"Quran's Inimitability Challenge" VS "Pagan's Bring a Miracle Challenge"

Summary:

This article has 3 parts:

• Part 1: Not even a single native Arabic-speaking Pagan/Jew accepted Islam due to the inimitability challenge

  Islamic preachers claim that the Quran is the GREATEST Miracle of all time due to its alleged inimitability or due to its alleged literary miracle. However, if it is true, then logically a large number of people would have converted to Islam due to this alleged GREATEST Miracle. Strangely, according to historical records (i.e. Muslim Hadith/History books), hardly any Native Arabic-speaking Pagan/Jew accepted Islam due to this alleged greatest miracle. 
  
  

• Part 2: "Quran's Inimitability Challenge": Muhammad's Failed Response to Pagan's Challenge to "Bring a Miracle"
  
  This section is about understanding the ORIGIN of the challenge of inimitability. The Pagans challenged Muhammad to "Bring a Miracle" as proof of his prophethood. However, Muhammad and his Allah failed completely to perform any miracle in front of the pagans. Subsequently, Muhammad started making different excuses for his inability to show any miracle, and this challenge of "inimitability" was one of those excuses Muhammad used to deflect the original pagan's challenge of showing any miracle.

• Part 3: The logical proof that the Quran is not a miracle, as it is deficient on many accounts.

 

Part 1: Not even a SINGLE native Arabic-speaking Pagan/Jew accepted Islam due to the inimitability challenge

Firstly, it's crucial to understand that the Quranic Challenge specifically centers around the inimitability of the Quran and is unrelated to any literary miracle. These are two distinct concepts. It was only later generations of Muslims who associated the inimitability challenge of the Quran with a literary miracle. The Quran itself never claims to be a literary miracle, nor do any Hadith make such a claim.

Here are the verses of the Quran concerning this challenge, and you can see they all focus on inimitability, with none mentioning a literary miracle:

1. "Or do they say he has fabricated it? Say bring then a chapter like unto it, and call upon whom you can besides God, if you speak truly!" (10:38) 
2. "Or do they say he has fabricated it? Nay! They believe not! Let them then produce a recital like unto it if they speak the truth." (52:34) 
3. "And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down to our servant, then produce a chapter of the like. But if you do not - and you will never be able to - then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the Kafirs." (2:23)
4. "Say, Bring you then ten chapters like unto it, and call whomsoever you can, other than God, if you speak the truth!" (11:13)
5. "If men and Jinn banded together to produce the like of this Qur'an they would never produce its like not though they backed one another." (17:88)

Consequently:

• The native Arabic-speaking Meccans did not perceive the Quranic Challenge as a trial of the Quran's literary excellence.
• Instead, they viewed it as a challenge related to the Quran's content and substance, rather than its style or linguistic prowess. They understood Muhammad's claim that his God communicated with him, revealing information about the unseen— past events, and tales of earlier nations. This claim mocked the pagans as their gods didn't communicate with them and didn't provide them with similar knowledge about past events.

Therefore, regarding the inimitability challenge, the pagan Meccans were unimpressed, not considering it a miracle. Their response to the challenge is reflected in Quran 8:31:

• "When Our Signs are rehearsed to them, they say: 'We have heard this (before): if we wished, we could say (words) like these: these are nothing but tales of the ancients.'" (Quran 8:31)

They accused Muhammad of fabricating these tales with the assistance of others, as stated in Quran 25:4-5:

• "This [Quran] is not except a falsehood he fabricated, and another people assisted him in it. And they say: '(These are the) Tales of the ancients, which he has written down.'" (Quran 25:4-5)

As far as the additional literary miracle is concerned, then the Quran is itself proof that the Native Arabic-speaking pagans were aware of the somewhat poetic nature of the Quran. 

Quran 6:5:

بَلْ قَالُوٓا۟ أَضْغَٰثُ أَحْلَٰمٍۭ بَلِ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌ 

Yet they say: "These (i.e. the Quranic verses) are only confused dreams (of Muhammad), or he has invented them; or he is only a poet. 

There existed tons of poets in that era, whose poetry was considered great, despite them being illiterates (just like Muhammad). Therefore, the fact of Muhammad's illiteracy would in no way constitute proof of the Qur'an miraculous origin as the great pre-Islamic poets were illiterate.

Now, imagine the mindset of the people of pre-Islamic Arabia. Eloquence and poetry were the essence of their society. The natural taste for Arabic poetry and literature was ingrained in every child. Eloquence and rhetoric flowed through their veins like lifeblood. They possessed a lot of pride in their poetry and literature. They were so proud of poetry that they used to call all other nations "Ajam," meaning "dumb", in comparison to themselves.

So, they were the best people to JUDGE if there existed any literary miracle in the Quran or not. 

 

Failure of Islamic preachers to show where a large number of native Pagans/Jews converted to Islam due to this alleged Greatest Miracle of all time

If the Quran truly stands as the greatest miracle of all time, it would be reasonable to expect a substantial number of conversions to Islam because of it. However, Islamic preachers have not provided evidence of such widespread conversions attributable to the Quran's inimitability challenge.

At most, Islamic preachers offer the names of only a few individuals who supposedly converted to Islam due to the inimitability miracle. For instance, they mention individuals like Umar Ibn Khattab, Labīd ibn Rabī al-ʿĀmirī, Tufayl ibn Amr, and Jubayr ibn Mut'im. Yet, even these individuals are not conclusively linked to accepting Islam because of the inimitability challenge. 

The Biggest Problem: Muslims FABRICATED thousands of false traditions for the sake of their religion:

The most significant issue is the fabrication of thousands of false traditions by later Muslim generations to bolster their religion. These fabrications cast doubt on the authenticity of traditions related to these individuals. 

To understand this issue of the fabrication of traditions by Muslims to bolster their religion, please read our article:

• The Hadith Fabrication Factory of Muslims: 131 Traditions claimed it was Ishaaq who was slaughtered, while 133 Traditions were fabricated that claimed it was Ismael who was slaughtered

Therefore, please keep in mind that Muslim factories of fabricated traditions were fully capable of fabricating dozens of false traditions about these few individuals too. 

Let us now look at these few individuals. 

(1) Umar Ibn Khattab:

Islamic preachers assert that Umar, upon hearing the verses of the Quran in his sister's home, was deeply moved, leading to his acceptance of Islam. However, this claim faces several challenges. For example, the hadith recounting Umar's experience in his sister's home is not considered Sahih (authentic) according to the standards of Hadith in Islam. Moreover, contradictory traditions exist regarding the circumstances of Umar's conversion, undermining the reliability of the story involving his sister's home.

Furthermore, even within the narrative of his sister's home, there is no mention of a specific challenge related to the inimitability or linguistic miracle of the Quran. Instead, it suggests that Umar was moved by the Quranic message of monotheism. Yes, the Quranic message might have touched the hearts of some pagans. Perhaps they would have found it more attractive than the pagan religion which had multiple gods and questionable rituals. 

However, finding the Quranic message more attractive than the pagan religion is not equal to converting to Islam due to the Quranic challenge of inimitability or its alleged literary miracle. 

(2) Labīd ibn Rabī al-ʿĀmirī:

Again there exist no reliable traditions about him. And those traditions, which exist, tell contradictory stories about how he accepted Islam.

One tradition claims Muhammad hanged 3 verses of "Sura al-Kawthar" on Ka'ba. When Labīd saw those 3 verses of Surah al-Kawthat, he claimed it to be only a divine speech and accepted Islam. However, it seems logically not possible that the pagans of Mecca would have ever allowed Muhammad to put the verses of the Quan on Ka'ba.

While the other contradicting tradition claims he accepted Islam due to حُرُوف مُقَطَّعَات (i.e. "disconnected letters" of the Quran, like Ṭā-Hā, Yā-Sīn, Ṣād, Qāf etc). 

