'The Beauty of the Quran can NEVER be Challenged'

Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Rahim
Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa was from Khurasaan in Persia. He was born in Iraq and was a Fire-worshipper. He later accepted Islam at the hands of Isa Ibn Ali. He was an author and poet of repute. His eloquence in Arabic has been noted by many scholars. He is recognized as a scholar in the science of Arabic grammar and rhetoric. He has written a number of books regarding the Arabic language. He has also translated works of Aristotle into Arabic. His words and poetry are quoted by a number of the famous mufasireen of the Quran like Imam Qurtubi, Allamah Aaloosi, Zamakhshari Rahimahumullah and others.

He is famous for his translation of Kalilah Wa Dimnah from Persian into Arabic. Kalilah Wa Dimnah was then translated from Arabic into Spanish, Latin, Hebrew, French, English, etc and had an enormous impact on European literature. It is a book about fables where animals have been given human qualities with the aim of teaching a moral lesson. Stories of this type have reached English literature with the likes of 'The hare and the tortoise, 'The fox and the crow' and 'The lion and the mouse.'

A famous saying of Ibn al-Muqaffa that shows his mastery in the Arabic language is quoted below :

“Words without action are like gravy without fat, Or a cloud without rain, Or a bow without a string.' (Tafseer Qurtubi)

This same Ibn al-Muqaffa, the most eloquent scholar of his time, decided to challenge the Quran by compiling some beautiful verses in Arabic. He did compile something but while walking one day he heard a young boy reciting this verse of the Quran:

And it was said: 'O earth! Swallow up your water and O sky! Withhold (your rain)!' And the water was made to subside. And the Decree (of Allah) was fulfilled. The Ark rested on Mount Judi and it was said: 'Away with those who do wrong!' (Surah Hud Verse 44)

He returned and erased what he had compiled saying : “I testify that this (Book) can never be challenged. It is not the words of man.” (Tafseer Aaloosi)

Allaahu Akbar!. The Quran is a book that is beyond the capability of any man to produce even one verse which is the like of it.

Lesson

Many similar incidents have been recorded in history where masters in the Arabic language were left speechless when they heared the Quran being recited. The Arabs, during the time of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, were experts in Arabic poetry but they too were forced to acknowledge the superiority of the Quran.

Any person who is well versed in Arabic will appreciate the eloquence and beauty of the above verse of the Quraan. In fact, every verse of the Quran is exceptionally beautiful. Every verse of the Quran is filled with wisdom and guidance for mankind. It is indeed a loss to man himself when he ignores the message of the Quraan. Successful are those who recite it, understand it and practice upon its golden teachings.


Abdullah Ibn Abbaas Radhi Allahu Anhuma - The Great Mufassir

An incident mentioned in Uyoonul Akhbaar of Ibn Qutaibah and Al-ma'rifah wa at-taarikh of Fasawi shows the great scholarly status of Abdullah Ibn Abbaas Radhi Allahu Anhuma. <>
Once the king of Rome sent a letter to Muawiyah Radhi Allahu Anhu asking him certain questions. Muawiyah asked Abdullah Ibn Abbaas to respond. The answers of Ibn Abbaas showed his thorough knowledge of the Quran and the religion of Islam. The questions and answers are as follows:
Which are the five phrases most loved by Allah?

First, Laa ilaahaa illallaah (No action is accepted by Allah except if accompanied by the belief in Laa ilaaha illallaah)

Second, Subhaanallah (The salutation of the creation to Allah)

Third, Alhamdulillah (The phrase of appreciation)

Fourth, Allahu Akbar (The starting phrase of Salaah, Ruku and Sajda)

Fifth, Laa howla wa laa quwwata illa billaah (There is no power and might except in Allah. The king of Rome should understand the reason for this well.)

Which man and which woman were the most esteemed servant of Allah?

Adam was the most esteemed male servant of Allah because Allah created him with His own Hands and taught him the names of things.

The most esteemed female servant of Allah was Maryam, the daughter of Imraan, because she guarded her chastity.

What four things had a soul but were never in the womb of a mother?

Adam, Hawwa, the staff of Musa which turned into a serpent and the ram which was to be sacrificed in place of the prophet Ismail.

Which grave moved around with its inmate?

The fish that swallowed the prophet Yunus.

Which portion of earth was struck by the sun only once?

The portion of sea which split open for the Bani Israa’eel to pass through.

What is the origin of the rainbow?

When everything was drowned in water in the time of Nooh, the rainbow was safe and sound.

Abdullah Ibn Abbaas was the cousin of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. He became the greatest commentator of the Ummah due to the dua of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
Once Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam pressed him to his chest and said : 'O Allah, teach him the Book (Quran).' (Bukhari)
On another occasion Ibn Abbaas presented water to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam after he had relieved himself. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was pleased and said : “O Allah, grant him deep understanding of Islam.” (Muslim)
It was thus that Ibn Abbaas became the most knowledgeable Sahabi regarding the Quraan. Other great Sahabah like Ibn Umar and Ibn Masood Radhi Allahu Anhuma often praised Ibn Abbaas.

Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu used to seat him with the senior scholars amongst the Sahabah even when he was young. Ibn Abbaas narrates : “Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu used to make me sit with the elderly men who had fought in the battle of Badr. Some of them did not like this and said, 'Why does this young boy sit with us while we have sons like him?' Umar replied, 'Because of what you know of his position (his link with the fountain of prophetic knowledge).' One day Umar called me and made me sit in their gathering. I think that he called me just to show them (that I was more than capable of sitting amongst them). Umar then asked them: 'What do you say about the interpretation of these words of Allah Ta’ala: ‘When the help of Allah and the conquest comes.' (Surah Nasr)

Some of them said, 'We are ordered to praise Allah and ask for His forgiveness when Allah's Help and the conquest comes to us.' Others kept quiet and did not say anything. Umar then asked me, 'Do you say the same, O Ibn Abbaas?' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'What do you say then?' I replied, 'It refers to the demise of Allah's Rasool Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam regarding which Allah had informed him. Allah said: ‘When the help of Allah and the conquest comes’, it is a sign of your demise. ‘You should celebrate the praises of your Lord and ask for His Forgiveness as He is the One Who forgives.' “ Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu then said, 'I do not know anything about it other than what you have said.' (Bukhari)

Lesson

Some of the enemies of Islam have studied Islam deeply and know many of the finer details well. It is the duty of the Ummah that there be dedicated and sincere Muslim scholars in every age who can provide answers to the questions raised by the critics.


Muslim Rulers who fear Allah Azza Wajal

Once Hadhrat Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu received some musk and amber from Bahrain. He asked for someone who would weigh it well, so that it may be equally distributed among the Muslims. His wife, Aatikah, volunteered but Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu refused to give it to her. When she requested why, he replied : 'I fear that if you weigh it some of it may touch your hand and from your hand it may reach you neck. It will then be an unfair advantage to me over the other Muslims.' (Kanzul Ummaal)

A similar story is related about Hadhrat Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz Rahimahullah. While he was Khalifah, musk belonging to the Bait ul-Maal was brought to him. He closed his own nostrils, saying: 'The benefit derived from musk is its fragrance.' (Al Bidaayah Wan Nihaayah)

Nasir-ud-Din Mahmood, the Muslim ruler of Delhi, was famous for his honesty and integrity. His wife once said to him: 'My hands have become inflamed due to baking bread on a frequent basis. If only a slave girl could be purchased to assist me. Nasir-ud-Din replied: 'The public treasury belongs exclusively to the subjects. I have no right to take a few rupees from the public treasury and purchase a slave for my own comfort and pleasure. You should exercise patience with regard to worldly difficulties. Allah will reward you for it in the Hereafter.' (Tarikh-e-Farishta)

Lessons
1. This was the standard of piety of the Sahabah and the pious Muslim rulers. They were always fearful of Allah and accountability in the Divine Court.

2. Their scrupulous use of public property is an extremely important teaching of Islam.

3. These rulers were actually following the lofty example of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam who always placed his family members and those who were nearer to him in the front line in facing a risk or hazard but allotted them the last place when he distributed favours, rewards and spoils of wa

A Great Scholar of Islam

Ibn Jarir Tabari Rahimahullah is regarded as one of the great scholars of the Muslim Ummah. His tafseer (commentary of the Quran) is a truly amazing work in the field. In the field of history, his work is regarded as one of the most authentic and comprehensive. He was a Haafiz and Qaari of the Quran. In the field of Islamic jurisprudence he was a reputed scholar of the different schools of thought (Mazahib). He was a scholar of Hadith and an authority on the text and chain of narrators. He memorized the Quran at the age of 7. He began writing ahadith at the age of 9. He was born in 224 Hijri in Tabaristan and passed away in 310 Hijri in Baghdad. Once he said to his students : 'Are you ready for a tafseer of the Quran?'

They asked : 'How long will it be?'

He replied : 'Thirty thousand pages.'

They exclaimed : 'A tafseer of this length will exhaust all the years of ones life to complete it.'
Ibn Jarir thereafter wrote a concise version which came to three thousand pages. He then asked his students : 'Are you ready for a history of the world from the time of Adam to the present?' They asked : 'How long will it be?'

He again replied in a like manner as he had for the tafseer. When his students again showed reluctance he exclaimed in agony : 'Enthusiasm has left this world.' He then wrote a concise version of world history. (Tarikh al-Tabari, vol.1, page 2)

He was not afraid to speak the truth and defend the faith from any innovators who arose in his time. For this reason he wrote books about the virtues of Abu Bakr and Umar Radhi Allahu Ahuma to refute the views of those who criticised the Sahabah. (Tarikh al-Tabari, vol 1, page 10-14) <>
Ibn Khalwaih narrates : 'Ibn Khuzaimah once said to me : 'It has reached me that you have written the tafseer of Muhamed Ibn Jarir Tabari. 'Yes', I wrote the entire tafseer while Ibn Jarir dictated it. 'In which year?' he asked. 'From the year 83 till 90 Hijri,' I replied. He then borrowed the book from me. After a few years he returned it saying : 'I have read it from start to finish. I do not know of any person on the face of the earth more knowledgeable than Ibn Jarir. (Tareekh Bagdaad, vol 2, page 166)