The definition of Al-I’jiaaz (miraculous nature of inimitability) does not apply upon the ‘I’jaaz Al-‘Ilmiy and Al-I’jaaz Al-Ikhbaariy as they are not, in my opinion, representative of the Al-‘I’jaaz at all. That is for two reasons:
1) The Aayaat that comprise of the scientific laws and the news of the past and future represent some of the Qur’aan. They are therefore according to their opinion miraculous Aayaat whilst the remainder of the Aayaat and Suwar do not contain this ‘I’jaaz. This is despite the Qur’aan being miraculous throughout at the same level whilst Allah Ta’Aalaa challenged the Arabs to bring or reproduce a Soorah like it, like Soorah Al-Ikhlaas or An-Naas for example, which are free from the matters that they considered to be angles for the miraculous or inimitable nature and character of the Qur’aan.
2) The ‘I’jaaz represents the confirmation and proving of the inability of man to reproduce the thing that is beyond his ability until the Day of judgement. As long as humankind is capable of discovering some of the laws of existence and are capable of speaking about the past and the future and even if they are untruthful and in the case where millions of books have been written in these subject areas, then the presence of these matters within the Qur’aan Al-Kareem does not indicate the I’jaaz in our current time. This is contrary to the true reality of the I’jaaz which indicates the continual inability of humankind forever.
These matters which they considered to be scientific and informative miracles represent evidences for the knowledge of Allah Ta’Aalaa encompassing everything in the past, present and future but they do not however represent faces or aspects of the miraculous inimitable nature of the Qur’aan.
Therefore, the miraculous inimitable character of the Qur’aan manifests in its style in which the meanings were brought. Abu Salmaan Muhammad Al-Khitaabiy wrote in his book: ‘Bayaan I’jaaz Al-Qur’aan’: “It only became miraculous because it came in the most pure and eloquent (Afsah) Alfaazh (worded expressions) in the best form of composition which incorporated the purest and most eloquent of meanings”. He then said: “And it is known that bringing (or reproducing) the like of these matters and with this style and combining its varieties so that they are harmonious and precisely arranged represents a matter that is beyond the ability of human faculties”.
Consequently, the I’jaaz of the Qur’aan is restricted and confined to its Usloob (style) and the components or constituents of this style:
1) In respect to its Alfaazh (wordings/worded expressions) and Taraakeeb (word and sentence compositions):
The Qur’aan Al-Kareem came with Alfaazh (wordings) at the height of lucidity, with eloquent fluent speech and a precise composition which was not like the methodology of the rhyming poetry (Al Mawzoon Al-Maqfa) or the method of the rhyming prose (An Nathar, Al-Masjoo’ or Al-Mursal). Rather it was a style that was unique that stood by itself. It was a style that those who were most elegant and pure in their speech were unable to bring and reproduce the like of.
2) In respect to its Naghmah (melody and rhythm):
The ordering of the letters in the words and the ordering of the words within the Aayaat came in a harmonious ordering. This harmony manifests when the Qur’aan is recited as a very particular rhythm is heard that is not found within man’s speech whether in poetry or prose. It intensifies and relents in line with the meanings. So when you hear His Qawl Ta’Aalaa: