The nature of the Quranic revelation

format_quote Originally Posted by questionmark

Hello Hamza,

I take note of your answers. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my post almost point by point.
I would also like to clarify a few of the points that you have raised.

" Do you think masters of the language will look past mistakes? Do you think they would have turned Muslim if the Qur'an had mistakes in it as Dashti states? "

In this case, Modern scholar's opinion should count more for us than that of those Pagans that you mention for the simple reason that modern scholarship has more reliable criterias and methodology for litterary studies as well as access to an incomparably broader range of litterature available to them. I don't think that anyone can dispute that today's scholars are far more erudite and knowledgable (and therefore more reliable) than Arab Pagans from 1400 years ago. Muslims themselves do not hesitate to quote western scholars when it comes to challenging Christian beliefs. Therefore, they also should show more openess to argumented criticism by those same scholars when it comes to the Qur'an.

" what were Noah's miracles that were evident while his ummah still lived? how about Isaac's? Jacob's? Lot's? "
The prophets that you have mentionned are not really prophets in the Biblical sense or at least, in the sense that you understand Mohammad's prophethood but rather, they were patriarchs. The big difference is that they were inheritants of God's promess to Abraham. They received great signs from God : Noah, his family and his lifestock were all saved from the flood, Jacob, Isaac, Joseph all received the confirmation of the promess made to Abraham and God's providence was favourable to them in many aspects confirming the promess ...

" If these presumptions of errors are the best people can do after 1400 years, this is clearly a testament to the Qur'an's truth and validity. "
On the contrary, it seems to me that despite your previous answers, these presumptions of error by modern scholars pose very serious challenges to the only sign that Muslims claim God has given to Mohammad : the litterary perfection of the Qur'an is far from being universally accepted outside the Muslim world and scholars research do not point to a divine origin but rather a human one.

As for the absence of contradictions within the Qur'an, its scientific accuracy... I do not share your opinion but I am not willing to dispute this on your forum because I believe that it would only result in irritating Muslim believers.

Thank you again for all your answers. I shall come back with more questions in the near future.

Hello again Mark your questions are always welcome and may i just emphasise that your misconceptions of Islam can only be eradicated through learning correct knowledge ehnce we welcome any questiopns you may have in order that your misocnceptions are replaced by correct knowledge of Islam.

There is no doubt even to linguists that the masters of the Arabic language were the poets of the times of Prophet Muhammed(Pbuh). They excelled in the language and when they read the Qur'an they admitted that this cannot be from any human because of its miraculous structure, linguistic beauty and flow.

If there were any contradictions or discrepancies then surely it would they would have spoken of it and the enemies of Islam would have pointed it out but there are no contradictions as has been the case since revelation 1500 years ago.

Please consider the following:

What Is The Challenge Of The Qur'an With Respect To Arabic Prose & Poetry?

The Qur'an in many places challenges the people to produce a surah like it. It appears that some people who call the challenge irrelevent or an utterly subjective criterion are pretty much unaware of how the Arabic poetry and prose compares with the Qur'an. This article is devoted to deal with one aspect of the Qur'anic challenge of produce a surah like it. What is meant by surah like it with respect to the Arabic prose and poetry?

The verses of the Qur'an dealing with the challenge are given below (Hilali and Muhsin Khan's Translation):

Say: "If the mankind and the jinns were together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another." [Qur'an 17:88]

And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our slave (Muhammad Peace be upon him ), then produce a surah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful. [Qur'an 2:23]

And this Qur'an is not such as could ever be produced by other than Allah (Lord of the heavens and the earth), but it is a confirmation of (the revelation) which was before it [i.e. the Taurat (Torah), and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.], and a full explanation of the Book (i.e. laws and orders, etc, decreed for mankind) - wherein there is no doubt from the the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns,and all that exists).

