| MUHAMMAD ('ALAIHI 'S-SALAM) IS A PROPHET
Muhammad ('alaihi 's-salam) proclaimed that he was the Prophet and displayed mu'jizas (miracles) to prove his word. This fact has been transmitted up to the present time with tawatur, i. e. , with unanimity. The greatest mu'jiza is Qur'an al-karim.
Qur'an al-karim is mu'jiz, that is, no one can produce its equivalent. He challenged: "Go ahead and say the like!" Famous poets of Arabia did their best, but could not say the like. The 34th ayat [1] of Surat at-Tur declared [2]: "Then, say the like of it!" The 13th ayat of Surat al-Hud declared: "Tell them: 'Now you try and say ten suras like the suras of the Qur'an, which you suppose I said by myself!' " The 23rd ayat of Surat al-Baqara declared: "If you have any doubts about [what We have stated in] the Qur'an, which We have revealed to Our slave [Muhammad ('alaihi 's-salam)], you, too, try and say one sura like it! For doing this, ask for help from all those you trust. You will not be able to say one sura like it!"
In those days, the Arabs had a special interest in poetry. There were many poets among them. They organized poetry contests and were proud of the winners. They all cooperated to compose a short sura that would resemble those of Qur'an al-karim. They strove hard. Before taking these poems to Muhammad ('alaihi 's-salam), they compared them with a sura in Qur'an al-karim. Because they could see the eloquence in the sura, they were ashamed of their own poetry and could not take them to Rasulullah ('alaihi 's-salam). Nonetheless, they could not find a solution other than giving up opposition through knowledge and taking up coercive measures. They drew swords and attacked Muslims.
| | GLOSSARY | [1] ayat: A verse of al-Qur'an al-karim; al-ayat al-karima.
[2] sura(t): a Qur'anic chapter [a chapter of the Qur'an].
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