The Qur’an is The Speech of Allah

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Qur’an is The Speech of Allah

Imam Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisee





From the Speech of Allah, is the Glorious Qur’an. It is the plain Book of Allah and His firm rope. It is His straight path and the revelation of the Lord of the universe. The most honorable spirit (Jibreel) brought it to the heart of the best of messengers, in a clear Arabic ********. It was revealed and not created. From Him it began and to Him it will return.
It consists of precise chapters, clear verses, and letters and words. Whoever recites it and does so properly (with Iraab), he will have ten good deeds for every letter he recites. It has a beginning and an end, and it consists of sections and parts. It is that which is recited by the tongues, memorized in the hearts, listened to by the ears, and recorded in the scriptures (masahif).
In it are verses that are clear and ambiguous, that which abrogates and those that are abrogated, those that are specific and those that are general, and those that contain obligations and prohibitions.
"Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or behind it. (It is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise (Allah)." [Surah Fussilat (41): 42]
"Say: If mankind and jinn were to gather together to produce the likes of this Qur’an, they would not produce the likes thereof, even if they helped one another." [Surah Al-lsraa (17): 88]
This is the Arabic Book of which the disbelievers said concerning it: "We will never believe in this Qur’an." [Surah Saba (34): 31]
And some of them said: "This is nothing but the words of a human being!" [Surah Al-Mudaththir (74): 25]
So Allah said: "I will cast him into the Hellfire." [Surah Al-Mudaththir (74): 26]
Some of them said that it was poetry, so Allah said:
"And We have not taught him (i.e. Muhammad) poetry nor is it suitable for him. This is only a reminder and a plain Qur’an." [Surah YaaSeen (36): 69]
Thus, when Allah denies that it is poetry and confirms that it is a Qur’an, there should not remain any doubt for the one possessing intellect, that the Qur’an is that Arabic Book which is composed of words, letters and verses. This is because if it were not so, then they (disbelievers) would not have claimed that it was poetry.
Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says:
"And if you (disbelievers) are in doubt concerning what We have sent down (i.e. the Qur’an) to Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a chapter the like thereof and call your witnesses besides Allah." [Surah Al-Baqarah (2): 23]
It is not right for Him to challenge them with producing something that they neither know nor understand (i.e. it is words and letters, which they know).
Allah says: "And when Our clear verses are recited unto them, those who hope not to meet Us, say: 'Bring us a Qur’an other than this, or change it.' Say (O Muhammad) 'It is not for me to change it on my own accord. I only follow that which is revealed unto me.'" [Surah Yoonus (10): 15]
This confirms that the Qur’an is (made of) verses, which are recited unto them (i.e. the disbelievers).
Allah says: "Nay, but they are clear verses that are preserved in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge." [Surah AI-'Ankaboot (29): 49]
And He says after having sworn upon it:
"This is indeed an honorable Qur’an. In a Book well-guarded (i.e. AI-Lawh-ul-Mahfoodh), which none can touch, except the purified (i.e. the angels)." [Surah Al-Waaqi'ah (56): 77-79]
And Allah says: "Kaaf-Ha-Ya-'Ayn-Saad." [Surah Maryam (19): 1]
"Ha-Meem. 'Ayn-Seen-Qaaf.” [Surat-ush-Shooraa (42): 1]
He commences twenty-nine chapters of the Qur’an with individually separated letters.
The Prophet (sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whoever recites the Qur’an and recites it properly, there will be ten good deeds for him, for every letter from it. And whoever recites the Qur’an and recites it improperly, there will be one good deed for him for every letter."[1]
And he (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Read the Qur’an before there comes to you a people who will throw forth its words as fast as an arrow (shoots out), yet it will not pass their throats. They will hasten its reward and not delay it."[2]
Abu Bakr and 'Umar (radyAllahu 'anhumaa) said: "To make 'Iraab of the Qur’an (recite it properly with all its rules) is more beloved to us than to memorize some of its letters."[3]
'Alee (radyAllahu 'anhu) said: "Whoever disbelieves in one letter from it, then he has disbelieved in all of it."[4]
The Muslims (i.e. scholars) have unanimously agreed on the number of chapters (suwar), verses, words and letters of the Qur’an.
There is no disagreement amongst the Muslims (i.e. scholars) concerning the disbelief of one who denies a chapter (surah), verse (ayah), word, or letter from the Qur’an, which has been agreed on. There is a clear decisive proof in this that it is (made of) letters.

[1] A very weak hadeeth reported by At-Tabaraanee in Al-Awsat as is stated in Majma'-uz-Zawaa'id (7/163) on the authority of Ibn Mas'ood who said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Recite the Qur’an pronouncing it properly (with 'Iraab), for indeed whoever recites the Qur’an and pronounces it properly will have ten good deeds. And ten evil deeds of his will be expiated and he will be raised ten levels.'" Al-Haythamee said of it: "In its chain is Nuhshal and he is rejected (matrook)." Nuhshal is Ibn Sa'eed bin Wardaan Al-Wardaanee. Ishaaq Ibn Raahawaih declared him a liar.

[2] An authentic hadeeth reported by Ahmad (5/338), Abu Dawood (831) and Ibn Hibbaan (1876 of Al-Mawaarid). Its chain of narration is saheeh as has been stated by Al-Albaanee in As-Saheehah (259). Ibn Qudaamah also mentioned the hadeeth in Al-Burhaan (pg. 35-36) from the report of Sahl bin Sa'ad.

[3] This is an extremely weak narration reported by Ibn Al-Anbaaree in Al-Waqf wal-Ibtidaa (1/20) with the wording: "Some 'Iraab (pronouncing properly) of the Qur’an is more pleasing to us than memorizing some of its letters." Its chain is da'eefjiddan (very weak) for there is weakness and a break in its chain, according to Badr Al-Badr's notes to lumu'at-ul-'Itiqaad (19).

[4] Reported by Ibn Abee Shaybah (10/513-514) and Ibn Jareer (At-Tabaree) in his Tafseer (56).