Or do they say: "He (Muhammad(P)) has forged it?" Say: "Bring then a surah (chapter) like unto it, and call upon whomsoever you can, besides Allah, if you are truthful!" [Qur'an 10:37-38]

Or they say, "He (Prophet Muhammad(P)) forged it (the Qur'an)." Say: "Bring you then ten forged surah (chapters) like unto it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah (to your help), if you speak the truth!" [Qur'an 11:13]

Or do they say: "He (Muhammad(P)) has forged it (this Qur'an)?" Nay! They believe not! Let them then produce a recital like unto it (the Qur'an) if they are truthful. [Qur'an 52:33-34]

Abdur Rahim Green mentions that:

These are the sixteen al-Bihar (literally "The Seas", so called because of the way the poem moves, according to its rhythmic patterns): at-Tawil, al-Bassit, al-Wafir, al-Kamil, ar-Rajs, al-Khafif, al-Hazaj, al-Muttakarib, al-Munsarih, al-Muktatab, al-Muktadarak, al-Madid, al-Mujtath, al-Ramel, al-Khabab and as-Saria'. So the challenge is to produce in Arabic, three lines, that do not fall into one of these sixteen Bihar, that is not rhyming prose, nor like the speech of soothsayers, and not normal speech, that it should contain at least a comprehensible meaning and rhetoric, i.e. not gobbledygook. Now I think at least the Christian's "Holy spirit" that makes you talk in tongues, part of your "Tri-Unity" of God should be able to inspire one of you with that!

To begin with; the Arabic language and Arab speech are divided into two branches. One of them is rhymed poetry. It is a speech with metre and rhyme, which means every line of it ends upon a definite letter, which is called the 'rhyme'. This rhymed poetry is again divided into metres or what is called as al-Bihar, literally meaning 'The Seas'. This is so called because of the way the poetry moves according to the rhythmic patterns. There are sixteen al-Bihar viz; at-Tawil, al-Bassit, al-Wafir, al-Kamil, ar-Rajs, al-Khafif, al-Hazaj, al-Muttakarib, al-Munsarih, al-Muktatab, al-Muktadarak, al-Madid, al-Mujtath, al-Ramel, al-Khabab and as-Saria'. Each one rhymes differently. For metres of Arabic poetry please see please see Lyall's book Translations Of Ancient Arabian Poetry, Chiefly Pre-Islamic.[1] He discusses al-Kamil, al-Wafir, al-Hajaz, at-Tawil, al-Bassit, al-Khafif and al-Madid briefly.[2]

The other branch of Arabic speech is prose, that is non-metrical speech. The prose may be a rhymed prose. Rhymed prose consists of cola ending on the same rhyme throughout, or of sentences rhymed in pairs. This is called "rhymed prose" or sajc. Prose may also be straight prose (mursal). In straight prose, the speech goes on and is not divided in cola, but is continued straight through without any divisions, either of rhyme or of anything else. Prose is employed in sermons and prayers and in speeches intended to encourage or frighten the masses.[3] One of the most famous speeches involving sajc is that of Hajjaj bin Yusuf in his first deputation in Iraq in post-Islamic and Quss bin Sa'idah in pre-Islamic times.

So, the challenge, as Abdur Rahim Green mentions, is to produce in Arabic , three lines, that do not fall into one of these sixteen al-Bihar, that is not rhyming prose, nor like the speech of soothsayers, and not normal speech, that it should contain at least a comprehensible meaning and rhetoric, i.e. not gobbledygook. Indeed

The Qur'an is not verse, but it is rhythmic. The rhythm of some verses resemble the regularity of sajc, and both are rhymed, while some verses have a similarity to Rajaz in its vigour and rapidity. But it was recognized by Quraysh critics to belong to neither one nor the other category.[4]

It is interesting to know that all the pre-Islam and post-Islamic poetry collected by Louis Cheikho falls in the above sixteen metres or al-Bihar.[5] Indeed the pagans of Mecca repeated accuse Prophet Muhammad(P) for being a forger, a soothsayer etc. The Arabs who were at the pinnacle of their poetry and prose during the time of revelation of the Qur'an could not even produce the smallest surah of its like. The Qur'an's form did not fit into any of the above mentioned categories. It was this that made the Qur'an inimitable, and left the pagan Arabs at a loss as to how they might combat it as Alqama bin Abd al-Manaf confirmed when he addressed their leaders, the Quraysh:

