Author: Mufti Noor Mohammad Mohibi
The Qur’an: A Miracle Beyond Time- A Study of Its Miraculous Nature (Part 6)
The Quran’s Tahaddi (Challenge) and the Arabs’ Inability
The Quran’s Challenge and the Arabs’ Failure to Respond
From the very beginning of its revelation, the Noble Quran not only presented humanity with a message of guidance and monotheism, but also simultaneously issued an unprecedented and unparalleled call—what is known as taḥaddī (challenge)—calling people, particularly the eloquent and poetry-loving Arabs, to produce something like it. This Quranic challenge is one of the most important manifestations of the miraculous nature of this divine book, and it is presented in various forms throughout the Quran.
Even though the pre-Islamic Arabs were masters of eloquence and rhetoric, they were unable to respond to this challenge. This inability serves as a seal affirming the truth of the revelation brought by Muhammad (PBUH).
The Lexical and Terminological Meaning of Taḥaddī
The word taḥaddī linguistically comes from the root ḥadd (limit or boundary) and conveys the idea of confrontation or defiance. In terminology, it means to challenge someone in an area where they believe they possess strength or mastery.
In the Quranic context, taḥaddī refers to the invitation to produce something like the Quran, or even a part of it, with the assertion that no one will ever be able to do so. This challenge is not just a claim—it is a sign of the Quran’s miraculous nature and a proof of its divine origin. [1]
Stages of Taḥaddī in the Quran
The challenge of the Quran was issued in different forms and at various levels:
A. Challenge to produce a book like the entire Quran
“قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَىٰ أَن یَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لَا یَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِیرًا” [Al-Isra: 88] Translation: “Say: If all mankind and jinn were to come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like of it—even if they were to support one another.”
B. Challenge (Tahaddi) to produce ten chapters like it
“أَمْ یَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ ۖ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَیَاتٍ وَادْعُوا مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِینَ” [Hud: 13] Translation: “Or do they say, ‘He has fabricated it’? Say: Then bring ten invented chapters like it, and call upon whomever you can besides Allah, if you are truthful.”
C. Challenge to produce one chapter like it
“وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِی رَیْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ” [Al-Baqarah: 23] Translation: “And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then bring a chapter like it, and call your witnesses besides Allah, if you are truthful.”
As the Arabs continued to fail, the Quran gradually lowered the level of challenge—but still, no one was able to meet it.
The Linguistic and Literary Status of Arabs at the Time of Revelation
Before Islam, the Arabs had a unique reverence for language and literature. Poetic markets like Sūq ʿUkāẓ served as venues for elite poets, orators, and literary figures to compete. The seven celebrated pre-Islamic odes, known as the Muʿallaqāt al-Sabʿa, are still considered models of peak Arabic eloquence.
In such a context, the Quran’s descent with a style entirely different from existing prose and poetry constituted a literary revolution.
The Reaction of the Pre-Islamic Arabs to the Quranic Challenge
Instead of responding intellectually to the Quran’s challenge, the Arabs of ignorance resorted to emotional and unscientific reactions:
Accusations of sorcery and soothsaying: They said that Muhammad (PBUH) was a sorcerer or soothsayer because of the profound impact the Quran had on listeners.
“هَلْ هَذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ أَفَتَأْتُونَ السِّحْرَ وَأَنْتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ” [Al-Anbiya: 3] Translation: “This is just a man like you. Will you then resort to magic while you can see clearly?”
Banning people from listening to the Quran: “لَا تَسْمَعُوا لِهَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِیهِ” [Fussilat: 26] Translation: “Do not listen to this Quran and make noise during its recitation so that you may overcome it.”
Character assassination of the Prophet: They tried to socially and politically discredit him since they could not respond intellectually. “بَلْ قَالُوا أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلَامٍ بَلِ افْتَرَاهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِآیَةٍ كَمَا أُرْسِلَ الْأَوَّلُونَ” [Al-Anbiya: 5] Translation: “They say: [The Quran is] confused dreams; rather, he has fabricated it; rather, he is a poet. Let him bring us a sign like those sent to the former people.”
Historical Testimony: Why Did No One Respond?
Despite the intense enmity of the Quraysh and other Arab tribes toward the Prophet (PBUH), no one—neither in his time nor after—was ever able to produce even a single chapter like the Quran in both form and meaning. If it had been possible, the most logical move for his enemies would have been to produce such a text to invalidate his claim to prophethood. But they never did—because they could not.
Muhammad ibn Ishaq (MABH), quoting Al-Zuhri, narrates this about Abu Jahl: When the Prophet (PBUH) recited the Quran at night, Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan (Sakhr ibn Harb), and Akhnas ibn Shuraiq secretly came to listen to him—unaware that the others had also come.
