Sūrat Yūnus
Section 7 of 17 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Bring a Sūrah Like It
Further on, in verses 37 and 38 — the Qur'an being, again, a major subject of the sūrah — Allah (swt) says:
وَمَا كَانَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ أَن يُفْتَرَىٰ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
“And this Qur’ān is not such as could have been made up by someone without (having been revealed by) Allah, but it is a confirmation of that (discourse) which had been (revealed) before it, and an elaboration of what is prescribed. There is no doubt in it. It is from the Lord of all the worlds.” (10:37)
This Qur'an is not such as could be fabricated by anyone other than Allah — that is to say, it cannot be. Do they not see that it confirms what they already had from before? It is no mere invention; there is great substance in it.
Allah (swt) then issues a challenge:
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ ۖ قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِسُورَةٍ مِّثْلِهِۦ وَٱدْعُوا۟ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
“Or, do they say that he has made it up? Say, “Then, bring a Sūrah like this, and call whomsoever you can beside Allah, if you are true.”” (10:38)
Do they say that he fabricated it? Say to them: then bring a sūrah like it. Nor is it demanded that a single one of them compose it — Abū Jahl alone, or some other individual. Rather, wa-dʿū mani istaṭaʿtum min dūni Allāh: they may enlist the help of whomever they wish besides Allah — Arabs, ʿajam, non-Arabs, anyone at all — if they are truthful.