THE PERFECTION OF THE QUR'AN FROM THE LITERARY ASPECT

THE INIMITABILITY OF THE QUR'AN

We have so far considered the miraculous characteristics of the Qur'an from the scientific and historical points of view. In addition to these, the Qur'an also possesses an astounding, inimitable style from the literary perspective.

It first needs to be stated that the exposition in the Qur'an addresses all human groupings from all ages. No matter what the reader's education and cultural level, the Qur'an is written in a clear, comprehensible language which can be understood by everyone. In one verse, Allah reveals the following about the Qur'an:

We have made the Qur'an easy to remember. (Qur'an, 54:22)

Despite having such an easily comprehensible style, it has never been possible to imitate the Qur'an from any point of view. Some of the verses in which Allah draws attention to the inimitable nature of the Qur'an are:

If you have doubts about what We have sent down to Our servant, produce another sura equal to it, and call your witnesses, besides Allah, if you are telling the truth. (Qur'an, 2:23)

Do they say, "He has invented it"? Say: "Then produce a sura like it and call on anyone you can besides Allah if you are telling the truth." (Qur'an, 10:38)

One of the reasons that the Qur'an is described as miraculous stems from the fact that, as emphasized in the verses above, nothing like it can ever be written by human endeavour: The greater the scale of that impossibility, the greater the size of the miracle which we see before our very eyes. Therefore, the fact that the style of the Qur'an has been incapable of imitation by even one out of the billions of people down the centuries is one of the proofs of its miraculous nature. In his book, The Construction of the Bible and the Qur'an, F. F. Arbuthnot makes the following comment about the Qur'an:

From the literary point of view, the Koran is regarded as a specimen of the purest Arabic, written on half poetry and half prose. It has been said that in some cases grammarians have adopted their rules to agree with certain phrases and expressions used in it, and that though several attempts have been made to produce a work equal to it as far elegant writing is concerned, none has as yet succeeded.

The words employed in the Qur'an are exceedingly special, both in terms of meaning and also of fluency and effect of style. However, those who are unwilling to believe that the Qur'an is a holy book in which Allah has revealed His commandments and prohibitions, have come up with a variety of excuses as to why they should not follow it. They have attempted to take refuge from its beauty by turning to denial. Allah reveals the following about the deniers' descriptions of the Qur'an:

We did not teach him poetry nor would it be right for him. It is simply a reminder and a clear Qur'an so that you may warn those who are truly alive and so that the Word may be carried out against the disbelievers. (Qur'an, 36:69-70)

The Superior Nature of the Rhyming Scheme in the Qur'an

Prof. Adel M. A. Abbas' book, Science Miracles

Another of the elements which make the Qur'an inimitable stems from its literary structure. Despite being in Arabic, the Qur'an bears no similarity to the forms used in Arabic literature.

The rhyming system in the Qur'an is known as "rhymed prose" and linguists describe the use of this rhyme in the Qur'an as a miracle. In his book Science Miracles, a work prepared to demonstrate that the Qur'an is a linguistic miracle, the well-known British scientist Professor Adel M. A. Abbas carried out a wide-ranging study of the letters and rhyming scheme used in the Qur'an by means of graphics and diagrams. Some rather striking facts were established in this book with regard to the rhyming system in the Qur'an.

As we know, 29 Suras in the Qur'an begin with one or more symbolic letters. These letters are known as "muqatta'ah-letters" or "initial letters." Fourteen of the 29 letters in Arabic comprise these initial letters: Qaf, Sad, Ta, Ha, Ya, Sin, Alif, Lam, Mim, Kaf, 'Ayn, Nun, Ra, Ha.

Of these letters, when we look at the use of the letter "Nun" in Surat al-Qalam we see rhyming with the letter "Nun" in 88.8% of the verses. 84.6% of Surat ash-Shu'ara', 90.32% of Surat an-Naml and 92.05% of Surat al-Qasas are rhymed with "Nun."

