► 23-24 ◄
Verses 23-24
وَاِنْ كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا فَاْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ وَادْعُواْ شُهَدَاءَكُم مِّنْ دُونِ اللّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ❊ فَاِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُواْ وَلَنْ تَفْعَلُواْ فَاتَّقُواْ النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ اُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ
And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed, step by step, to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses [and helpers if there are any] besides Allah, if what you say is true. ∗ But if you cannot, and of a surety you cannot, then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, which is prepared for those who reject faith. (Wa in kuntum fī raybin mimmā nazzalnā ‘alā ‘abdinā fa-’tū bi-sūratin min mithlihi wa ad‘ū shuhadā’akum min dūn Allāhi in kuntum ṣādiqīn. • Fa-in lam taf‘alū wa lan taf‘alū fa-’ttaqū al-nār allatī waqūduhā an-nās wa al-ḥijāra u‘iddat li’l-kāfirīn.)
An Introduction Verifying Prophethood
An Introduction Verifying Prophethood
Consider this: Just as the previous verse proves the first of the four main aims of the Qur’an, and that is divine unity (al-tawḥīd), so this one (2:23) proves the second, the prophethood of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace), [^55] through the most consummate of his miracles, which was his challenging [opponents] with the Qur’an’s miraculousness and inimitability (i‘jāz). We have set out evidences of his prophethood in detail in another book [^56] and a part of them is summarized here in six topics. [^57]
[^55]:In fact, the second aim of the Qur’an is prophethood generally. But Muhammad’s (UWBP) prophethood may be said to be thus since it was universal and included the essence of the previous prophets’ teachings. See, Nursi, İşârâtü’l-İ’caz [Abdülmecid], 177.
[^56]:Muhâkemat, 129-48; Rational Arguments, 135-54. See also, Letters, 236-46; 257-63.
[^57]:In fact, there are seven Topics.