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THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
himself, and time after time was the challenge to compose anything like it thrown out in the Qur'an.
What this challenge actually means is not easy to understand ; for if it be a challenge to write something equally sensible, we fear the challenger has already had the worst of his challenge, for there are in existence works which are in no way inferior to the Qur'an, even if they do not surpass it in wisdom and philosophical merit. Is it, then, a challenge to compete with the Book in its argumentativeness ? Even here the contest can be decided in favour of Islam only if constant repetition and the use of arguments which do not convince any, but those who have faith in their hearts, or those who are interested in advocating its cause, be regarded as being in good taste and in keeping with the sound principles of elegant diction. We fear there is little to be said in favour of the great Book in this respect either. Next comes its composition. Undoubtedly its jingling rhyme went a long way to please the Arab ear, but that is purely a question of taste. Several of the world's scriptures are metrical in their composition, and it is not easy to imitate their rhyme. They are all, more or less, regarded by their respective followers as the best specimens of literature, poetry and composition. Besides, in every country there is always a book, which is confessedly the best piece of its literature. Suppose the author of such a work claimed divine inspiration for his work, and rested it on the inability of the people to produce one to equal it, would such a claim be recognized ? Surely, it is the feeblest argument in support of revelation to say that because the style of the writing
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