fierce charge towards the
enemy. The backdrop is the first light of dawn, and the tactic is to
surprise the enemy. The dust is collecting behind them as a large
troop rages across the desert sands, and the horses show full
obedience to their masters as they ride into the ranks of the enemy,
fearless and disciplined. The eloquence with which the Quran relates
this is extraordinary. There are only ten words used to describe
this entire scene in the Quran, but a comprehensive explanation of
their meaning, in Arabic or any other language, would require pages.
These are just a few examples of the miraculous style of the Quran
and its ability to express many meanings in very few words without
compromising its eloquence. Thus, it is no wonder that every Arab
poet, Muslim and non-Muslim would memorize or keep reading the Quran.
In addition, the eloquence of the Quran is such that, even if one
does not comprehend its meaning or know Arabic language, one would,
upon hearing it, realize that it is a unique text and would
appreciate its beauty.
Two Important features of the Arabic language
1)The Metaphorical Meaning (Majaaz)
The existence of the metaphorical meaning, or majaaz, is
another feature of the Islamic text that adds to its dynamic nature.
The majaaz is a well-known concept in the Arabic language,
and this issue was discussed extensively by many of the great
scholars. The Qur'an, as an Arabic text, used the metaphorical
meaning extensively, and in fact, little would remain of the
Qur'an's eloquence without the existence of the majaaz.Thus,
the ''Throne of Allah'' does not mean that Allah sits on a chair;
rather, the ''throne'' is a metaphorical reference to Allah's
Authority. Also, the Qur'an describes the ''Face of Allah'' as
encompassing everything; this is a reference to Allah's Knowledge,
which encompasses everything.
The problem is that some people deny the metaphorical meaning, which
is incorrect because the majaaz is a very well known feature
in the Arabic language. This does not mean that the majaaz is
a license to a free-for-all interpretation of the Qur'an. The Arabic
language has rules, and the metaphorical meaning also has rules.
However, to deny the majaaz altogether means that we will not be
able to understand the Qur'an. Just to illustrate the point, there
was a sheikh who denied the majaaz, and he was asked a simple
question by someone: ''Can you explain the ayah that says,
He who is blind in this life will be
resurrected blind in the Hereafter.'' Interestingly
enough, that sheikh was blind, and he failed to realize that the
Qur'an refers to being blind in this life not in the physical sense
that one is deprived of the sense of sight, but rather in the
metaphorical sense to refer to someone who is blind to belief and
closes his mind to the truth. Similarly, if we deny the metaphorical
meaning, then we will believe that Allah (swt) has a hand, face, a
throne that He sits on, etc. And such ideas could potentially lead
us to shirk.
2)Taqdeem Wa'Takheer
Taqdeem wa Ta'kheer is one of the well-known
features of Arabic language. This phenomenon assumes that
understanding the meaning of a certain phrase can only occur if the
words are ordered in a sequence that is different than the sequence
they appear in a written text or pronounced speech. In other words,
a different meaning can be derived by ''reshuffling'' the words and
re-sequencing them, and this is a known feature in Arabic. For
example in Surah Raa'd,Allah says:
"Each person has angels
protecting him from the Order of Allah."
Such a meaning directly conflicts with the Islamic Aqeedah because
this would imply that the angels protect individuals from Allah (swt).
We would not be able to derive any other meaning unless we
understood the concept of Taqdeem wa Ta'kheer. When we apply
this concept, we extract the correct meaning of the ayah as follows:
"Each person has angels in order to protect
him by the Order of Allah."
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