This explanation is totally devoid of good literary taste.

This explanation is totally devoid of good literary taste. Those who disbelieved in the Qur’ân, rejected the whole Book as being forged against Allâh. What purpose could be served by challenging them to bring a Chapter like that of The Cow? Such a challenge would, in final analysis, mean this: If you are in doubt the short Chapter of al-Kawthar or al- Ikhlds, then bring a like of the largest Chapter of The Cow. Absurd, isn't it!

MIRACLE AND ITS QUIDDITY The claim of the Qur’ân that it is a miraculous sign, and the challenge to the doubters offered by this verse, contains in reality two claims: First, that miracles, super-natural events, do occur; second, that the Qur’ân is one of such miracles. If the second claim is proved, the first will automatically be proved. That is why the Qur’ân has challenged the men to bring its like, as it would prove both aspects of the claim. How does a miracle happen?

After all, it is against the deep-­rooted system of the cause-and-effect which is never negated. The Qur’ân explains this subject in the following two stages: First: The miracle is a reality; the Qur’ân is one of the miracles, which in itself proves the existence of miracles in general; it offers a challenge to its adversaries, and in this way proves its truth. Second: What is the reality of miracle? How can a thing happen in this world of nature against the universal law of the cause-and-effect?

THE MIRACLE OF THE QUR’?N Undoubtedly, the Qur’ân has offered a continuing challenge, by which it proves itself to be a miracle. This challenge has been given in many verses of Meccan as well as Medinite period. All of them show that this Book is a divine miracle, a super-natural sign. The verse under discussion, "And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it . . .

", is one of those challenges: Produce a chapter like one of the Qur’ân from someone like the Prophet. It should be noted that it does not purport to prove the prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) directly; it does not say, `if you are in doubt as to the prophethood of Our, servant'; instead it says, `if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant'. Likewise, all the challenges given in the Qur’ân aim to prove that this Book is a super-natural sign from Allâh.

And when this fact is established, the prophethood of the Prophet will automatically be proved. The verses of challenge vary in their scope and generality.