The Miraculous Nature of the Qur’aan – A Summary by Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen

 

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد

 

Shaikh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said:

 

“If a person were to say; what is the aspect of the miraculous nature of the Qur’aan, and how has mankind been rendered incapable (through inimitability)?

The answer is that it is a miracle from all aspects of miraculous nature, because it is the Speech of Allaah, and in it are aspects of miraculous nature which cannot be comprehended, so from that is:

 

Firstly: The strength of manner, and its beauty and the eloquence and the purity of language (articulacy), and the absence of becoming weary in its recitation. So the person reads the Qur’aan morning and evening, and maybe he completes it in two days or three, and it does not cause him to become tired by any means, however if he were to make repetition of a text from the texts as he repeats the Qur’aan, he would become wearisome.[1]

 

Secondly: It is a miracle in the sense that the individual; every time he reads it with reflection, there appears for him in the second recitation that which did not become manifest for him in the first recitation.[2]

 

Thirdly: The truthfulness of what it informs of, in that the actual reality bears testimony to it, as well as the complete perfection of its rulings which comprise of the welfare of the world and the Hereafter, due to His saying, The Most High:

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا

 ((And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice)) (Al-An’aam: 115)[3]

 

 

Fourthly: Its effect upon the hearts[4] and the manners of action (procedures) and its influences, in that by way of it the pious predecessors ruled the east of the earth as well as its west.[5]

 

As for the nature of inimitability then it is the challenge to the jinn and mankind to come with the like of it, and they cannot do so.”[6]

 

 

(Taken from: At-Tafseer ath-Thameen lil-‘Allaamah al-‘Uthaimeen vol 1 p.117)

 

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[1] Al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer (rahimahullaah) said: “As for the Qur’aan, then it is entirely pure in language in the superlative – utmost limits of eloquence with the one who knows that in detail and in general, from those who understand the speech of the Arabs and the diversifying varieties of expression. For if you were to observe what it informs of, you will indeed find it to be of the utmost degree of sweetness, whether it is extensive or concise, whether it is repetitive or not, and the more it is repeated, then it becomes yet more beautiful and sublime. It does not become old due to abundant frequency of revisitation, nor do the scholars become wearisome from it. If it takes to the subject of threat and frightful warning; then there comes from it that which would cause solid unshakable mountains to quake due to it, so what then is your supposition of hearts of perceptive understanding. If it promises; it comes with that which opens the hearts and ears, and brings about longing for the abode of peace, and a neighbouring proximity to the Throne of The Most Merciful.” (Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-‘Adheem vol 1 p.151)

[2] Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee (rahimahullaah) said: “They listen to it and readily present their hearts for reflection over it, at that point it increases their Eemaan, because reflection is from the actions of the hearts, and because it is a must that a signification which they were unaware of becomes clear to them. Or that they gain recollection of that which they had forgotten, or that there occurs in their hearts a longing for good as well as a yearning for the noble generosity of their Lord, or a fearfulness from the punishments and a restrain from sinfulness, and so all of this is from that which causes Eemaan to increase.” (Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan p.315)

[3] Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said: “So there is nothing more beneficial for the servant in his subsistence or in his life to come, and being closer to his salvation than reflection over the Qur’aan, and protraction in contemplation of it and gathering the thought upon the meanings of its verses.” (Madaarij as-Saalikeen vol 1 p.450)

[4] Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said: “Recitation of the Qur’aan with reflection, it is the source of the rectitude of the heart.” (Miftaah Daar as-Sa’aadah vol 1 p.536)

He said also: “The Qur’aan is the fundamental base of guidance and knowledge and goodness in the heart.” (Ighaathatul Lahfaan vol 1 p.158)

[5] Shaikh ‘Abdul-Lateef bin ‘Abdir-Rahmaan bin Hasan bin Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab (rahimahumullaah) said: “This blessing (of authority in the land) does not come about except through following the Prophets and having obedience to the Messengers. For indeed; the Children of Israel became sovereigns of the land after Pharaoh and his nation, by way of following Moosaa (Moses), and by way of obedience to Allaah and His Messenger and being patient upon that, He, The Most High, said:

وَأَوْرَثْنَا الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا ۖ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ الْحُسْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا

((And We caused the people who were considered weak to inherit the eastern regions of the land and the western regions thereof, which We had blessed. And the fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured.)) (Al-A’raaf: 137)

 

Likewise through following Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) – there came about – for those that believed in him from the Arabs, the illiterate ones and other than them from the categories of human-beings – by way of sovereignty and inheritance of the land beyond that which was procured for the Children of Israel. For indeed; they (the followers of the Prophet Muhammad [sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam]) gained sovereignty in the world, from the farthest west to the remotest east, and the treasures of Khosrow – king of Persia were carried to them; as were that of Caesar – emperor of the Romans, and so their lands as well as the lands of the west and the east became provincial territory for them.” (Ad-Durar as-Sanniyyah vol 1 p.463)

Shaikh ul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) said: “It is known that the emergence of the religion of Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in the east of the earth as well as in its west is the greatest event which occurred upon the earth. It has never been known for a religion to have spread and endured the like of its spread and its endurance.” (Al-Jawaab as-Saheeh vol 5 p.189)

[6] Allaah, The Most High, said:

وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا شُهَدَاءَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ * فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ ۖ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ

((And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down upon Our servant [Muhammad], then produce a Soorah the like thereof and call your witnesses besides Allaah, if you are truthful. But if you do not – and you will never be able to – then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.)) (Al-Baqarah: 23-24)

 

He, The Most High, said likewise:

وَمَا كَانَ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ أَن يُفْتَرَىٰ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

 ((And this Qur’aan is not such as could ever be produced by other than Allaah, but [it is] a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the Book wherein there is no doubt from The Lord of the creation.)) (Younus: 37)

 

Al-‘Allaamah Muhammad Ameen ash-Shanqeeti (rahimahullaah) said regarding this ayah: “When He, The Most High, made clear here that this Qur’aan cannot be falsely produced as a fabrication against Allaah, He established a decisive proof of the fact that it is from Allaah. Thus He challenged the entire creation to (come up with) a singular Soorah like unto it, and there is no doubt that had it been from the class of the speech of the creation, the creation would have been able to come with its like. So when they were rendered incapable from that – all of them, certainty was realized as well as inevitable (imperative) knowledge that it is from Allaah, The Majestic, and Most High.” (Adwaa al-Bayaan vol 2 p.568)

 

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