(3) The Quran is well-composed, coherent, and eloquent

Al-Qaadhi Abu Al-Fadhl, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Please note, may Allaah guide us all, that the noble Book of Almighty Allaah includes many aspects of miraculousness that can be categorized under four types as follows:

First: The Quran is superbly composed, contains coherent words, is rhetorical, precise, and matchlessly eloquent in expression as the Arabs used to be. In fact, they were masters in this regard and, apart from other nations, were gifted with eloquence and wisdom. They were silver-tongued and amazingly precise. Allaah granted them this talent that became part of their nature and character, and thus, it was an instinct and a power within them. Hence, they would express themselves in amazing, different ways, intuitively giving exhortative or strongly-worded sermons, chanting poetry in the thick of battle, praising and dispraising others, and by means of speech, would plead for the sake of achieving their objectives, uplifting or downgrading others. In the course of all that, they would come up with marvels of expression and with the most beautiful descriptions. In this way, they would defeat reason, ease difficulties, remove grudges, stir up old animosities, infuse a coward with courage, move niggardly people to extend generous hands, crown the frail with perfection, and strip the famous of their renown.

On one hand, nomad Arabs were distinguished with eloquence, precision, splendid diction, inherent disposition, and a powerful command of Arabic. On the other hand, urban Arabs had wonderful eloquence, lucid words, concise and precise expressions, a docile temperament, and the ability to develop style that was void of affectation, and full of beauty and refinement.

Both sides were authoritative on consummate rhetoric and powerful argument. They never suspected their command of speech and eloquence, as they were fully acquainted with its choicest essence along with its different arts and styles. They were indeed the pinnacles of speech, for they explored different domains of seriousness and triviality, and artfully dealt with useful and useless concepts, managed plentiful and meager subjects, contested in composing prose and poetry, then all of a sudden they were faced with a noble Messenger who was endowed with a noble Book, about which Allaah says (what means): {Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.} [Quran 41:42] The verses of the Quran have been perfected, its words have been detailed, and its rhetoric is amazing and dominant. The Quran blends conciseness with miraculous indications and draws together direct expressions with metaphorical ones. Its syllables compete in beauty, and its sentences include all aspects of concise and striking diction. Though it is brief, it is well-organized, and its words perfectly convey the meanings.

The Arabs had broad horizons of expression, and were the most renowned for oration and were the top of those who contributed to rhymed prose and poetry. They were known for speaking many archaic words. However, the Quran, in the same language which they used to communicate and otherwise, called them out every time and reproved them for more than twenty years, saying (what means):

• {Or do they say [about the Prophet], “He invented it?” Say, “Then bring forth a surah like it and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allaah, if you should be truthful.”} [Quran 10:38]

• {And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allaah, if you should be truthful. But if you do not - and you will never be able to - then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.} [Quran 2:23-24]

• {Say, “If mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants.”} [Quran 17:88]

• {Or do they say, “He invented it”? Say, “Then bring ten surahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allaah, if you should be truthful.”} [Quran 11:13]

The Quran challenges the disbelievers to come up with some verses that are similar to it, should they claim that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had really invented it, as it would, by the same token, be easy for them to invent it, and their fabricated diction would also be fathomable. Given that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not write the Quran, because it was revealed to him, then it would have been difficult for him to have invented it. The same applies to the disbelievers.

The Quran continued reproving the disbelievers, depreciating their reason, lowering their banners, and disrupting their order. It dispraised their gods, forefathers, and made their lands, homes and property lawful for Muslims. Nevertheless, they refused to imitate it, and misled themselves by creating disorder and belying the Quran, and by tempting others to fabricate something like it. The Quran quotes them as saying about it (what means):

• {And said, “This is not but magic imitated [from others].} [Quran 74:24]

• {And if they see a miracle, they turn away and say, “Passing magic.”} [Quran 54:2]

• {“This [Quran] is not except a falsehood he invented.} [Quran 25:4]

• {“This is not but legends of the former peoples.”} [Quran 6:25]

In addition to their disbelieving in the Quran, the disbelievers were content with inferiority. Allaah says (what means):

• {And they said, “Our hearts are wrapped.” But, [in fact], Allaah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is it that they believe.} [Quran 2:88]

• {And they say, “Our hearts are within coverings from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work; indeed, we are working.”} [Quran 41:5]