(3) Tufayl ibn Amr:

The story of Tufayl Ibn Amr is as under. Ibn Hisham wrote (English Translation, page 154):

... I (i.e. Tufayl) said. The apostle explained Islam to me and recited the Quran to me. By Allah I never heard anyting finer nor anything more just. So I became a Muslim and bore true witness. I said, `O prophet of God, I am a man of authority among my people and when I go back and call them to Islam, pray to Allah to give me a (miracle as a) sign which will help me when I preach to them.' He said, `O Allah give him (a miracle as) a sign.'  So I went back to my people and when I came to the pass which would bring me down to the settlement a light like a lamp played between my eyes and I said, `O God, not in my face! for I fear that they will think that a dire punishment has befallen my face because I have left their religion.' So the light moved and lighted on the top of my whip. 

Firstly, this story is not narrated in accordance with the authentic (Sahih) standards as per Muslims' own criteria. Secondly, the portrayal of light appearing between Tufayl's eyes as a miracle leans more towards a fantasy narrative rather than reality (we will explore later in this article how Muhammad failed to present a single miracle before pagans and Jews). Moreover, does this not suggest a lapse in Allah's omniscience, given that he apparently did not foresee that Tufayl's people would interpret it as a severe punishment for abandoning the religion of their ancestors rather than embracing Islam because of this miracle?

(4): Jubayr ibn Mut'im:

Islamic preachers also claim that Jubayr ibn Mut'im was arrested and taken to the Prophetic mosque. There, when he heard the verse [Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators of themselves? (Verse 52:35)], then he was impressed and he accepted Islam. 

In response, we assert that his conversion cannot be solely attributed to the Quran being a literary miracle. While it's true that the Quran's message may resonate with certain individuals, such experiences are common across various religions and ideologies. Additionally, another tradition presents a different narrative, suggesting that he embraced Islam due to verse 52:7 (which concerns Allah's torment rather than creation).

 

The case of Walid ibn al-Mughira:

Quran 74:18-30:

74:18  Indeed (surely), he thought and deliberated إِنَّهُۥ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ

74:19  So may he be destroyed [for] how he (wrongly) deliberated فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

74:20  Then may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

74:21  Then he considered [again] ثُمَّ نَظَرَ

74:22  Then he frowned and scowled

74:23  Then he turned back and was arrogan

74:24  And said, "This is not but magic imitated [from others] فَقَالَ إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ

74:25  This is not but the word of a human being." إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا قَوْلُ ٱلْبَشَرِ

74:26  I will drive him into Saqar

74:27  And what can make you know what is Saqar (a mountain in hellfire)

74:28  It lets nothing remain and leaves nothing [unburned]

74:29  Blackening the skins

74:30  Over it are nineteen [angels]

(Translated by Sahih International)

Muhammad's purpose in revealing these verses was to refute Walid's judgment about the Quran and to warn of severe punishment for him in the afterlife. However, Muhammad, being human, made a significant error here, as these verses also serve as evidence that Walid did indeed "reflect" and then "evaluate" the Quran as merely magic and the speech of a human being.

Thus, these verses contradict Muhammad and the Quran, indicating that native Arabic speakers did indeed perceive the Quran as nothing more than magic and human speech.

To counter these explicit Quranic verses, Muslims fabricated the following tradition, alleging that Walid did not contemplate and evaluate the Quran, but he only reflected to plot a scheme against the Quran.

al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihain al-Hakim:

 أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الصَّنْعَانِيُّ بِمَكَّةَ ، ثنا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، أَنْبَأَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ السَّخْتِيَانِيِّ ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا ، أَنَّ الْوَلِيدَ بْنَ الْمُغِيرَةِ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنَ ، فَكَأَنَّهُ رَقَّ لَهُ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ أَبَا جَهْلٍ ، فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ : يَا عَمُّ ، إِنَّ قَوْمَكَ يَرَوْنَ أَنْ يَجْمَعُوا لَكَ مَالًا . قَالَ : لَمَ ؟ قَالَ : لِيُعْطُوكَهُ فَإِنَّكَ أَتَيْتَ مُحَمَّدًا لِتُعْرِضَ لِمَا قِبَلَهُ قَالَ : قَدْ عَلِمَتْ قُرَيْشٌ أَنِّي مِنْ أَكْثَرِهَا مَالًا . قَالَ : فَقُلْ فِيهِ قَوْلًا يَبْلُغُ قَوْمَكَ أَنَّكَ مُنْكِرٌ لَهُ أَوْ أَنَّكَ كَارِهٌ لَهُ قَالَ : وَمَاذَا أَقُولُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا فِيكُمْ رَجُلٌ أَعْلَمَ بِالْأَشْعَارِ مِنِّي ، وَلَا أَعْلَمَ بِرَجَزٍ وَلَا بِقَصِيدَةٍ مِنِّي وَلَا بِأَشْعَارِ الْجِنِّ وَاللَّهِ مَا يُشْبِهُ الَّذِي يَقُولُ شَيْئًا مِنْ هَذَا وَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ لِقَوْلِهِ الَّذِي يَقُولُ حَلَاوَةً ، وَإِنَّ عَلَيْهِ لَطَلَاوَةً ، وَإِنَّهُ لَمُثْمِرٌ أَعْلَاهُ مُغْدِقٌ أَسْفَلُهُ ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَعْلُو وَمَا يُعْلَى وَإِنَّهُ لَيَحْطِمُ مَا تَحْتَهُ قَالَ : لَا يَرْضَى عَنْكَ قَوْمُكَ حَتَّى تَقُولَ فِيهِ . قَالَ : فَدَعْنِي حَتَّى أُفَكِّرَ ، فَلَمَّا فَكَّرَ قَالَ : هَذَا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ يَأْثُرُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ

... from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, that Al-Walid ibn Al-Mughirah came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and he recited the Quran to Walid. It was as if al-Mughirah was enchanted by it. This news reached Abu Jahl, so he went to him and said, "O uncle, your people are thinking of gathering wealth for you." The Prophet asked, "Why?" Abu Jahl replied, "To give it to you, so that you leave the path of Muhammad and stay on the religion that you followed previously." Walid replied, "Quraysh know that I am among its wealthiest." Abu Jahl said, "Then say something about Muhammad that would reach your people that you reject him or that you dislike him." Walid replied, "What should I say? By Allah, there is no man among you who knows more about poetry than me, nor do anyone knows more about rhymes, or the poetry of the jinn than me. By Allah, his speech does not resemble anything. By Allah, what he says has a sweetness to it, and upon it, there is a beauty. It is fruitful, its highest part is overflowing, and its lowest part is deep. It rises above, and nothing rises above it. It breaks down whatever is beneath it." Abu Jahl said, "Your people will not be satisfied with you until you say something about him." Al-Mughirah said, "Leave me until I think." When he pondered, he said, "This is magic that influences but cannot be influenced by others."

However, the problem persists: Islamic traditions are highly unreliable, with hundreds of thousands of such traditions fabricated for the sake of religion. For instance, in this tradition, we encounter the perplexing notion of "knowing the poetry of Jinns." How did Walid come to possess this knowledge? Was he in communication with Jinns?

Moreover, why was Walid singled out as the only one able to discern that the Quran was not of human origin? What about other native Arabic-speaking pagans, who boasted numerous skilled poets? Why were they unable to recognize the literary brilliance of the Quran? Does this imply that one must be among the top poets, and know both human and Jinn poetry to recognize the Quranic literary excellence?

