The Light of Truth — Page 245
REFUTING OBJECTIONS best orators of classical Arabic and the period's most eloquent rhetoricians. Their pride revolved around the excellent use of language and pearls of speech, and the fruits of expression and its blooms. They vied with one another through novel Qaşā'id¹ and embellished discourses, but they were not given to conversing in the subtleties of wisdom, and the scent of divine knowledge never touched their speech. On the con- trary, the pasture of their ideas extended only to verses about love and amusing anecdotes, but they lacked the ability to write eloquently on topics of profound wisdom. For many years they were accustomed to a variety of poetry, prose, and elegant exposition. They were accepted and approved of by their kinsfolk; they were the pre-eminent orators of Arabic and surpassed all others in these fields. So Allah addressed these people and said: إن كُنْتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِّنْ مِثْلِهِ . . . فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَ لَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَفِرِينَ 20 Further, He instructed [the Holy Prophetsas]: قُلْ لَبِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنْسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَ لَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا 3 245 1. A qaşīdah (pl. qaşā'id), or ode, is an ancient form of Arabic poetry that is set out with a specific metre and structure and often with a unifying theme throughout. [Publisher] 2. If you are in doubt as to what We have sent down to Our servant, then pro- duce a Chapter like it . . . but if you do it not-and never shall you do it-then guard against the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers (Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:24-25). [Publisher] 3. Say, 'If mankind and the Jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even though they should help one another' (Sūrah Bani Isrā'īl, 17:89). [Publisher]