Quran - 06 - The Challenge

The Quran was revealed over 1400 years ago to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Those that accept and follow Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, accept Islam and the revelation, Quran, given to him by Allah Almighty. On the other hand, there are those who deny his prophethood and don't accept Quran for various reasons.

Allah, being the All-Wise and All-Knowing, introduces the book in the opening ayaat of the second chapter of Quran - Surah Baqarah.

الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

Alif Lam Mim This is the Book (the Qur'an), wherein there is no doubt, a guidance for the God-conscious [Quran - Baqarah - 2:1-2]

The author, being the Majestic, the All-Knowing and All-Wise, makes it clear that this book, Quran, was not written by anyone but a superior being. Any human, had they been the author, will have had some doubt that there are errors or omissions in the Quran. Countless books have been written and then later we find 2nd editions and more to improve on the book. We can take a look at the Bible and, what we have of it at present, are many versions of it (that is a topic for another time - and for now we say - "Allah knows Best").  Quran has been unchanged and has remained in its pristine state because it is how Allah intended it to be, it being His Word and the final revelation revealed to the best of creation, Muhammad ﷺ. 

The ayah goes further to indicate that those people who are God-conscious will be able to get the best from this Book. Those who are sincere and inclined towards Allah, for them the understanding will become clear.

يُؤْتِى الْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُ وَمَن يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِىَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَـبِ

He grants Hikmah (wisdom and understanding) to whom He wills, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good. But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding [Quran - Baqarah - 2:269]

كِتَـبٌ أَنزَلْنَـهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَـرَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُواْ ءَايَـتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُو الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(This is) a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember. [Quran - Zumar 39:29]

Quran, from the outset, challenges man to use his intellect. We find in this Glorious Book, Quran that Allah would speak about those who reflect and are people of understanding.

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَـباً مُّتَشَـبِهاً مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ وَمَن
يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ

Allah has sent down the Best Statement, a Book, its parts resembling each other, (and) oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah. He guides therewith whom He wills; and whomever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide [Quran - Zumar - 39:23]

Allah thus makes it clear that this is a Book revealed by Him as a guidance. The believer, having acknowledged that Allah is the Lord and Creator, takes time to study its ayaat . This invitation is extended to all of mankind and those who accepted Islam have taken the first step in drawing closer to Allah and have now adopted the Quran as his/her constitution, the ultimate guide.

There are much blessings in reading Quran and listening to its recitation. The highest level of our attachment to Quran is in studying it and practising on the knowledge  and understanding gained from it. As mentioned earlier, Allah, the Almighty, have from the first revelation challenged the intellect of man, exhorting him to study and to ponder. This command إقرأ   - Iqra' - is the foundation on which Quran is based, upon which Islam is based and is a means to understand our purpose in life and draw closer to Allah, Our Lord. In establishing this principle of reading, studying and pondering the self will be uplifted and with that humanity will benefit. A cursory look at the state of the Arabs at the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  then we find a nation in degradation. Islam came and transformed this nation to be leaders - indeed Quran is a guide for those who are God-conscious - there can be no doubt in it.

 

But alas, there will be those who doubt nevertheless yet they have no proof. Allah Almighty knew that there will always be people who will not accept and  find reason to attack Quran.

 

Allah challenges the disbelievers to produce the like of Quran:

قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَن يَأْتُواْ بِمِثْلِ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانِ لاَ يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا - وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ فَأَبَى أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ كُفُورًا

Say: "If mankind and the Jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another.'') (89. And indeed We have fully explained to mankind, in this Qur'an, every kind of similitude, but most of mankind refuse (the truth and accept nothing) but disbelief. [Quran - Israa - 17:88]

This is an impossibility, but still Allah gives them a chance by reducing the challenge by asking for only ten chapters:

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُواْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

Or they say, "He forged it.'' Say: "Bring you then ten forged Surahs like unto it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah, if you speak the truth!'' [Quran - Hud - 11:13]

Still they cannot and Allah further reduces the challenge to only one chapter:

وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِى رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ وَادْعُواْ شُهَدَآءَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ
إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our servant (Muhammad ), then produce a Surah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful). [Quran - Baqarah - 2:23]

Even this last challenge stands to this day and will stand forever for the author of Quran is Allah, the All-Knowing, and what He says cannot be doubted.

The challenge for the believers is to get the most benefit out of Quran. They already accept that Quran is the word of Allah and know that it is perfect. That in itself is a blessing but one can always strive for more when the treasures there for the taking. We do not have to convince the non-Muslim of the veracity of Quran, for Quran will do so by itself, but we have to present Quran to them in everything we do. The last statement clearly shows that we do good and abstain from wrong and correct ourselves where we have erred. We constantly seek for guidance from the Quran and through the Quran.

The challenge for the disbelievers is set out by Allah that they have to produce something like a chapter of Quran if they question the authenticity of Quran. The alternative to their failure should be the acceptance of Quran but that will only happen if they are sincere in the quest for the truth. They will see themselves in Quran much like we see ourselves in Quran - the question is what is the character of each of person who is exposed to Quran. We must all bear in mind that everyone has the ability to change for better or worse.

  And Allah knows Best