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2.6 The Self-Perception and the Originality of the Qur’ān Qur’ān 2:23–24; 3:44; 10:15; 69:38–47 ABDULLAH SAEED 2:23–24 23 If you have doubts about the revelation We have sent down to Our servant, then produce a single sura like it—enlist whatever supporters you have other than God—if you truly [think you can]. 24 If you cannot do this—and you never will—then beware of the Fire prepared for the disbelievers, whose fuel is men and stones. [Verse 23, ‘‘whatever supporters’’: literally ‘‘whatever witnesses.’’ Razi interprets this as referring either to their idols or to their leaders.] 3:44 This is an account of things beyond your knowledge that We reveal to you [Muhammad]: you were not present among them when they cast lots to see which of them should take charge of Mary, you were not present with them when they argued [about her]. [‘‘When they cast lots . . .’’ refers to the priests.] 10:15 When Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet with Us say, ‘‘Bring [us] a different Qur’an, or change it.’’ [Prophet], say, ‘‘It is not for me to change it of my own accord; I only follow what is revealed to me, for I fear the torment of an awesome Day, if I were to disobey my Lord.’’ 69:38–47 38 So I swear by what you can see 39 and by what you cannot see: 40 this [Qur’an] is the speech of an honoured messenger, 41 not the words of a poet—how little you believe!— 42 nor the words of a soothsayer—how little you reflect! 43 This [Qur’an] is a message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds: 44 if [the Prophet] had attributed some fabrication to Us, 45 We would certainly have seized his right hand 46 and cut off his lifeblood, 47 and none of you could have defended him. [Verse 46, ‘‘lifeblood’’: literally ‘‘artery.’’] 98 The Self-Perception and the Originality of the Qur’ān 99 The divine origin of the Qur’ān is an issue that has been questioned since God revealed his word, the Qur’ān, to the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century CE. During the Prophet’s time, his opponents accused him of having authored the Qur’ān through the creative power of jinn1 , calling him a poet and a soothsayer. Many also tried to prove the human authorship of the Qur’ān by creating their own ‘‘revealed’’ texts similar to the Qur’ān, but from a Muslim point of view they failed to produce anything like the Qur’ān. Muslims believe that the Qur’ān is the essential miracle of the Prophet Muhammad and that the revelation he communicated to his people from God cannot be matched by anyone because it is utterly unique. No one other than God could produce a book that matches the quality of the Qur’ān. This chapter briefly explores the ideas of the originality and inimitability of the Qur’ān by looking at the Qur’ān’s self-perception, or how the Qur’ān sees itself. The Qur’ān’s confidence in its authenticity, accuracy, and reliability is significant because these notions have had a strong influence and impact on how Islamic tradition saw the Qur’ān. They also have important ramifications for interfaith relations and how the Qur’ān—and Muslims—view, for example, the scriptures of other religious traditions like Judaism and Christianity today. The Qur’ān refers to itself as a glorious record, inscribed on the Preserved Tablet in the Heavens (85:22), that was sent down from God to earth by the angel Gabriel (26:193). It describes itself as the word of God (9:6), not that of a human being or jinn, and argues that no one has added to its composition. The Qur’ān also emphasizes that although it was in Arabic, the language of the people of Mecca, its stories were unfamiliar to the Arabs and thus could not have been composed by a human author like the Prophet. It asserts that it is a guide for all people and that it contains great wisdom and is easy to understand. Finally, the Qur’ān perceives itself to be immutable and...

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