وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِى رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا
فَأْتُوا۟ بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِۦ وَٱدْعُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ
إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى
وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ ۖ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians)
are in doubt concerning that
which We have sent down (the Qur’an)
to Our servant (Muhammad),
then produce a Surah the like thereof
and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers)
besides Allah, if you are truthful.
But if you do it not, and you can never do it,
then fear the Fire (Hell) fuel is men and stones,
prepared for the disbelievers.
The Message of Messenger of Allah is True
Allah begins to prove the truth of prophethood after He stated that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him. Allah said to the disbelievers,
وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِى رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا
And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (the Qur’an) to Our servant
meaning, Muhammad ,
فَأْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ
then produce a Surah
meaning, similar to what he brought to you.
Hence, if you claim that what he was sent with did not come from Allah, then produce something similar to what he has brought to you, using the help of anyone you wish instead of Allah. However, you will not be able to succeed in this quest. Ibn `Abbas said that,
شُهَدَآءَكُمُ
your witnesses
means “Aids.”
Also, As-Suddi reported that Abu Malik said the Ayah means, “Your partners, meaning, some other people to help you in that. Meaning then go and seek the help of your deities to support and aid you.” Also, Mujahid said that,
وَادْعُواْ شُهَدَآءَكُم
and call your witnesses
means, “People, meaning, wise and eloquent men who will provide the testimony that you seek.”
The Challenge
Allah challenged the disbelievers in various parts of the Qur’an. For instance, Allah said in Surat Al-Qasas 49,
قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِكِتَـبٍ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ هُوَ أَهْدَى مِنْهُمَآ أَتَّبِعْهُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ
Say (to them, O Muhammad ): “Then bring a Book from Allah, which is a better guide than these two (the Tawrah and the Qur’an), that I may follow it, if you are truthful”.
Also, Allah said in Surat Al-Isra’ 88
قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَن يَأْتُواْ بِمِثْلِ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانِ لاَ يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا
Say: “If mankind and the Jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another.”
Allah said in Surat Hud 13
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُواْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ
Or they say, “He (Prophet Muhammad ) forged it (the Qur’an).” Say: “Bring you then ten forged Surahs like it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah (to your help), if you speak the truth!”
And in Surat Yunus 37-38,
وَمَا كَانَ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ أَن يُفْتَرَى مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَـكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ الْكِتَابِ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ مِّثْلِهِ وَادْعُواْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ
And this Qur’an is not such as could ever be produced by other than Allah (Lord of the heavens and the earth), but it is a confirmation of (the revelation) which was before it (the Tawrah and the Injil), and a full explanation of the Book (Laws decreed for mankind) ـ wherein there is no doubt ـ from the Lord of all that exists. Or do they say: “He (Muhammad ) has forged it” Say: “Bring then a Surah (chapter) like it, and call upon whomsoever you can besides Allah, if you are truthful!”
All of these Ayat were revealed in Makkah.
Allah also challenged the disbelievers in the Ayat that were revealed in Al-Madinah. In this Ayah, Allah said,
وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِى رَيْبٍ
And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in Rayb
meaning, doubt.
مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا
Concerning that which We have sent down (the Qur’an) to Our servant
meaning, Muhammad ,
فَأْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ
then produce a Surah the like thereof
meaning, similar to the Qur’an.
This is the Tafsir of Mujahid, Qatadah, Ibn Jarir At-Tabari, Az-Zamakhshari and Ar-Razi. Ar-Razi said that this is the Tafsir of `Umar, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and the majority of the scholars. And he gave preference to this view and mentioned the fact that Allah has challenged the disbelievers as individuals and as groups, whether literate or illiterate, thus making the challenge truly complete. This type of challenge is more daring than simply challenging the disbelievers who might not be literate or knowledgeable. This is why Allah said,
فَأْتُواْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ
Bring you then ten forged Surahs like it (Hud 13), and,
لاَ يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ
They could not produce the like thereof (Al-Isra 88).
Therefore, this is a general challenge to the Arab disbelievers, the most eloquent among all nations. Allah challenged the Arab disbelievers both in Makkah and Al-Madinah several times, especially since they had tremendous hatred and enmity for the Prophet and his religion. Yet, they were unable to succeed in answering the challenge, and this is why Allah said,
فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُواْ وَلَن تَفْعَلُواْ
But if you do it not, and you can never do it
indicating that they will never be able to answer the challenge.
This is another miracle, in that, Allah clearly stated without doubt that the Qur’an will never be opposed or challenged by anything similar to it, for eternity. This is a true statement that has not been changed until the present and shall never change. How can anyone be able to produce something like the Qur’an, when the Qur’an is the Word of Allah Who created everything How can the words of the created ever be similar to the Words of the Creator.