During the life of the Prophet (PBUH) there were many accusations made that the Quran was poetry. The Prophet was accused of forging it and presenting it to the people so that they may believe him. This went on for a long time during the time that the Holy Prophet was bringing people towards Islam. He came about the topic of discussion of the Quran being compared to poetry.

The Quran is NOT poetry. Not in any sense of the word. Poets in the past were known to write words that had a rhythmic affect to it, and hence people took the likeness of poetry to the words of the Quran as the Quran too had rhythmic tones in it. However, what people did fail to notice were all the factors stated below:

“This is verily the (revealed) word of an honoured messenger; it is not the word of a poet: Little it is you believe?” (Qur’an 69: 40 & 41)

The Quran was written by the Almighty Allah. These words in the 126 surahs and the 30 paras are not the words of a human or of mankind! They are the words of Allah, who brought them down upon the Holy Prophet in the cave of Hira. How can they then be even remotely compared to poetry that has been written by humans, who string words together using the mind that Allah Himself has given them?!

The Quran is NOT an exaggerated script. In the Quran, Allah has told us things as they are. He has given us lessons of life that would lead us to the straight path. There is not an ounce of exaggeration mentioned in it. Allah has not used fancy words in a round about way to say what He, SubhanAllah, has to say. The Quran is a very straight forward and truthful account of Allah. Whereas poetry is fancy words strung together to give them rhyme, and at most times, absolutely no meaning!

Quran does NOT unnecessarily stir emotions. The words of the Quran will no doubt have an effect on you but not an affect that is quite unnecessary. The power of the words of Allah, His claims about this worldly life and the Hereafter are given in the Quran not to make you happy that a place as Paradise exists and make you scared that a place like hell exists too. It is to lead you to the right path. If emotions are stirred by reading the Quran it is because Allah wishes you to shun evil and move to the righteous path. Poets have no such intention. They live in their world of fantasy and their words have no affect for the better on humans.

The Quran does have ONLY worldly matters. “What is the life of this world but play and amusement?” (Qur’an 6:32). While poetry talks about only worldly matters, the attraction of this world and the fantasies of romance and worldly affairs of the planet, the Quran talks about an everlasting world known as the Hereafter. And not only that, the Quran pushes you to SEEK that world. To do good, to follow the path of Islam and enter paradise. That, indeed is the best destination.