5 REASONS WHY PROPHET MUHAMMAD IS A TRUE PROPHET
I believe that faith should never be blind. False beliefs only imprison the mind. Whilst to know the truth, is to be liberated from the shackles of ignorance.
As the Messiah said – the truth will set you free.
Consequently, at an early age, I started a journey towards truth. This was conducted with a mind willing to question everything and take nothing for granted.
I needed to truly know if Islam could be proved true, on the basis of reasoning and facts. Not just emotional arguments or hearsay.
My open minded research over a period of two decades has indeed convinced me that Islam is indeed true.
This article will present 5 powerful reasons why Prophet Muhammad is a true Prophet of God.
Reasons Why Muhammad is a True Prophet (pbuh):
#1#:
God Made Prophet Muhammad Victorious
Prophet Muhammad started his mission, aged 40, with just a handful of followers. Most of these were from the poorest households in Mecca. For thirteen years, he and his followers were viciously persecuted.
Further, the Meccan polytheists mocked and abused Prophet Muhammad himself, and planned to assassinate him. He even had to emigrate from Mecca and seek refuge in Medina.
At a time of such hopelessness the Prophet received revelations ensuring him not only that he would someday return home, but that his enemies would be defeated and humiliated as divine punishment.
He was promised total victory and that his followers would hold sway over much of the world.
Against all expectations, a series of miraculous events took place.
First, the Prophet was received with honour as the Head of State of Medina.
Then, the Prophet’s small band of followers routed the Meccans at the Battle Of Badr. All the major Meccan opponents were killed.
In a few short years the Prophet’s message was accepted by all of Arabia.
He entered Mecca victorious and all his enemies were humbled. The Merciful Prophet announced a general amnesty, graciously forgiving even the murderer of his daughter.
What happened next, was even more astounding.
One country after the next came to accept Islamic rule, and within a short period Muslims were the predominant Global Power, ruling from the borders of China to Spain.
As you can read here. This was promised and foretold by the Quran. In my view, Prophet Muhammad’s truthfulness in his claim, serves as the most logical explanation for the astonishing rise of Islam, against all odds.
God was truly with him.
The following remark by a Non-Muslim gives an excellent insight into the unique success and greatness of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astonishing results are the three criteria of a human genius, who could dare compare any great man in history with Muhammad?…
Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire: that is MUHAMMAD. As regards all the standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask IS THERE ANY MAN GREATER THAN HE?
Alphonse de Lamartine
Reasons Why Muhammad is a True Prophet (pbuh):
#2#
Prophet Muhammad’s Coming Was Foretold
The Quran states that Jews and Christians of the Prophet’s time recognised him as they would their own Son:
Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know.
Quran 2:146
The reason for this is that despite apparent changes and errors in the Biblical Text, there are still numerous Prophecies about the coming of the last Prophet in the Old and New Testaments.
Below are just a handful of the many striking prophecies, which were clearly fulfilled by the advent of the Blessed Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace.
A Prophet Like Moses
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words into his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Deutronomy 18:18
Abdul Sattar Ghauri explains how this prophecy does not fit any of the Isrealite Prophets and can only refer to the Prophet Muhammad:
It is only Moses (sws) who brought the ‘LAW’ of the Lord for the people. After him, there had been no other prophet from among the descendants of Abraham (sws) in the whole of the history of the humankind who can claim to bring a complete divine ‘LAW’ for the people, revealed to him by the Lord, except the Prophet Muhammad (sws). Neither anyone ever claimed it, nor it is true about anyone. There did not even exist any claimant or candidate of having been ‘a prophet from among the brethren of the Israelites with a ‘Fiery Law for them'[29] ‘like unto Moses’, that could have been presented as a rival to the single and sole Prophet from among the Ishmaelites, who are the genuine ‘brethren of the Israelites.
Muhammad (sws) Foretold in the Bible
The Servant of the Lord
One of the most breathtakingly accurate prophecies about the advent of Prophet Muhammad, is recorded in the Book of Isaiah Chapter 42.
I recommend the following excellent article for a detailed breakdown of all aspects of this stunning Prediction.
To briefly, highlight some of the main elements of this prophecy:
- “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.” Comments: The Quran refers to Prophet Muhammad as the Servant of God (17:1 and others). He is also known as “Chosen One” (Mustafa) “Beloved of God” (Habib Allah). The Quran was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, Gabriel (Quran 16:102). Bringing “justice to the nations” aptly describes the fall of the surrounding Empires to Islam, who had denied God’s final Messenger.
