Articles on the linguistic, scientific, and narrative aspects of the Quran's inimitability.
Scientific i'jaz: the expanding universe
This article takes up the Quranic indication of an expanding universe — a fact science did not reach until the twentieth century.
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَٰهَا بِأَيْي۟دٍۢ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ
Adh-Dhaariyat · 47
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof).
Allah Almighty says in Surat adh-Dhariyat: "And the heaven We built with might, and indeed We are expanding it." This noble verse, revealed more than 1,400 years ago, speaks plainly of "musi'un", that is, the expansion of the heaven. Human beings did not grasp this reality until the early twentieth century, with the discoveries of astronomers such as Edwin Hubble. The agreement between the Quranic text and modern scientific fact is evidence that the Quran is the speech of Allah, the Creator, the All-Knowing.
Linguistic i'jaz: the precision of word choice
A survey of the extraordinary linguistic precision of the Noble Quran, and how every word in it carries a deep and deliberate meaning that cannot be swapped for another.
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَن يُرْسِلَ ٱلرِّيَاحَ مُبَشِّرَٰتٍۢ وَلِيُذِيقَكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ وَلِتَجْرِىَ ٱلْفُلْكُ بِأَمْرِهِۦ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Ar-Room · 46
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
And of His signs is this: He sendeth herald winds to make you taste His mercy, and that the ships may sail at His command, and that ye may seek his favour, and that haply ye may be thankful.
The Noble Quran is not merely a book of guidance; it is an unmatched linguistic and rhetorical miracle. The precision with which its words, sentences and constructions are chosen shows itself in the finest detail. Take, for example, the difference between "ar-rih" (wind, singular) and "ar-riyah" (winds, plural) in the Quran: the singular is mostly used where punishment or harm is meant, while the plural is used for good and for glad tidings. This fine distinction points to a divine source that does not err in its speech, and confirms the eloquence with which the Quran challenged the most articulate Arabs of its day, and challenges still.
Quranic narratives: the People of the Cave
An analysis of the story of the People of the Cave as the Noble Quran relates it, and the lessons drawn from it.
۞ وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٰوَرُ عَن كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِى فَجْوَةٍۢ مِّنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ مَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ وَلِيًّۭا مُّرْشِدًۭا
Al-Kahf · 17
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
And thou mightest have seen the sun when it rose move away from their cave to the right, and when it set go past them on the left, and they were in the cleft thereof. That was (one) of the portents of Allah. He whom Allah guideth, he indeed is led aright, and he whom He sendeth astray, for him thou wilt not find a guiding friend.
The story of the People of the Cave is one of the great narratives of the Noble Quran. It tells of young men who believed in their Lord and refused to worship idols in the time of a tyrannical king. They fled with their faith, withdrew from their people, and took refuge in the cave. Allah put them to sleep there for three hundred years, and nine more, then raised them up to be a sign for humankind. The story carries deep lessons in holding fast to the truth, in reliance upon Allah, and in His power to give life to the dead and to turn conditions around. It has been a source of inspiration for Muslims in every time and place.
Scientific i'jaz: the barrier between the two seas
The article takes up the verses that point to an unseen barrier between bodies of water, so that neither fully mixes with the other.
۞ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَرَجَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ هَٰذَا عَذْبٌۭ فُرَاتٌۭ وَهَٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌۭ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخًۭا وَحِجْرًۭا مَّحْجُورًۭا
Al-Furqaan · 53
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
And He it is Who hath given independence to the two seas (though they meet); one palatable, sweet, and the other saltish, bitter; and hath set a bar and a forbidding ban between them.
The Noble Quran speaks in several verses of the meeting of two seas and of a barrier between them that prevents them from mixing completely, as in His words in Surat al-Furqan: "And it is He who has released the two seas, one fresh and sweet and one salty and bitter, and He placed between them a barrier and a forbidding partition." This phenomenon, known today at river mouths and wherever bodies of water of differing density, salinity and temperature meet, was not fully understood until modern advances in oceanography. That the Quran pointed to it so precisely, centuries earlier, is evidence of its divine source.
Stories of patience and steadfastness: Yusuf, peace be upon him
The story of Allah's prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, as a great example of patience under trial and affliction.
قَالُوٓا۟ أَءِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ يُوسُفُ وَهَٰذَآ أَخِى ۖ قَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
Yusuf · 90
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
They said: Is it indeed thou who art Joseph? He said: I am Joseph and this is my brother. Allah hath shown us favour. Lo! he who wardeth off (evil) and endureth (findeth favour); for lo! Allah loseth not the wages of the kindly.
The story of Yusuf, peace be upon him, in the Noble Quran is the finest model of beautiful patience and of steadfastness upon the truth despite one hardship after another. Yusuf passed through many trials from his childhood onward: the envy of his brothers and his being cast into the well, then his sale as a slave, then the scheming of the women and his imprisonment though he had done no wrong. Through all of it he lost neither his faith nor his patience, but remained reliant upon Allah, until Allah raised him and established him in the land, so that he became the treasurer of Egypt and was reunited with his family. The story teaches the believers that patience is the key to relief, that ease follows hardship, and that the help of Allah is with those who are patient.
Scientific i'jaz: the stages of human creation in the womb
A detailed look at the precise stages by which the human embryo forms as the Quran described them, and as modern science has established them.
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِن سُلَٰلَةٍۢ مِّن طِينٍۢ
Al-Muminoon · 12
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Verily We created man from a product of wet earth;
The Noble Quran described the stages of the creation of the human being in the womb with an exactness unknown at the time of its revelation. In Surat al-Mu'minun, Allah Almighty says: "And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay. Then We placed him as a drop of fluid in a firm lodging. Then We made the drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump, and We made from the lump bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators." These descriptions correspond closely to what modern embryology has discovered, confirming that this Book is sent down from the Creator of the universe, whose knowledge encompasses all things.
Stories of patience and steadfastness: Ayyub, peace be upon him
A reflection on the patience of Allah's prophet Ayyub, peace be upon him, the severity of his trial and the greatness of his reward.
۞ وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
Al-Anbiyaa · 83
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
And Job, when he cried unto his Lord, (saying): Lo! adversity afflicteth me, and Thou art Most Merciful of all who show mercy.
The story of Allah's prophet Ayyub, peace be upon him, is a living example of patience and of seeking reward from Allah at the very limit of affliction. Allah Almighty tried him in his wealth, his children and his body; he lost nearly everything, yet he did not complain and did not despair, but remained patient, grateful and praising Allah. After years of beautiful patience, Allah lifted his distress, restored his family and his wealth to him, and increased him from His bounty. The story of Ayyub teaches us that affliction is a test from Allah; that beautiful patience raises a person in rank, wipes away wrongs, and bears good fruit in this life and the next; and that with hardship there is always ease.
Scientific i'jaz: the mountains as pegs
An explanation of the Quranic image of mountains as pegs steadying the earth, and how it accords with modern geology.
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَٰدًۭا
An-Naba · 6
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Have We not made the earth an expanse,
The Noble Quran describes the mountains with a precise and remarkable image. In Surat an-Naba, Allah Almighty says: "Have We not made the earth a resting place, and the mountains as pegs?" The word "awtadan" means the stakes that hold a thing fast. Modern geology has established that mountains have deep roots extending beneath the surface of the earth, and that these roots act as pegs that steady the crust and keep it from shifting and shaking. This scientific fact, unknown at the time the Quran was revealed, confirms that the Quran is the speech of Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, who perfected everything He created.
Scientific i'jaz: the water cycle and the forming of clouds
A survey of the verses that describe with precision the stages by which rain forms: evaporation, condensation and fall.
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًۭا فَيَبْسُطُهُۥ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ وَيَجْعَلُهُۥ كِسَفًۭا فَتَرَى ٱلْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَٰلِهِۦ ۖ فَإِذَآ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ
Ar-Room · 48
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Allah is He Who sendeth the winds so that they raise clouds, and spreadeth them along the sky as pleaseth Him, and causeth them to break and thou seest the rain downpouring from within them. And when He maketh it to fall on whom He will of His bondmen, lo! they rejoice;
The Noble Quran described the water cycle and the forming of clouds and rain in remarkable detail, centuries before human beings discovered these processes. Allah Almighty says in Surat ar-Rum: "It is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so that you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, at once they rejoice." These verses describe plainly how the winds stir up the clouds, how the clouds are then spread across the sky, how they thicken into piled layers, and how the rain then comes out from within them. This exact account of the water cycle is strong evidence that the Quran is the speech of Allah, the Creator, the Disposer of all affairs.
Stories of patience and steadfastness: Nuh, peace be upon him
A survey of the struggle and the patience of Allah's prophet Nuh, peace be upon him, with his people across a thousand years.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًۭا وَنَهَارًۭا
Nooh · 5
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
He said: My Lord! Lo! I have called unto my people night and day
The story of Nuh, peace be upon him, is among the longest of the prophets' stories in the Noble Quran, and a singular model of patience and perseverance in calling to Allah. Nuh called his people to the oneness of Allah for a thousand years less fifty, and met from them mockery, derision and turning away. Despite the length of the years and the harshness of the refusal, Nuh, peace be upon him, neither despaired nor stopped calling, until Allah commanded him to build the ark. The story teaches us the importance of holding to principle, of patience under injury for the sake of the truth, and that the help of Allah will surely come to whoever is sincere in relying upon Him.
Scientific i'jaz: the origin of the universe and the Big Bang
An interpretation of the verses that point to the universe beginning as a single mass which was then parted, set beside the Big Bang theory.
أَوَلَمْ يَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًۭا فَفَتَقْنَٰهُمَا ۖ وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَىٍّ ۖ أَفَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Al-Anbiyaa · 30
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?
Allah Almighty says in Surat al-Anbiya: "Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and then We parted them, and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?" This verse points plainly to the heavens and the earth having been a single mass ("ratqan") which Allah then separated ("fa-fataqnahuma"). This Quranic description accords strikingly with the Big Bang theory, which holds that the universe began from a single point of extreme density and heat, then expanded as its constituents separated. This agreement between the revealed Quranic text and modern scientific fact is a great scientific i'jaz.
