Allah, the Exalted, has challenged the Arabs and non-Arabs to produce a Qur'an similar to the Divine one. The challenge was reduced to ten chapters (suwar), yet they failed to do so. Finally, Allah challenged them to produce a single chapter (surah) comparable to any of His. Although they were the masters of eloquence and rhetoric, they were incapable of taking up the challenge. They realized that the Quran could never be from other than Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Allah says: "And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to our servant, Then produce a Chapter like thereunto; And call upon your witnesses or helpers besides Allah, if you are truthful. But if you cannot, and surely never shall you can do it, Then guard against the Fire.." (Quran 2:23-24)

The difference between the miracles of the previous Messengers, which proved their veracity, and that of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, is that theirs took place during the lifetime of each one of them, whereas the miracle of the Qur'an remains effective, everlasting, and challenging until the Day of Resurrection.

Scholars have mentioned some Aspects of the miraculous nature of the Quran. One of them is that it contains information about the unseen, and that is something beyond the powers of humans, for they have no way to attain it. One example is the promise Allah, Most High, made to His Prophet, peace be upon him, that his religion, Islam, would triumph over all other religions.

Thus Allah, Mighty and exalted is He, says:

"He it is Who Has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth that He might make it victorious over all religion, even though the polytheists dislike it."

Allah, the Exalted, did indeed fulfill His promise, and Muslims captured all the lands as far as Balk and the land of India. The early Muslims ruled a vast land encompassing many countries in the world. The Qur'an foretold the victory of the Romans against the Persians.

Allah' says:

"The Romans have been defeated in the land nearby, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious." [Qur'an 30: 1, 2]

Another aspect is that it is well known that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was an unlettered (ummi) who could neither write or read. Likewise it was generally recognized that he had no knowledge whatever of the books of the earlier people, nor of their records, or histories. Yet he produced summaries of past great and important events such as the stories of the previous Prophets and their peoples.

A person who reads the Quran objectively will realize that the prophesies in it are far removed from conjecture or speculation. This is due to the fact that the One Who revealed it is the One who pre-decreed all events till the Day of Resurrection.

Inimitability of the Qur'an

FIRST - Because it is the pinnacle of linguistic perfection. The Arabs [of Jahiliyyah] were not accustomed to its form. Their linguistic abilities were hindered by the fact that its expression was worded in the shortest of forms without loss of clear meaning [bayan].

SECOND - Its wonderful structure was unique when it comes to the beginning of verses, their termination, and the places where one stops [when rehearsing it].  This is added to a refined way of presenting truth and the true knowledge of God [`irfan].  Its beautiful word and kind insinuation, easiness of construct and correctness of ordering made the minds of the purest of desert dwellers [al-Arba'] amazed and the understanding of the masters of the tongue struck. The wisdom behind this intended differentiation in which the Qur'an was revealed was to leave no doubt for those with wit [fiTna] or give them reason to steal [by producing something like it].

THIRD - Because the Qur'an has a record of things to come. They came to pass in accordance with the way God has intended. Allah said, "you shall most certainly enter the Sacred Mosque [Mecca], if Allah pleases, in security, (some) having their heads shaved and (others) having their hair cut, you shall not fear." (Surah "The Victory", 48.27)

FOURTH - What it told about previous generations and the people of yore and it was known [to the people of Quraish] that [Mohammed] was but an illiterate who neither read nor wrote. He did not sit with teachers in schools, nor mixed with the learned. He was raised within a people who knew no book. They were naked [`arin] when it came to scientific inquiry [al-ulum al-`aqliyyah]. Allah said, "Surely this Quran declares to the children of Israel most of what they differ in."  (Surah "The Ant", 27.76)

FIFTH - What it revealed of the secrets of those who opposed it and what they used to plot. Their deceit was revealed to the messenger of God.

SIXTH - That it included knowledge from the smallest of particles to cosmic facts the Arabs did not know in general and neither did Mohammed (peace be upon him); most important, what it included about the science of Shari`ah and how to deduce laws, the ways to logical argumentation [al-hujaj al-`aqliyyah], the wisdom one derives from the stories of yore, the matters of the hereafter and the best of manners and behavior.

SEVENTH - It is free of contradiction despite the fact that it is a large book which includes many facts and various arts. "If it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy." (Surah "The Women", 4.82)

EIGHTH - It is a living miracle for it is read everywhere in uniformity, and God has promised to protect it. It is an established argument that, in contrast to other prophets whose miracles disappeared with them, the Qur'an is Mohammed's eternal miracle.

NINTH - Those who read it are not tired of it. Those who hear it are not bothered by it. And those who rehearse it fall in love with it.

TENTH - It includes both proof and proven. Those who understand the meaning know how to derive proof and how to find religious dictum at the same time when they consider both the way it is read and the way it is understood.    It is conciseness of words [balaghah] which proves its miraculous character. It is with meaning that one finds God's order and His warning. Learning it by heart [hifdh] has been made easy. The fear that comes to the heart when hearing it and the humbleness that surrounds those reading it are beyond description.