- “He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets… a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice… He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.” Comments: This refers to the Prophet’s patient and gentle nature, while confirming that he would bear his persecution with patience and continue his mission until he establishes justice on earth. This is exactly what happened.
- ” I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,” Comments: This makes it apparent that a New Covenant would be established that would include Jews and Gentiles. The Prophet was not a Jew and thus is described as a ‘light to the gentiles’.
- ” Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintop” Comments :This amazing prophecy identifies the exact location of the coming Prophet i. e. Modern day Saudi Arabia. Biblical Scholars (like Charles Foster) agree that “the land of Kedar” refers to the Hejaz region that includes Mecca and Medina. Moreover, there is a mountain called Sela in Medina! Thus no doubt remains that the foretold one was to be sent to the Hejaz including Medina! This prophecy simply cannot apply to any other but Prophet Muhammad. Indeed the people of Sela (Medina) did sing for joy when the Prophet arrived there.
- The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies… But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame. Comments: This makes it clear that the Promised One of Arabia would utterly defeat the idol worshippers and be a mighty warrior. Who but Prophet Muhammad fulfilled this prophecy to the last detail?
Mount Paran & 10,000 Saints
In a beautiful Prophecy, the Bible describes the Prophet coming from Arabia with a ‘fiery law and 10,000 holy ones with him’:
“The LORD came from Sinai, and dawned from Seir upon us. He shone forth from Mount Paran. He came from the ten thousands of holy ones. At his right hand was a fiery law for them.
Deutronomy 33:2
The above verse refers respectively to the Divine Missions of Moses (Mt Sinai), Jesus (Mt Seir in Palestine) and the Paran wilderness of Arabia, where the Prophet Muhammad came from.
It further mentions he would bring a Divine law and this would be “fiery”, an apparent reference to the Punishment his rejectors would be given.
The Prophecy describes the ten thousand companions who marched into Mecca with him as ‘holy ones’ :
The Conquest of Makkah occurred eight years after the Muslims migrated from Makkah to Madinah. In 630 AD, the Prophet ﷺ and ten thousand of his Companions returned to Makkah and took control, facing little resistance.
LEADING IN GOOD DEEDS
Jesus Foretold His Coming
Christ promised the coming of another ‘advocate’ after himself, who would convict the world of guilt regarding sin. He said:
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
JOHN 16: 7-8 & 13-15
The Prophet’s Muhammad clearly fulfilled this prophecy as Dr Jamal Badawi notes:
It was the Prophet Muhammad who was the Paraclete, Comforter, helper, and admonisher sent by God after Jesus.
He testified of Jesus, taught new things which could not be borne at Jesus’ time, he spoke what he heard (the Holy Quran), he dwells with the believers (through his well-preserved teachings). Such teachings will remain forever because he was the last messenger of God, the only Universal Messenger to unite the whole of humanity under God, upon the path of preserved truth.
He told of many things to come which came to pass in the minutest detail, meeting the criterion given by Moses to distinguish between the true prophet and the false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:22 KJV).
He did “convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8).
More Biblical Prophecies…
The Kingdom of God Given to Another Nation
Jesus Christ narrated the Parable of the Landowner.
He compared the Jews of his time with tenants, who refuse to give the landowner his rightful share of the crops and kill the Landowner’s servants and even kill his Son.
This was a reference to the Jewish People and their scholars who had rejected God’s Prophets and finally the Messiah, and sought to kill him. They had failed to give God his due share of obedience.
Jesus announced that God would now take the ‘Kingdom of God’ from the Children of Israel, and give it to another nation. I.e. God would now. appoint another Nation to receive his Words and Special Favour. This Nation will ‘bear fruit’.
He further promised that a “rejected stone” will become the cornerstone of God’s Building, and it will crush all those who oppose it:
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
MATTHEW 21:42-44
This Prophecy can only refer to the God’s new covenant with humanity through the Ishmaelites, led by the final Prophet.
No other nation even claimed to inherit the Kingdom of God from the Isrealites.
The reference to the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone implies that that Jews previously looked down upon the descendants of Ishmael, but they will appointed as God’s witnesses to mankind.
The Prophecy of the stone crushing its opponents, refers to the decisive victory of the Prophet Muhammad over God’s enemies, including rebellious Jews in Medina.
