Mountains are often mentioned in the Qur’an. as symbols of great stability, firmness, endurance and integrity. But even with these powerful characteristics, the mountains were unable to bear the Qur’an.… they could not bear the trust.

The mountains knew their capacity and they knew the incredible weight of the Qur’an. But man… man didn’t know.

For them to shatter into pieces, break apart and cleft asunder is no easy matter. They have a right to that because of what the Qur’an. contains. It’s not a physical weight that humbles the mountains, but it’s the Words of Allah – they are indeed heavy.

One of the most difficult ways that the Qur’an. was revealed to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi Wa sallam) is when it came like the ringing of a bell – this was the most hardest for him to take. It physically burdened him and weighed down upon him greatly to the extent that if he was riding his camel, the camel would kneel on the ground due to the pressure from the Revelation. The Prophet’s companion, Zaid was once seated next to him and his thigh was underneath that of the Prophet’s when a Revelation descended. Zaid later reported that his thigh was almost injured because of the weight of the Revelation to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi Wa sallam).

This Qur’an. was revealed to bring a change to a lost people and direct Mankind back to the Path of Salvation and Truth. It was sent down to take people from darkness to light, from disbelief to belief and from this lowly Dunya (world) to the Hereafter.


The lives of the very first recipients of this Qur’an. are evident to the powerful influence of this Revelation on Mankind. Within just 23 years, a great empire was established and the Sahaabah were a transformed nation. A few years after the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) passed away, Islam had spread as far as Europe and Central Asia to the extent that it is said the graves of Mujaahideen (possibly Taabi’een) were found located within 100m from Paris itself. The cause of such a change? The source of such strength? Could it have been any other than the Magnificent Qur’an. and the unparalleled guidance of the Messenger?

When discussing the miraculous nature of the Qur’an., many tend to restrict their thoughts to scientific miracles alone. Others will highlight the many prophesies and predictions that the Qur’an. puts forth, the great challenge to reproduce something like the Qur’an. or the fact that Allah has preserved and protected it unlike any other Scripture. These are no doubt, part of the miraculous nature of the Qur’an., but by far, the greatest miracle which shook the heart of Makkah and consequently, the world, lies in the language of the Qur’an. – the eloquence, beauty and literary supremacy of the Tanzeel (Revelation).

The Arabs were known as Ahlul-Shi’r and Ahlul-Lugha (people of poetry and language). They had a right to such a title as they were the masters in the field of eloquence and beauty of speech. In fact, every year in Makkah the annual fair of ‘Ukaadh would take place where each poet would display his skill and recite many lines of poetry. They were unchallenged and nothing threatened their talent… nothing but a miracle could crush their superior position.

The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “There has not been a single Prophet except that Allah gave him miracles because of which people believed in him. I have been given (as a miracle) the Inspiration which Allah revealed to me (i.e. the Qur’an.).” [Al-Bukhari]

So when the Qur’an. came, the people of Makkah were dumbfounded and left in astonishment at its eloquence and beauty. This was a speech which superceded their poetic capacity and since they were the leading masters at that time, they failed to comprehend that Muhammad (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) – a man they did not categorise as a poet, could all of a sudden come with such a masterpiece. As a result, the people split - some believed while others refused to accept it, calling it magic and sorcery.

The Qur’an. affected all people that it reached and it continues to do so up until our current time today. Even the staunchest of the pagans in Makkah could not resist it. One fine example is the incident of al-Waleed ibn al-Mugheerah, the father of the great warrior Khalid ibn al-Waleed. He was an incredible poet, leading in high position and status among the poets and also in society. One day he passed by the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) who was reciting the Qur’an. which he overheard. This visibly had an affect on him which the people saw including Abu Jahl, who in turn tried to curb this affect. In a response to Abu Jahl’s efforts, Al-Waleed replied, “And what can I say? For I swear by Allah, there is none amongst you who knows poetry as well as I do nor can any compete with me in the composition or rhetoric – not even in the poetry of the jinns! And yet, I swear by Allah, Muhammad’s speech (i.e. the Qur’an.) does not bear any similarity to anything I know, and I swear by Allah, the speech that he says is very sweet and is adorned with beauty and charm. Its first part is fruitful and its last part is abundant and it conquers and remains unconquered. It shatters and destroys all that has come before it.”


