Word of God and the Qur’an

What evidence is there that the Qur’an is the Word of God?

The Qur’an itself is the most outstanding proof that it is the Word of God; a brief and basic search is sufficient to prove that the Qur’an resembles no other book, even in the language and expressions used. The Qur’an is inimitable in its style, wording, meaning, and content and thus, it cannot be the word of human beings. As a matter of fact, its expressions can have emanated only from a Supreme Being, Who holds absolute control of the whole universe at His disposal; they could not have been created by a human being, even a Prophet, as indicated in the following verses:

Do they not contemplate the Qur’an (so that they may be convinced that it is from God)? Had it been from any other than God, they would surely have found in it much (incoherence or) inconsistency. (Nisa 4:82)

You did not (O Messenger) read of any book before it (the revelation of this Qur’an), nor did you write one with your right (or left) hand. For then those who have ever sought to disprove the truth might have a reason to doubt (it). (Ankabut 29:48) Or do they say that he (the Messenger) has fabricated it? Say: “(If it is possible for a mortal to fabricate it) then produce a surah like it and call for help on anyone you can, apart from God, if you are truthful (in your doubt and the claim you base upon it).” (Yunus 10:38)

God’s Messenger could neither write nor read; he was challenged with the Divine Revelation he received; since that time, educated people, great scholars and literary persons have faced the same challenge. The Prophet, the perfect bearer of God’s final Revelation to all humanity, invites men of science and literature, including physicists, chemists, astronomers, doctors, sociologists and men of letters, to the Qur’an and he says to them “Hurry up and unite! And if you can bring forth something, be it ever so brief, something that is similar to a single Qur’anic verse.” The fact that this humble challenge has not been met is sufficient witness and proof that the Qur’an is the Word of God, not of that of an illiterate Prophet. It is quite easy to differentiate Prophet’s style of expression from that of the Qur’an. In fact, no human being can attain the utmost eloquence and rhetoric of the Qur’an. The Prophet was raised among the Meccans and they were aware that he was illiterate and never dealt with poetry or prose. Indeed, the inimitable style of the Qur’an resembles neither the style of the Prophet nor that of his contemporaries. It is neither poetry nor prose. In the face of the eloquence and manner of expression of the Qur’an even the most eloquent of the Arabs, the first to be addressed by the Revelation, were amazed. Even though the Qur’an employed the very same letters and words they themselves used, it astonished them with its style, which was beyond the words of man. They were so amazed by supremacy of the Qur’an that they could not help approaching the Muslims at night to secretly listen to the recital of the Qur’an. The Qur’an made the most famous literary men, unrivalled preachers, and public speakers of the time kneel down in front of its inimitable miraculous style. Famous poets like Hansa and Labid abandoned poetry after converting to Islam. When they were asked to recite or write a poem they would write a verse from the Qur’an, stating that it was not right for them to write poetry after having read the Qur’an. Although poetry was extremely developed and had reached a high level at that time, Arabic, as a language, lacked metaphysical, scientific, religious, or philosophical concepts and expressions. This language, which enabled the desert Bedouin to express their ideals and sentiments and their desert-bound lifestyles, suddenly gained through the Qur’an great value and high prosperity; suddenly the language could discuss all manner of scientific, economical, legal, social, political, administrative and metaphysical matters. Such an event never occurred anywhere else in the history of linguistics. Not only could this great a revolutionary philological development which embraced all times and places have been achieved by the individual efforts of an illiterate person, but it would not have been possible with the joint and orchestrated efforts of hundreds of linguistic scholars. This was not a gradual development of the Arabic language. It was rather a giant leap forwards, achieved by a revolutionary development process; it was rather a sudden jump, from a primitive level of logic to a point where the ideological and sentimental expression of a brand new culture and civilization was possible. And it is as clear as day that such an improvement could not have been the achievement of an individual. Is there any other book that is understood and shared by people of all age groups, educational levels and capacities, including those who are literate and those who are illiterate, graduates of primary schools and those of universities, philosophers, laborers, physicists, chemists, and shepherds? The only book that is read and benefited from, which is regarded as a path to follow and as the basis for the principles of a lifetime, which is seen as a solution to all problems, as a cure to ailments and as an agent to polish ideals by poets, musicians, preachers, sociologists, economists, jurists, administrators and politicians, educators, teachers, and mystics, which shines like a bright star at everywhere, including the remotest villages is only the Qur’an. There is no other book like this; the Qur’an can be read a number of times without there being any weariness. It is only the Qur’an that can be read repeatedly, which is recited everyday at all the daily prayers and on all occasions, never producing any feelings of boredom or disgust. Many an exceptional work, essay or poem loses its value and originality; many a work can only survive for a couple of years or even a couple of months. These works quickly lose their value both in their accuracy and usefulness and are soon discarded. But, with every new day the Qur’an sends fresh breezes to our souls, to our consciences, intellects, hearts, and minds; it presents ideals, sentiments, and knowledge at more advanced levels and it survives by preserving and by increasing the freshness and vigor. It never pales, shrivels up or becomes faded in its wording, meaning, language, or contents; its originality, practicality, and accuracy remain always fresh.

