Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 82

(Ayah 82) {اَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُوْنَ الْقُرْاٰنَ … : } In the context of the deceptions and blameworthy traits of the hypocrites, the necessity to establish the truth of the Qur’an arose because the hypocrites were engaging in all these deceptions and conspiracies on the basis that they did not consider you to be a true Prophet. Therefore, here the Qur’an is presented as evidence of your Prophethood, and the Noble Qur’an serves as proof of your Prophethood for three reasons: first, due to its eloquence and rhetoric. (See Baqarah: 23) Second, because it contains news of the unseen, and third, because it is free and pure from contradiction and inconsistency. Here, this third aspect is mentioned. (Razi) The meaning is that it is not possible for a human being to speak in such detail on various subjects, especially matters of the unseen, over many years and in different circumstances, and for not a single statement to contradict another. This characteristic is found only in the Qur’an, which, for one who reflects, is proof of its being the speech of Allah. (Shawkani) Being free from contradiction can also be in terms of the degree of eloquence and rhetoric, because no matter how eloquent and articulate a person may be, when he writes such a large book, there will certainly be some degree of variation in his speech, and the entire book will not be of the same level of eloquence. Then these hypocrites continue to conspire secretly, and through revelation, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is informed of their secrets exactly as they are, and it has never happened that the Qur’an made even the slightest mistake in disclosing any secret, and this is proof of its being the speech of Allah. (Razi)
It is understood that without reflection on the Noble Qur’an, a person’s doubts and suspicions cannot be removed, nor can the Qur’an be properly understood. If the Noble Qur’an were from other than Allah, there would have been much contradiction in it; but since it is from Allah Almighty, not only is there no abundant contradiction, there is no contradiction in it at all.

82. 1. Emphasis is being placed on reflecting and pondering over the Noble Quran in order to seek guidance from it, and a criterion is also being mentioned to verify its authenticity: if this were the speech of a human (as the disbelievers think), there would have been contradictions and inconsistencies in its subjects and the events described. Because, firstly, this is not a small book. It is a voluminous and detailed book, every part of which is distinguished in its miraculous eloquence. Whereas in a large composition made by a human, the standard of language and its eloquence and rhetoric cannot be maintained. Secondly, it contains accounts of previous nations, which no one except Allah, the Knower of the unseen, can narrate. Thirdly, in these stories and narratives, there is neither mutual contradiction nor does even the smallest detail of them conflict with any principle of the Quran. Whereas when a human narrates past events, the links of continuity break and there are contradictions and inconsistencies in their details. The clear meaning of the Noble Quran being free from all these human shortcomings is that it is certainly the speech of Allah, which He revealed through an angel to His last Messenger, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Do they not then reflect on the Quran? If it had been from anyone other than Allah, they would have found in it much contradiction [114].

[114]
The Absence of Contradiction in the Quran is Proof of its Divine Origin:

One of the reasons for which the hypocrites were admonished was that they also doubted the divine origin of the Quran. In this verse, a rational argument is presented to dispel this doubt, which is as follows: The state of a human being is such that in childhood his intellect is immature. In youth, it develops somewhat, and in mature age, the intellect also becomes mature, and there is a clear difference in his speech during these three stages. Then, throughout life, his views keep changing. In childhood, thoughts and views are of one kind, in youth of another kind, and in old age of yet another kind. Then, wherever a person goes, to whichever city or country, he accepts the influence of the social environment there. Then, sometimes a person is in a state of anger and terrifies all his addressees. This state of excess and deficiency is clearly found in all kinds of his emotions. In other words, if a collection of any one person's speech throughout his life is prepared, you will find hundreds of differences and contradictions in it. In contrast, now look at the Word of Allah, which continued to be revealed over 23 years at different times, in different backgrounds, and on different occasions, and which finally was arranged into a single collection. Now see, is there any difference in its eloquence and rhetoric from a literary point of view? Or do you see any contradiction in its views, in its determination of moral values? Or is it such that, for example, if wrath was sent down upon the Jews, then all were treated with the same stick, and their good people were not excluded, and their virtues were not mentioned separately? In short, whatever aspect you bring forth, you will reach the conclusion that this cannot be the word of a human, and the only one who could have revealed it is Allah Almighty. At a cursory glance, although some contradictions may appear in the Quran, the reason for this is lack of depth or not being fully acquainted with all the subjects of the Quran, and the answer to such contradictions is also found within the Quran itself. As is evident from the following hadith: If a contradiction is found in the Quran, its reason is misunderstanding. Sa'id bin Jubairؓ says that a person came to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbasؓ and said, "I find several contradictions in the Quran, for example:
1. In one verse it is said:
﴿فَلَآ اَنْسَابَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَيِٕذٍ وَّلَا يَتَسَاءَلُوْنَ﴾
(On the Day of Resurrection, no relationship will remain between them, nor will they ask about one another), and in another place:
﴿وَاَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَليٰ بَعْضٍ يَّتَسَاءَلُوْنَ﴾
(Some of them will come forward and question one another).
2. In one verse it is said:
﴿وَلَا يَكْتُمُوْنَ اللّٰهَ حَدِيْثًا﴾
(They will not be able to hide anything from Allah), and in another verse, it is said that on the Day of Resurrection, the polytheists will say:
﴿وَاللّٰهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِيْنَ﴾
(By Allah! We were not among those who committed shirk), implying that they will hide the real matter.
3. Allah Almighty said in one place:
﴿ءَاَنْتُمْ اَشَدُّ خَلْقًا اَمِ السَّمَاءُ ۭ بَنيٰهَا .... دحٰها﴾
From this, it appears that the creation of the heavens was before the earth, and in Surah Ha Mim Sajdah, He said:
﴿قُلْ اَيِٕنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُوْنَ بالَّذِيْ خَلَقَ الْاَرْضَ فِيْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُوْنَ لَهٗٓ اَنْدَادًا ۭذٰلِكَ رَبُّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ﴾
From this, it appears that the earth was created before the heavens.
4. Also, He said:
﴿ وَكَان اللّٰهُ غَفُوْراً رَّحِيْماً.. عَزِيْزاً حَكِيْماً.. سَمِيْعاً بَصِيْراً﴾
From these, it appears that Allah Almighty was described with these attributes in the past, but not now." Sayyiduna Ibn Abbasؓ replied to these questions:
1. In ﴿فَلَآ اَنْسَابَ بَيْنَهُمْ﴾, it refers to the time when the trumpet will be blown for the first time and all those in the heavens and the earth will fall unconscious; at that time, there will be no relationships and no one will have the sense to ask about anything. And in the other verse, where questioning one another is mentioned, this will be after the second blowing of the trumpet.
2. On the Day of Resurrection, when Allah Almighty will forgive the sins of the sincere ones (monotheists), the polytheists will consult among themselves, "Let us also go and say that 'we were not polytheists'." Then Allah Almighty will seal their mouths, and their hands and feet will begin to speak, and they will realize that nothing can be hidden from Allah. This will be the time when the disbelievers will wish that they had been Muslims (in the world).
3.
The Order of Creation of the Heavens and the Earth:

Allah Almighty first created the earth in two days. Then He turned to the heavens and made them (seven heavens) in the next two days. After that, He spread out the earth, and the spreading of the earth means that He brought forth water from it, produced grass and fodder, created mountains, animals, and hills, etc., in the next two days. In this way, the creation of the earth and the heavens was completed in six days, and four days (the first two and the last two) were spent in the creation and adornment of the earth.
4. The meaning of «كَانَ» is that these attributes of Allah Almighty are eternal, and all these are His names, i.e., He has always possessed these attributes and always will. He can do whatever He wills. Thus, now no contradiction remains. And how could there be, when this entire Quran has been revealed from Him alone?
[بخاری، کتاب التفسیر سورۃ حٰم السجدہ]