Abu Jahl who was the staunchest of the pagan Makkans and a crude campaigner against the Call of Islaam was not happy. Al-Waleed promised to think things over. He thought and he pondered before finally arriving at a very insincere and dishonest answer saying, “This is nothing but magic from old.” Al-Waleed saw the beauty, eloquence and above all the clear truth of the Qur’an. but al-Waleed disbelieved and reject the truth after it had come to him. As a result, Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) revealed 16 ground-shaking verses condemning him to eternal hell-fire.

Another incident is that of ‘Utbah ibn Rabee’ another pagan Makkan who was seen as the ‘negotiator’ of his time. He asked the chiefs of Makkah to leave him to Muhammad (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) and that he will convince him that his Cause was not worth all this effort. Eloquently, he spoke and spoke employing all arguments to dissuade the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam). A while later, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) asked “Have you finished?” to which ‘Utbah replied in the affirmative. “Then listen to me,” said the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam),

‘Utbah stood there totally captivated and entranced by the verses of the Qur’an. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) continued to complete the entire chapter – and with 54 verses, this was no short Surah. During the whole recitation, ‘Utbah did not once turn away. Amazed and in total awe, he remained immersed in listening until the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said at the end, “You have heard what you have heard, so do as you please.”


‘Utbah returned to his people, a changed man, shaken to the heart, clearly moved yet silenced. He reported back to his people saying, “O people, I have heard a speech the like of which I have never heard before. I swear by Allah, it is not magic, nor is it poetry, nor is it sorcery. O gathering of Quraysh! Listen to me. Leave this man alone; for I swear by Allah, the speech that I have heard from him will soon be news…”

‘Utbah was right. It not only became news, but it became the greatest news which shone the face of this earth and lighted up the hearts of a lost people.

However, it is with great sadness that I say in our communities today this particular aspect of the miraculous nature of the Qur’an. in language, style, usage of words and structure is the least spoken about. Much of the time, this is due to the language barrier and the inability to understand Arabic in general. Our lack of understanding this language has lead us to miss out on the biggest miracle of the Qur’an. – what a loss indeed. We fail to experience the powerful choice of words by Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), the abundant meanings of each verse as it is filled with concise yet overwhelming news – understood by all from kings to servants, from the masters of language to the lame and illiterate. A lofty, unparalleled and magnificent masterpiece, the Qur’an. indeed conquers and remains unconquered.

Becoming companions of the Qur’an.

It is important for us to revive our relationship with the Qur’an. and restructure our lives around it. As the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said,

To be a companion of someone (or something) entails being in their presence most of the time and being with them wheresoever they are. To be a companion of the Qur’an. therefore means that we not only read it, but we accompany it throughout our lives – studying it, pondering over it, consulting it, memorising it, acting upon it, teaching it and defending it from the plots of its enemies. Indeed, to be from the people of Qur’an. amounts to being from the people of Allah as Anas ibn Maalik narrates that the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said,

It’s important for us to strive to become companions of the Qur’an. and much of the destiny of this Ummah depends on this crucial factor – have we grasped it firmly, or have we abandoned it?

One of the ways that we can pull this Ummah out of its current suffering, oppression and disunity is to return to the Revelation as Imam Maalik (rahimahullaah) once stated, “Nothing will rectify the latter part of this Ummah except that which rectified the first part of it.”

We need to return to it as a source of judgment between us and make it the light which penetrates our hearts and illuminates it such that we become a people of strength who walk with light. We need to return to it as serious students, understanding what our Lord is telling us and thereby appreciating the ultimate I’jaaz of the Furqaan. Indeed, had there been a Qur’an. with which mountains could be moved or the earth could be cloven asunder or the dead could be made to speak, it would not have been other than this Qur’an.

Waffaqanallaahu wa iyyaakum