Such prophecies are impressive because they do not admit any other interpretations.
The Kingdom of God was only ever given to the followers of Prophet Muhammad after the Children of Israel.
No other sect or religion claimed that the God of Moses had revealed his Word to them.
No other Abrahamic faith arose, that would become ‘the cornerstone’, which crushed God’s opponents as the Messiah foretold.
As such this is a decisive prophecy about the truth of Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
Reasons Why Muhammad is a True Prophet (pbuh):
#3#
Scientific Foreknowledge that only God would have.
Non-Muslims usually assume that Prophet Muhammad is the author of the Quran.
However, there are numerous statements in the Holy Book that indicate knowledge of scientific facts that were not discovered by human beings until recently.
Here follow just a few of many such examples.
Embryology
Over a millennium before the invention of microscopes, the Quran described the stages of embryological development with great accuracy.
Dr Keith Moore, one of the foremost authorities on the subject, has written and spoken extensively about this aspect of the Quran. Here are a few examples:
- Three Veils of Darkness – The Quran says “He makes you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness” (39:6). Dr Moore remarks: “The three veils of darkness” may refer to: (l) the anterior abdominal wall; (2) the uterine wall; and (3) the amniochorionic membrane”.
- Mixed drop- The Quran mentions that the drop that settles in the womb is ‘mixed (76:2) ‘ i. e the zygote. Dr Moore comments: “The zygote forms by the union of a mixture of the sperm and the ovum (“The mixed drop”).
- Leech-like embryo: Dr Moore states: Then We made the drop into a leech-like structure.”This statement is from Sura 23:14. The word “alaqah” refers to a leech or bloodsucker. This is an appropriate description of the human embryo from days 7-24 when it clings to the endometrium of the uterus, in the same way that a leech clings to the skin. Just as the leech derives blood from the host, the human embryo derives blood from the decidua or pregnant endometrium. It is remarkable how much the embryo of 23-24 days resembles a leech (Fig. 2). As there were no microscopes or lenses available in the 7th century, doctors would not have known that the human embryo had this leech-like appearance. In the early part of the fourth week, the embryo is just visible to the unaided eye because it is smaller than a kernel of wheat.
Figure 2. Top, a drawing of a leech or bloodsucker. Below, a drawing of a 24 day-old human embryo. Note the leech-like appearance of the human embryo at this stage. | |
Figure 3. Left, a plasticine model of the human embryo which has the appearance of chewed flesh. Right, a drawing of a 28 day-old human embryo showing several bead-like somites which resemble the teeth marks in the model shown to the |
For more on embryology in the Quran click here.
Cosmology
- The Big Bang: The Quran describes the fact that the whole universe, including what was to later become the earth, was all a single mass until God chose to separate them. This is an accurate summary of the ‘Big Bang’ whereby the whole universe came into being from a single mass. The same verse then goes on to state that all living beings are made from water. The aquatic origin of life is now a well-established fact, yet no pre-modern work other than the Quran makes mention of it:
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (21:30 - The ‘Smoking’ Gun: The Quran describes the initial state of the universe as ‘smoke’ (41:11) this correlates precisely with the present scientific consensus that universe was a hot gaseous mass before it cooled down. ‘Smoke’ is therefore a most apt metaphor.
- Expansion: The author of the Quran not only demonstrates knowledge of the origin of the universe and its initial state, he is even cognisant of its expansion, an idea that was only to only be established in the twentieth century: And the heaven We constructed with power and skill and indeed We are expanding it (51:47)
- The Quran refers to the orbit of heavenly bodies (21:33) and refers to the act of the day being ‘coiled’ over the night and vice versa, which suggests that the earth is round, and rotating around its axis:
He coils the night upon the day and He coils the day upon the night (39:5)
This is a stunningly accurate description of how the light of the sun covers half of the globe, whilst half remains in darkness. As the earth completes a 24 rotation around its own axis, day and night follow across the world. Night is indeed coiled around the day and vice versa. Yet how could a seventh century human have possibly known this?
Geology
There are numerous verses of the Quran that show advanced knowledge about the earth. Here are a few of them:
• ….We sent down iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind… (57: 25). In using the expression ‘sent down’ for the creation of iron, the Quran is showing familiarity with the fact that iron is not an earthly material but created by meteors colliding into the earth. Iron is therefore indeed ‘sent down’ just as the Quran tells us.
