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English_Biography_Shefa_of_Prophet_Muhammad, page : 181
speak, and his words are unlike them. I compared him to the reciters of poetry and he is not like them. After what I have said no one should fall into error and refer to him as a poet as he is truthful, if they do so then surely they would be liars."
These testimonies are but a few amongst the authentic transmissions. The Koran's miraculous uniqueness lies in not only its conciseness and eloquence but in its extraordinary style. The Koran constitutes a different type of challenge which the Arabs were unable to imitate as it was far beyond their ability to do so. The consensus of most scholars is that Koran is different from pure Arabic.
Opinions vary in the way in which people are incapable of imitating the Koran. There are those who say it is because it is not within the capacity of humans on account of the strength of its clarity, composition, unique structure and style. Such matters are part of its miraculous nature which surpass the capability of any of creation to imitate, just as it is far beyond a created being to revive the dead, transform a staff into a serpent, or cause pebbles to exalt Allah.
Another opinion is that of Shaykh Abul Hasan Al Ashari, who is of the opinion that it could be within the capacity of humans to do so if Allah supports them in its doing, but stresses the fact that Allah prevented them from achieving it and thereby rendered its imitation impossible. This opinion is upheld by several other scholars who base their opinion on two arguments.
The first argument made is that it has already been established that the Arabs were incapable of doing so. The argument would not have been valid and held against them if it had not been within the power of created beings to achieve it.
The second argument is the fact that they were challenged to try and imitate it. This challenge in itself proves their impotence more effectively and is a substantial factor for their being rebuked. It would not be justifiable to make the challenge if the challenged did not have the capacity to do so. This argument is an overwhelming, definitive argument.
These testimonies are but a few amongst the authentic transmissions. The Koran's miraculous uniqueness lies in not only its conciseness and eloquence but in its extraordinary style. The Koran constitutes a different type of challenge which the Arabs were unable to imitate as it was far beyond their ability to do so. The consensus of most scholars is that Koran is different from pure Arabic.
Opinions vary in the way in which people are incapable of imitating the Koran. There are those who say it is because it is not within the capacity of humans on account of the strength of its clarity, composition, unique structure and style. Such matters are part of its miraculous nature which surpass the capability of any of creation to imitate, just as it is far beyond a created being to revive the dead, transform a staff into a serpent, or cause pebbles to exalt Allah.
Another opinion is that of Shaykh Abul Hasan Al Ashari, who is of the opinion that it could be within the capacity of humans to do so if Allah supports them in its doing, but stresses the fact that Allah prevented them from achieving it and thereby rendered its imitation impossible. This opinion is upheld by several other scholars who base their opinion on two arguments.
The first argument made is that it has already been established that the Arabs were incapable of doing so. The argument would not have been valid and held against them if it had not been within the power of created beings to achieve it.
The second argument is the fact that they were challenged to try and imitate it. This challenge in itself proves their impotence more effectively and is a substantial factor for their being rebuked. It would not be justifiable to make the challenge if the challenged did not have the capacity to do so. This argument is an overwhelming, definitive argument.