Al-Baqarah Verse 23

And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant,[[ Muḥammad (ﷺ).]] then produce a sûrah like it and call your helpers other than Allah, if what you say is true.

If you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down upon Our slave, then produce a chapter like it and call upon your helpers other than Allah, if you are truthful.

And if you are in doubt concerning that We have sent down on Our servant, then bring a sura like it, and call your witnesses, apart from God, if you are truthful.

If you have doubts about the revelation We have sent down to Our servant, then produce a single sura like it- enlist whatever supporters you have other than God- if you truly [think you can].

And if ye be in doubt concerning that which We have revealed unto Our bondsman, then bring a chapter like thereunto, and call your witnesses as against Allah, if ye say sooth.

And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (If there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true.

And if you be in doubt whether the Book We have sent down to Our Servant is from Us or not, then produce, at least, one Surah like this. You may call all your associates to assist you and avail yourselves of the help of any one other than Allah. If you are genuine in your doubt, do this.

If you are in doubt of what We have revealed to Our votary, then bring a Surah like this, and call any witness, apart from God, you like, if you are truthful.

And if you are in any doubt concerning what We have sent down upon Our distinguished bondman (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), bring forth a single surah (chapter) equal to it; and call upon all your supporters, other than Allah, if you are truthful.

And if you are in doubt concerning what We have sent down to Our servant, then bring a surah like it, and invoke your helpers besides Allah, if you are truthful.

If you are in doubt about the Divine authorship of what We have been sending down on Our servant (Muhammad) (and claim that it is the work of a human being like Muhammad who is illiterate), then produce just a surah like it and call for help to all your supporters, all those (to whom you apply for help apart from God), if you are truthful in your doubt and claim.

And if you have any doubt as to (the truthfulness of the Qur´ân) which We have revealed to Our servant from time to time, produce a single Sûrah (- Qur´ânic chapter) like any of (the chapters of) this, summoning (to your assistance) all your helpers (that you have) beside Allâh, if you are truthful (in your doubts),

And if you were in doubt/suspicion from what We descended on Our worshipper/slave , so come/bring with a chapter from its similar/equal/alike to it, and call your witnesses/testifiers from other than God, if you were truthful.

And if you are in any doubt concerning what We have sent down upon Our distinguished bondman (Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), bring forth a single surah (chapter) equal to it; and call upon all your supporters, other than Allah, if you are truthful.

And if you are in doubt of what we have revealed unto Our servant, then bring a chapter like it, and call your witnesses other than Allah if you tell truth.

And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Quran) to Our slave (Muhammad Peace be upon him), then produce a Surah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful.

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 helpers besides Allah if you are truthful.

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.

And if ye are in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a surah of the like thereof, and call your witness beside Allah if ye are truthful.

Should you have any doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, present one chapter comparable to it and call all your supporters, besides God, if your claim is true.

If you are in doubt of what We have sent down to Our worshiper (Prophet Muhammad), produce a chapter comparable to it. Call upon your helpers, other than Allah, to assist you, if you are true.

And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our servant (Muhammad), then produce a Surah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful.

If you are in doubt about the revelation We have sent down to Our servant, then produce a single chapter like it, and call upon your helpers besides God, if you are truthful.

And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like these, and call your witnesses apart from God, if you are truthful.

And if you are in doubt, in uncertainty, concerning what We have revealed to Our servant, Muhammad (s), of the Qur'n, that it is from God, then bring a sra like it, that is also revealed (min mithlihi; min is explicative, that is, a sra like it in its eloquence, fine arrangement and its bestowal of knowledge of the Unseen; a sra is a passage with a beginning and end made up of a minimum of three verses); and call your witnesses, those other gods that you worship, besides God, that is, other than Him, so that it can be seen, if you are truthful, in [your claim] that Muhammad (s) speaks it from himself. So do this, for you are also fluent speakers of Arabic like him. When they could not do this, God said;

The Message of Messenger of Allah is True

Allah says;

وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ وَادْعُواْ شُهَدَاءكُم مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ



And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our servant (Muhammad), then produce a Surah of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful.