• (I swear) by the sky which sends back (86:11) The Quran describes the sky as ‘sending back’. Modern science has established that the different layers of the atmosphere do indeed all send back various different things to earth, or into space.
For instance, the Troposphere allows condensation of water vapour and therefore its return to earth as rain.
The ozonosphere sends back harmful cosmic rays into space and the Ionosphere reflects radio waves coming from the earth back down, enabling long distance satellite communications.
• We made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from Our Signs. (21:32). For an explanation of this verse read the aforementioned comments about the function of the ozone layer.
• And he has cast into the earth firm mountains lest it shake with you… (16:15). This verse has sometimes been the subject of criticism because it has been objected that the mountains are formed by earthquakes themselves, and do not protect the earth from shaking during earthquakes. Dr Zaghloul El-Naggar, a Professor of Earth Sciences makes the following observations in response:
“The mountain chains with their deep roots in the lithosphere , (whose depth comes to about ten to fifteen times their height above the earth’s surface) tend to subside these violent motions , lessen the powerful staggering of the earth’s rotational axis and make the earth more stable and orderly in its rotation around the axis . The mountains also, attenuate the violent movement of the earth in such a way that a tire attenuates percussion during rotation.” Thus the Quranic verse correctly identifies the role the mountains play in stabilizing the earth and preventing it violently shaking as it rotates around its own axis.
Animal Kingdom
The Quran makes a number of statements about the animal kingdom that foreshadow studies by modern biologists. Here a few of them:
• And your Lord taught the honey bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men’s) habitations; Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and travel with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. (16: 68-69).
Biologists now know that all worker bees are female. The only purpose of the male bees in the hive is to inseminate the Queen Bee. This fact is not readily observable and thus it is surprising that the Quran uses the feminine form for the verbs for ‘build’ and ‘travel’ in the above verse.
Thus the author of the Quran appears to know that it is the female bee that builds hives and travels outside to gather nectar.
• When they approached the valley of the ants, one ant said “O you ants go into your homes, lest you get crushed by Solomon and his soldiers, without perceiving (27: 18).
For many years critics mocked the idea that ants could verbally communicate with each other. But finally in 2009, scientists have confirmed the accuracy of the Quran. Here is an extract from a newspaper report:
Research several decades ago had shown that ants were able to make alarm calls using sounds, but only now has it been shown that their vocabulary may be much bigger and that they can “talk” to each other…Professor Jeremy Thomas, of the University of Oxford, said improvements in technology had made the discoveries possible because it meant the ants could be recorded and subjected to playbacks without becoming alarmed. Professor Thomas said it remained unclear how much the ants relied on sound for language but he suspected that further analysis would reveal a wider vocabulary than had been seen yet.
Hills are alive with the sounds of ants
The remarkable scientific accuracy of the Quran strongly supports the Prophet Muhammad is not its author: God himself is.
Reasons Why Muhammad is a True Prophet (pbuh):
#4#
Prophet Muhammad’s True Prophecies
A Prophet is one who prophecies. A true Prophet is one, whose Prophecies come true.
Whilst is possible for a false prophet to occasionally make a correct prediction by chance, a true Prophet never fails in his Prophecies.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received knowledge from God of future events.
A look at his predictions with an open and unbiased mind makes this the only reasonable conclusion.
Here follow some of the events he predicted with sensational success:
The Mongols
The Mongols were a fierce, destructive force like no other, pillaging and murdering their way to building a momentous empire.
Hailing from Central Asia they fought Muslims in the 13th century, ransacking Baghdad.
The Muslim Mamluks of Egypt defeated them at Ayn Jalut, Palestine in 1260. Within a few decades, the Mongols had accepted Islam themselves.
The Prophet Muhammad described this race of warriors, their footwear and their distinctive Turkic features. The Arabs had no exposure to any such warriors in the 600s.
The Exalted Prophet, accurately prophecied that Muslims would fight them in the seventh century when no such event could have possibly been forseen:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Turks; people with small eyes, red faces, and flat noses. Their faces will look like shields coated with leather. The Hour will not be established till you fight with people whose shoes are made of hair.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari 2928
The Conquest of Constantinople
The Muslim Ottaman Empire defeated the Byzantines and conquered Constantinople in 1453.
This perfectly fulfilled the Prophecy of Muhammad Mustafa (saw) made around eight centuries earlier:
Verily you shall conquer Constantinople. What a wonderful leader will her leader be, and what a wonderful army will that army be!”
