for, had this been the case, it would not have required the testimony of others, but would have borne witness for itself.

The response to this is as follows.
First, the Quran is a miracle in its eloquence and its style, not in each of its words taken separately. Therefore, doubt may arise that a word here and there might have been altered, added, or omitted. The testimony of the witnesses, if they provide ac‌ curate information, is to remove the errors arising from the inadvertent or intentional mistakes of the reciters. On the other hand, the inability of a human being to produce a sura like that of the Quran does not negate his ability to produce a verse or what resembles a verse. This is quite possible, and Muslims have never claimed that it is impossible, nor did the Quran mention it when it challenged humanity to match it.
Second, all the traditions that speak about the compilation of the Quran during
the-caliphate of Abu Bakr, on the basis of the testimony of two witnesses among the Prophets Companions, are traditions with a single chain of transmission, and there‌ fore do not qualify as proof in such matters.
Third, these traditions have, moreover, been contradicted by numerous traditions
that state that the Quran was compiled [at a time] during the Prophets life when many of his Companions knew the entire Quran by heart. As for those who had memorized only some of its suras or parts, only God knows their number. This is not to mention that a simple rational analysis would reveal the falsehood of the reports used as evidence by the opponent. Undoubtedly, the Quran was the principal means of guiding the believers and bringing them from the darkness of misfortune and ig‌ norance to the light of happiness and knowledge. Indeed, the Muslims went to the greatest length in heeding and guarding the Quran. They recited its verses day and night, took pride in memorizing and mastering it, and sought blessings from its suras and verses; and the Prophet used to encourage them to do that. Is it then possible, after all this, that they should entertain doubts about it to the extent of requiring double attestations to establish its text? We shall establish, God willing, in subsequent chap‌ ters of this book, that the Quran was compiled during the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny).

٩. They also say that the Quran has a style which is at variance with the styles of the masters of the Arabic language. It mixes together several subjects. While it is speak‌ ing about history, it shifts to the topic of "the promise [of reward] and the threat [of punishment]," then to axioms and proverbs, and then on to something else. If the Quran were to be classified by subject, [thereby] bringing under each subject the verses related to it, its benefit would have been greater, and perusing it would have been easier.

The response to this is as follows. The Quran was revealed for the guidance of man‌ kind and to lead them toward their happiness in this world and the next. It is not a book of history or jurisprudence, or ethics, or anything else that requires that it de. vote a separate section to each of these subjects. There is indeed no doubt that the Quran is the best-suited mode to achieve the desired goal. This is because the reader of some suras of the Quran would be able to cover many of its purposes and objec‌ tives in the shortest time possible and with the least trouble. He can thus tum his attention to the creation and the final return for judgment, and be informed about the