God’s ultimate challenge to mankind has sadly been misunderstood by both Muslims and non-Muslims. In this article we will examine this challenge carefully and see why this challenge can never be met. Ultimately, this challenge is a warning to those bent on denying God’s revelation that they will enter Hell abased because they were arrogant towards God’s signs.
The challenge
Right in the beginning of the Qur’an — in Chapter 2 — God presents a challenge to those who doubt that the Qur’an is from Him.
O mankind: serve your Lord who created you, and those before you, that you might be in prudent fear;
Who made the earth for you a couch, and the sky a structure, and sent down from the sky water, then brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you; so make not equals to God when you know.
And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then bring a sūrah the like thereof; and call your witnesses other than God, if you be truthful.
But if you do not — and you will not — then be in prudent fear of the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the false claimers of guidance.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:21-24)
The Arabic word sūrah means a chapter in the Qur’an. Edward Lane defines it as “Eminence, or nobility: rank or station: Hence its application in relation to the Ḳur-án, [to signify A chapter thereof,] because each of what are thus called forms one degree, or step, distinct from another, or [leading] to another”. The Qur’an also uses sūrah to mean a chapter as is evidenced in the following verse right at the beginning of Chapter 24.
A sūrah We have sent down and made obligatory, and wherein We sent down clear proofs, that you might take heed:
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (24:1)
Coming back to the challenge to reproduce a chapter like a chapter in the Qur’an, we find it repeated again — in a slightly different manner — in Chapter 10.
And this Qur’an is not such as could be invented by other than God; but it is a confirmation of what is before it, and an exposition of the Writ about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of All Creation.
If they say: “He invented it,” say thou: “Bring a sūrah the like thereof; and call whom you can besides God, if you be truthful.”
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (10:37-38)
The third instance of this challenge is in Chapter 11 and this time God tells the doubters to bring ten chapters like this chapter.
If they say: “He has invented it,” then say thou: “Then bring ten sūrahs the like thereof, invented; and call to whom you can, besides God, if you be truthful.”
And if they respond not to you, then know that it is but sent down with the knowledge of God, and that there is no god save He — so will you be submitting?
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (11:13-13)
Muslims assume that the challenge is to produce an Arabic chapter like a chapter in the Qur’an in Arabic. However, there are a number of problems with this assumption. Firstly, the challenge is to all of mankind and not just to the Arabs which means that a doubter is free to produce a similar chapter in English. Secondly, no objective criteria by which an attempt could be judged are mentioned in this challenge. Without a strict objective criteria it is all but impossible to render a verdict.
The absence of any objective criteria in God’s challenge has emboldened doubters of the Qur’an to state that this challenge is not really a challenge i.e. what is the big deal? Muslims’ only defense of God’s challenge is to reiterate that the Qur’an is has superior Arabic prose and the challenge is to match the Qur’anic style in terms of its poetry and lucidity. However, as we have seen earlier the challenge is to all of mankind and therefore the stylistic quality of the Arabic in the Qur’an is irrelevant.
And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then bring a sūrah the like thereof; and call your witnesses other than God, if you be truthful.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:23)
However, if we look at the challenge critically we notice that the challenge is not to simply bring a text claiming to be from God but to bring witnesses attesting to this fact. But let us not dwell on hypotheticals. Let’s look at a real world scenario: The Book of Mormon. This forged text written by Joseph Smith — who claimed to be a prophet — is the foundational scripture of Mormonism. Right at the beginning of this book are testifications by three witnesses to it being from God.
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, his brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shewn unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvellous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Witnesses
Furthermore, there were an additional eight witnesses who attest to the fact above who are called the Twelve witnesses. So, has the challenge by God to mankind been met? On the surface, it does seem to be the case.
A real understanding of the challenge of God
And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then bring a sūrah the like thereof; and call your witnesses other than God, if you be truthful.
But if you do not — and you will not — then be in prudent fear of the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the false claimers of guidance.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:23-24)
The key to this challenge lies in the statement “and call your witnesses other than God”; God is challenging the doubters to bring witnesses besides Himself for a reason. It is because God has already testified to sending down the Qur’an down to prophet Muhammad with His knowledge. Therefore, God’s challenge cannot and will never be met because it does not matter how many witnesses step forward to testify that a forged text is from God; God has already testified that the Qur’an is from Him and His testimony trumps all testimonies.
But God bears witness to what He has sent down to thee: He sent it down with His knowledge; and the angels bear witness, but sufficient is God as witness.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (4:166)
We see here a logical checkmate to all those who doubt that the Qur’an is sent down from God. There is no way out of this logical argument.
In summary, God’s challenge to a doubter is to bring witnesses to attest that his invented text is from God; and even if he does that, he still fails to win his case in a court of law because the testimony of his accomplices can never stand up to God’s testimony. Therefore, it is a logical impossibility to best God’s challenge.
The fact that people do not understand God’s challenge in itself is alluded to in the next verse after the second instance of God’s challenge.
If they say: “He invented it,” say thou: “Bring a sūrah the like thereof; and call whom you can besides God, if you be truthful.”
The truth is, they have denied what they compassed not in knowledge, and whose interpretation has not yet come to them. Thus denied those before them. Then see thou how was the final outcome of the wrongdoers.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (10:38-39)
This article should serve as a warning to those who are in doubt of the Qur’an.
But if you do not — and you will not — then be in prudent fear of the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the false claimers of guidance.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:24)