Ahmad, al-Musnad 14:331 #18859
Transparent Apparel & Whipping Fetishism
“There are two groups among the people of Hellfire whom I did not see: a people who have whips like the tails of oxen with which they beat people, and women who will be naked although they are clothed, who incline to evil and seduce with it. Their heads will be like the humps of a camel, leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they will not smell its fragrance, even though it can be detected from great distance.”
Sahih Muslim 2128
The above Hadith refers to forms of indecency that have only become prevalent in our times.
First the use of whips and other forms of violence in fetish play. Secondly clothing that is completely transparent, and thus is the same as nakednesss.
Once again this prediction has come to pass exactly as prophesied by God’s Messenger.
Wild Animals Talking & Smart Technology
“By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! The Hour will not be established until predators speak to people and until the tip of a man’s whip and the straps on his sandal (shoe) speak to him, and his thigh informs him of what occurred with his family after he left.”
Tirmidhi 2181
Here the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) accurately foretold the following unforseeable developments, fourteen centuries ago
Predators will talk to humans – see this wikipedia entry for this hair-raising development
The tip of a Man’s whip will speak to him – This is in my view, a clear reference to the whip antenna used on car radios, cordless phones and walkie-talkie.
The straps of a person’s shoe will speak to him – The Talking shoe exists!
A person’s thigh will inform him of what occured to with his family after he left – Smartphones are kept generally in person’s pockets near the thigh.
There are endless apps, like GPS tracking, voice and video calls and even Home Monitoring Security Apps that tell a person what their family is doing in their physical absence!
Peace and Blessings be upon the true Prophet Muhammad, whom forsaw all these unpredictable developments a whole a millennium and a half ago, in the deserts of Arabia!
The Bedouins & The Burj
It was also foretold in the Prophet’s narrations, that near the end of time the Poor Bedouin sheep herders of Arabia would suddenly come into wealth, and compete with one another in erecting high rise buildings:
…you will see barefoot, naked, and dependent shepherds compete in the construction of tall buildings.…
Sahih Muslim 8
The significance of this sign, in the breathtaking way it has come to pass, cannot be overstated. One Muslim writer notes:
Today one of the highest concentrations of tall buildings in the world is in the Arabian peninsula, specifically the areas in which Bedouin Arabs lived. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, is the world’s tallest man-made structure at 828 metres. A short time after it was completed, a rival family in Saudi Arabia announced that they would build a taller one (1,000 metres) the Kingdom Tower and are literally competing with each other over who can build the world’s tallest building
Reasons Why Muhammad is a True Prophet (pbuh)
Reason #5#
The Quran is a Literary Miracle
The Open Challenge
The Prophet Muhammad was unlettered. Yet the Quran is a Literary masterpiece.
It has a unique structure and supernatural eloquence that provides some of the most stunning proof of it being the verbatim word of Almighty God.
The Quran itself challenged the Arabs of the Prophet’s time- known for their passion for poetic excellence- to produce something similar to the Quran or else accept that it was indeed a divine miracle.
The initial challenge was that the Pagan Arabs produce a book the like of the Quran (52:33-34). Then this was reduced to a challenge of ten chapters (11:13).
Finally the Quran asked the rejectors to produce a single chapter like it:
And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur’an) to Our slave (Muhammad Peace be upon him), then produce a surah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses besides Allah, if you are truthful.
Al Quran 2:23
The shortest chapter of the Quran (Surah Al-Kawthar, Chapter 108) consists of merely three succinct lines. Thus the challenge of the Quran was declared to be a successful imitation of three lines of its text!
What was it then that made the challenge so difficult that the Arabs of the Quraysh tribe, admired across the whole peninsula for the poetic brilliance, failed such an ‘easy’ challenge? Not even daring to attempt it?
The answer is that they understood that while you could possibly parody the linguistic features of the Quran, the effect would be laughable and underline that eloquent speech within the Quranic style cannot be humanly achieved:
Abdur Raheem Green writes:
…the challenge is to produce in Arabic, three lines, that do not fall into one of these sixteen Bihar (poetic metres), that is not rhyming prose, nor like the speech of soothsayers, and not normal speech, that it should contain at least a comprehensible meaning and rhetoric,
https://www.islamic-awareness.org/quran/miracle/ijaz
The Linguistic Miracle team define this perfectly:
It is possible to superficially mimic the style of the Qur’ân, and many people have been successful in doing so – but all such attempts from the days of Musaylimah to the present have proven to be silly and
absurd, and have often invoked laughter and derision. This is the unanimous consensus of everyone who
has ever heard or read those attempts…Only the Qur’ân achieves the highest level of literary excellence – so much so that it brings people to ecstasy and tears – while maintaining this style.