Oh Quraish, a new calamity has befallen you. Mohammed was a young man the most liked among you, most truthful in speech, and most trustworthy, until, when you saw gray hairs on his temple, and he brought you his message, you said that he was a sorcerer, but he is not, for we seen such people and their spitting and their knots; you said, a diviner, but we have seen such people and their behavior, and we have heard their rhymes; you said a soothsayer, but he is not a soothsayer, for we have heard their rhymes; and you said a poet, but he is not a poet, for we have heard all kinds of poetry; you said he was possessed, but he is not for we have seen the possessed, and he shows no signs of their gasping and whispering and delirium. Oh men of Quraish, look to your affairs, for by Allah a serious thing has befallen you.

It is a well known fact that the Qur'an was revealed in seven ahruf (or seven forms) to facilitate greater understanding of it among the Arabs who had different dialects. This was also to challenge them on their own grounds to produce a surah like that of the Qur'an. The challenge became more obvious when none of the seven major tribes could imitate it even in their own dialects as no one could claim that it was difficult to imitate due to it not being in their own dialect.[6]

What Do The Orientalists Say About The Inimitability Of The Qur'an?

E H Palmer, as early as 1880, recognized the unique style of the Qur'an. But he seem to have been wavering between two thoughts. He writes in the Introduction to his translation of the Qur'an:

That the best of Arab writers has never succeeded in producing anything equal in merit to the Qur'an itself is not surprising. In the first place, they have agreed before-hand that it is unapproachable, and they have adopted its style as the perfect standard; any deviation from it therefore must of necessity be a defect. Again, with them this style is not spontaneous as with Muhammad and his contemporaries, but is as artificial as though Englishmen should still continue to follow Chaucer as their model, in spite of the changes which their language has undergone. With the Prophet, the style was natural, and the words were those in every-day ordinary life, while with the later Arabic authors the style is imitative and the ancient words are introduced as a literary embellishment. The natural consequence is that their attempts look laboured and unreal by the side of his impromptu and forcible eloquence.[7]

The famous Arabist from University of Oxford, Hamilton Gibb was open upon about the style of the Qur'an. In his words:

...the Meccans still demanded of him a miracle, and with remarkable boldness and self confidence Mohammad appealed as a supreme confirmation of his mission to the Koran itself. Like all Arabs they were the connoisseurs of language and rhetoric. Well, then if the Koran 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 Koran as an outstanding evident miracle.[8]

And in some other place, talking about the Prophet(P) and the Qur'an, he states:

Though, to be sure, the question of the literary merit is one not to be judged on a priori grounds but in relation to the genius of Arabic language; and no man in fifteen hundred years has ever played on that deep-toned instrument with such power, such boldness, and such range of emotional effect as Mohammad did.[9]

As a literary monument the Koran thus stands by itself, a production unique to the Arabic literature, having neither forerunners nor successors in its own idiom. Muslims of all ages are united in proclaiming the inimitability not only of its contents but also of its style..... and in forcing the High Arabic idiom into the expression of new ranges of thought the Koran develops a bold and strikingly effective rhetorical prose in which all the resources of syntactical modulation are exploited with great freedom and originality.[10]

On the influence of the Qur'an on Arabic literature Gibb says:

The influence of the Koran on the development of Arabic Literature has been incalculable, and exerted in many directions. Its ideas, its language, its rhymes pervade all subsequent literary works in greater or lesser measure. Its specific linguistic features were not emulated, either in the chancery prose of the next century or in the later prose writings, but it was at least partly due to the flexibility imparted by the Koran to the High Arabic idiom that the former could be so rapidly developed and adjusted to the new needs of the imperial government and an expanding society.[11]

As the Qur'an itself says:

And if ye 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) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true. But if ye cannot- and of a surety ye cannot- then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones,- which is prepared for those who reject Faith. (Qur'an 2:23-24)

Lastly, the beautiful style of the Qur'an is admired even by the Arab Christians:

