All scholars of Islam believe that the Qur’an is the greatest miracle of the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.a). When we say the most superior, it is because, in the first place, the Qur’an is not an intellectual miracle but rather has to do with the spirit and intellect of the people, and secondly, it is eternal and everlasting and third, it is a miracle which has cried out for 14 centuries. It says: “If you do not believe that this is a Book of God, bring one like it.” This invitation to an equivalent or something like it or challenge has appeared several times in the Holy Qur’an. In one place it says:
“Say: If the whole of humanity and jinn were to gather together to produce the life of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.“ (1)
In another place, it has made the condition for the bringing of something like it even easier. It says:
“Bring ten suras forged like unto it and call to your aid whomever you can other than God if you speak the truth.“ (2)
Also,
“If they (your false Gods) answer not your (call), know that this Revelation is sent down (replete) with the knowledge of God…“ (3)
“And if you are in doubt about that which We have revealed to Our Servant, then bring a surah like it and call your witnesses, other than God, if you are truthful.” (4)
In the next verse, it directly states:
“But if you do not and you shall never do — guard yourselves against the fire.” (5)
These continuous and successive invitations to challenge the Qur’an show that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) placed the greatest emphasis and importance upon the miracle of the Qur’an even though many other miracles have been recorded about the Prophet and have appeared in books on Islamic history. As the Holy Quran is a living miracle, we will, in this discussion, give greater emphasis to it.
How they have remained impotent in face of this challenge It is interesting that the Holy Qur’an places the greatest emphasis upon inviting the opponents to the arena and with stimulating comparisons, it challenges them to enter the arena so that no excuse remains for anyone. Words like, “If you speak the truth…”, “You can never do so…”, “Even if you seek help from all of humanity…”, “Bring at least one verse like it…”, “If you become a kafir, a flaming fire is awaiting you…” speak of this truth.
These are all on one side. On the other side, the struggle of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) with the opponents was not a simple struggle, because Islam not only endangered their religion which they firmly supported but also endangered their economic, political interests and even their very existence. In other words, the progress and influence of Islam caused all their lives to be turned upside down. Thus, they were obliged to come to the arena with all of their power and force.
No matter what the cost, in order to disarm the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a), they would have to bring a verse like a verse of the Holy Qur’an so that they could no longer rely on the Qur’an as a miracle, and everyone who believed in it would become defective and it would become a document for proving their truth.
They invited all of the Arabs who were learned scholars to help them but every time that they tried to challenge the Holy Qur’an, they were defeated and they very readily retreated. The story of these events has been recorded in the history books.
The Story of Walid ibn Mughayrah
Among the people invited to this challenge was Walid ibn Mughayrah from the Bani Makhzum who was famous at that time among the Arabs for his literary abilities. They asked him to think about this challenge and to give his opinion about the miraculous verses of the Qur’an and its extraordinary influence. Walid asked the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) to recite a verse of the Holy Qur’an for him. The Holy Prophet recited a verse from Surah Ha Mim. (6)
This verse caused such excitement in Walid that he, without thinking, arose from his place and left the group of the Bani Makhzum which had been formed, saying, “I swear by God that I have heard words from Muhammad which neither resembled the words of human beings nor the fairies. “His words have a special tone and a particular beauty. They are like a branch of a tree which bears a great deal of fruit; they are words which are victorious over all things and nothing will be victorious over them.”
These words caused the Quraysh to whisper among themselves, “Walid has lost his heart to Muhammad.” Abu Jahl, in a state of anxiety, went to his home and told him what the Quraysh were saying. He invited him to a meeting of theirs.
Walid went to their group and said, “Do you think Muhammad is crazy? Have you seen the effects of insanity in him?” Those who were present said, “No.” “Do you think that he is a liar? Was he not famous to date among you for his truthfulness and his trustworthiness? Did you not call him a truthful and trustworthy person?” Some of the leaders of the Quraysh said, “Then what should we call him, what should we relate him to?” Walid thought a bit and then said, “He is a magician.”
Even though they tried to turn the common people away from the Qur’an, which they were attracted to, this commentary of ‘magic’ was itself living proof of the extraordinary attraction of the Holy Qur’an and they called this attraction, bewitchment while it had nothing to do with magic. It was because of this that the Quraysh spread this opinion everywhere that Muhammad is a magician and these verses are his magic, keep away from him and try not to listen to what he is saying.
But in spite of all of their efforts and endeavours, their plan had no effect. The thirsty were everywhere and plentiful. They had pure hearts and group by group, they joined the Qur’an. They drank of the pure water of the heavenly message and the enemy, defeated, retreated.
The Holy Qur’an, today, challenges all of the people of the world and invites them to struggle against it. It cries out, “If you doubt the truth of these verses and you think that it is born of human thought, bring its like. O scholars, philosophers and literary persons, writers from whatever nation or people!”
We also know that the enemies of Islam, in particular, Christian priests, who know Islam to be a revolutionary school, full of meaning, a strong competitor and a danger to it, every year spend millions of dollars spreading anti-Islamic propaganda. They are active in Islamic countries under the cover of culture, science and health. What would happen if they made the way closer if they were to invite Arab-Christian scholars, poets, writers and philosophers to write verses like the verses of the Holy Qur’an to silence the Muslims?
It is clear that if such a thing were possible, at whatever the cost, they would do so. The very fact that they are unable to do so is proof before the opponents and proof of the miracle of the Qur’an.
NOTES:
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1. The Holy Quran 17:88
2. The Holy Quran 11: 13
3. The Holy Quran 11:14
4. The Holy Quran 2:23
5. The Holy Quran 2:24
6. As-Sajdah, Chapter 32
