The Qur’an: Whose Speech is it?

A Proof that the Qur’an is the Revelation of Allah[1]

Introduction

Ch.1 The Inimitability of the Qur’anic Rhetorical Style

Ch.2 The Prophet and the Revelation

Ch.3 It cannot be the Speech of Mankind

 Introduction

In the name of Allah, The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful

 The Qur’an is Allah’s everlasting miracle, by which He endorsed His latest prophet: Muhammad (SAWS)[2].  Allah (SWT)[3] undertakes to preserve it until the Day of Judgment to remain as a concrete proof that it is the authentic revelation from the Lord of the worlds[4]. The Qur’an is a proof that addresses all people; each according to one’s understanding, level of intelligence, and the amount of education received.  Its greatness and magnificent style touches the common people and the elites alike.  Even the eloquent persons fail to come up with a discourse like it.  It overwhelms scholars and wise people with its sublime logic together with its precise scientific and historical signs.  However, there is a joint aspect between all those who listened to the Qur’an with both their hearts and minds, and adopted faith accordingly: It is this feeling of Allah’s Majesty in the qur’anic discourse, and their inability to describe it or determine its origin.   

We attempt to detect the essence of Allah’s Majesty in the qur’anic discourse, hoping that it would be a significant inlet and a right base to propagate Islam to the entire human race, despite their different languages and cultures, without being involved into any ideological arguments, scientific analyses, or historical authentications for these matters are restricted to specialists in such fields.  

The Forgotten Ordinance

Allah (SWT) addresses the Muslim ummah (Muslim nation):

Allah says what can be translated as, “You have been the most charitable nation brought out to mankind: you command beneficence, and forbid maleficence, and believe in Allah…” (TMQ[5], 3:110).

 Allah says what can be translated as, “And thus We have made you a middle nation to be witnesses over mankind, and (for) the Messenger to be a witness over you…” (TMQ, 2:143).

 Allah says what can be translated as, “Surely (the ones) who keep back whatever supreme evidences and guidance We have sent down even after We have made them evident to mankind in the Book, Allah curses those (people), and the cursers (also) curse them.” (TMQ, 2:159).

Then, Allah (SWT) addresses His Prophet (SAWS):

Allah says what can be translated as, “Say, “O you mankind, surely I am the Messenger of Allah to you altogether…” (TMQ, 7:158).

Allah says what can be translated as, “And in no way have We sent you except as a constant bearer of good tidings and a constant warner to the whole of mankind; but most of mankind do not know.” (TMQ, 34:28).

Allah says what can be translated as, “O you Messenger, proclaim whatever has been sent down to you from your Lord; and in case you do not perform (that), then in no way have you proclaimed His Message; and Allah safeguards you from mankind...” (TMQ, 5:67).

The Prophet (SAWS) conveyed the Qur’an and taught it to us.  He also detailed its outline, cleared its features, and embodied it in his sunnah (the Prophet’s tradition) as a practical live model to be followed until the Day of Judgment:       

Allah says what can be translated as, “…and We have sent down to you (i.e. the prophet) the Remembrance that you may make evident to mankind what has been sent down (ever since) and that possibly they would meditate.” (TMQ, 16:44).

The Prophet (SAWS) said, “I leave behind two things for you; if you follow them you will not go astray:  Allah’s Book and my Sunnah (tradition).  They will never separate until they come to the fount^[6].” [Al-Hakim].

The Prophet (SAWS) ordered, urged, and made us love to strive and guide all the people to the light of Islam:

 “Tell on my behalf, even if it were only an ayah[7] (of Qur’an or perhaps of Prophetic traditions)”.  [Al-Bukhary].

“It is incumbent upon those who are present to inform those who are absent perhaps the present might inform that who can comprehend better than him.”  [Agreed upon].

“… for, by Allah, if Allah guides aright a single person through you then that would be better for you than possessing red camels (the most valuable of the camels).”  [Agreed upon].

"O Abu Dharr! That you set out in the morning and teach one ayah from the Book of Allah is better for you than if you pray one hundred Raka'ahs (units of prayer). And that you set out and teach a matter of religion, whether it has been acted according to it or not, is better for you than if you pray one thousand Raka'ahs." [Ibn-Majjah] 

Hence, the call for Islam was the best mean for jihad[8] (struggle), rather, it is the essence and the objective of jihad:  

 Allah says what can be translated as, “…and strive with them thereby with a constantly great striving.” (TMQ, 25:52).  The word “thereby” refers to the Qur’an.

  A man came to the Prophet (SAWS) and asked, "A man might fight out of fanaticism, might fight for bravery, or might fight for showing off; which of these (cases) is in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet (SAWS) replied, "The one who fights that Allah's Word (i.e. Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah's Cause." [Agreed upon]  

“Of what do they ask one another (questions)?” (TMQ, 78:1).

When each one of us embarks with this mission, which Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (SAWS) charged us with, to call anyone to Islam, whether he is atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Jewish, or secular, we address each one with the language he understands and according to his intellect and knowledge.  After we reveal to him some of the luminous aspects of Islam, the splendor of its book, the reasonableness of its law[9], the greatness of its Prophet (SAWS), and the goodness of its ummah, the first thing comes to his mind, if he listens to you, is to ask you or ask himself, “What proves that this right guidance and the good wordings you relate to it, meaning the Qur’an, are the wordings of Allah, according to your belief, and that it is revealed to your Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), and that it is not the wordings he himself composed and declared to his people?”                 

