Inayat al-Muslimin bi-Ibraz Wujuh al-Ijaz fi al-Quran al-Karim - Muhammad al-Sayyid Jibril
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- Editions
- King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran in Medina
Ināyat al-Muslimīn bi-Ibrāz Wujūh al-I‘jāz fī al-Qur’ān al-Karīm (The Muslims' Care in Highlighting the Facets of Inimitability in the Noble Quran) is a treatise by Muḥammad al-Sayyid Rāḍī Jibrīl, professor of tafsīr and Quranic sciences at the Faculty of Usul al-Din at al-Azhar University in Cairo, that examines the historical development and multifaceted nature of Quranic inimitability (i‘jāz).
Background and Purpose
The work was prepared for a scholarly symposium organized by the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran in Medina titled "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Care for the Noble Quran and its Sciences" (‘Ināyat al-Mamlakah al-‘Arabiyyah al-Su‘ūdiyyah bi-al-Qur’ān al-Karīm wa-‘Ulūmih). The author intended to document how Muslim scholarship across history addressed the inimitability of the Quran, clarify key conceptual frameworks, and evaluate the principal facets of i‘jāz articulated by classical and contemporary scholars.
Contents and Structure
The book is arranged around an introductory conceptual framework, a historical survey, and a detailed analysis of the facets of inimitability:
- Conceptual Foundations: The author defines the compound term i‘jāz al-Qur’ān, explaining that i‘jāz linguistically denotes incapacity and inability to match a challenge, while its theological purpose is establishing the divine origin of the Quran and proving the truthfulness of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He emphasizes that the core locus of inimitability (manāṭ al-i‘jāz) agreed upon by the majority of scholars resides in the text itself—both its wording and meaning—starting with its rhetorical perfection, and he explicitly refutes the doctrine of ṣarfah (divine diversion).
- Historical Grounding (al-Ta’ṣīl al-Tārīkhī): Jibril surveys the uninterrupted tradition of scholarly literature dedicated to i‘jāz from the 3rd century AH to modern times, noting early contributions such as al-Jāḥiẓ's non-extant Naẓm al-Qur’ān and subsequent treatises by classical scholars.
- Facets of Inimitability: The study categorizes and explores key facets affirmed by scholars:
- Linguistic and Rhetorical Inimitability: Eloquence (faṣāḥah), rhetoric (balāghah), composition (naẓm), and unique stylistic arrangement, which the author highlights as the pervasive foundation of i‘jāz present across every Surah and verse.
- Foreknowledge of the Unseen: Predictions of future events and narratives of past nations and bygone generations.
- Psychological Inimitability (al-I‘jāz al-Nafsī): The profound emotional and spiritual effect of Quranic recitation on listeners, inspiring awe in believers and overwhelming opponents.
- Legislative and Moral Guidance: The balanced, humane, and comprehensive character of Quranic legal rulings and ethical precepts.
- Scientific Inimitability (al-I‘jāz al-‘Ilmī): The concordance between cosmic and natural descriptions in the Quran and verified scientific facts. The author cautions against forced interpretations (takalluf) and unstable hypotheses, affirming that the Quran is primarily a book of guidance rather than an empirical textbook.
- Additional Facets: The text briefly notes further aspects recorded by scholars, including the preservation of the text from alteration, the facilitation of its memorization, and its comprehensive proofs of monotheism.
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