Furthermore, contradictions often arise in such cases, where falsehoods are spoken. This inconsistency is evident in another tradition narrated by the same Ibn Abbas, which also contains contradictions.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir, verse 74:11:

عن ابن عباس قال دخل الوليد بن المغيرة على أبي بكر بن أبي قحافة، فسأله عن القرآن، فلما أخبره، خرج على قريش فقال يا عجباً لما يقول ابن أبي كبشة فوالله ما هو بشعر ولا بسحر، ولا بهذي من الجنون، وإن قوله لمن كلام الله، فلما سمع بذلك النفر من قريش، ائتمروا وقالوا والله لئن صبأ الوليد، لتصبو قريش، فلما سمع بذلك أبو جهل بن هشام قال أنا والله أكفيكم شأنه، فانطلق حتى دخل عليه بيته، فقال للوليد ألم تر إلى قومك قد جمعوا لك الصدقة؟ فقال ألست أكثرهم مالاً وولداً؟ فقال أبو جهل يتحدثون أنك إنما تدخل على ابن أبي قحافة لتصيب من طعامه، فقال الوليد أقد تحدث به عشيرتي؟ فلا والله لا أقرب ابن أبي قحافة ولاعمر ولا ابن أبي كبشة، وما قوله إلا سحر يؤثر

 He (Ibn `Abbas) said, "Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah entered the house of Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah and asked him about the Qur'an. When Abu Bakr informed him about it, he left and went to the Quraysh saying, `What a great thing this is that Ibn Abi Kabshah is saying. I swear by Allah that it is not poetry, nor magic, nor the prattling of insanity. Verily, his speech is from the Words of Allah!' So when a group of the Quraysh heard this they gathered and said, `By Allah, if Al-Walid converts (to Islam) all of the Quraysh will convert.' When Abu Jahl bin Hisham heard this he said, `By Allah, I will deal with him for you.' So he went to Al-Walid's house and entered upon him. He said to Al-Walid, `Don't you see that your people are collecting charity for you' Al-Walid replied, `Don't I have more wealth and children than they do' Abu Jahl answered, `They are saying that you only went to Ibn Abi Quhafah's house so that you can get some of his food.' Al-Walid then said, `Is this what my tribe is saying Nay, by Allah, I am not seeking to be close to Ibn Abi Quhafah, nor `Umar, nor Ibn Abi Kabshah. And his speech is only inherited magic of old.' 

So, the contradictions become apparent:

The first tradition asserts that Walid visited Muhammad, who recited the Quran to him. However, the second tradition contends that Walid visited Abu Bakr's house, where Abu Bakr recited the Quran to him.

In the first tradition, Abu Jahl didn't orchestrate any plot; instead, he simply informed Walid that the Qurayshi people were amassing funds to "BUY" his loyalty, dissuading him from following Muhammad and remaining steadfast in his ancestral religion. Conversely, the second tradition alleges that Abu Jahl indeed plotted, informing Walid that the Qurayshi people were gathering funds as "CHARITY" for him, while he visited Abu Bakr's home under the pretense of seeking "food." Abu Jahl hoped to provoke Walid's anger with this information and thereby ensnare him in his scheme.

Is it plausible to believe that a discerning individual like Walid would easily succumb to Abu Jahl's ploy, especially when he supposedly knew well that Muhammad's speech was neither poetry nor magic but indeed the words of Allah, a fact he allegedly openly testified to before Quraysh?

The contradictions persist. Yet, a third tradition posits that it wasn't due to Abu Jahl, but rather Walid independently devised this scheme.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir, verse 74:11:

وقد زعم السدي أنهم لما اجتمعوا في دار الندوة ليجمعوا رأيهم على قول يقولونه فيه قبل أن يقدم عليهم وفود العرب للحج ليصدوهم عنه، فقال قائلون شاعر، وقال آخرون ساحر، وقال آخرون كاهن، وقال آخرون مجنون كما ... كل هذا والوليد يفكر فيما يقوله فيه، ففكر وقدر، ونظر وعبس وبسر، فقال إنْ هذا إلا سحر يؤثر، إنْ هذا إلا قول البشر

Al-Suddi claimed that when they gathered in Dar al-Nadwah to agree on a statement to say about him before the Arab delegations arrived for Hajj to dissuade them from following him, some said he was a poet, others said he was a magician, others said he was a soothsayer, and others said he was insane ...  All of this while Al-Walid was contemplating what to say about him. So he pondered, estimated, looked, frowned, and scowled, and he said, "This is nothing but magic that has an influence. This is nothing but human speech."

The Quranic verses themselves provide clarity that Walid did not scheme anything. These verses contain no indication of Walid recognizing the speech as Allah's, Abu Jahl's plot, or any planning by Walid.

Surah 74 was revealed early in Muhammad's proclamation of prophethood in Mecca. Throughout his 13-year Meccan life, Walid persistently opposed Muhammad, yet neither Muhammad nor any of his Muslim companions reminded him of the events mentioned in these traditions (i.e., why Walid opposed him despite allegedly acknowledging the Quran's excellence and divine origin).

The Quran consistently denounces Walid as "a worthless habitual sweater, a slanderer, a preventer of good, a transgressor, a sinner, and a Bastard زنيم," among other things, but never once reminds him that he had previously acknowledged the Quran as Allah's revelation.

Distortion (تحريف) in translation to fit the Quranic Verses to these fabricated traditions

The correct translation is:

74:18  Indeed (surely), he thought and deliberated إِنَّهُۥ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ

74:19  So may he be destroyed [for] how he (wrongly) deliberated فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

74:20  Then may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

74:21  Then he considered [again] ثُمَّ نَظَرَ

(Translated by Sahih International)

However, to align these verses with the fabricated traditions, many modern Quran translators have distorted the translation as follows:

74:18  For he thought and he plotted; إِنَّهُۥ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ

74:19  And woe to him! How he plotted! فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

74:20  Yea, Woe to him; How he plotted! ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

74:21  Then he looked round ثُمَّ نَظَرَ

(Translated by Yusuf Ali and many other modern Quran translators. Link)

The term "قَدَّرَ" means "to evaluate/to deliberate/to measure/to determine." It belongs to the "Verb (form II)" category. Link. 

However, these modern Quranic translators have altered the meaning of "قَدَّرَ" to "to plot/to plan/to make scheme." (link). However, they are caught red-handed, as "قَدَّرَ" has been used in numerous other Quranic verses, consistently conveying the meaning of "to evaluate/to determine" and never as "to plot/to plan". (link). 

 

Fact: People Embraced Islam because of the "Sword Miracle" of Islam, and not because of the  "Inimitability" (i.e. the alleged greatest miracle of all time)

These are the factors influencing why Arabic-speaking pagans embraced Islam:

1. Lower-status individuals with immature opinions.
2. Dissatisfaction with the pagan religion.
3. Power dynamics and politics.
4. Coercion through Sword: Particularly evident during the later years of Muhammad's life when he wielded absolute power in the entire Arabian peninsula, and he issued threats of violence against all pagans in the Quran (9:5). This fear of sword was a primary catalyst for the spread of Islam.

(1) Lower-status People with immature opinions

According to the pagan Quraysh, only a small number of lower-status individuals believed in Muhammad's message due to their immaturity:

Quran 11.27: The chiefs of the disbelieving nation said, "We find you to be no more than a human like us, and we find that only those of lower status and immature opinion follow you. We do not find you superior to us in any way. In fact, we think you are a liar!".

However, the number of such people was very limited, and many of them were slaves.

(2) Dissatisfaction with the Pagan Religion

Pagan religions often involved strange rituals that seemed nonsensical to many. In contrast, Muhammad's message of monotheism, focusing on one single god, was appealing to certain individuals. According to Muslim accounts, some pagans had already abandoned their faith to become Christians or followers of the Hanif religion. However, their numbers remained relatively small.

(3) Power dynamics and politics

Throughout the entire Meccan period spanning 13 years, only a handful of people embraced Islam. Surprisingly, in Medina, a significant number of people converted to Islam even in Muhammad's absence. How did this happen?

The answer lies in power dynamics and politics.

Medina was home to two major pagan Arab tribes, Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj, alongside three major Jewish tribes and several smaller ones.

The pagan Arabs, feeling inferior to the Jews due to their superior education, wealth, and fertile lands, gradually began to convert to Judaism.

Sunan Abi Dawud, 2682:

When the children of a woman (in pre-Islamic days) did not survive, she took a vow on herself that if her child survives, she would convert it a Jew. 

Moreover, the pagan Arabs were also afraid of the Jews, as they used to hear from their Jewish neighbours that a prophet would be sent at the end of time and that the Jews would follow him and fight the Arabs along with him and kill them in the same manner in which the earlier nations of ‘Ad and Iram were killed and destroyed.

A huge civil war took place in Medina, where al-Aws and al-Khazraj fought each other too. And when al-Aws lost a lot of wars against al-Khazraj, they went to seek the alliance of pagan Meccans, but they refused (Samhudi, Wafaa al-Wafaa, Vol. 1, p. 385). At that time Muhammad presented himself to them, seeking protection in Medina and telling them that he and his followers would then assist them. Some of them accepted Islam at that time. 

