The Miracle of Influence: An Analysis of the Core of the Quran's Challenge (Taḥaddī) at the Time of Revelation

Document Type : Scholary

Author

Department of Theology, Faculty of Humanities, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

10.22059/jcis.2025.392066.1413

Abstract

Readers of the Quran acknowledge that this book, besides conveying knowledge and expressing divine teachings, stirs the emotions and feelings of its audience. Therefore, in addition to the function of imparting knowledge, the language of the Quran also has a motivational function. The question that the present study addresses is whether the stirring and influential nature of the Quran's language can be one of the aspects of its miracle. Although many topics such as eloquence and rhetoric, guidance, informing about the unseen, and so on have been mentioned as criteria of similarity in the challenge verses in both Shia and Sunni exegeses, a historical approach to this issue has generally not been considered in these writings. Therefore, in this study, based on a historical method, an effort has been made to clarify the axis of the Quran’s challenge by re-reading the mindset of the contemporaries of the revelation and uncovering the reason for their helplessness before the Quran. The results indicate that based on historical evidence, the characteristic that made the opponents of the Quran feel helpless and desperate during its time of revelation, and due to which they were called to compete, was the stirring and influential nature of the Quran.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

The Holy Quran
Abu Na’im Asbahani, A. (2000). Dala’il al-nubuwwa. Dar al-Nafayis. (In Arabic)
Bahrani, S. H. (1995). Al-Burhan fi tafsir al-Qur’an. Mu’assasah al-Bi’tha. (In Arabic)
Ghaeminia, A. R. (2010). The biology of text. Research Institute of Culture and Islamic Thought. (In Persian)
Hilli, H. (2000). Mukhtasar al-basa’ir. Mu’assist al-Nashr al-Islami. (In Arabic)
Hosseinizadeh, A. (2009). Tahaddi: Encyclopedia of the holy Quran (Vo. 7). Bustan Ketab. (In Persian)
Huwaizi, A. A. (1994). Tafsir nur al-thaqalayn. Ismailiyan Publications. (In Arabic)
Ibn Hisham, A. (n.d.). Al-Sirah al-nabawiyya. Dar al-Ma’rifah. (In Arabic)
Ibn Kathir, I. (1976). Al-Sirah al-nabawiyya. Dar al-Ma’rifah. (In Arabic)
Ibn Manzur, M. (1993). Lisan al-Arab. Dar al-Fikr - Dar Sader. (In Arabic)
Ibn Shu'bah Harrani, H. (1983). Tuhaf al-uqul. Jami’ah Mudarrisin. (In Arabic)
Jawaheri, M. H. (2014). A study of Khattabi’s view on the impressive miracle of the holy Quran. QABASAT, 19(73), 135-166. (In Persian)
Jawaheri, M. H. (2019). The eloquent and impressive miracle of the holy Quran. Research Institute of Culture and Islamic Thought. (In Persian)
Ma’muri, A. (2003). Eloquent Miracle, in Encyclopedia of the Holy Quran, (Vol. 3). Bustan Ketab. (In Persian)
Ma’rifat, M. H. (1994). Al-Tamhid fi ulum al-Qur’an. Mu’assesat al-Nashr al-Islami. (In Arabic)
Makarem Shirazi, N. (1992). Tafsir-e namuneh. Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyyah. (In Persian)
Maraghi, A. M. (n.d.). Tafsir al-maraghi. Dar al-Fikr. (In Arabic)
Motahari, M. (2012). A journey through the prophet’s biography. Sadra. (In Persian)
Mufid, M. (1992). Al-Amali. Sheikh Mufid Congress. (In Arabic)
Muhammadi Reyshahri, M. (2012). Quran recognition based on the Quran and hadith. Dar al-Hadith. (In Persian)
Muhammadi, M. H. (2003). One thousand and one Quranic tales. Lahiji. (In Persian)
Naraqi, A. (1999). Mi’raj al-sa’adah. Institute of Hijrat Publications. (In Persian)
Qummi, A. (1993). Safinat al-bihar. Uswah. (In Arabic)
Qutb al-Din Rawandi, S. (1987). Al-Da’awat. Publications of the Imam Mahdi School. (In Arabic)
Qutb al-Din Rawandi, S. (1988). Qesas al-anbiya. Islamic Research Center. (In Arabic)
Qutb, S. (2004). Fi zilal al-Qur’an. Dar al-Shuruq. (In Arabic)
Rezaei Isfahani, M. A. (2014). Logic of Quranic interpretation (Vol. 4). Al-Mustafa International Translation and Publication Center. (In Persian)
Rumani, A., Khattabi, H., Jorjani, A. (1958). Three treatises on the inimitability of the Quran. Dar al-Ma’arif. (In Arabic)
Saduq, M. (1992). Man la yahduruhu al-faqih. Jami’ah Mudarrisin Qom. (In Arabic)
Saʻidi Roushan, M. B. (2012a). Analysis of the language of the Quran and methodology of understanding It. Research Institute of Hawzah and University. (In Persian)
Saʻidi Roushan, M. B. (2012b). The language of the Quran and its issues. Research Institute of Hawzah and University. (In Persian)
Sajedi, A. (2004). The language of religion and the Quran. Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute. (In Persian)
Sajedi, A. (2013). The language of the Quran (With a look at the theological challenges of interpretation). Samt. (In Persian)
Sharifi Nasab, H., & Tayyeb Hosseini, S. M. (2015). Investigating the intent of the polytheists in accusing the miracles of the holy prophet (s) of witchcraft and explaining its origin. Islamic Theology, 96.
Tabarsi, F. (1970). I’lam al-wari bi-a’lam al-huda. Islamiyah. (In Arabic)
Tabarsi, F. (1993). Majma’ al-bayan fi tafsir al-Qur’an. Naser Khosrow. (In Arabic)
Tabatabai, M. H. (1970). Al-Mizan fi tafsir al-Qur’an. Mu’assasat al-A’lami lil-Matbu’at. (In Arabic)
Classical and Contemporary Islamic Studies
Volume 7, Issue 2
July 2025
Pages 223-231

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics