Challenging Verses in the Qur’an in Balance: A Study of Khashāʾiṣ al-Qurʾān by Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Draz

Abstract

This article explores the tahaddī (challenge) verses in the Qur’an by emphasizing the principle of tawāzun (balance) as elaborated by Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Draz in his seminal work, Khashāʾiṣ al-Qurʾān. In light of the growing rational critique of divine revelation and the increasing need for a Qur’anic approach that is both intellectually and spiritually relevant, this topic warrants critical attention. This study employs thematic analysis and literature review methods, focusing particularly on the content and argumentative structure within Khashāʾiṣ al-Qurʾān. The findings indicate that the challenge verses not only highlight rhetorical and linguistic excellence but also reflect a profound equilibrium between rationality and spirituality, between linguistic aesthetics and the power of message, and between a universal challenge and the specific context of the Arab society of the time. The concept of tawāzun is clearly manifested in how the Qur’an conveys powerful messages without exaggeration, allowing intellectual freedom while preserving the trajectory of truth. This underscores the Qur’an’s distinctiveness in both form and substance. This study affirms that understanding the tahaddī verses must be accompanied by an appreciation of the principle of balance that characterizes divine revelation.