This, then, is the acid test: Write something in the exact same style as the Qur’ân and in doing so produce something of arguably similar quality and sublimity.
Still, one could argue that the evaluation of the results is still grounded in subjective literary tastes.
This is agreed however, the second part of the challenge is to bring witnesses to attest to the quality of that evaluation, not just to stand there and make the claim…
We should pause to consider: What other literary style can we think of which has produced an indisputably great work of literaure but is at the same time guaranteed to bring the most wretched
failure to anyone else who tries his hand at it?
The Amazing Structure
Many Non-Muslims and Muslims labour under the mistaken impression that the Quran lacks any consistent structure.
Given the fact that it was revealed gradually over 23 years, shifts rapidly in subject from verse to verse and is not arranged chronologically this impression is understandable.
However the fact is that it does have a definite structure. It is in fact nothing short of miraculous that such an intricate structure exists beneath a seemingly random arrangement.
To maintain the consistency of the theme, language and structure of the Quran over 23 years would have not been possible for a human author:
Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.
Al Quran 4:82
Nazm Al Quran
According to the discoveries of Maulana Farahi and Maulana Islahi, the Quran is arranged in seven pairs sharing common themes and there is a coherant structure within each chapter (Surah).
Understanding this beautiful arrangement brings one only greater conviction that combing such exceptional eloquence with such a tightly knitted structure would have been beyond the capacity of a a human being.
In a nutshell, as per this arrangement, the Qur’ān is divided in seven distinct groups and the sūrahs within each group occur in pairs.
This pairing of the sūrahs is on the basis of the topics discussed, and each member of a pair has a complimentary relation with one another.
Some sūrahs are an exception to this scheme like Sūrah Fātiḥah, which is like an introduction to the whole Qur’ān.
Some other sūrahs have come as a supplement or as a conclusion of a group…
Each group of the Qur’ān begins with one or more Makkan sūrah and ends with one or more Madīnan sūrah.
What about the structure within a Surah? the Farahi School sees it as follows:
Each surah has a theme round which its contents revolve and make it into a unified whole. It is the most comprehensive statement of its contents and what the soul is to a body, the theme is to a surah.
Together with the main text of a surah, there is an introduction and a conclusion. Surahs have distinct sections to mark thematic shifts, and every section is paragraphed to mark smaller shifts. .
…The text of a surah progresses through these paragraphs and section and gradually reaches its culmination. As a result, the surah assumes a distinct and unique form and shape, and becomes a complete and independent whole.
(Adapted from Javed Ghamidi “Meezan” – the section “Coherence in the Discourse, Principles of Understanding the Qur’an.
Ring Structure of The Quran
The remarkable structure of the Quran is like a sea full of hidden pearls, waiting to be discovered.
Thus, in recent years it has come to light that the book has a ring structure that presents a challenge to theories of human explanation of the Quran’s origins.
Raymond Farrin, a Non-Muslim Scholar has written a detailed book explaining this phenomenon, which can be purchased here.
I would strongly recommend you read this article which describes in detail how the Quranic ring structure is so intricate that it truly boggles the mind.
In brief, common themes appear in mirror forms at the start and end of suras, with mini-rings within each section.
For such a complex arrangement to have been arrived in the circumstances of the Prophet’s own revelation was essentially impossible.
Final Thoughts
Prophet Muhammad is the true Prophet whose prophecies have stood the test of time.
He is the Prophet whose coming was foretold by Jesus, Moses and Isaiah (Peace be upon them).
He is the Prophet who received revelations that cannot be imitated by human beings.
He is the Prophet whose Divine Book, contains scientific knowledge only God could have known 1400 years ago.
He is the victoror and conqueror, the supremely successful Prophet who established God’s kingdom of Earth as a sign of God’s Justice.
Prophet Muhammad is the beloved and chosen one of God, and his last Prophet. Endless peace, blessings and salutations upon him!:
By the star when it descends.
Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred.
Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.
It is not but a revelation revealed.
Taught to him by one intense in strength –
Al Quran 53:1- 5