This was soon followed by the war of Bu'ath (another civil war in Medinah). It took place 5 years before hijra (i.e. Muhammad's migration to Medina). 

*Aisha described this war:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3846:

"Allah caused the day of Bu'ath to take place before Allah's Messenger (saw) was sent so that when he reached Medina, those people had already divided (in different groups) and their chiefs had been killed or wounded. So, Allah made that day precede Allah's Messenger (saw) so that they (i.e. the two pagan Arab tribes) might embrace Islam." 

Most of their key leaders (those who had a similar mentality to ibn Ubbay) who could hinder the message of Muhammad were killed as well as large numbers of their followers. Thus, the new generation of two pagan Arab tribes wanted to unite again and utilised the offer of Muhammad. (Samhudi, Wafaa al-Wafaa, Vol. 1, p. 389, Shireef, Tarikh Makah wa al-Madinah, p. 367)

The promise of the Jews to kill and destroy the polytheistic Arabs on the arrival of their next prophet also made al-Aws and al-Khazraj to accept Islam. As al-Aws and al-Khazraj collectively could exert control over the Jews, they received Muhammad and were able to launch the Islamic state.

In Zad Al-Ma‘ad, Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote (link):

One of the things which Allah Almighty accomplished for His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was that the tribes of Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj heard from their allies from among the Jews of Al-Madeenah, that 'A Prophet will appear in our time and we will follow him and kill you, in the same manner in which ‘Ad and Iram were killed.' The Ansar used to perform Hajj, as did the Arabs, but not the Jews. So when they saw the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, inviting people to Allah during the season of Hajj and they observed his manners, some of them said to the others, "You know, by Allah, O people, that this is the prophet whom you were threatened with by the Jews, so do not let them precede you in following him. So hasten to accept his invitation."

(4) Not even 10 Jews believed in Muhammad due to the alleged greatest miracle of inimitability:

After arriving in Medina, initially, Muhammad tried to please the Jews so that they accepted him as a true prophet. For this purpose:

• Muhammad started to copy a lot of Jewish Laws into Islamic Sharia. 
• He also claimed the revelation of such verses, that were pleasing the Jews, like verse 29:46 {Our God and your God is one, and to Him we submit}.
• He also changed the Qibla from Ka'ba to the Jewish Temple (Bait-ul-Muqqadas) in Jerusalem. 

Nevertheless, the Jews of Medina didn't believe in Islam and kept declaring Muhammad to be a false prophet. 

The alleged inimitability and literary miracles of the Quran neither ever impressed the Pagans in Mecca, nor it ever impressed the Jews in Medina. 

This frustrated Muhammad so much, that he used to say even if 10 Jews believed in him, then all Jews would become Muslims. 

Sahih Bukhari, 3941:

Sahih Muslim, 2793:

Note: The Islamic Translators of Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim added these words in parenthesis on their own "(amongst their chiefs)" or "Scholars of the Jews" It is a Distortion (TEHRIF) case, while these words have nothing to do with the original tradition, which is talking about normal 10 Jews, and not about any of their chiefs/scholars. Islamic preachers are compelled to do this TEHRIF (distortion) while it EXPOSES Islam and Muhammad, and Islamic preachers want to HIDE the Truth from the masses. 

This distortion by Islamic preachers is utterly shameful and shows how dishonest they are and how ashamed they are of the truth.

It seems Muhammad repeated this statement multiple times, and his companion 'Auf ibn Malik is also a witness to a similar statement from him. 

Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Hadith 23464:

حدثنا أبو المغيرة قال حدثنا صفوان قال حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن جبير بن نفير عن أبيه عن عوف بن مالك قال انطلق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يوما وأنا معه حتى دخلنا كنيسة اليهود بالمدينة يوم عيد لهم فكرهوا دخولنا عليهم فقال لهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: يا معشر اليهود أروني اثني عشر رجلا يشهدون أنه لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله يحبط الله عن كل يهودي تحت أديم السماء الغضب الذي غضب عليه

Narrated by Abu Al-Mugheera through Safwan through Abdul-Rahman ibn Jubayr through his father through 'Awf ibn Malik, who said: One day, the Prophet ﷺ and I went to a Jewish synagogue in Medina on one of their festivals. They hated that we made an appearance. The Prophet ﷺ said: "O' Jewish tribe, show me twelve men from among you who testify that there is no deity but Allah,and that Muhammad is his messenger, and Allah will spare all the Jews under the visible heaven from the wrath He has upon them."

Grade: Sahih (Albani)

But the Jews of Medina still refused to accept him as a true prophet, and that was the point where Muhammad's enmity and hatred started against the Jews:

• First of all, Muhammad changed the Qibla once again from Bait-ul-Muqqadas to Ka'ba in Mecca. 
• Then he started openly threatening the Jews to accept Islam, otherwise, they would be expelled from Medina, and he would snatch away all of their lands by force. 

Sahih Bukhari, 3167:

Later Muhammad's anger and hatred against the Jews went so high that he was no more satisfied by expelling them from Medina, but he wanted to expel them from the whole Arab peninsula. It was due to the reason that it was a shame for him that he was claiming himself to be the promised prophet of the Jews, but the Jews were telling people that he was not that promised prophet. Muhammad didn't want the Jews to tell this to others, thus he wanted to expel them from the whole Arabian peninsula. 

Sahih Muslim, 1767(a):

(5) Pagans didn't accept Islam even after the Victory of Mecca:

Despite the conquest of Mecca by Muhammad in the 7th year of Hijri, the pagan Meccans remained resistant to accepting Islam.

In an effort to prevent opposition from the pagan leaders of Mecca, Muhammad offered stipends to them, fostering a sense of financial interest and aiming to ensure their compliance with Islam. Quran (9:60). But despite getting the stipends, they didn't accept Islam. 

(6) Pagans accepted Islam only after they were FORCED to do it under the Fear of Sword

So, the situation was:

• Native Arabic-speaking Pagans of Mecca were not accepting Islam due to its challenge of inimitability or any linguistic miracle.
• They didn't accept it after the conquer of Mecca in 7th Hijri year. 
• They didn't accept it even after receiving stipends. 

In the 9th Hijri year, Muhammad claimed the revelation of verse 9:5 (i.e. the Verse of the Sword, which ordered to kill all polytheists after 4 months). 

Quran 9:5:

And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah (i.e. if they become Muslims), let them [go] on their way.

Muhammad allowed the people of the book (i.e. Christians/Jews/Magians) to stay alive by paying Jizya tax, but he refused to accept any Jizya from polytheists. They either had to accept Islam, or they would be slaughtered.

Only after that, pagan Arabs accepted Islam to save their lives. 

The Christians/Jews/Magians paid Jizya but didn't accept Islam. It was difficult for Muhammad to kill Christians and Jews as killing them for not accepting Islam would have angered the Christian Byzantine Empire while killing Magians would have angered the Magian Persian Empire. But pagan Arabs were vulnerable and they had no backing outside of Arabia. Therefore, Muhammad allowed them to stay alive by paying Jizya. 

Due to this forced conversion, we do see Christians and Jews in Arab countries, but no polytheists as all of them were forced to convert to Islam. 

---

 

Part 2: The ORIGIN of the Quran's "Inimitability Challenge": Muhammad's Failed EXCUSE to Pagan's "Bring a Miracle Challenge"

This section is about understanding the ORIGIN of the challenge of inimitability. The Pagans challenged Muhammad to "Bring a Miracle" as proof of his prophethood. However, Muhammad and his Allah failed constantly to perform any miracle in front of the pagans. Subsequently, Muhammad started making different EXCUSES for his inability to show any miracle, and this challenge of "inimitability" was one of those excuses Muhammad used to deflect the original pagan's challenge of showing any miracle.

This we can see directly in the Quran where the pagans challenged Muhammad to bring a miracle. 

