How Does the Challenge of the Quran Differ from the Challenges of Other Miracles?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

What is the difference between the challenge posed by the Quran and the challenges posed by other miracles?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

The word miracle (معجزة) comes from the root عجز (meaning weakness or inability), and the Quran is the enduring miracle, standing in the place of Allah’s words: “My servant has spoken the truth in what he conveys from Me.”

The Quran challenged the Arabs to produce ten chapters or even just one like it, and they were unable to do so collectively, even though they were renowned for their eloquence, poetry, and oratory. Allah (Most High) says:

“Say, (O Prophet,) ‘If (all) humans and jinn were to come together to produce the equivalent of this Quran, they could not produce its equal, no matter how they supported each other.’” [Quran, 17:88]

The challenge of the Quran as a miracle differs from the challenges posed by other prophets’ miracles in several key ways:

Continuity

The Quran is an ongoing miracle, meant to endure through all times. Anyone can read it and engage with its challenge at any point in history. It is a timeless miracle that replaces previous scriptures, which cannot substitute for it. Allah (Most High) says:

“We have revealed to you (O Prophet) this Book with the truth, as a confirmation of previous Scriptures and a supreme authority on them.” [Quran, 5:48]

This enduring nature is unique because the Sacred Law of Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the final divine message until the Day of Judgment. Imam Suyuti explained:

“This Sacred Law, because it will last throughout the ages until the Day of Judgment, was endowed with a rational miracle that remains so that those with insight can witness it.” [Suyuti, al-Itqan]

Other prophets’ miracles, however, were limited to their specific times and places and ended with their deaths. Without the Quran affirming them, we would not know of miracles like Moses (peace be upon him) parting the sea or Jesus (peace be upon him) raising the dead.

Renewal

The Quran is a continually renewed miracle. Its miraculous nature is evident every day. The Quran can be interpreted in each era, in harmony with the developments of the time. It remains relevant, unveiling new meanings and dimensions previously unseen, whereas the miracles of other prophets occurred once and concluded.

Language and Style

The Quran’s challenge is linguistic and literary. Allah challenged the Arabs to produce something like it, even a single chapter, and they failed despite their unmatched eloquence and rhetorical skills. Other miracles, by contrast, involve the direct breaking of natural laws.

Comprehensiveness

The Quran encompasses multiple realms of miraculousness, such as its legislation, stories, prophecies, and its profound psychological and spiritual impact on the reader. Other miracles tend to be limited to specific domains or effects.

Intellectual Miracle

The Quran is both a sensory and intellectual miracle. It is perceived by both sight and insight, while other prophets’ miracles, such as the she-camel of Salih or the staff of Moses (peace be upon them), were only witnessed by the eye. The Quran remains as long as the human intellect exists, capable of reflecting upon it.

Purpose

The challenge of the Quran is to prove that it is the Word of Allah, not authored by humans. Thus, it serves as continuous proof of the truth of Prophet Muhammad’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) message. Other miracles were specific to particular incidents or communities.

A Combined Message and Miracle

The Quran is unique in that it is both the message and the miracle. It combines being the message of Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) and the proof of his prophethood. In contrast, other prophets’ miracles were separate from the content of their messages.

Preservation

Allah has taken it upon Himself to preserve the Quran from any distortion or alteration. Allah (Most High) says:

“It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it.” [Quran, 15:9]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said in a hadith qudsi:

“(Allah says,) I have sent you (the Prophet) to test you and test others through you, and I have revealed to you a Book that water cannot wash away, and you will recite it awake and asleep.” [Muslim]

Previous divine books were entrusted to the people for preservation, as Allah (Most High) says:

“So too did the rabbis and scholars judge according to Allah’s Book, with which they were entrusted and of which they were made keepers.” [Quran, 5:44]

Conclusion

Hence, the Quran remains valid for all times and places, addressing humanity’s needs in terms of ethics, dealings, rulings, and manners. It is an enduring truth that will never be replaced or altered.

In conclusion, the miraculous nature of the Quran is a vast and rich topic. I recommend that you refer to “al-Naba’ al-‘Azim” by ‘Abdullah Daraz (Allah have mercy on him) and “al-I‘jaz al-‘Ilmi ila Ayn” by Tayyar.

For more details, see the article titled “Ma al-Farq bayn Mu‘jizat al-Rusul wa Mu‘jiza al-Quran al-Karim” (The Difference Between the Miracles of the Prophets and the Miracle of the Quran) by Islam Zubun.

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.

[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa