Home > Arguments for the Qur'an's excellence
The book was given to a man who could not read or write (How do we know that? Because it says so in the Qur'an and his enemies never called him a liar).
"The Qur'an couldn't have been written by man—its unmatched eloquence and wisdom surpass human ability—yet it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who was illiterate. The Qur'an says, ‘And you did not recite before it any scripture, nor did you inscribe one with your right hand' (Surah Al-Ankabut, 29:48). An unlettered man delivering such a masterpiece, preserved perfectly, proves it's from Allah, not human craft.
Jesus (peace be upon him) brought the Injeel—‘We gave him the Injeel, in which was guidance and light' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:46)—but the Bible today, written by men, lacks this divine mark. The Qur'an affirms, ‘The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:75). Its revelation through an illiterate prophet mirrors Allah's power, just as He chose humble messengers like Jesus to show His truth: worship Him alone. The Qur'an's origin is a miracle, beyond man's reach."
Being illiterate does not preclude one from being able to listen to the stories of others, and replicate them in one's own style. The fact that the Qur'an was produced over a period of more than two-decades, by a man who has already lived a full life when he received his first (supposed) revelation, leaves no reason to believe that it couldn't have been created by natural means. If Muhammad received the Qur'an in its entirety while he was twelve, then yes, that would certainly have been miraculous. But for a 40+ year old man who has listened to and told religious stories all his life to come up with a books worth of content within a period of 22 years barely qualifies as a job well done.