The Quran is one of the world's classics which cannot be translated without grave loss. It has a rhythm of peculiar beauty and a cadence that charms the ear. Many Christian Arabs speak of its style with warm admiration, and most Arabists acknowledge its excellence. When it is read aloud or recited it has an almost hypnotic effect that makes the listener indifferent to its sometimes strange syntax and its sometimes, to us, repellent content. It is this quality it possesses of silencing criticism by the sweet music of its language that has given birth to the dogma of its inimitability; indeed it may be affirmed that within the literature of the Arabs, wide and fecund as it is both in poetry and in elevated prose, there is nothing to compare with it.[12]

The above sentences speak of themselves. Summing up: Within the Arabic literature, either poetry or prose, there is nothing comparable to the Qur'an. Muslims throughout the centuries are united upon the its inimitability.

There is also a talk by some people that there are grammatical 'errors' in the Qur'an. In retort, it can be mentioned that the Arab contemporaries of Muhammad(P) were most erudite and proficient in the idiosyncrasies of Arabic speech; and hence, if they had found any grammatical 'errors' in the Qur'an, they would have revealed it when Muhammad(P) challenged them with to do so. Therefore, since they did not take up his challenge on this issue, we can be rest assured that no such grammatical 'errors' exist in the Qur'an.

Indeed the grammatical errors claimed by some people have been already discussed and refuted in a reputed journal.[13] It turns out that lack of knowledge of intricate constructions in classical Arabic by some people gave rise to so-called grammatical 'errors'.

And Allah knows best!


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References

[1] C J Lyall, Translations Of Ancient Arabian Poetry, Chiefly Pre-Islamic, Williams & Norgate Ltd., London, 1930.

[2] Ibid., pp. xlv-lii.

[3] Ibn Khaldun, The Muqaddimah, Franz Rosenthal (Translator), Volume III, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1958, p. 368.

[4] A F L Beeston, T M Johnstone, R B Serjeant and G R Smith (Editors), Arabic Literature To The End Of The Ummayad Period, 1983, Cambridge University Press, p. 34.

[5] Louis Cheikho, Shucara' 'al-Nasraniyah, 1890-1891, Beirut.

[6] Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Tafseer Soorah al-Hujuraat, 1988, Tawheed Publications, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), p. 28.

[7] E H Palmer (Tr.), The Qur'an, 1900, Part I, Oxford at Clarendon Press, p. lv.

[8] H A R Gibb, Islam - A Historical Survey, 1980, Oxford University Press, p. 28.

[9] Ibid., p. 25.

[10] H A R Gibb, Arabic Literature - An Introduction, 1963, Oxford at Clarendon Press, p. 36.

[11] Ibid., p. 37.

[12] Alfred Guillaume, Islam, 1990 (Reprinted), Penguin Books, pp. 73-74.

[13] M A S Abdel Haleem, Grammatical Shift For The Rhetorical Purposes: Iltifat & Related Features In The Qur'an, Bulletin of School of Oriental and African Studies, Volume LV, Part 3, 1992. (Now online)

[14] Mircea Eliade (Editor in Chief), The Encyclopedia Of Religion, Volume 7, Macmillam Publishing Company, New York, p. 87, Under I'jaz by Issa J Boullata.

Source:http://www.theholybook.org/content/view/9239/14/

format_quote Originally Posted by questionmark

Hello again Hamza

I think that you are slightly overstating my appreciation of scholars' work. Anyway, let me now ask you this question: Could you mention a few suras that in your opinion, would be the most representative of the miraclous nature of the Quran ?

Hello again Mark. That is very difficult to do because whenever i read the Qur'an i usually shiver with awe at the uniqueness of the amazing words of God. Whilst i am reading the words of God I feel goosebumps and a spine tingling sensation and a lot of the times become overwhelmed with emotion at the most amazing words in the universe. Sorry i just thought i would share with you how i feel when i read the Qur'an.

In regards to miraculous then i would say one has to read the Qur'an as a whole to understand its miraculous nature. Just reading one or two verses or one surah will not do justice to the miraculous nature of the Qur'an.

However since you asked i'll pick out a few points:

The Challenge

Despite the fact that the disbelievers knew in their hearts that what the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) brought to them was the truth, they still rejected it, as the above narration confirms. They claimed that he forged it. To this, Allah responds:

"Or do they say, He (Muhammad) has forged it! Say: Bring then a surah like unto it and call upon whomsoever you can, besides Allah, if you are truthful." (Surah Yunus 10:38)

But the disbelievers could not even imitate one surah! And Allah affirmed,

"But if you do not do itand of a surety, you cannot do itthen Fear the Fire whose fuel is of men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers."
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:24)

It should be added that this challenge was made over 1400 years ago and, to this day, not one person has been able to imitate the prose of the Quran as Allah had already predicted in the previous verse. But how can they? Hoe can the imperfect creation imitate the Word and Speech of the Perfect Creator? It is impossible.

Quranic Predictions

The Quran predicts the coming of the Last Day, Heaven and Hell. It also predicts its own ijaaz and that no one can imitate it (2:24) as well as that it will remain uncorrupted for all of eternity:

"Say: If all of mankind and jinn gathered together to produce the like of the Quran, they could not produce iteven if they helped one another!"
(Surah Bani Israel 17:88)

"Verily, it is We Who have revealed the Quran, and of a surety, We will guard it (from corruption)." (Surah al-Hijr 15:9)

Predictions pertaining to worldly affairs occur in Surah ar-Ruum. Before the coming of Islam, the Persians had attacked the Romans and conquered a part of Syria, which had been under Roman control. A few years after the hijrah, the Romans attacked the Persians back. The Muslims were hoping the Romans would be victorious, since they were closer in faith to them. The Pagans, on the other hand, were cheering for the Persians, who were fire-worshippers. Eventually, the Persians won and the pagan Arabs celebrated the victory. At this, Allah revealed:

"Alif-Laam-Meem. The Romans have been defeated. In a land nearby, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. Within three to nine yearsand on that day, the Muslims will rejoice (celebrate) with the help of Allah."
(Surah ar-Ruum 30:1-5)

There are two predictions in these verses. The first is that the Romans would be victorious against the Persians within three to nine years. Exactly seven years later, the Romans attacked Persia, won, and regained lost territory. This was the fulfillment of the first prediction. On the same day that the Romans won, the Muslims also won the Battle of Badr against the Quraysh, and therefore, they rejoiced with the help of Allah., which was the fulfillment of the second prediction. There are other predictions of this sort in the Quran. Though there are not many, they still have an important part of the concept of ijaaz.

Another prediction of the Quran is the preservation of the body of the Pharaoh (Surah Yunus 10:92) of Musa (alaiyhis-salam). It may be that the mummy of King Tut is in fact the Pharaoh the Quran is referring to!

Scientific Facts of the Noble Quran

One of the most popular characteristics and miracles of the Quran is the scientific knowledge it uncovers. These are facts that would have been impossible for anyone, specifically the illiterate Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) and his people, to have discovered in the seventh century.

There are many examples of verses that specifically deal with the description of the formation of the human embryo. The sperm of man is referred to as a mix of liquids, since it is composed of various secretions from the testicles, seminal vesicles, the prostrate and other glands. Of all the millions of sperm that are ejaculated, only one is used in the fertilization process and this is mentioned in 75:37 by the word nutfah. The sperm then joins the female egg, which forms the zygote. This occurs in the female women, which the Quran refers to as a safe lodging (23:13). In 39:6, we are told that three layers surround the embryo: the abdominal wall, the uterine wall, and the placenta. And from this,

"We made the mixed fluid (the zygote) into something which clings (the embryo clings to the womb by the umbilical cord), then We made the thing that clings into a chewed lump of flesh, then We made out of that flesh and bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh and then We brought it forth as a new creature. So Blessed be Allah, the Best of creators." (Surah al-Muminoon 23:14)

The baby comes into the world through the birth canal, which is normally tight and narrow, but shortly after birth it becomes loose due to the discharge of certain hormones and other factors. Allah refers to this occurrence in 80:20, Then we made the passage (through the birth canal) easy.