When applying these studies to the whole Qur'an, 50.08% is rhymed with the letter "Nun." To put it another way, more than half the verses in the Qur'an end with the letter "Nun." In no literary work of comparable length has it been possible to rhyme with a single sound in more than half the text. This applies to all languages, not just to Arabic.

Distribution of verses ending with the letter "Nun" from those suras beginning with initial letters:

Verse number	Name of Sura	Number of letter “Nun”
2	al-Baqara	196
3	al ‘Imran	121
7	al-A‘raf	193
10	Yunus	98
11	Hud	56
12	Yusuf	93
13	ar-Ra‘d	5
14	Ýbrahim	6
15	al-Hijr	81
19	Maryam	5
20	Ta Ha	0
26	ash-Shu‘ara’	192
27	an-Naml	84
28	al-Qasas	81
29	al-‘Ankabut	59
30	ar-Rum	54
31	Luqman	7
32	as-Sajda	27
36	Ya Sin	71
38	Sâd	18
40	Ghafir	32
41	Fussilat	30
42	ash-Shura	6
43	az-Zukhruf	78
44	ad-Dukhan	44
45	al-Ghashiyya	30
46	al-Ahqaf	26
50	Qaf	0
68	al-Qalam	42
The above table shows the distribution of verses ending with the letter “Nun” in those Suras beginning with initial (symbolic) letters.

When a general examination of the rhyme scheme in the Qur'an is made, we see that around 80% of the rhymes consist of just three sounds (n, m, a) consisting of the letters Alif, Mim, Ya and Nun. Excluding the letter "Nun," 30% of the verses are rhymed with "Mim," "Alif" or "Ya."
The four most frequently employed sounds in rhymes:

Letter					Total
Sounds	a	a	m	n
Verse number	949	246	666	3123	4984
Proportion (%)	15.22	3.94	10.68	50.03	79.92
The above table shows the proportional distribution of the four letters comprising 79.92% of the rhyme system in the Qur’an.

The following verses are just a few of the many examples of rhymes using these four letters.

Surat al-Muminun

1. Qad aflaha almu/minoona 2. Allatheena hum fee salatihim khashiAAoona 3. Waallatheena hum AAani allaghwi muAAridoona 4. Waallatheena hum lilzzakati faAAiloona 5. Waallatheena hum lifuroojihim hafithoona 6. ... aw ma malakat aymanuhum fa-innahum ghayru maloomeena 7. ... faola-ika humu alAAadoona 8. Waallatheena hum li-amanatihim waAAahdihim raAAoona 9. Waallatheena hum AAala salawatihim yuhafithoona 10. Ola-ika humu alwarithoona 11. ... hum feeha khalidoona 12. Walaqad khalaqna al-insana min sulalatin min teenin 13. Thumma jaAAalnahu nutfatan fee qararin makeenin 14. ... fatabaraka Allahu ahsanu alkhaliqeena 15. Thumma innakum baAAda thalika lamayyitoona 16. Thumma innakum yawma alqiyamati tubAAathoona 17. ... wama kunna AAani alkhalqi ghafileena

Surat an-Nahl 1. ... wataAAala AAamma yushrikoona 2. ... annahu la ilaha illa ana faittaqooni 3. ... taAAala AAamma yushrikoona 4. ... fa-itha huwa khaseemun mubeenun 5. ... wamanafiAAu waminha ta-kuloona 6. Walakum feeha jamalun heena tureehoona waheena tasrahoona

Surat al-An'am 1. ... thumma allatheena kafaroo birabbihim yaAAdiloona 2. ... thumma antum tamtaroona 3. ... wayaAAlamu ma taksiboona 4. ... illa kanoo AAanha muAArideena 5. ... fasawfa ya/teehim anbao ma kanoo bihi yastahzi-oona 6. ... waansha/na min baAAdihim qarnan akhareena 7. ... in hatha illa sihrun mubeenun 8. ... thumma la yuntharoona 9. ... walalabasna AAalayhim ma yalbisoona 10. ... ma kanoo bihi yastahzi-oona