It is also obvious that the Qur’an cannot be the word of humans due to its portrayal of human beings in all their material and spiritual aspects; it mentions subjects that are related to every aspect and category of life, it imposes problem-solving principles in social, economical, legal, political and administrative areas and promises human prosperity in the Hereafter as well as in this worldly life with the imposition of principles that satisfy the soul as well as the intellect. It is not possible for a person to be a guide and an expert in every field. Therefore, an individual would be unable to provide the principles to solve all problems of human beings on every level, in every century, or under all conditions. No humanitarian principles can provide peace and prosperity in all places at all times. No man-made system that is not based upon the divine Revelation can survive, not even for 50 years, without being revised or changed. Man-made principles, systems, ideals, and ideologies become old and insufficient, needing to be amended or even replaced. However, it is not possible to find any inconsistency, deficiency, or mistake in the Qur’an. Whoever created man and the universe sent down the Qur’an, because the Qur’an clearly explains the reality of man while also commenting on the book of universe. The Qur’an reads and interprets human beings with all their virtues and weaknesses while contemplating the universe with all its mysteries. Therefore, an entity that does not have the power of the universe at their disposal cannot utter such words.

It is extremely difficult for a person to fully express themselves in their works or put all their ideas and sentiments fully into their writing. Even if we presume, for a moment, that one is able to do so, it would be next to impossible for them to maintain all their ideals and sentiments, keeping their morals and behaviors unchanged. However, God’s Messenger throughout the twenty-three years of his Prophethood did not change even one of his words, mode of behavior, morals, or ideals. During this period of Prophethood we can also see that each and every command and prohibition of the Qur’an found their full reflection in his life; on the last day of the Prophet on this earth he said the same as what he had been saying on the first day. Assuming the impossible to be fact, if he had invented the Qur’an himself, he would have never have been able to display the power and capability to repeat the same thing he had said on the first day of his mission in his final days; he would have been unable to keep all his words and acts in agreement with his writing. He would have had to struggle greatly to remain unchanged throughout his lifetime, a time of great struggle. Thus we can conclude that he was a Prophet who spoke and acted under Divine guidance. He is the best of all creation and the seal of the Prophets and the Qur’an is the Divine Book that was revealed to him by God. Authors are generally influenced by the conditions that they experience in their life time and this shows in their works; the incidences that they have been exposed to and the environment in which they live are reflected. They cannot extricate themselves from the relatively narrow span of time and space in which they live, and even if they are able to do so to some extent, this would be a form of utopia or science-fiction. However, we can see the clear expressions that are utilized by the Qur’an concerning the beginning and the end of the universe and the creation of life, as well as the future of human beings; willingly or not, in the end we must admit that “this cannot be the word of a human being. An author most often produces works in their particular field of expertise. At such a time of expertise as today, there are fewer and fewer “Renaissance Men” and people are becoming more and more narrow in their fields of expertise. But, the Qur’an lays down principles in fields of anthropology, economics, law, psychology, politics, the military, medicine, physics, biology; in short, it is concerned with every field and describes the very basic reality of each particular field while mentioning both the future and the past. How could a person who was illiterate and who had none of the techno-scientific knowledge we have today, have written such a Book? What author can assert that the realities contained in their works will last for centuries without becoming outdated; how can they guarantee that no other book in any field will be able to surpass it at any time? Any human endeavor cannot help but become obsolete or outdated and thus lose much value. It is only the Qur’an, despite all hostile efforts and attempts to find weak points, which becomes fresher and fresher every day, firmly conquering minds and hearts. Even in our present time when the sciences are fairly advanced, no intelligent person can put absolutely certain theories about topics like the creation of heavens, earth, stars, mountains, trees, animals and humanity or about life. They may attract a few supporters, but their words never last long. There have been cases of false prophets and of scientists who produce theory after theory; these are obvious examples of what is being stated above. The following forms of address in the Qur’an are clear samples of God’s addressing His Prophet.

Such Divine addresses as, “O Prophet, say!” are frequently employed and the imperative form, qul, or “say” is repeated 332 times in the Qur’an. At times the Prophet was asked questions and he used to remain silent and wait for the Revelation to come before answering such questions. In about 15 different places in the Qur’an there are questions in the form of yas’alunaka, or “They ask of you,” directed to the Prophet; these, too, are given replies in the imperative form, beginning with qul, (“say!”). It is clear in the Qur’an that no one but God replies to questions about what is permissible and what is impermissible, such as the sharing of the gains of war, the new moon and crescent, Judgment Day, and almsgiving. No human being would be able to come up with the most suitable and fair solution to these problems, nor would he be able to create the most fitting verse for every incident. In most such forms of address in the Qur’an there are answers to questions that come from outside; matters of education, advice, the formation of principles of canonical jurisprudence and solution to problems are all found here. There are invitations to polytheists and to People of the Book in some cases, whereas at other times they are silenced; there are examinations of the true nature of humankind, our sentiments and abilities and an analysis of the structure of the soul. There are signs from the realm of the unknown, warnings for the realm of eternity; there are attempts to prevent bad morals and encourage good morals. Matters related to women, encouragement to worship and warnings of torment are here as well as explanations, signs, and symbols that pertain to the future and indicate scientific facts. Who would be able to speak on God’s behalf and bring all this, addressing the Prophet with the imperative qul?

Could an author ever address his own self as “You are ummi,” (you do not know how to read or write), thus denying and contradicting his own contribution to the work, while speaking of matters that pertain to the past and the future, speaking about life and the creation, the beginning and the end, placing general rules and principles related to every aspect of life, drawing attention to scientific and technical inventions that will be disclosed hundreds of years later and, in short, speaking better than any intelligent educated man could ever speak? Suppose, for a moment, that you are able to speak with confidence about certain incidents in the remote past and a future in which extensive historical research will be carried out in front of a historically literate audience; you tell your audience that you have not witnessed these past incidents nor read any information about them at all. Would such a thing be possible? Should such an audience listen to you and heed your words? How can the comparison and expression that we find in the Qur’an, for instance in verse 125 of Sura An’am, originate from the imagination and genius of a man who was raised illiterate in the desert? This verse as a Qur’anic miracle alludes to a scientific fact which would be discovered centuries later: “He causes his breast to become tight and constricted, as if he were climbing towards the heaven…” Despite the scientific advances of today if we are deprived of the proper apparatus when one climbs to the mountain peaks one suffers from breathlessness, and their chest is constricted due to the lack of oxygen. This fact is clearly understood and noticed only when one rises in a balloon or climbs very high mountains. Traveling with a balloon was not even imaginable during the lifetime of the Prophet and there are no high mountains in the Arabian Peninsula; so how did the Prophet know of the feeling of constriction on one’s chest? Such a comparison can only be that of the All-Knowing God.

An author writes when they are inspired and it is at times like this when their mental concentration is at its peak. They bring forward events that worry or please them in their works. The most beautiful literary works were written at times when hearts were full of the most delicate and clearest emotions. Most such literary works speak of love, family, or important events. Suffering in a dungeon, memories of exile, experiences and bittersweet moments in one’s professional life all find their reflections in literary works. It is not that easy to keep those experiences that have created deep impacts on the heart and soul out of one’s work. In light of the above, let us look at the life story of the Prophet, which is full of suffering, misery, struggle, hardship, and grievances. Take into consideration how he raised and taught his exceptional community, while displaying fortitude against his opponents on the other. Finally, look at the Qur’an and see if you can find any verses in it that are concerned with his sufferings, calamities, and hardships or even any verses involving the lives and deaths of his own children! Also, see if you find any verses that mention his dear wife Khadija, who was his greatest supporter and fellow sufferer during his most miserable days, or any reference to the “Year of Sorrow,” the year when both his uncle Abu Talib and his beloved wife passed away, or mention of the boycott to which the Prophet’s close relatives from Banu Hashim were exposed for three years under the sun of Meccan desert, or mention of the assassination of his dear uncle Hamza, whose liver was carved out or finally, mention of the polytheist chiefs who deemed lawful every sort of cruel treatment. You will certainly not find any verses in the Qur’an mentioning these details. Thus, this Divine Book cannot be the work of the Prophet. He is merely a Messenger, the perfect bearer of the Divine Message for all humanity. While writing a work an author might focus on feelings or considerations such as possessing wealth, becoming rich, gaining high positions or fame, communicating and exalting his ideals, or serving sacred or blasphemous thoughts. During the first era of the Prophethood in Mecca, God’s Messenger was offered the leadership of Mecca, he was offered wealth the like of which no one else in Mecca had ever possessed, and he was offered the most beautiful girl of Mecca. But, he rejected all these proposals out of hand, merely saying, “Even if they were to place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, by God, I will never give up my mission.” Would not a person fond of fame mention of himself in his own book?

But, in the Qur’an, although the names of past Prophets are mentioned about 500 times, the name “Muhammad” is only mentioned 4 times in the entire Qur’an. So, we cannot help bow down, once more, in front of Muhammad, the best of all creation and say, “We bear witness that you certainly are God’s Messenger.” These and thousands of similar signs prove that the Qur’an is not the word of humans, but rather that it is the Word of God, Who is the Creator and Lord of all the worlds.

 

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