By IOL Islamic Researchers
21/07/2004
The Glorious Qur'an is the very Word of Allah revealed to His Messenger, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The authenticity and divinity of the Qur'an are unquestioned, and there is no difference among Muslims on this fact. The Glorious Qur'an has reached us through the process of tawatur (historical continuity and perpetuation achieved through transfer from generation to generation). When we say that the Qur'an has reached us through tawatur, we imply that so many people in every generation conveyed it to the next and so on that there can be no doubt about its authenticity.
In many places in the Qur'an this meaning is stressed. In Surat An-Naml, we read: "Lo! as for thee (Muhammad), thou verily receivest the Qur'an from the presence of One Wise, Aware." (An-Naml: 6) In another Surah, the Qur'an makes it clear that those doubters and disbelievers will find it difficult to claim that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote the Qur'an due to the fact Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was unlettered. In Surat Al-`Ankabut, we read: "And thou (O Muhammad) wast not a reader of any scripture before it, nor didst thou write it with thy right hand, for then might those have doubted, who follow falsehood." (Al-`Ankabut: 48) Also, in the very beginning of Surat Fussilat, Almighty Allah says: "Ha. Mim. A revelation from the Beneficent, the Merciful." (Fussilat: 1-2) Again in Surat Yunus, we read: "And when Our clear revelations are recited unto them they who look not for the meeting with Us say: Bring a Lecture other than this, or change it. Say (O Muhammad): It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I only follow that which is inspired in me. Lo! If I disobey my Lord I fear the retribution of an awful Day." (Yunus: 15).
Here, the following excerpt from www.thetruereligion.org is very beneficial:
"Let us address this misconception in a clearer manner. In addressing this misconception, it is interesting to note that no other religious scripture claims to be the direct words of Almighty Allah in toto as clear and as often as the Qur'an. The Qur'an clearly says: "Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah they would have found therein much incongruity." (An-Nisaa': 82).
At the time the Qur'an was revealed, the Arabs recognized that the language of the Qur'an was unique and that it was distinctly different from the language normally used by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The Arabs of that time, by the way, were known for their beautiful poetry and Muhammad was known to be an illiterate man!
The Qur'an clearly says that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was unable to read and write, so if this wasn't true, certainly his contemporaries would have protested and rejected him. However, there are no reports of this. Certainly there were people who rejected Muhammad's message, just like other Prophets were rejected, but none for this reason. On the contrary, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) had thousands of loyal followers and the results of their efforts made Islam spread from Spain to China in just over a century!
It is also interesting to note that even though the Qur'an is not poetry, the Arabs more or less gave up writing poetry after it was revealed. It could be said that the Qur'an is the piece of Arabic literature par excellence - and Muhammad's contemporaries realized that they couldn't out do it.
Additionally, it is easy to prove that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) did not possess a great deal of the knowledge which is expounded in the Qur'an: such as knowledge of historical events, previous prophets and natural phenomenon. The Qur'an says in several places that Muhammad and his people did not know these things- so, again, if this wasn't true, certainly his contemporaries would have rejected his claims. Suffice it to say that not only is the Qur'an the most memorized and well preserved scripture on earth, it is also unequaled in eloquence, spiritual impact, clarity of message and the purity of its truth.
Finally, we do praise Almighty Allah, Who preserved His Book and fulfilled His promise to do this.