They listened until dawn. When morning came, they parted ways, only to meet again on the road and question one another about why they had come. Realizing their shared secret, they pledged never to do it again—fearing that the youth of Quraysh might discover their admiration and incline toward the Prophet.
But the next night, each assumed the others would keep their promise, so each returned—again secretly listening until dawn. The same encounter and pledge repeated. Yet on the third night, all three returned once more. Again, they met in the morning and renewed their pact never to return.
The following day, Akhnas visited Abu Sufyan and asked, “O Abu Hanzala, what is your opinion on what you heard from Muhammad?” Abu Sufyan replied, “O Abu Thaʿlaba, I swear by Allah, I heard things that I recognize and understand their meaning, and I also heard things whose meanings and purpose I did not understand.” Akhnas said, “By the One you swore by, I feel the same.” Then Akhnas went to Abu Jahl and asked, “What do you think about what you heard from Muhammad?”
Abu Jahl replied, “What did I hear? We and the clan of Abd Manaf have been rivals in nobility. They fed the people—we did too. They bore the burdens—we did as well. They gave generously—we also did so—until we became like two racing horses neck to neck. But now they say: ‘A prophet has arisen from among us, receiving revelation from heaven!’ So how could we match that? By Allah, we will never believe in him or confirm him!” At that point, Akhnas got up and left him. [2]
This historical account clearly shows that tribal rivalry with the Prophet (PBUH) prevented the leaders of Quraysh from acknowledging his truthfulness—even though they were convinced of it in their hearts. Jealousy, tribal pride, and worldly competition stopped them from believing.
An Example of Arab Inability
The infamous false prophet Musaylimah al-Kazab tried to produce verses like the Quran, but his compositions were absurd and laughable, such as: “يَا ضُفْدَعُ بِنْتَ ضَفْدَعَيْنِ، نَقِّي كَمْ تُنَقِّينَ، لَا الْمَاءَ تُكَدِّرِينَ، وَلَا الشَّارِبَ تَمْنَعِينَ.” Translation: “O frog, daughter of two frogs! Croak as you croak! You neither muddy the water nor block the drinker.” [3]
Or: “لقد أنعم الله على الحبلى، إذ أخرج منها نسمة تسعى، من بين صفاق وحشى.” Translation: “Indeed, God has blessed the pregnant woman when He brought forth from her a soul that walks, from between folds and a womb.”
And: “الفيل وما أدراك ما الفيل، له خرطوم طويل.” Translation: “The elephant—what do you know of the elephant? It has a long trunk.”
Or this: “والعاجنات عجناً، والخابزات خبزاً، واللاقمات لقماً، إهالةً وسمناً، إن قريشاً قوم يعتدون.” Translation: “By the kneaders who knead, by the bakers who bake, by those who scoop up morsels, with fat and ghee—surely, the Quraysh are an oppressive people.” [4]
Rather than being seen as a challenge to the Quran, these nonsensical verses only drew ridicule and mockery. People would say, “This and the Quran? Worlds apart!”
Modern Analysis of the Quranic Challenge (Tahaddi)
Today, many linguists, literary scholars, and researchers—both Muslim and non-Muslim—have studied the Quran’s unique style. Many of them acknowledge its unparalleled literary nature.
Example of Western Research:
Even Western scholars have recognized the truth and miraculous nature of the Quran. One such example is Arthur J. Arberry, who in the introduction to his translation The Koran Interpreted, emphasized the Quran’s rhythmic and rhetorical uniqueness, noting that no translation can ever fully capture it. He called translating the Quran a “sacrifice of aesthetics.”
In the preface to Volume I, he writes: “My chief aim in offering this new version of a book that has already been so often translated is to attempt in some small degree to imitate the rhetorical and musical patterns of the original. In this, I am breaking new ground.”
Continues…
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References:
[1] Taj al-Arus min Jawahir al-Qamus (37/410): “Al-Hidia, with a damma on the dal and a fatha on the dal and a shadda on the ya’: (Dispute and competition). And (tahadda): If he competed with him and disputed with him for victory, and Al-Jawhari نقل [transmitted] it like Ibn Sida. And from it, the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, challenged the Arabs with the Qur’an {and challenged his companion to recitation and wrestling to see which of them was more well-versed and a better wrestler.”
[2] Tafsir Ibn Kathir T Salamah (3/251) based on: Sirah Ibn Ishaq No. (232) T – Al-Maghrib.
[3] Tafsir Ibn Kathir T al-Ilmiyya (4/223)
[4] Tafsir Ibn Kathir T al-Ilmiyya (4/223)