Hence, we answer the inquirer with the same answer the Prophet (SAWS) stated to the polytheists when they asked for a sign that the discourse, which they appreciated its eminence and sublimity, is really Allah’s wordings.  They asked for a sign and an evidence, so the sign and the evidence were the Qur’an itself.

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And does it not suffice them that We have sent down upon you the Book (that is) recited to them? Surely in that is indeed a mercy and reminding to a people who believe.” (TMQ, 29:51).

For the one who listens with his heart and contemplates with his mind:

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Will they then not contemplate the Qur’an? Or are there locks upon (their) hearts?” (TMQ, 47:24).  

Then Allah (SWT) challenges them if they can come up with a discourse like it:  

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Or even do they say, “He talked it foolishly?” No indeed, (but) they do not believe.  Then let them come up with a discourse like this, in case they are sincere.” (TMQ, 52: 33-34).

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Say, “Indeed in case humankind and the jinn gathered together to come up with the like of this Qur’an, they would not come up with its like, even if they were backers of one another.”” (TMQ, 17:88).  

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Or (even) do they say, “He has fabricated it!” Say, “Then come up with ten surahs[10] the like of it, fabricated; and invoke whomever you are able, apart from Allah, in case you are sincere.”” (TMQ, 11:13).

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Or (even) do they say, “He has fabricated it”? Say, “Then come up with a su‍rah like it and call on whom you can call apart from Allah, in case you are sincere.” (TMQ, 10:38).                                                                                                            

It happened that they admitted their impotence, then resigned to the right call, and embraced Islam in troops, except arrogant obstinate persons, or errant ones who deafened their ears and defused their minds, or pontiffs and monks, who feared from losing their money and authority.  Polytheists realized by their linguistic intuition, at the first glance, that the Qur’an is not the speech of human beings; for they were skilled with the human beings’ speech since they were eloquent persons.  They were not just in awe by the eloquence of the Qur’an and the purity of its style, for it is extremely pure and eloquent.  Additionally, they were not merely delighted by listening to it or appreciating its pleasantness, since nothing is more pleasant and delighting to be heard than it.  Admiration and delight do not emerge independently out of faith, but out of certitude.  Moreover, they do not exceed providing a person with temporary satisfaction and entertainment, which wipe out soon.  They realized with their linguistic intuition that the style of the Qur’an and the context of its discourse inform about its heavenly source.  For instance, Allah (SWT) declares about Himself using the first person pronouns like “We” or “We will show them”.  This style is repeated successively throughout the Qur’an according to the situation and the position suitable for the Majesty of the Speaker.  Additionally, Allah (SWT) addresses the Prophet (SAWS) directly several times, using the vocative article like “O you Prophet”, “say”, or other styles.  Thus, the style and context of discourse in the Qur’an prove that it is not the Prophet’s speech, but it is conveyed to him from an external source.  It addresses him (SAWS) as well as all mankind from heaven.  Neither the Prophet (SAWS) nor anyone else, whoever he is, has anything to do with the Qur’an.

With this right logic of figuring out the source of the Qur’an from its essence, style, and context of discourse, as we will explain in this message, many people embraced Islam.  Not only Arab nations, but also foreign nations embraced Islam in troops when they gradually realized that the Qur’an cannot be from anyone, but Allah (SWT).  Both the Arabs who tasted the excellence of its language as well as the foreigners who know nothing about it equally realized so.            

The Method of Deduction

Let us now explain in detail how the style of the Qur’anic discourse was an introduction and a proof of the belief that the Qur’an is the words of Allah, The Lord of the worlds, either through examining its Arabic text or through what is deduced from its meaning in other languages.

Suppose that someone has found a book with no cover or an old anonymous document.  If he tries to identify its author and verify its origin, he will review it to deduce such information from its context, subject, the proceeding of its discourse, and its style.  Moreover, he may compare it against equivalent writings of ancestors and contemporaries, so that he may discover who wrote that book and to whom it addresses, in addition to the occasion, the place, and the time of its composition.  The style of the author is a mirror reflecting his identity, rank, knowledge, and qualities.  In fact, fingerprints and hereditary codes reveal and determine the identity of each human being.  Likewise, style informs about its owner, so that it becomes difficult for anyone else to imitate other person’s style.  It is impossible for a writer to ascribe to himself the position of another writer, fabricating speeches and discourses and attributing it to him without being exposed by the readers.  It requires nothing from the reader except a little bit of insight, without delving into the secrets of linguistic expressions, or penetrating deeply into the linguistic psychoanalysis.  Consider then how it would be in fabricating the speech and the discourse of Allah, The Omnipotent, The Creator of mankind, The All-Knowing.

Let us start together tackling the text of the Qur’an by a similar method without the need to use a great deal of linguistic tools, cosmic and historical knowledge, and without wading into its interpretation, analyzing its eloquence, the miraculous nature of its style, and the details of its subjects.  Let us verify and then prove that the Qur’an itself, with its context, style, and the proceeding of its discourse resolves that the narrator of this text is an external source independent from the attainment of the Prophet (SAWS) as well as all the addressed human beings.  Hence, we postulate that such good wordings, from A to Z, originated from the niche of The Creator, The All-Knowing, The One, The Everlasting Sovereign (SWT).