Is the challenge in 2:23 of a poetic nature?

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“If you have any doubt regarding what We revealed to our servant, then produce one sura like these, and call upon your own witnesses against God, if you are truthful.” 2:23

For many centuries, the Arabic speaking Muslims have claimed that the challenge made by God in 2:23 is related to producing a book that matches the poetic style of the Quran.

This challenge is given in 2:23 and also in the following verse:

“Say, “If all the humans and all the jinns banded together in order to produce a Quran like this, they could never produce anything like it, no matter how much assistance they lend one another.” 17:88

But is the challenge of the Quran really a poetic challenge? To reply to this question, we must first analyse the feasibility of such a challenge. First, we must find out whether it is possible to set some criteria for resolving the outcome. What criteria must we use to compare the poetic style of the Quran to that of any other book? What are the deciding factors that would lead us to decide that one book is superior to the other from a poetic point of view? Would the number of rhymes be the deciding factor? Would the total number of different words used be a deciding factor? Should we consider the diversity or frequency of the allegorical phrases? should we count the metaphors …… Or what?

Immediately, we are faced with a major dilemma! Immediately, we realise that it is hard enough to compare two works by the SAME author with any degree of practicality, like Shakespeare”s Hamlet and Macbeth, let alone the Quran with any other book? It is just not possible to have conclusive criteria. For although one can just say “I like Hamlet more” or “I like Macbeth more”, yet at the end of the day it is not possible to say which is a superior work. Equally, it is not possible to determine which of Mozart”s piano works is the most superior? Different people will always have different favourites.

It will soon be apparent that with respect to any two works of art, whether they are novels, symphonies or a sculptures, and because of the lack of measuring devices and criteria, it is NOT possible to determine in any practical sense which is the superior one. It all depends on the individual taste of different people.

Consequently, we find that this was very much the verdict of all those who had to give an opinion regarding the poetic claim of the superiority of the Quran.
All the Muslims would say that the Quran is the most superior book with regards to poetic fluency, and all non-Muslims would say otherwise. Who is to decide the outcome? Is it rationally possible to arrive at a conclusive outcome? The answer once again is NO.

The next question is whether God in His infinite wisdom would really give us a challenge in the Quran when He knows that this challenge cannot be resolved?

[2:23] “And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful.”