Quran 21:5:

بَلْ قَالُوٓا۟ أَضْغَٰثُ أَحْلَٰمٍۭ بَلِ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِـَٔايَةٍ كَمَآ أُرْسِلَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ

Yet they say: "These (i.e. the Quranic verses) are only confused dreams," or "He has invented them;" or  "He is only a poet. Let him therefore bring a MIRACLE to us as the earlier (apostles) were sent with."

But Muhammad and his Allah were unable to perform even a single miracle in front of pagans.

In order to divert attention from his failure to perform a miracle, Muhammad started presenting different EXCUSES in the Quran. And the "Quran's Inimitability Challenge" was one of those Muhammad's excuses. Those excuses were:

1. Muhammad cannot show a miracle while he is only a human. 
2. Allah would not send a miracle to Muhammad this time while nations of earlier prophets denied the miracles of earlier prophets. 
3. Muhammad should not ask Allah to show a miracle to pagans while Allah has misguided them.
4. Muhammad would not show the miracle to the Jews while their forefathers sinned.
5. The miracle of the sky falling on the Meccans did not occur due to Muhammad's presence among them.
6. Bring a chapter like this Quran.

Let us see the details about these Quranic Excuses here to understand it.

 

The 1st Quranic Excuse: Muhammad cannot show a Miracle while he is only a human

This incident occurred in Mecca. Muhammad used to threaten the Meccans, warning them to believe in his prophethood or face the consequences, claiming that his Allah would make the sky fall upon them in fragments. 

Quran 17:90-93: And they (the polytheists of Quraish) say, "...  Or you make the sky fall upon us in fragments AS YOU HAVE CLAIMED 

Actually, the pagan Meccans not only accepted this challenge by Muhammad but also extended it and asked Muhammad to show other miracles too and they would believe in his prophethood. 

However, Muhammad/Allah failed to deliver on this promise.

Therefore, Muhammad was forced to come up with an EXCUSE for his failure to fulfil his promise and show any miracle. And he made the following excuse:

Quran 17:90-93:

And they (the polytheists of Quraish) say, "We will not believe you until you break open for us from the ground a spring. Or [until] you have a garden of palm trees and grapes and make rivers gush forth within them in force [and abundance] Or you make the sky fall upon us in fragments as you have claimed or you bring Allah and the angels before [us] Or you have a house of ornament [i.e., gold] or you ascend into the sky. And [even then], we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book we may read."  Say: "Glory to my Lord. (I cannot do it while) I am only man and a messenger." 

The writer of the Quran (i.e., Muhammad himself) attempted to justify his failure to perform miracles by claiming that he was merely a messenger and could not perform miracles.

However, the pagan Meccans had issued this challenge not only to Muhammad but also to Muhammad's god (i.e., Allah was already automatically included in this challenge). They believed that if Allah truly existed, He should have demonstrated a miracle to them.

Moreover, it was Muhammad/Allah who promised that the sky would fall upon them if they didn't believe in Muhammad's prophethood. Yet, both Muhammad and his Allah failed to fulfill their promise.

Furthermore, if Muhammad's lack of miracles was due to his role as a mere messenger, why did previous prophets demonstrate miracles to validate their prophethood? For instance:

• Jesus spoke as an infant in the cradle, gave life to birds made of clay, Cured the blind and the leper and gave life to the dead by God’s permission (Quran 5:110 and 3:49).
• Moses received nine miracles, including his staff transforming into a dragon, his hand becoming radiant, the plague of locusts/lice, the swarm of frogs, and the parting of the sea for the Children of Israel (Quran17:101).
• Solomon comprehended the language of animals and birds and controlled jinn and winds (Quran 27:16-17, 34:12-13),
• while Joseph interpreted dreams and predicted future events (Quran 12:46-47, 40:51-52).

And the Meccans were correct in their demand. Even the Quran mentioned their argument:

Quran 21:5: So let him bring us a sign just as the previous [messengers] were sent [with miracles]."

So, if the earlier prophets were able to demonstrate miracles despite being humans, why then Muhammad could not?

And then the Quran claims that Allah does not change his PRACTICE (i.e. Sunnah):

Quran 17:77: This has been Our Way with the Messengers whom We sent before you. You will find no change in our Practice (i.e. the Sunnah of Allah).

Quran 48:23: [This is] the established practice of Allah which has occurred before. And never will you find in the Practice of Allah any change.

Quran 35:43: But you will never find in the practice of Allah any change, and you will never find in the practice of Allah any alteration.

The Quran presents a contradiction regarding the expectation of miracles from prophets. In one instance, it suggests that prophets are not required to display miracles as evidence of their prophethood, yet in another, it describes earlier prophets performing miracles to prove their legitimacy. This raises a question: Why did earlier prophets show miracles to disbelievers, but Muhammad and his Allah refused to do so?

The answer lies in the fact that the Quran recounts fictional tales of earlier prophets' miracles, which cannot be verified since they took place in the distant past. Conversely, when it came to Muhammad and his Allah, they were expected to perform miracles in real-time, right before the very eyes of the Kuffar Meccans who challenged them. However, they failed to deliver on these expectations.

PS:

This Excuse in the Quranic Verse also challenges those so-called Sahih Islamic Traditions (Ahadith) which claim that Muhammad showed Meccans the miracle of the splitting of the moon. Had Muhammad really split the moon, then he would have presented it to the Kuffar Meccans as proof of his prophethood. 

 

The 2nd Quranic Excuse: Allah would not send a miracle to Muhammad this time while nations of earlier prophets denied the miracles of earlier prophets

This incident also happened in Mecca.  

Quran 17:58-59:

وَإِن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ إِلَّا نَحْنُ مُهْلِكُوهَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُوهَا عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا ۚ كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مَسْطُورًا وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِٱلْءَايَٰتِ إِلَّآ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ ۚ

There is not a population but We shall destroy it before the Day of Judgment or punish it with a dreadful Penalty: that is written in the (eternal) Record. And We REFRAIN from sending the signs (now in front of Kuffar Meccans), only because the men of former generations treated them as false.

Meccans repeatedly asked Muhammad for a miracle, but he always offered new excuses for not delivering one. Earlier Muhammad claimed he could not perform any miracle while he was only a human being. But that excuse was shaky as the challenge was not limited to Muhammad only, but his god (i.e. Allah) was also automatically included in that challenge. 

Thus, Muhammad was forced to change his excuse. This time, he came up with a new excuse that Allah had ceased sending new miracles/signs since earlier people rejected them.

In simpler terms, Allah's practice (i.e. Sunnah of Allah ) supposedly changed when earlier people denied the signs. However, this contradicts the Quranic CLAIM that Allah's Sunnah never changes.

As they say, where there's a contradiction, there's a lie.

Furthermore, it's worth noting that there's also a flaw in Verse 58:

Quran 17:58:

There is not a population but We shall destroy it before the Day of Judgment or punish it with a dreadful Penalty: that is written in the (eternal) Record.

Muhammad recounted various tales in the Quran about ancient prophets like Thamud, 'Aad and Saleh etc., describing how their communities were destroyed by Allah. Muhammad presumed that nobody could fact-check his accounts by journeying into the past. However, he made a critical error.

The problem lies in the fact that, according to the Quran, Jesus also performed miracles in front of the Jews and Romans. He spoke as an infant in the cradle, gave life to birds made of clay, cured the blind and the leper, and even brought the dead back to life, all by God's permission (Quran 5:110 and 3:49). Yet, neither the Jews nor the Romans believed in him. Despite this, neither the Jews nor the Romans of Jesus's era were destroyed (which again goes against the Quranic Promise of Destruction).

The incident of Jesus took place in the recent past, making it feasible to verify its authenticity through historical records. Thus, this claim in the Quran has been exposed as a lie.

 

The 3rd Excuse: Muhammad should not ask Allah for a miracle while Allah had misguided the pagans

Moreover, the previous two excuses were naturally not enough to satisfy people about Muhammad's/Allah's inability to show any miracle. Thus, Muhammad came up with another excuse that the Kuffar Meccans would not believe even if Muhammad show them any miracle. 

Quran 6:35:

وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِىَ نَفَقًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَأْتِيَهُم بِـَٔايَةٍ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ ۚ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِينَ

If you (O Muhammad) find rejection by the unbelievers so unbearable, then seek a tunnel into the ground or a ladder into the sky in order to bring them a SIGN, but [remember that], had God willed it, He would have guided all of them. Do not be among the ignorant (by asking a SIGN from Allah).

