Quran's Eloquence and Credibility Critique

[Reader Questions]

Salam Joseph,

Would you comment on this?

Al-Jaʿd ibn Dirham, tutor to the Umayyad Caliph Marwan, said "The Qur'an's eloquence is not a miracle and people can do the like of it and better."(1)

The Mu'tazilite scholar Abu Musa said "People are able to produce the like of the Qurʾān as regards eloquence, and composition and rhetorical beauty."(2)

The 11th century Sunni scholar Abu al-Qushairy said: "We do not claim that everything in the Qurʾān is in the highest rank of eloquence."(3)

Ibn al-Rawandi (former Mu'tazilite scholar) (d. 910 ad) said "Indeed the Qurʾān is not the speech of a wise god. In it are contradictions and mistakes and passages that are in the realms of the absurd."(4)

1. Mustafa Sadiq al-Rafiì, "The Miraculous Nature of the Qurʾān and the Prophetic Rhetoric." Page 160.
2. Al-Baghdadi, "The Difference Between the Groups" Page 164--165; and al-Shahrastani, "The Book of Sects and Creeds", 1/68--69.
3. Al-Baghdadi, "The Difference Between the Groups" Page 164--165; and al-Shahrastani, "The Book of Sects and Creeds", 1/68--69.
4. Quoted from Dr. Abd al-Rahman Badawi, from "History of Disbelief in Islam" page 216. Al-Razi Quote in video is from Dr. Badawi, from "The History of Disbelief in Islam," p 218

Thanks.

[Joseph Islam]

Wa alaikum assalam

As I trust that you will appreciate, in this context, it would be pointless for me to provide a counter argument for a subjective claim from either someone today or someone from antiquity (or 3rd party claims of what someone may have allegedly said in antiquity). As you will know, there are many that arguably hold a completely different view and remain resolute that the Quranic narrative is in a form that is par excellence.

Furthermore, being 'recognised' as a 'scholar' or having bound written parchments in one's name doesn't automatically entitle one to the mantle of absolute truth. All human endeavour concerning opinions / wider epistemology remains open to critique.

However, what I will respectfully assert is that contrary to popular belief, neither does the Quran make claims of Arabic being a superior language [1], nor does the challenge of the Quran to produce a Surah like it founded on the premise to produce a more eloquent script / narrative. [2]

The Quran simply professes to be a scripture that provides clear / plain guidance in a particular language of a particular people who spoke it [3], clear proof, an explanation of all things necessary for religious guidance for wider believers, a discernment between truth and falsehood and a powerful evidence based scripture imbued with a fine balance [4].

Personally, I have found that the Quran wholly lives up to its claims and to me, provides irrefutable evidence to the truth. Others can disagree of course, that is again, wholly their prerogative.

I hope this helps, God willing
Joseph


REFERENCES:

[1] IS ARABIC A HOLY OR SUPERIOR LANGUAGE?
http://quransmessage.com/articles/is%20arabic%20a%20holy%20language%20FM3.htm
[2] PRODUCE A SURAH LIKE IT - THE CHALLENGE OF THE QURAN
http://quransmessage.com/articles/produce%20a%20surah%20FM3.htm
[3] WHY WAS THE QURAN REVEALED IN ARABIC?
http://quransmessage.com/articles/why%20in%20Arabic%20FM3.htm
[4] HOW THE QURAN DESCRIBES ITSELF
http://quransmessage.com/articles/how%20the%20quran%20describes%20itself%20FM3.htm