Dr. Keith L. Moore, a professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology said,

I have workedin Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, helping them to interpret many statements of the Quran and Sunnah, referring to human reproduction and prenatal development. At first I was astonished by the accuracy of the statements (in the Quran and Sunnah) that were recorded in the seventh century AD, before the science of embryology was (even) establishedIt is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) from God, or Allah, because most of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later

There are many other scientific facts in the Quran, such as the formation of milk (16:66), the healing characteristic of honey (16:69), the orbits of planets (21:33 and 36:40) and many more.

It should be kept in mind, however, that the Quran was not sent as a science book to teach science. It was revealed as a guidance for mankind and the scientific facts it contains, further proves the ijaaz of the Quran. The main reason for them, is to prove that Allah is the All-Knowing Creator and to prove the truthfulness of His Final Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam).

Quranic Stories

The Quran contains many stories of the previous prophets and their nations. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) had no access to such knowledge and information. He had never been educated, especially by any priest or monk or rabbi. So, how could have all this information about the events of the past, the creation of the heavens and the earth, the creation of Adam, the story of Ibrahim, the flood of Nuh, the transgression of Pharaoh, the splitting of the Nile by Musa and the virgin birth of Isa, come to him?

These stories were to prove the truthfulness of the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam). Allah even reminds him that before these revelations, he was unaware of the stories that were being revealed to him. For example,

"And before this (revelation), you were among those who knew nothing of this!" (Surah Yusuf 12:3)

The stories were revealed for a number of reasons. They were to guide the followers of the nations of the past to the truth, act as a comfort to the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) and those who followed him (to remind them to have patience), and to establish belief in the mentioned prophets. The story of each prophet carried a special meaning and message to it and these, too, are meant to be lessons to be learned from.

The Teachings of the Quran

The Quran was sent as a guidance to mankind to lead him from darkness into light. Its main goal is to define a true set of beliefs and laws for mankind to live by and benefit from in this world and the next. A sign of the truthfulness of the Quran is that the beliefs and laws it has set are perfect. The topic of belief emphasizes the concept of tawheed, the Oneness of the Creator: His Existence as the One True Creator with no partners, associates, wives, or children; His Names and Attributes, which describe Him in a manner that befits Him, and His right to be the Only One to be worshipped and loved as the Supreme Ruler and Creator of all creation.

The Jews, Christians, and even Hindus claim to be monotheistic religions, but the Trinity of the Christians and the millions of gods of the Hindus, without a doubt, contradict and falsify their claim. The Jews are the closest to believing in Allahs Oneness, but they lack confidence and faith in His Perfection when they attribute weaknesses to Him. Weaknesses such as tiredness, forgetfulness, ignorance, and other human-like characteristics.

The Islamic beliefs stand out with purity. Unlike the Jews and Christians, Muslims believe in the Perfection of Allah, as well as the innocence, integrity, and honor of His chosen prophets. The People of the Book, on the other hand, claim the prophets commit various types of crimes, which are recorded in their Bible. Therefore, they deny their integrity and honor.

The laws of Islam are such that they totally cut off the seed, which may grow into an evil, instead of trying to cut it off once it has already grown. In other words, Islam believes in getting rid of a problem (or the doing of a sin) before it even starts, by forbidding the risk to the problem as well. For example, in Christianity, premarital sex is forbidden, as is in Islam. But Christianity allows the dating of young couples so they may get to know one another, while Islam plainly prohibits it. The reason for this is that dating is a risk that may lead the young couple to premarital sex due to the incapability of controlling their temptations. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) was reported to have said that anything that leads to something forbidden, it, automatically becomes forbidden. The laws revealed to the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) have proved to be the betterment of society as a whole. Laws pertaining to marriage, personal hygiene, family life, financial transactions, political dealingswhatever one can think ofthe miracles of the perfection of these laws are apparent. For example, while Christian priests are forbidden to have relations with women, the Quran encourages it and sets down some rules for it:

"And marry those among you who are single" (Surah Nur 24:32)

It prohibits incest (4:23), adultery (17:32), and sexual indecency (6:151). It lays down a perfect set of guidelines on how women are to be treated by their husbands, even at the time of divorce:

