Intermediate
Al-Haqqah
Surah: Al-Haqqah (40)
It Is the Word of a Noble Messenger — Guarding the Quran from Accusation
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ
— الحاقة الآية 40
Verses: "Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger (40) and it is not the word of a poet — little do you believe (41) nor the word of a soothsayer — little do you reflect"
Reflection:
The polytheists floundered when describing the Prophet: at times a poet, at times a soothsayer, at times a sorcerer — because they could not engage with the Quran honestly. The verses respond with logic: poetry has metre and rhyme, soothsaying has its own cadence — the Quran matches neither.
"A noble messenger": Here Jibreel (Gabriel) is meant, the one who conveyed from Allah. "Noble" describes his character and his faithfulness in conveying the revelation.
A subtle rhetorical point: The verse says "little do you believe" about the poetry accusation, and "little do you reflect" about the soothsayer accusation — because refuting the poetry charge requires faith, while refuting the soothsayer charge requires thinking and reflection.
Lesson: When the Quran is attacked with doubts, do not be shaken — the Quran defended itself from the very beginning with clear logic.
Reflection:
The polytheists floundered when describing the Prophet: at times a poet, at times a soothsayer, at times a sorcerer — because they could not engage with the Quran honestly. The verses respond with logic: poetry has metre and rhyme, soothsaying has its own cadence — the Quran matches neither.
"A noble messenger": Here Jibreel (Gabriel) is meant, the one who conveyed from Allah. "Noble" describes his character and his faithfulness in conveying the revelation.
A subtle rhetorical point: The verse says "little do you believe" about the poetry accusation, and "little do you reflect" about the soothsayer accusation — because refuting the poetry charge requires faith, while refuting the soothsayer charge requires thinking and reflection.
Lesson: When the Quran is attacked with doubts, do not be shaken — the Quran defended itself from the very beginning with clear logic.
Source: Al-Tabari (23/71); Ibn Kathir (8/228)
Test Yourself
Why does the verse use "you believe" for the poetry accusation and "you reflect" for the soothsayer accusation?
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