The Miracle of Quranic Eloquence and Style
Muhammad's Prophethood: Reality or Hoax 1999 IIPH
Expression: the eloquence of the Quran's expression has two aspects: purity of language and impressiveness.
Meaning: the eloquence of the Quran as regards meaning is obvious in three aspects:
1. The meaning is clear from the word itself.
2. The meaning conforms to the word, it is neither more than it to cause disorder in the word nor less than it to cause disorder in meaning. That is obvious in the Arabs' saying: "The killing stops killing" and what the Almighty Allah says:
"And there is [a saving of] life for you in Qisas [the law of Equality in punishment of murder]..." [Noble Quran 2:179]
3. Saying many concepts in a few words.
The composition: The good composition of the Quran is obvious in the following:
1. The Quranic speech is harmonious.
2. The measure is balanced and not inconsistent.
3. If a word is taken from its place, and the whole Arabic language is searched for a better substitute, it will not be found. The Almighty Allah says:
"[This is] a Book, the Verses whereof are perfected [in every sphere of knowledge], and then explained in detail from one [Allah] Who is All-Wise All-Acquainted [with all things]." [Noble Quran 11:1]
This is a new aspect of the Quran's miraculous eloquence revealed by Sayyed Qutb who studied the general principles of the artistic and esthetical qualities of the Quran materialized in imagery that he considered the preferred instrument in the style of the Quran, and the first rule of its eloquence. It expresses in an imaginary image the mental meaning, the psychological state, the tangible incident, the visible spectacle, the human model and man's nature. Then that image is promoted and given life or renewable movement, thus the mental meaning becomes a movement, the psychological state becomes a spectacle, the human modem becomes a living person and man's nature becomes visible. The listener forgets that he listens to a recital and imagines himself in front of a spectacle that is presented or an incident taking place in front of one's eyes.
The miraculous aspect of artistic imagery in the Quran is that its instrument is the inanimate word and not the expressive persons, the colours or the accompanying music.