Tafsir of Az-Zukhruf 43:3

"Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Quran" is the response to the oath. The term ja'alna (We have made) signifies "to render" (tasyeer), requiring two objects, rather than "to create" (khalq), which requires only one. This is not merely because the latter contradicts the exaltation of the Quran, but because the taste of the context rejects it; the discourse was not preceded by a confirmation of it being created, nor was their denial directed toward that. Rather, it is driven to establish that it is an Arabic Quran, set forth in their own styles, so that understanding its contents and perceiving its miraculous nature is not difficult for them—as is signaled by the Almighty’s saying: "That you might use reason."

That is, so that you may understand it and encompass the elegant insights and superior meanings it contains, grasp the evidence it holds that articulates its transcendence beyond human capacity, recognize the true nature of this blessing, and have your excuses completely severed.

The swearing of an oath by the Quran regarding this is among the most excellent and ingenious of oaths, due to the observance of appropriateness within it and the alert that there is nothing higher than it by which to swear, nor anything more important to describe, so it is sworn upon. As Abu Tammam said: "And your teeth—they are like fresh spathes, and the folk, and the flashing of lightning..." based on the assumption that the response to the oath is his saying "they are like fresh spathes."

Some have used this verse to argue that the Quran is created, and they have spoken at length regarding this. The response given is that if it does indeed point to creation, it points to nothing more than the creation of the verbal speech (al-kalam al-lafzi), and there is no dispute regarding that.

One should know that the Hanbalis dispute this, and they possess responses to this line of reasoning mentioned in their books. Ibn Marduyah recorded from Tawus, who said: A man from Hadhramaut came to Ibn Abbas and said to him, "O Ibn Abbas, inform me about the Quran: is it a speech from the speech of Allah Almighty, or is it a creation from the creations of Allah the Exalted?" He replied, "Rather, it is speech from the speech of Allah Almighty. Have you not heard Allah the Exalted saying: 'And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the speech of Allah'?" The man then said to him, "What do you see regarding His saying: 'Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Quran'?" He replied, "Allah the Exalted wrote it in the Preserved Tablet in Arabic. Have you not heard Allah the Exalted saying: 'But it is a glorious Quran in a Preserved Tablet'?" So contemplate this.