Surat ar-Rum 6. ... walakinna akthara alnnasi la yaAAlamoona 7. ... wahum AAani al-akhirati hum ghafiloona 8. ... wa-inna katheeran mina alnnasi biliqa-i rabbihim lakafiroona 9. ... walakin kanoo anfusahum yathlimoona 10. ... an kaththaboo bi-ayati Allahi wakanoo biha yastahzi-oona 11. ... thumma ilayhi turjaAAoona 12. ... yublisu almujrimoona 13. ... wakanoo bishuraka-ihim kafireena 14. Wayawma taqoomu alssaAAatu yawma-ithin yatafarraqoona 15. ... fahum fee rawdatin yuhbaroona

Surah Yunus 26. ... ola-ika as-habu aljannati hum feeha khalidoona 27. ... ola-ika as-habu alnnari hum feeha khalidoona 28. ... waqala shurakaohum ma kuntum iyyana taAAbudoona 29. ... in kunna AAan AAibadatikum laghafileena 30. ... wadalla AAanhum ma kanoo yaftaroona 31. ... faqul afala tattaqoona 32. ... faanna tusrafoona 33. ... annahum la yu/minoona 34. ... faanna tu/fakoona

Surat al-‘Ankabut 6. ... inna Allaha laghaniyyun AAani alAAalameena 7. ... walanajziyannahum ahsana allathee kanoo yaAAmaloona 8. ... faonabbi-okum bima kuntum taAAmaloona 9. ... lanudkhilannahum fee alssaliheena 10. ... awa laysa Allahu bi-aAAlama bima fee sudoori alAAalameena 11. ... walayaAAlamanna almunafiqeena 12. ... innahum lakathiboona 13. ... walayus-alunna yawma alqiyamati AAamma kanoo yaftaroona 14. ... faakhathahumu alttoofanu wahum thalimoona

Surat an-Naml 12. ... innahum kanoo qawman fasiqeena 13. ... hatha sihrun mubeenun 14. ... faonthur kayfa kana AAaqibatu almufsideena 15. ... min AAibadihi almu/mineena 16. ... inna hatha lahuwa alfadlu almubeenu 17. ... fahum yoozaAAoona 18. ... sulaymanu wajunooduhu wahum la yashAAuroona 19. ... waadkhilnee birahmatika fee AAibadika alssaliheena

Surat an-Nisa’ 23. ... inna Allaha kana ghafooran raheeman 24. ... inna Allaha kana AAaleeman hakeeman 25. ... waAllahu ghafoorun raheemun 26. ... waAllahu AAaleemun hakeemun 27. ... an tameeloo maylan AAatheeman

Surat al-Ma’ida 22. ... fa-in yakhrujoo minha fa-inna dakhiloona 23. ... fatawakkaloo in kuntum mu/mineena 24. ... inna hahuna qaAAidoona 25. ... faofruq baynana wabayna alqawmi alfasiqeena 26. ... fala ta/sa AAala alqawmi alfasiqeena 27. ... qala innama yataqabbalu Allahu mina almuttaqeena 28. ... innee akhafu Allaha rabba alAAalameena 29. ... wathalika jazao alththalimeena 30. ... faqatalahu faasbaha mina alkhasireena 31. ... faasbaha mina alnnadimeena

Surat al-A'raf 2. ... wathikra lilmu/mineena 3. ... qaleelan ma tathakkaroona 4. ... fajaaha ba/suna bayatan aw hum qa-iloona 5. ... ith jaahum ba/suna illa an qaloo inna kunna thalimeena 6. ... walanas-alanna almursaleena 7. ... wama kunna gha-ibeena 8. ... faola-ika humu almuflihoona 9. ... bima kanoo bi-ayatina yathlimoona 10. ... qaleelan ma tashkuroona 11. ... lam yakun mina alssajideena

