Are there words of the Prophet or other people in the Qur’an?

Are there words of the Prophet or other people in the Qur’an?

Certainly their words are quoted and find place in the Qur’an. As we read the Qur’an, we see that the words and thoughts of Prophet Muhammad, other Prophets, peace be upon them all, as well as their people, Satan, the jinn, hypocrites, unbelievers and polytheists and also the sentiments of human self are all expressed in the Qur’an. However, every one of these people, who spoke in their own language, is quoted by God in Arabic in the Qur’an. What is miraculous in these words is that they are expressed in unique ways by God. An example to make this situation easier to understand is when a number of cooks are given the same ingredients to prepare food. The master cook can prepare delicious dishes which everybody eats with great pleasure. As the skill is not in the ingredients, other cooks can prepare other dishes, but these will not be the same as that of the master cook. The case of the Qur’an is like this.

The Qur’an speaks to all humans and jinn, it gives some orders, places some prohibitions and discloses their and Satan’s words. For instance, God Almighty expresses Satan’s words verbatim and discloses his secret feelings. The miraculousness of such expressions is achieved not only by the expressions themselves, but by the quality of these expressions, the materials and motives chosen and the unseen character of the information given. The different methods used in the Qur’an are extraordinary. Humans, jinns nor angels can achieve something similar. However, one must carefully examine the Qur’anic verses to discover their miraculous aspects. In the Qur’an, whether the person quoted is Satan, a jinn, an angel, the Pharaoh, Nimrod or a tyrant, the expressive style is uniquely Qur’anic and it is so wonderful that it is at once demonstrative and allegorical, satisfying all the senses, while still being open for wide interpretations and comments. There is no style that would enable the Qur’an to better be able to express such a goal with the same motives and materials.

 

Akgul, Muhittin (2009). The Quran in 99 Questions (Abdullah Erdemli Trans.). New Jersey: Tughra Books. (Originally published in Turkish as Kur’an İklimine Seyahat)