Again, this verse is proof that no miracle was shown to Kuffar Meccans by Muhammad/Allah. 

 

The 4th Quranic Excuse: Muhammad will not show the miracle to the Jews while their forefathers sinned

This incident happened just after Muhammad's migration to Medina when he had to prove his prophethood to the Jews of Medina. 

The Bible contains several passages that highlight the phenomenon of divine acceptance of a person's sacrificial offering through the appearance of a mysterious fire that consumes the offering. These instances can be found in verses such as Judges 6:20-21, 13:19-20, and 2 Chronicles 7:1-2.

Actually, Muhammad had already made a mistake, and he had also previously confirmed this method of the miracle of fire in the Quran 5:27, in the story of Adam and his sons, where a fire appeared and consumed the offering of one son who sacrificed a sheep.

Quran 5:27:

Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah): It was accepted from one, but not from the other.

Tafsir Tabari, under verse 5:27 (link):

It was narrated from as-Suddi, in his narration from Abu Maalik and from Abu Saalih from Ibn ‘Abbaas, and from Murrah from Ibn Mas‘ood, and from some of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): ... Habeel (Abel) offered a fat lamb as his offering, while Qabeel (Cain) presented a sheaf of corn but secretly took out and consumed a large portion of the corn. Subsequently, fire descended from the heavens and consumed Habeel's offering, while Qabeel's offering remained untouched and unaccepted. In response, Qabeel became enraged and threatened to kill Habeel, vowing that he would not allow him to marry his sister.

Grade: Sahih (Albani)

Consequently, when Muhammad asserted his prophethood, the Jews asked him to provide proof through the manifestation of a miracle, specifically the fire consuming his offering.

Muhammad found himself unable to dismiss this demand outright, as he already acknowledged it in the story of Adam in the Quran.

However, Muhammad resorted to a different approach, offering a new excuse. He accepted the validity of the miracle involving the fire accepting the offering, but he refused to showcase this miracle. He justified his inability to show this miracle by accusing the Jews of Medina that their forefathers sinned by killing previous prophets

Quran 3:183:

They (the Jews) said: "Allah took our promise not to believe in any messenger unless He showed us a sacrifice consumed by Fire (From heaven)." Say: "There came to you messengers before me, with clear Signs and even with what ye ask for: why then did ye slay them, if ye speak the truth?"

However, this excuse by the writer of the Quran does not hold up under scrutiny for several reasons.

Firstly, it is unjust to punish individuals for the sins of their ancestors. In this case, the writer of the Quran is essentially claiming to hold the Jews of his time accountable for the actions of their forefathers. This contradicts the concept of divine justice, which does not attribute guilt based on lineage.

Secondly, the Jews of Muhammad's era maintained a strong belief in their own holy scriptures, which also indicated that the proof of prophethood involved successfully passing the miracle test. It is understandable that they would request the same evidence from Muhammad and, upon his failure to provide it, reject his claims. This rejection cannot be seen as their fault, as they were simply following the principles outlined in their own religious texts.

Ironically, when the Jewish holy books seemingly predicted the arrival of Muhammad (according to Muslim claims), Muhammad expected the Jews to adhere to their own scriptures. However, when those same holy books instructed them to seek the miracle of fire as a validation of prophethood, Muhammad wanted them to abandon that requirement. This double standard raises questions about consistency and fairness.

Thirdly, the writer of the Quran contradicts his own claims within the text. The Quran repeatedly asserts that the practices of Allah remain unchanging. Yet, in this instance, Muhammad is deviating from that principle by rejecting the miracle of fire as a valid proof of prophethood.

Quran 48:23: [This is] the established way of Allah which has occurred before. And never will you find in the practice of Allah any change.

Quran 35:43:  But you will never find in the practice of Allah any change, and you will never find in the practice of Allah any alteration.

Since Muhammad was unable to perform the miracle of fire in front of the Jews, a sudden shift occurred in the ways of Allah to accommodate his inability to demonstrate miracles.

Fourthly, it is worth noting that compared to the ancestors of the Jews, the ancestors of the pagan Meccans (Mushrikeen) did not have a history of killing prophets. However, Muhammad didn't show any miracle to them too by making other excuses. 

Muhammad got so much exposure in this incident, that despite all his struggles to make the Jews of Medina happy in the beginning (by adopting many Biblical laws in Islamic Sharia), not even 10 Jews of Medina believed in him and converted to Islam;

Sahih Bukhari, 3941:

The Prophet said: "Had only ten Jews believe me, all the Jews would definitely have believed me." 

 

The 5th Quranic Excuse: The Miracle of the Sky Falling on the Meccans Did Not Occur due to Muhammad's Presence Among Them

This incident happened later in Medina after Muhammad had also failed to show the miracle of fire to the Jews.

In Mecca, Muhammad used to threaten the Kuffar Meccans that Allah would let the sky fall on them if they don't believe in his prophethood. But Muhammad (along with his Allah) failed to deliver his promise of this punishment. Later, Muhammad flee to Medina (leaving Mecca), but people kept on asking questions about his failure to deliver his promise of falling of the sky upon the Kuffar Meccans. 

This compelled Muhammad to come up with an ADDITIONAL Excuse.

Muhammad claimed the revelation of the following verses, which claim that Allah didn't let the sky fall upon Kuffar Meccans at that time while Muhammad was also present there among them, and Allah didn't want him to be harmed:

Quran 8:32-32: 

And when they [Meccans] said, "O Allah, if this should be the truth from You, then rain down upon us stones from the sky or bring us a painful punishment." But Allah did not punish them while you, [O Muhammad], was among them, and Allah would not punish them while they sought forgiveness.

These verses were revealed in Medina after the Battle of Badr (in 2nd Hijri Year), in which Muhammad got the victory against the Meccan pagans. 

Two pertinent questions arise from this narrative:

• Firstly, why did Allah not choose to punish the Meccans with the miracle of the falling sky during Muhammad's absence or after his migration to Medina? This query is particularly intriguing since Muhammad had previously asserted that Allah would send this miracle as a sign of his prophethood.
• Secondly, the Meccans did not solely request the miracle of punishment; rather, they sought any miraculous manifestation (even without any punishment), similar to those experienced by the previous prophets, that could substantiate Muhammad's claim to prophethood. 

 Please see the following verse again where they are also asking Muhammad for any miracle (even without punishment), and they were ready to believe in his prophethood. 

Quran 17:90-93:

And they (the polytheists of Quraish) say, "We will not believe you until (1) you break open for us from the ground a spring. (2) Or [until] you have a garden of palm trees and grapes and make rivers gush forth within them in force [and abundance] Or you make the SKY FALL UPON US IN FRAGMENTS AS YOU HAVE CLAIMED (3) or you bring Allah and the angels before [us] (4) Or you have a house of ornament [i.e., gold] (5) or you ascend into the sky. And [even then], we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book we may read."  Say: "Glory to my Lord. (I cannot do it while) I am only man and a messenger." 

Thus, Muhammad along with his Allah failed to show even any simple miracle without any punishment, as it happened in the cases of previous prophets. 

 

The 6th Quranic Excuse: Bring a chapter like this

This was also one of the excuses and Muhammad's strategy to divert the attention from pagan's challenge to bring a miracle. But it was a failed strategy as not a single pagan or Jew accepted Islam due to this Quranic inimitability challenge (as we saw in part 1 of this article).

The timeline of verses about the inimitability challenge:

The verses about the inimitability challenge are:

1. Surah Yunus 10:38
2. Surah Hud 11:13
3. Surah at-Tur 52:34
4. Surah al-Isra 17:88
5. Surah al-Baqara  2:23

All these verses are Meccan, except for Surah al-Baqara, which was revealed in the very initial period after migration to Medina. 

The question is, why was Muhammad repeating the inimitability challenge in Mecca, but stopped in Medina and he didn't repeat it during the last 9 years of the Medinian period?

