Surah 1-2 - YasSarNal QuR'aN

Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | THE MESSAGE SPELT OUTWe have revealed to Our servant, then produce one sūrah comparable to it and call upon allyour witnesses, other than God, if what you say is true.” (Verse 23)The challenge starts off with emphasizing an important fact by describing theProphet Muĥammad as God’s ‘servant’. This description is significant in a number ofways: it is, first, an honour to the Prophet himself and an indication that to be a‘servant’ of God is the highest honour a human being can attain. Second, it affirmsthe essence of servitude to God in the universal human context, calling on all men tosubmit only to God and renounce all partners that may be associated with Him. TheProphet Muĥammad, who attained the highest position of honour as a recipient ofdivine revelations, is also honoured by being described as a servant of God.The challenge is also related to the opening of this sūrah, which points out that theQur’ān was composed of the very same letters the Arabs were familiar with in theirlanguage. If they were in any doubt as to its truth or veracity, they were free toproduce anything, even one sūrah, comparable to it, and they could call anywitnesses they wished to testify in their favour. The Prophet’s claim had alreadybeen supported by God.This challenge remained open throughout the Prophet’s life, and has done so eversince. The Qur’ānic argument stands just as firmly today as it has through thecenturies. The Qur’ān remains today the unique work it was on the first day it wasrevealed, clearly distinguished from anything men can ever produce. Thus, God’swords, and His warning, remain true: “But if you fail, as you will certainly do, thenguard yourselves against the fire, fuelled by men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers.”(Verse 24)It is a remarkable challenge indeed, but what is even more remarkable is theabsolute certainty with which it is made. Were any of the unbelieving Arabs able totake up the challenge, they would not have hesitated for a moment. The Qur’ānicassertion of the futility of their task, and the endurance of that assertion, are inthemselves manifest and irrefutable proof of its superior nature.The opportunity remains wide open for anyone or any group to pick up thegauntlet and try their best to match the Qur’ān and refute its claims of divinity andsuperiority. But this has not happened and, as the Qur’ān clearly states, will neverhappen. That is the Qur’ān’s final word for posterity.Anyone with any real knowledge or appreciation of literary styles, or expertise inphilosophy, psychology, social science, or any other science at all, will not fail torecognize that whatever the Qur’ān has to say in any field of knowledge is somethingunique, unlike anything human beings would say. Argument over this fact can onlyarise from blind ignorance or sheer prejudice.The stern warning to “guard yourselves against the fire, fuelled by men and stones”39