"And treat them (your wives) with equity and kindness" (Surah an-Nisa 4:19)

"Divorce may be (pronounced) twice: then keep (them) in good terms or let them go with kindness" (Surah al-Baqarah 2:229)

The Effect of Quran on its Listeners

No person can remain unaffected by the recitation of the Kalaam of Allah. The Quran discusses the effects of its listeners in many verses. Disbelievers increase in their animosity, despair, and their disbelief, while the believers increase in their faith and love for Allah. The impact the Quran had on al-Waleed ibn al-Mugheerah has already been stated. The story of the Companion, Umar (radiallahu anhu), who used to be a staunch enemy of Islam, is that, after listening to Surah Taa-Haa, he said, How beautiful and eloquent is this speech! and immediately announced his conversion to Islam.

Jubayr ibn Mutim narrated, I heard the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) recited Surah at-Toor in the Maghrib prayer and it was the first time Islam entered and settled in my heart. In another narration, he described how he felt when he heard the Quran, and it was as if my heart was about to fly (because of its beauty)!

"And when they listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth that they have recognized. They say, Our Lord! We believe, so write us down among the witnesses." (Surah Maidah 5:83)

"The believers are those, who when Allah is mentioned, feel tremor in their hearts, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases their faith." (Surah al-Anfaal 8:2)

"Allah has send down the best of statements, a Book, its part resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah." (Surah az-Zumar 39:23)

But those who disbelieve, their hearts do not accept it even though they know the truth:

"And when you (O Muhammad) make mention of your Lord in the Quran solely, they turn their backs, fleeing from extreme dislike!" (Surah Bani Israel 17:46)

"Woe to every sinful liarwho hears the Verses of Allah (being) recited to him, yet persists in pride as if he heard them not. So announce to him a painful torment! And when he learns something of Our Verses, he makes of them a jest!" (Surah al-Jaathiyah 45:7-9)

Lack of Contradiction and Ease of Memorization

"Do they not ponder over the Quran? Had it been for any other than Allah, they would have found in it many contradictions!" (Surah an-Nisa 4:82)

The fact remains that there are absolutely no contradictions in the Quran. How could there be since it contains the perfect words of the Perfect Creator? This is one of the most clear and visible aspects of the ijaaz of the Quran.

The Quran is also the only Book that could be memorized word for word with ease. It is a very common thing in the Muslim world for Muslims to memorize the Quran word for word along with its meanings.

The Quran is also the only Holy Scripture of all the Scriptures, which is still in its original form and in its original language. Some Christian scholars in Germany made an effort to gather all the Greek manuscripts of the Bible since the original Bible in Aramaic is extinct, but after examining what they had gathered, they reported that there were about 2,000 contradictory narrations! The Quran, having been revealed more than 1400 years ago is still in the same condition as it was when the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) recited it last to Jibreel (alaiyhis-salam)

The ijaaz of the Quran is not only that it has remained unchanged and has no contradictions, but all the other aspects discussed and many more all together illustrate the miraculous nature of the Word of Allah. In conclusion, we quote a statement of Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi, which he wrote in his book, The Introduction to the Sciences of the Quran,

The Quran is set apart from all other books in that it cannot be rivaled or imitated. This is exclusive to the Quran; no other book can claim this. No matter how eloquent the poet, how knowledgeable the scholar, how well-versed the grammariannone can bring forth anything similar to this, since the Quran is the Speech of Allah, and the difference between the Speech of Allah and the speech of His creation is the difference between Allah and His creation.

Source http://quranicverse99.tripod.com/pat...adise/id1.html

format_quote Originally Posted by questionmark

: Could you mention a few suras that in your opinion, would be the most representative of the miraclous nature of the Quran ?

What a funny statement...All of the Qur'an is miraculous and is a package deal, let me ask you this, which organ in your body is representative of your nature? can you live without your circulatory system or pancreas or your medulla or adrenals?..

I am not really sure what you are after.. but it is very difficult for someone not very familiar with the highways and byways of the Qur'an to come have a side topic on why or why not something should be considered miraculous and have it hold any merit..

all the best