Allah begins to prove the truth of Prophethood after He stated that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him.

Allah said to the disbelievers,
وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا
(And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our servant) meaning, Muhammad,
فَأْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ
(then produce a Surah) meaning, similar to what he brought to you.

Hence, if you claim that what he was sent with did not come from Allah, then produce something similar to what he has brought to you, using the help of anyone you wish instead of Allah. However, you will not be able to succeed in this quest.

Ibn Abbas said that,
شُهَدَاءكُم
(your witnesses),

means "Aids."

Also, As-Suddi reported that Abu Malik said the Ayah means,

"Your partners, meaning, some other people to help you in that. Meaning then go and seek the help of your deities to support and aid you."

Also, Mujahid said that,
وَادْعُواْ شُهَدَاءكُم
(and call your witnesses) means,

"People, meaning, wise and eloquent men who will provide the testimony that you seek."
The Challenge

Allah challenged the disbelievers in various parts of the Qur'an. For instance, Allah said in Surah Al-Qasas,

قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِكِتَـبٍ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ هُوَ أَهْدَى مِنْهُمَأ أَتَّبِعْهُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

Say (to them, O Muhammad);"Then bring a Book from Allah, which is a better guide than these two (the Tawrah (Torah) and the Qur'an), that I may follow it, if you are truthful". (28;49)

Also, Allah said in Surah Al-Isra,

قُل لَّيِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الاِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَن يَأْتُواْ بِمِثْلِ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا

Say;"If mankind and the Jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another." (17;88)

Allah said in Surah Hud,

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُواْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ


Or they say, "He (Prophet Muhammad) forged it (the Qur'an)."

Say;"Bring you then ten forged Surahs like it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah (to your help), if you speak the truth!" (11;13)

and in Surah Yunus,

وَمَا كَانَ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ أَن يُفْتَرَى مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَـكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ


أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ مِّثْلِهِ وَادْعُواْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ


And this Qur'an is not such as could ever be produced by other than Allah (Lord of the heavens and the earth), but it is a confirmation of (the revelation) which was before it (i.e. the Tawrah, and the Injil), and a full explanation of the Book (i.e. Laws decreed for mankind) ـ wherein there is no doubt ـ from the Lord of all that exists.

Or do they say;"He (Muhammad) has forged it!"

Say;"Bring then a Surah like it, and call upon whomsoever you can besides Allah, if you are truthful!" (10;37-38)

All of these Ayat were revealed in Makkah.

Allah also challenged the disbelievers in the Ayat that were revealed in Al-Madinah.

In this Ayah, Allah said,
وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ
(And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in Rayb) meaning, doubt.
مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا
(Concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our servant) meaning, Muhammad,
فَأْتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ
(then produce a Surah (chapter) the like thereof) meaning, similar to the Qur'an.

This is the Tafsir of Mujahid, Qatadah, Ibn Jarir At-Tabari, Az-Zamakhshari and Ar-Razi.

Ar-Razi said that this is the Tafsir of Umar, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and the majority of the scholars. And he gave preference to this view and mentioned the fact that Allah has challenged the disbelievers as individuals and as groups, whether literate or illiterate, thus making the challenge truly complete. This type of challenge is more daring than simply challenging the disbelievers who might not be literate or knowledgeable. This is why Allah said,

فَأْتُواْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ

Bring you then ten forged Surahs like it) (11;13)

and,

لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ

They could not produce the like thereof. (17;88)

Therefore, this is a general challenge to the Arab disbelievers, the most eloquent among all nations. Allah challenged the Arab disbelievers both in Makkah and Al-Madinah several times, especially since they had tremendous hatred and enmity for the Prophet and his religion. Yet, they were unable to succeed in answering the challenge, and this is why Allah said