Surat at-Tawba 7. ... inna Allaha yuhibbu almuttaqeena 8. ... waaktharuhum fasiqoona 9. ... innahum saa ma kanoo yaAAmaloona 10. ... waola-ika humu almuAAtadoona 11. ... wanufassilu al-ayati liqawmin yaAAlamoona 12. ... laAAallahum yantahoona 13. ... ahaqqu an takhshawhu in kuntum mu/mineena 14. ... wayashfi sudoora qawmin mu/mineena

Surat al-Baqara 62. ... wala khawfun AAalayhim wala hum yahzanoona 63. ... waothkuroo ma feehi laAAallakum tattaqoona 64. ... lakuntum mina alkhasireena 65. ... faqulna lahum koonoo qiradatan khasi-eena 66. ... wamawAAithatan lilmuttaqeena 67. ... aAAoothu biAllahi an akoona mina aljahileena 68. ... faifAAaloo ma tu/maroona 69. ... baqaratun safrao faqiAAun lawnuha tasurru alnnathireena

Surat al ‘Imran 130. ... waittaqoo Allaha laAAallakum tuflihoona 131. Waittaqoo alnnara allatee oAAiddat lilkafireena 132. ... laAAallakum turhamoona 133. ... oAAiddat lilmuttaqeena 134. ... waAllahu yuhibbu almuhsineena 135. ... walam yusirroo AAala ma faAAaloo wahum yaAAlamoona 136. ... waniAAma ajru alAAamileena 137. ... faonthuroo kayfa kana AAaqibatu almukaththibeena 138. ... wamawAAithatun lilmuttaqeena 139. ... waantumu al-aAAlawna in kuntum mu/mineena 140. ... waAllahu la yuhibbu alththalimeena

Surat al-Anbiya’ 5. ... falya/tina bi-ayatin kama orsila al-awwaloona 6. ... afahum yu/minoona 7. ... in kuntum la taAAlamoona 8. ... wama kanoo khalideena 9. ... waahlakna almusrifeena 10. ... afala taAAqiloona 11. ... waansha/na baAAdaha qawman akhareena 12. ... hum minha yarkudoona

Surat an-Nur 47. ... wama ola-ika bialmu/mineena 48. ... fareequn minhum muAAridoona 49. Wa-in yakun lahumu alhaqqu ya/too ilayhi muthAAineena 50. ... bal ola-ika humu alththalimoona 51. ... waola-ika humu almuflihoona 52. ... faola-ika humu alfa-izoona 53. ... inna Allaha khabeerun bima taAAmaloona 54. ... wama AAala alrrasooli illa albalaghu almubeena 55. ... faola-ika humu alfasiqoona

Surat al-Hijr 5. ... wama yasta/khiroona 6. ... innaka lamajnoonun 7. ... in kunta mina alssadiqeena 8. ... wama kanoo ithan munthareena 9. ... wa-inna lahu lahafithoona 10. Walaqad arsalna min qablika fee shiyaAAi al-awwaleena 11. ... kanoo bihi yastahzi-oona 12. Kathalika naslukuhu fee quloobi almujrimeena 13. ... waqad khalat sunnatu al-awwaleena 14. ... feehi yaAArujoona 15. ... nahnu qawmun mashooroona

The formation of rhymed prose with just two or three sounds in a poem of 200-300 lines may give that work an important quality, sufficient for it to be described as a masterpiece by literary critics today. However, bearing in mind the length of the Qur'an, the information it contains and its wise exposition, the extraordinary manner in which its rhymed prose system is used becomes even clearer and more beautiful. The Qur'an indeed contains an ocean of information relating to a wide variety of subjects. They include: religious and moral guidance, lessons from the lives of the peoples of the past, the message of the Prophets and Messengers of Allah, the physical sciences and historical accounts of important events. But all of this, although wonderful in itself, is delivered with the most fantastic literary rhythm and excellence. It is simply not possible for so much rhymed prose by use of so few sounds in the Qur'an, with its varied and knowledgeable subject matter, to be achieved by human endeavour. From that point of view, it is not surprising that Arab linguists describe the Qur'an as "very definitely inimitable."

