Surah Al-Isra (The Night Journey): Verses (86 - 87)

Verse 86-87: "And if We willed, We could surely take away that which We have revealed to you..."

Issue 1: After Allah mentioned in the previous verse that He granted them "but little knowledge" (min al-ʿilmi illā qalīlan), in this verse, He clarifies that if He willed, He could take away even that little knowledge from them. He is capable of doing this by erasing its memory from the hearts and removing its inscription from the books. Although this act contradicts normal custom, Allah is capable of it.

Issue 2: Al-Ka'bi used this verse as evidence that the Qur'an is created (maḫlūq). He argued that whatever is capable of being removed and taken away cannot be eternal (qadīm); rather, it must be newly created (muḥdath).

This line of reasoning is flawed (baʿīd). The intended meaning of this removal (idhābah) is the removal of the knowledge of the Qur'an from the hearts and the erasure of the script indicating it from the Mus'haf. This action does not necessitate that the known, indicated subject (the Qur'an itself) is newly created.

Then He said: "...then you would find for yourself no protector against Us." (thumma lā tajidu laka bihi ʿalaynā wakīlan) This means you would find no one upon whom you could rely (tatawakkal) to bring any of it back.

Then He said: "...except as a mercy from your Lord." (illā raḥmatan min rabbika) This means, except that your Lord has mercy on you and returns it to you. Alternatively, it can be interpreted as an exception (istithnāʾ munqaṭiʿ), meaning: "But the mercy of your Lord has left it untouched, not taken away."

This is a favor from Allah regarding the preservation of the Qur'an. Indeed, Allah favored all scholars with two types of grace:

1. Making that knowledge easy for them.
2. Preserving its retention for them.

Regarding His statement: "Indeed, His bounty to you has been great." (inna faḍlahu kāna ʿalayka kabīran), there are two opinions:

1. The first opinion: His bounty to you was great because He preserved the knowledge and the Qur'an with you.
2. The second opinion: His bounty to you was great because He made you the Master of the Children of Adam, sealed the Prophets with you, and granted you the Praiseworthy Station (al-Maqām al-Maḥmūd). Since this is the case, it is only natural that He also favored you by preserving the knowledge and the Qur'an with you.

Verse (88)

"Say: 'If mankind and the jinn were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants.'" (Qul laʾin ijtamaʿat al-insu wa-l-jinnu ʿalā an yaʾtū bi-mithli hādhā l-Qurʾāni lā yaʾtūna bi-mithlihi wa-law kāna baʿḍuhum li-baʿḍin ẓahīrā)