Baqarah 23-24

Baqarah 23-24

23-AND IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT ABOUT WHAT WE SENT DOWN UPON OUR SLAVE THEN PRODUCE A SORAH OF THE LIKE THEREOF, AND CALL UPON YOUR HELPERS OTHER THAN ALLAH IF YOU ARE TRUTHFUL

24-BUT IF YOU DO NOT AND YOU WILL NOT, AND THEN GUARD YOURSELVES FROM A FIRE, ITS FUEL IS PEOPLE AND STONES, PREPARED FOR THE DISBELIEVERS

Those who do not believe, now and in the past, claim that the Quran is not Allah’s very word sent down to Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him.  They claim that it is a form or verse or poetry.  In these two Ayahs, Allah the Highest is addressing them, every where and at all times.  

This is a Challenge.  If the Quran is human word, then it other humans should be able to write something of the same quality, even if requires a number people to get together to do that.  The challenge is for people to produce a Sorah like any Sorah or the Quran, the shortest Sorah which is 3 Ayahs.  Then just produce 3 Ayahs the like the Quran.  This challenge still stands.

Any one who knows Arabic will notice 4 things about the Quran:

1. The Quran as a style is very different from the style of the Hadith, which are the words of Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him.
2. The Quran is neither poetry nor any style of verse in any form we know, like article, essay, story etc.
3. The style of the Quran is unique.  Nothing has been written in that style before or after.  It is not like any other style of writing, therefore, it can only be called Quranic Style.
4. The Quran is Unique, not only in its style, but its eloquence, beauty, precision and richness in meaning.  

Professor Arthur J. Arberry, professor of Arabic Cambridge University, UK wrote in the introduction of his translation of the meanings of the Quran published by Oxford University Press “The Quran is a book apart, not only as a Holy Scripture for Muslims throughout the world, but as the supreme classic of Arabic Literature”.  At the end of his introduction to this translation he writes “This task was undertaken, not lightly, and carried to it’s conclusion at a time of great personal distress, through which it sustained and comforted the writer in a manner for which he will always be grateful.  He therefore acknowledges his gratitude to whatever power or Power inspired the man and the Prophet who first recited these scriptures”. This is what a non Muslim Arabic scholar had to say about the Quran.

The Quran is an everlasting miracle from Allah the Highest, for every one to see at all times.  Besides its beauty and eloquence, there is also its wisdom, and the Laws and Rules for our life for all times and places.  Every day, we find other miracles in the scientific facts mentioned in the Quran which were not and could not have been know (by man) at the time it was sent down 1400 years ago.

While Allah the Highest challenges the disbelievers to produce even the like of the shortest Sorah of the Quran, He tell them in advance that they will not be able to, even if a group of them get together to help each other.  They have not been able to do this to this day and to this day the challenge still stands.

This challenge started with a challenge to produce ten Sorahs, saying “OR THEY SAY:”HE FORGED IT”, THEN PRODUCE TEN FORGED SORAHS OF THE LIKE THEREOF, AND CALL UPON ANY HELPERS IF YOU ARE TRUTHFUL”. (S: 11 A: 13)

When this challenge was not taken up, Allah the Highest made the challenge that of one Sorah instead of ten, but this was not taken up either.  This is because, no, one or group of people will be able to produce any thing like Allah’s Word, for He said: “IF MANKIND AND JINN GET TOGETHER TO PRODUCE THE LIKE OF THIS QURAN, THEY WILL NOT PRODUCE THE LIKE THEREOF, EVEN IF THEY ARE HELPERS TO EACH OTHER”.  (S: 17 A: 88)

The Quran is a miracle, because Allah the Highest wrote it, and His Word can not be compared to man’s  “ALEF LAAM MEEM, A BOOK WHO’S AYAHS ARE PERFECTED AND MADE CLEAR FROM HE WHO IS MOST WISE AND WHO KNOWS ALL THINGS”.  (S: 11 A: 1)

Allah the Highest addresses His messenger Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, as well as all the other prophets and messengers and people as His slave.  Allah the Highest created and owns us all.  Some of us serve Him and some do not, but no one can not be his slave.  W accept and are indeed be proud of this slavery, for this is the most honourable state a believer can achieve, while others do not accept it and feel slavery to Allah the Highest to be a dishonourable status.  

At the end, Allah the Highest gives us a glimpse at the Hell-Fire which will be the destiny of the disbelievers, and which they should do their very best to avoid.  Every fire needs fuel, and the fuel of the Hell-Fire is people and stones.  The picture is horrific.  We ask Allah to protect us from the Hell-Fire, with His Mercy and Compassion.