The answer lies in the fact that the "Bring a Miracle" demand stopped too after the initial Medinian period. After the victory in the Battle of Badr, Muhammad got absolute power in Medina, and no one was left in Median who could have dared to challenge Muhammad to bring a miracle as proof of his prophethood. The Jewish tribes of Median were disunited, they were fighting with each other, and they were fewer in numbers as compared to the Muslim tribes of Aws and Khazraj. 

So, neither Muhammad made any more excuses about his inability to perform any miracle after the battle of Badr nor did he need to repeat his challenge of the Quran's inimitability. 

 

 

Logical Facts:

The Ridiculous Level of Incoherence in the Quran

How can this Quran be a miracle, when it is so incoherent that thousands of the top commentators of the Quran of the last 14 centuries are trying to understand it, but are still unable to do it?

For example, the verses which were revealed during the Meccan period are present in the Medinan Surahs and vice versa, making it impossible for a normal person to understand which verse is talking about which incident.

This disorder is not limited to the Surahs (Chapter), but this disease goes beyond this issue. For example, even in a single verse, the first part talks about one event, but the second part starts talking about another event which took place years apart, and then the 3rd part of the same verse starts talking again about the 1st event again.

Look at this verse from the Quran:

Quran 5:3:

[1st part of the verse 5:3 about the EVENT 1] Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, the strangled animal, that beaten to death, that which has fallen from a height, that which has been gored by horns, and that which has been preyed upon by wild beasts, except for that which you have slaughtered [according to Islamic law], and that which has been sacrificed on [stone] altars. And forbidden to you is fortune-telling by arrows. This is transgression.

[2nd part of the verse 5:3 which starts talking about the EVENT 2, which happened many years later after the event 1] This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.

[3rd part of the verse 5:3, which again starts talking about the EVENT 1] But whoever is compelled by severe hunger, neither inclining willfully to sin nor transgressing its limit, there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

All the commentators of the Quran are unanimous that:

• The first part of this verse is about Haram (prohibited) foods, and this order was revealed in the 6th Hijri year at the time of the Pact of Hudaybiyyah. 
• But the 2nd (middle) part of this verse suddenly started talking about the "Perfection of Religion", and this part was revealed at a totally different time in the 10th Hijri year, about 81 days before the death of Muhammad. And this part has nothing to do with the previous part of the verse. 
• And the 3rd and last part of the verse (i.e. sentence) again returns to the first incident about Haram foods, which was revealed at the incident of the Pact of Hudaybiyyah in the 6th Hijri year. 

Maulana Modoodi wrote in his commentary of the Quran under this verse (link):

“According to authentic traditions, this 2nd part of the verse (about the perfection of religion) was revealed at the time of “Last Sermon” in the 10th Hijri year. But the initial part of the verse was about the Pact of Hudaybiyyah (which happened in the 6th Hijri year).

Maulana Taqi Uthmani wrote in his commentary of the Quran under this verse (link) :

Some Jews said to Umar Ibn Khattab, had this verse “This day have I perfected for you your religion” revealed upon them, then they would have taken it as a day of Eid (celebration). Upon that Umar told the Jews that they didn't know that two Eids of Muslims were combined on this day. This verse was revealed in the 10 th Hijri year at the incident of "Last Sermon" at the place of "Urfa" at the time of "Asr Prayer". There were 40 thousand companions with prophet Muhammad. And the holy prophet remained alive for 81 days after this incident.

Is there any book other than the Quran which could be so much Incoherent?

For sure, even the Bible is also incoherent in many places, but still, it is tens of times better in incoherence than the Quran and even a normal person can understand it while reading it. But this thing is not possible with the Quran, and a normal person is absolutely not able to understand it, despite the big claims of Muslims and the Quran itself that Allah made the Quran easy to understand for the people. 

Actually, the biggest miracle is how billions of Muslims could consider such an incoherent book like the Quran to be a miracle. 

 

Linguistic Mistake in the Quran, Indicating Its Human Origins

Quran 4:11:

يُوصِيكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَوْلَٰدِكُمْ ۖ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۚ فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءً فَوْقَ ٱثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ ۖ وَإِن كَانَتْ وَٰحِدَةً فَلَهَا ٱلنِّصْفُ ۚ 

Instructs you Allah concerning your children - for the male like (the) portion (of) two females. But if there are (only) women (i.e. daughters) more (than) two, then for them two thirds (of) what he left. And if (there) is (only) one, then for her (is) half. (Word by Word Translation by Corpus Quran)

Allah is incorrectly using the phrase “more than two daughters” when He actually wanted to say “two or more daughters”.

Please read the detailed article here.

It is a clear linguistic mistake, and it happened while no Allah is present in the heavens, and Muhammad was making the revelation on his own, and he was not safe from making human mistakes like these. 

All Muslim Scholars agree that two daughters will get 2/3 of the estate.

Muhammad himself distributed 2/3rd of the estate between two daughters. 

Sunan Tirmidhi, 2092:

“The wife of Sa’d bin Rabi’ came with the two daughters of Sa’d to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, these are the two daughters of Sa’d. He was killed with you on the day of Uhud, and their paternal uncle has taken all that their father left behind, and a woman is only married for her wealth.’ The Prophet (ﷺ) remained silent until the Verse of inheritance was revealed to him. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called the brother of Sa’d bin Rabi’ and said: ‘Give the two daughters of Sa’d two thirds of his wealth, and give his wife on eighth, and take what is left.’”

Grade: Sahih (Authentic) by Imam Tirmidhi and Hassan (i.e. Fair) by Al-Albani and al-Arnaut.

Tehrif (Distortion) Case:

It was such a big error, that modern Muslims Quran Translators have to make a TEHRIF (Distortion) in its translation, and change it to “two or more daughters”. For example, look at the translation of Yousuf Ali. 

(Quran 4:11) Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. (Yusuf Ali, Saudi Revised Edition,1985)

And here are some other modern Quran Translators, who followed this distorted translation of “two or more daughters”. 

1. Mustafa Khattab
2. Study Quran
3. Shabbir Ahmed
4. Syed Vickar Ahamed
5. Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)
6. Abdel Haleem
7. Bilal Muhammad
8. Mohammad Shafi

Compared to these modern translators, we have other translators too, who didn't make any Tehrif in the translation, and they translated it correctly, i.e. “more than two daughters”. They are:

1. Word by Word Translation by Corpus Quran
2. Muhammad Asad
3. Literal Translation by Dr. Shahnaz Sheikh
4. Pickthal
5. Safi Kaskas
6. Wahiduddin Khan
7. Shakir
8. Laleh Bakhtiar
9. Abdul Hye
10. Kamal Omar
11. Farook Malik
12. Muhammad Sarwar
13. Taqi Usmani
14. Ahmed Ali
15. Aisha Bewley
16. Maududi

It is unfortunate that modern Muslim apologists have made dishonesty HALAL for themselves. They distort, they hide, they tell clear lies ... but the truth will still become evident. 

 

The negligence of the Quran resulted in the "suffering" of millions 

Let us look at an example of slave women. There are only those Quranic verses present in the Quran, which tell that having sex with them is Halal (permissible). But there is not a single verse present in the Quran about the "human rights" of slave women.

It resulted in:

• Over the past 1400 years, millions of slave women were forced to roam in public without the Hijab and with naked chests. All 4 Sunni Imams (actually all early (i.e. Salaf) Muslims of the first 450 years agreed upon it, while there is no verse in the Quran which denies it. 
• And all millions of captive/slave women were "raped" by Muslim men in a "Temporary" sexual relationship (like Shia Mut'ah). An owner fulfilled his lust by raping the slave girl, and then after getting bored with her, he sold her in the Islamic Bazaar of slavery. And then he bought himself a new slave girl and started raping her. Poor slave girls were sold multiple times, and they were multiple times raped by multiple different men. All this happened while there is not a single verse present in the Quran about the rights of slave women. 
• The children of slave parents were also born automatically as slaves due to the evil of "Slavery by Birth" in Islam. When the babies got two molar teeth (at about the age of 6 months), they were separated from their slave mothers and were sold in the Islamic Bazaars of slavery. 
• If a Muslim owner got a lust for the wife of his male slave, then he simply took her for himself, raped her, and after fulfilling his lust, sent him back to her husband (i.e. his male slave). This was practised by all Muslims during their 1300-year-long history of Islamic slavery. 