Tony Blair: "Qur'an Inspired Me"

The British Prime Minister Tony Blair says that he has read the whole Qur'an three times. In his statements, he often mentioned his admiration for the Qur'an's moral teaching. On March 29, 2000, the BBC reported on Blair's admiration for the Qur'an in a feature entitled "Blair: Qur'an Inspired Me." He was reported to have said that Islam was a good and peaceful religion, that he owned two copies of the Qur'an, and that he was quite inspired by it:

If you read the Koran, it is so clear. the concept of love and fellowship as the guiding spirits of humanity.

Two or three days before the 9/11 attacks, the British newspaper The Mail on Sunday published an article in which Blair said that former US president Bill Clinton's daughter Chelsea had given him a copy of the Qur'an as a gift, that he had begun to read it and that it given him courage in times of difficulty.After the attacks, Blair once again said in an interview on Al-Jazeera television that had read the Qur'an. He also added:

I read the message of the Koran, insofar as it can be translated. And I read about Islam and I enjoy doing that. And I think that I have learned things about the Koran that I never knew before and I think a lot of Christians would be interested.

Time magazine described Blair as "long-time student of the Koran" in one article about him.

A speech by Bill Clinton which described how influenced he was by the Qur'an

In his last year in the White House, former US President Bill Clinton received a number of Muslims during Ramadan. At the meeting, which began with a reading from the Qur'an, Clinton used verses from the Qur'an in his own address and frequently stated his interest in Islam:

And I thought it was particularly moving that Imam read the passage from the Koran that said that Allah created nations and tribes that we might know one another, not that we might despise one another. There's a wonderful passage in the Hebrew Torah, which warns people never to turn aside the stranger, for it is like turning aside the most high God. And the Christian Bible says that people should love their neighbor as themselves. But it's quite wonderful to say that Allah created the nations and tribes that they might know one another better... Let me say, also, that there is much that the world can learn from Islam. It is now practiced by one of every four people on Earth. Americans are learning more in our schools and universities. Indeed, I remember that our daughter took a course on Islamic history in high school and read large portions of the Koran, and came home at night and educated her parents about it, and later asked us questions about it... So I ask you again to rededicate yourselves in this coming year to making sure that others in this country truly understand and appreciate the faith you embrace, its practices, its beliefs, its precepts and its inclusive humanity... The Koran also teaches, in addition, to the fact that we should do unto others as we wish to have done to us, and reject for others what we would reject for ourselves, but we should also make a commitment to live in peace.

George W. Bush: 

"It's [the Qur'an is] a very thoughtful gift."

On 26 September 2001, President George W. Bush held a substantive meeting with American Muslim leaders, and said that "the teachings of Islam are the teachings of peace and good." During this meeting, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), presented a copy of the Holy Qur'an to President Bush. During a brief press conference after the meeting, the President expressed his pleasure saying:

And I want to thank you very much for the-the gift you gave me, Imam, the Koran. It's a very thoughtful gift. I say, "Thank you very much for the gift." He said, "It's the best gift I could give you, Mr. President." I appreciate that very much.

On September 17, 2001, President Bush visited the Washington Islam Center mosque, one of the oldest in the United States. In his speech, he emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace and that the terrorist attacks of 9/11 have nothing to do with the teachings of Islam or the sincere Muslims of the world, all of whom deplore terrorism. Bush stated that those who inflict harm on innocent and civilian Muslims are just as in the wrong as those who carry out terrorist attacks. At this crowded meeting, covered live by a large number of domestic and international television stations, President Bush read the following verse from the Qur'an:

"In the long run, evil in the extreme will be the end of those who do evil. For that they rejected the signs of Allah and held them up to ridicule." (Qur'an, 30:10)