The Qur’an’s claim about its own language eloquence, and inimitability in Fi Zilal al-Qur’an: An Analytical Study

Abstract

This study aims to discuss the Qur’an’s claim about its own language, eloquence, and inimitability in Fi Zilal al-Qur’an. To accomplish this, the researchers employed the inductive method by collecting Qur’anic verses talking about the language, eloquence, and inimitability of the Qur’an, and then examining the comments of the author of al-Zilal about these verses. This was followed by the analytical method by analyzing those collected verses, and finally the deductive method to infer the issues reflected in those examined verses related to the Qur’ān’s claim about its own language, eloquence, and inimitability.

The researchers obtained several findings, among them: The language of the Qur’an is a distinct, selected language that is beyond the reach of humankind, yet familiar to them because the rule and laws that govern it are its laws. The Qur’an does not deviate from Arabic words in its language, nor does it depart from the rules of Arabic in its composition. Among them: The language of the Qur’an is selected from the most accurate Arabic language in expressing meaning and the easiest in pronunciation on the tongue, so that the language of the Qur’an becomes the preferred language above the languages and dialects of the Arabs. Among them: Sayyid Qutb holds that the Noble Qur’an is an Arabic book, untainted by foreign language. Among them: According to Sayyid Qutb, there are several forms of inimitability, which are rhetorical inimitability, scientific inimitability, legislative inimitability, and metaphysical inimitability. However, the first and most complete form of inimitability in his view is rhetorical inimitability, with which Allah challenges the disbelievers.