imam ‘ali’s testimony to the miracle of the holy qur’ān: an interpretation of the qur’ān (13:43)

The miraculous nature (iʿjāz) of the qur’ān remains perpetually relevant as it has served as definitive proof of muhammad’s (pbuh) prophethood since the advent of his mission (biʿtha). qur’ānic scholars have identified various aspects of this iʿjāz, which is evident in the book itself: linguistic eloquence (faṣāḥa), substantive depth, and the exceptional character of its bearer. on the one hand, god presents the evidence for the truthfulness of his messenger’s (pbuh) prophesy in q. 13:43, saying, “he who possesses the knowledge of the book.” according to both shi’a and sunni scholars, the referent of it is imam ‘ali. like the holy prophet (pbuh), imam ‘ali possessed comprehensive knowledge of the meanings of the qur’ān. he was also infallible (maʿṣūm) in understanding and interpreting qur’ān. therefore, after the prophet (pbuh), he was the foremost exegete being aware of all meanings of the book. in nahj al-balāghah, imam ‘ali describes manifest (ẓāhir) and esoteric (bāṭin) meanings of qur’ān, and his interpretations of the words of god are thought-provoking. the present analytical-descriptive study aimed to find a new aspect of the iʿjāz of the qur’ān based on the testimony of god in the book, the phrase &he who possesses the knowledge of the book,& and also by determining the meaning of “the knowledge of the book,” while emphasizing the scholarly authority of imam ‘ali and his testimonies regarding the iʿjāz of qur’ān. by synthesizing these elements, the research establishes imam ‘ali’s definitive role in attesting to the qur’ān’s miraculous nature.