Scientific i'jaz: hearing before sight in the embryo
The Quran mentions hearing ahead of sight in the growth of the embryo, which is what modern science has established.
ثُمَّ سَوَّىٰهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِۦ ۖ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ ۚ قَلِيلًۭا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ
As-Sajda · 9
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His Spirit; and appointed for you hearing and sight and hearts. Small thanks give ye!
In Surat as-Sajdah, Allah Almighty says: "Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His spirit, and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful." This noble verse, and others like it, mention the faculty of hearing before that of sight. Modern embryology has established that the ear forms before the eye in the embryo, and that hearing begins to form and to function before sight does. This precise Quranic ordering agrees exactly with what science has lately discovered, confirming the scientific i'jaz of the Noble Quran.
Linguistic i'jaz: the gnat as a parable
The Quran is not ashamed to draw a parable from anything, however small — even a gnat — which points to the depth of the meaning.
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًۭا مَّا بَعُوضَةًۭ فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلًۭا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًۭا وَيَهْدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرًۭا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ
Al-Baqara · 26
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Lo! Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude even of a gnat. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord; but those who disbelieve say: What doth Allah wish (to teach) by such a similitude? He misleadeth many thereby, and He guideth many thereby; and He misleadeth thereby only miscreants;
In Surat al-Baqarah, Allah Almighty says: "Indeed, Allah is not ashamed to present an example, that of a gnat or what is smaller than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieved, they say: what did Allah intend by this as an example? He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient." Choosing the gnat, a very small creature, as an example shows that Allah Almighty holds nothing to be too slight, and that in the creation of the least of creatures there are great signs for those who reflect. This linguistic and rhetorical challenge is proof that the Quran is from Allah, who is able to bring forth wonders in the smallest of things as in the greatest.
Numerical i'jaz: the balance of the word "say" and its forms
The recurrence of the word "say" and its derivatives in the Noble Quran shows a precise balance that reflects a divine order.
قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Al-Ikhlaas · 1
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Say: He is Allah, the One!
Among the marks of numerical i'jaz in the Noble Quran is the balance in how verbs and their derivatives recur. The word "qul" (say, in the imperative) and its derivatives occur in the Noble Quran a number of times proportionate to the weight of directing the address and of answering what is asked. This balance is not arbitrary; it is part of the exact numerical fabric of the Quran, which indicates that every word has been set with measure. This consistency confirms that the Quran is a Book sent down from One who is All-Wise, All-Aware.
Stories of the prophets: Musa and al-Khidr
A reflection on Musa, peace be upon him, and his meeting with al-Khidr, and its lessons in God-given knowledge and in patience with what one does not encompass in knowledge.
قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًۭا
Al-Kahf · 66
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Moses said unto him: May I follow thee, to the end that thou mayst teach me right conduct of that which thou hast been taught?
The story of Musa, peace be upon him, with the righteous servant al-Khidr in Surat al-Kahf is among the deepest of the Quranic narratives on the limits of human knowledge and on knowledge given directly by Allah. Musa, peace be upon him, learns great lessons in patience with the wisdom of Allah and His ordering of affairs, which may be hidden from a person on the surface of things. Al-Khidr performed acts that appeared outwardly wrong — damaging the boat, killing the boy, building the wall — yet their explanation reveals a far-reaching divine wisdom. The story teaches us that above every possessor of knowledge there is one more knowing, and that submitting to the decree of Allah is the heart of faith.
Scientific i'jaz: the description of how clouds move
The Quran describes the movement of clouds and their piling up with a precision that accords with modern scientific discovery.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزْجِى سَحَابًۭا ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيْنَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُۥ رُكَامًۭا فَتَرَى ٱلْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَٰلِهِۦ وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن جِبَالٍۢ فِيهَا مِنۢ بَرَدٍۢ فَيُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَصْرِفُهُۥ عَن مَّن يَشَآءُ ۖ يَكَادُ سَنَا بَرْقِهِۦ يَذْهَبُ بِٱلْأَبْصَٰرِ
An-Noor · 43
Meaning of the verse · Pickthall
Hast thou not seen how Allah wafteth the clouds, then gathereth them, then maketh them layers, and thou seest the rain come forth from between them; He sendeth down from the heaven mountains wherein is hail, and smiteth therewith whom He will, and averteth it from whom He will. The flashing of His lightning all but snatcheth away the sight.
The Noble Quran describes the movement and forming of clouds in a way beyond human understanding at the time of its revelation. In Surat an-Nur, Allah Almighty says: "Do you not see that Allah drives clouds, then joins them together, then makes them into a mass, so that you see the rain emerge from within it? And He sends down from the sky mountains of clouds within which is hail, and He strikes with it whom He wills and averts it from whom He wills. The flash of its lightning almost takes away the eyesight." The verse describes plainly the driving of the clouds ("yuzji sahaban"), then their joining ("yu'allifu baynahu"), then their heaping and piling up ("yaj'aluhu rukaman"), then the emergence of rain from within them. This precise account of the physics of clouds is evidence of the scientific i'jaz of the Noble Quran.