For details and proof, please read our article: The Crimes of Islamic Slavery against Humanity

The Quran is a huge voluminous book, but it is filled with only old fantasy tales and lofty claims about the greatness of Allah. Meanwhile, it has neglected the rights and well-being of humanity. Only a single verse was enough to free millions of slave women from the evil of being raped. Only a single verse was enough that the 6-month-old babies were not separated from their mothers and sold in the Bazaars of Slavery ...

How can then such a book be called a miracle? 

 

The Mathematical Mistake in the Quran

 

(1) When SHARES make less than the Estate (An 'Asbah عصبة Case)

For instance, let's consider a scenario where an individual passes away, leaving behind one daughter, parents, and wife. In such a case:

• The share of the daughter is 1/2 of the estate, based on the verse: “...and if there is only one daughter, then she shall have half the inheritance.” [Quran 4:11].
• And the share of the parents is 1/6 + 1/6 = 1/3 of the estate, based on the verse: “... For parents, a sixth share of inheritance to each if the deceased left children” [Quran 4:11].
• And the wife’s share = 1/8 of the estate, based on the verse: “…they get an eighth of that which you leave” [Quran 4:12].

The total number of shares in this case is calculated as follows: 1/2 for the daughter + 1/3 for the parents + 1/8 for the wife, resulting in a total of 0.96.

To illustrate, if the deceased left behind $1000, according to the Qur'an, the judge would only need to distribute $960 among the heirs, leaving $40 remaining.

When confronted with this mathematical error, Muhammad found it impossible to rectify. As a solution, he advised them to allocate the remaining portion of the estate to the nearest "male" relative (Source: Sahih Muslim, 1615a). This is known as 'Asbah عصبة.

While the remaining amount of $40 USD in this particular scenario may appear insignificant for the next male relative, little did Muhammad know that it would turn out to be a fatal mistake. This error resulted in Islamic rulings that are deemed ridiculous, illogical, and unjust towards women.

Allow me to provide a few examples to demonstrate the unjust nature of these inheritance laws, and your human intellect will naturally recognize their lack of wisdom.

Numerous online Islamic inheritance calculators are available. For instance:

• Calculator 1 (A simple Islamic inheritance calculator).
• Calculator 2 (A detailed Islamic inheritance calculator)

Please use any online calculator to verify the following examples. 

 

1st Example: Old Widow will get 25%, while a “MALE” relative (even a distant one like a cousin, or his son, or his grandson) will get 75% 

In the case where the deceased has no children but only a wife and a distant male relative (such as a cousin, son, or grandson), the distribution of shares would be as follows:

The widow will receive 25% of the inheritance, while the "male" relative, regardless of their proximity, will receive the remaining 75%.

Relative	Share Fraction	Share Percentage
Wife	1/4	25%
Any distant male Relative like  Cousin (or even his descendants)	3/4	75%

In the case of a wife who remains with her husband throughout her life, it may seem unjust that when she becomes a widow in her old age, she is entitled to only 25% of the inheritance. Meanwhile, the remaining 75% of the inheritance is awarded to a distant male relative, such as a cousin or any of his descendants, whom the deceased person may have never even encountered.

• Does this arrangement appear sensible to you?
• Can you discern any divine wisdom in this particular Islamic law?
• Do you believe that justice has been served to women by Muhammad/Allah in this regard?

Interestingly, the opposite scenario does not hold true. If a woman passes away, her husband will inherit all her property, regardless of the presence of her closest relatives.

 

2nd Example: Mother will get 33.33%, while distant relatives (like cousins, or his son, or his grandson) will get 66.67%

Similarly, if the deceased person has an old mother and a distant male relative, the distribution of shares would be as follows:

Relative	Share Fraction	Share Percentage
Mother	1/3	33.33%
Any distant male Relative like  Cousin (or even his descendants)	2/3	66.67%

Therefore, in this case, the old mother will receive only 33.33% of the inheritance, while a cousin (or his descendants, whom the deceased person may not have even encountered in his entire life) will receive 66.67%.

One might question the rationale behind this distribution and whether any divine wisdom can be perceived in it.

3rd Example: Sister will get much more share in inheritance than the mother and the wife

Even if the sister is married, she will still receive a larger share of the inheritance compared to the mother or the wife.

Relative	Share Fraction	Share Percentage
Mother	2/5	40%
Sister	3/5	60%

Despite the closer bond between a mother and her son, the illogical distribution of shares dictated by the Quran results in the sister receiving a larger inheritance portion than the mother (even if the sister is married).

Furthermore, the widow's share is even smaller than that of the mother, while the sister's share becomes even more substantial.

Relative	Share Fraction	Share Percentage
Wife	1/4	25%
Sister	3/4	75%

Moreover, even if a deceased person has a daughter, still half of the property will go to the sister (even if she is married). 

Relative	Share Fraction	Share Percentage
Daughter	1/2	50%
Sister	1/2	50%

These inequitable and absurd divisions are a result of the illogical Islamic laws of inheritance, which lack any divine wisdom.

 

(2) When SHARES make MORE than the Estate (An 'Awl عول Case)

For instance, in the case where an individual passes away, leaving behind three daughters, parents, and wife, the distribution of inheritance would be as follows:

• The share of the three daughters is 2/3 of the estate, based on the verse: “...If (the heirs of the deceased are) more than two daughters, they shall have two-thirds of the inheritance” [Quran 4:11].
• And the share of the parents is 1/6 + 1/6 = 1/3 of the estate, based on the verse: “... For parents, a sixth share of inheritance to each if the deceased left children” [Quran 4:11].
• And the wife’s share = 1/8 of the estate, based on the verse: “…they get an eighth of that which you leave” [Quran 4:12].

The total number of shares in this scenario is calculated as 2/3 for the daughters + 1/3 for the parents + 1/8 for the wife, resulting in a total of 1.125.

In other words, if the deceased left behind 1000 dinars, according to the Quran, the judge would require 1125 dinars to distribute among the heirs, which exceeds the available amount.

Muhammad passed away without providing any solution to rectify this mathematical mistake in the Quran or Hadith.

Later, a similar case was presented to 'Umar Ibn Khattab, and he also found himself at a loss regarding what to do. However, someone suggested that he proportionally reduce the share of all heirs, and 'Umar adopted this "self-made" solution in an attempt to address the mathematical error in the Quran (link). 

However, Ibn Abbas disagreed with 'Umar's approach, and Shia Muslims also have a different perspective. They proposed an alternative "self-fabricated" solution (link).

In Islam, the Creator of Two Trillion Galaxies can’t add fractions, and thus Islamic Sharia has one Quranic Mathematical Error and 2 self-fabricated solutions. 

 

Scientific Blunders in the Quran

According to Islam, Allah is believed to be completely 100% perfect. As a result, if it can be demonstrated that there is even a "single" scientific error in the Islamic revelation, it would undermine the entire foundation of Islam, which is built upon the premise of Allah's 100% infallibility. Modern Science is an ultimate weapon which will expose false religions and dismantle their claims sooner or later.

Please read and see these huge scientific BLUNDERS by the Quran:

• The Rain Model in Muhammad's Mind: Covering the Entire Islamic Cosmology, Including the Flat Earth Concept
• Meteors as Shooting Stars: A List of SEVEN Quranic Mistakes
• Why Did the Offspring of Adam Stay in the "Stone Age" for 290 Thousand Years (According to Islam)?
• Scientific Blunder of the Quran: Sky is a Solid Physical Object
• The Flawed Islamic Lunar Calendar and Quranic Scientific Blunder
• Quranic Mistake: The heart is responsible for Thinking, Understanding, Reasoning, and Emotions (An analysis of all arguments by Islamic apologists)

 

External Sources:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CritiqueIslam/comments/kbx1ut/the_faulty_claim_of_the_qurans_inimitable/

https://theologyweb.com/campus/forum/world-religions/islam/1280838-against-the-claim-of-the-inimitability-of-the-qur-an