• {And those who disbelieve say, “Do not listen to this Quran and speak noisily during [the recitation of] it that perhaps you will overcome.”} [Quran 41:26]

• {And when Our verses are recited to them, they say, “We have heard. If we willed, we could say [something] like this. This is not but legends of the former peoples.”} [Quran 8:31]

Allaah told them in verse 24 of Al-Baqarah chapter that they would never come up with chapters similar to the Quran, and actually they neither did nor were capable of doing so. Those who acted after their fashion, like Musaylamah, were exposed and Allaah deprived them of the eloquent speech they used to compose. Otherwise, it was clear for their discerning fellows that their own speech was not as eloquent as before. Indeed, some of them withdrew, others came submissively, guided by the Quran, and others were tempted.

That is why Al-Waleed ibn Al-Mugheerah was astonished on hearing a verse of the Quran from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, (what means): {Indeed, Allaah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.} [Quran 16:90]

Al-Waleed said, “By Allaah, it is sweet and graceful, its root is deep and its branches are fruitful. No human can come up with something like it.”

Abu ‘Ubayd, may Allaah have mercy upon him, mentioned that a nomad prostrated in appreciation of the eloquence of a verse that means: {Then declare what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists.} [Quran 15:94]

Another man exclaimed, “I testify that no human could produce the like of this speech,” when he heard someone reading the verse that means: {So when they had despaired of him, they secluded themselves in private consultation.} [Quran 12:80]

‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him, was reported to have slept one day in the mosque, and then someone came and stood next to him and proclaimed the testimony of truth. ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, asked the man to introduce himself, and the man told him that he was a Roman patriarch who had a good command of Arabic and other languages, and that he heard a Muslim captive reading a verse from the Quran. The man added that he contemplated the verse and found that it included the essence of the divine revelation to ‘Eesaa (Jesus), son of Mary, may Allaah exalt their mention, on all matters pertaining to the world and the Hereafter: {And whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger and fears Allaah and is conscious of Him - it is those who are the attainers.} [Quran 24:52]

Al-Asma‘i narrated that he listened to a girl speaking and then commented, “Wonderful! You are very eloquent!” The girl retorted, “Is what I said to be considered eloquent in comparison to the words of Allaah The Almighty (what mean): {And We Inspired to the mother of Moses, “Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and Will Make him [one] of the Messengers.”} [Quran 28:7]? You see, one single verse includes two commands, two prohibitions, two pieces of news, and two glad tidings.”

This is an exclusive example of the miraculous nature of the Quran that is not supplemented by other elements, according to the verified, authentic view of the scholars. The Quran was brought by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and humans are challenged by it, and Arabs have failed to come up with the like of it, and all this is known by every Muslim. Also, the Quran being extraordinary in its eloquence is something that is definitely recognized by people who are well-versed in eloquence and rhetoric. Others who are not versed therein learn of its miraculous nature through the inability of the scholars of eloquence to imitate the Quran and the acknowledgement of the scholars of Tafseer of the Quran’s inimitable eloquence.

Please reflect on these verses (what mean):

• {And there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding, that you may become righteous.} [Quran 2:179]

• {And if you could see when they are terrified but there is no escape, and they will be seized from a place nearby.} [Quran 34:51]

• {Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.} [Quran 41:34]

• {And it was said, “O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain].” And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and the ship came to rest on the [mountain of] Judiyy. And it was said, “Away with the wrongdoing people.”} [Quran 11:44]

• {So each We Seized for his sin; and among them were those upon whom We Sent a storm of stones, and among them were those who were seized by the blast [from the sky], and among them were those whom We Caused the earth to swallow, and among them were those whom We Drowned. And Allaah would not have wronged them, but it was they who were wronging themselves.} [Quran 29:40]

These words are brief, yet denote multiple meanings, graceful expressions, and well-organized, coherent diction. Every word indicates many branches of knowledge that enrich books and articles.

The Quran stands out miraculously in narrating lengthy stories of the preceding generations in a well-connected and coherent diction as in the long story of prophet Yoosuf (Joseph), may Allaah exalt his mention, something that is beyond the power of human eloquence.

If a story is recounted more than once in the Quran, it is told each time in a style that is different yet as eloquent as the other accounts, and that is perfect beyond boring readers or losing their attention.