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The Book itself must make the claim, and not what people attribute to it later, based on whatever reasons.
This should be the first criterion since, too often, discussions towards ascribing divine authorship to a book have been made because of people’s opinions or assumptions, rather than what the book itself claims. Therefore we should firstly ask: “Does the book make such a claim?”
THE CASE FOR AL-QUR’AN
The Qur’an, being the revelation made to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w[1]., the unlettered, over a span of 23 years of his life, is “the recitation” (the literal meaning of the word “Al-Qur’an”) and has consistently referred to itself by this term and also the term Al-Kitab “the book” (divine writ) from God. Its compilation, memorization and recording were supervised and completed during the lifetime of Muhammad s.a.w. As such, even if there is only a single claim contained within it, this would have been sufficient to fulfill this criterion. Yet this assertion, that it is indeed a Revelation from God, occurs too many times and is consistently mentioned throughout the Qur’an, so that it cannot be ignored.
Muhammad’s mission (s.a.w.) was, from the very start, to refer people to these revelations which he had received, as a sign of Divine origin. This point is important to note since many contemporary students of comparative religion presume that the Qur’an is in the same genre and has a history somewhat analogous to scriptures of other religions. This is erroneous. In other religions, their own scholars have admitted that theirs is a collection of books comprising many writings by different authors (and many of them anonymous) which came to be compiled much later, and then given a name; and, that the book or books were then ascribed divine authorship through some forum, council or Synod (the term generally used is “Canonised”). The case for the Qur’an is different. In the case of Muhammad s.a.w., the Qur’an itself was already known by this term from the beginning when it was still being revealed to him, and which he then presented to his doubting audience as the standing miracle from God, the proof, confirming his prophethood. Although one such claim would have sufficed since the Qur’an is one book given to one man within his lifetime, in actual fact there are several such claims throughout this book. For example verses, such as:
وَهَـٰذَا كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ مُبَارَكٌ۬ مُّصَدِّقُ ٱلَّذِى
“And this, too, is a divine writ which We (God)) have bestowed from on high – blessed, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations] – and [this] in order that thou (O Muhammad) mayest warn the foremost of all cities and all who dwell around it.”(Qur’an: Al-An’am: 6: 92)
وَبِٱلۡحَقِّ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ وَبِٱلۡحَقِّ نَزَلَۗ وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ
إِلَّا مُبَشِّرً۬ا وَنَذِيرً۬ا وَقُرۡءَانً۬ا فَرَقۡنَـٰهُ لِتَقۡرَأَهُ ۥ عَلَى
ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكۡثٍ۬ وَنَزَّلۡنَـٰهُ تَنزِيلاً۬
“And as a guide towards truth have We bestowed this [revelation] from on high; with this [very] truth has it come down [unto thee, O Prophet]: for We have sent thee but as herald of glad tidings and a Warner, [bearing] a discourse which We have gradually unfolded, so that thou might read it out to mankind by stages, seeing that We have bestowed it from on high step by step, as [one] revelation.”
(Qur’an: al-Isra’:17: 105-106)
Even while receiving these revelations (as recitations) in stages; it was always intended to be collated into one single book with a given name to it i.e. “al-Qur’an” (the Recitation). Yet, in reference to itself, the author of this book also claims other appellations – consistent and relevant to itself, its purpose and use for man – names like:
Al-Kitab (the Book) – (ref: Qur’an: 2:2) ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ
Al-Furqan (the Criterion) – (ref: Qur’an: 25:1) ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ
Al-Shifa’ (the Healing) – (ref: Qur’an: 10: 57) شِفَآءٌ۬
Al-Huda (the Guidance) – (ref: Qur’an: 72: 13) ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ
Al-Dzikr (the Reminder) – (ref: Qur’an: 15:9) ٱلذِّكۡرَ
Al-Hikmah (the Wisdom) – (ref: Qur’an: 17:39) ٱلۡحِكۡمَةِۗ
Al-Nur (the Light) – (ref: Qur’an: 7:157) ٱلنُّورَ
Al--Khayr (the Goodness) – (ref: Qur’an: 3: 104) ٱلۡخَيۡرِ
Al-Qur’an al-Majeed (the Sublime Recitation) - (ref: Qur’an: 50:1) وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ ٱلۡمَجِيدِ
Al-Qur’an al-Hakeem (the Recitation full of Wisdom) – (ref: Qur’an: 36: 2) وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ
There are other adjectives and verbs used for the Qur’an (but without the definite article – “al” literally meaning “the” which when added to a verb or an adjective would become a name): viz. Karim (Noble), Hab-lullaah (rope or bond with God), Mau-idzah (Admonition), Tadzkirah (Reminder), Hukm (the Ordinance), Burhaan (proof), Tanzil (brought down from on High), Tib-yaan-li-kulli-shai’ (explanation for everything), Wahyi (revelation), Marfu-‘atin-Mutah-harah (Lofty and Pure) Ruh (Spirit or life giving message) Ah-san al-hadith (the best of speech), etc.
The significance for this is the ‘self-image’ it propounds. Ordinarily, contemporary human authors and conventional books would only give to themselves a few such descriptions – usually based on certain categorizations such as the title, subject matter, genre, language, style and the author’s sales pitch or claim. And this is a recent development in library science and methods; whereas the Qur’an was revealed more than 1400 years ago. Also, normally categorization is given after others have subjected the book to review. But, the Qur’an has already provided for itself the necessary appellations, descriptions and more – and all these will then have to be consistently and qualitatively upheld by the author throughout the book; a book not then yet published but gradually and generally collected in the hearts of men, over a period of 23 years.
How does one account for this when we have to note that Muhammad s.a.w. was an unlettered Arab who could neither read nor write, and had no formal scholarly training. Also over 1400 years ago, it was unknown, even by those who were literate amongst the Arabs, that the people of that time would even consider in their writings such matters as the Qur’an discusses. Yet, such is the nature of the Qur’an; it demands to be recognized and categorized as a Book of Divine origin.
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