Interdisciplinary Studies of the Quran and Theology

Interdisciplinary Studies of the Quran and Theology

The Qur’anic Challenge (Taḥaddī) in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Evaluating the Capability of Large Language Models in Producing “Something Like the Qur’an”

Document Type : Original Article

10.22034/isqt.2026.15117.1046
Abstract
The emergence of large language models and the remarkable advancement of generative artificial intelligence in producing human-like texts has raised new questions concerning certain traditional issues in theology and philosophy of religion. One of these questions relates to the Qur’anic challenge (taḥaddī) and the possibility of artificial intelligence responding to it. Since the Qur’anic challenge is based on inviting opponents to produce a text comparable to the Qur’an, the ability of large language models to generate quasi-Qur’anic texts raises the question of whether such technologies can meet this challenge. This study, using a descriptive–analytical method and drawing on Qur’anic, theological, and contemporary artificial intelligence literature, examines this issue. First, the concept of taḥaddī and the criteria of “Qur’an-likeness” are reconstructed from the perspectives of Muslim theologians and exegetes. Then, the nature and mechanism of large language models, as well as the scope of their textual generation capabilities, are analyzed. The findings indicate that the answer to this question depends on how Qur’anic inimitability (iʿjāz) and the challenge itself are interpreted. If the criterion of taḥaddī is based solely on formal and linguistic resemblance, the progress of artificial intelligence may create new challenges for traditional accounts of rhetorical inimitability. However, if Qur’anic inimitability encompasses linguistic, semantic, epistemic, guiding, and existentially transformative dimensions, then producing similar texts in terms of structure does not necessarily amount to meeting the challenge. Accordingly, the emergence of artificial intelligence does not so much invalidate the Qur’anic challenge as it highlights the need to reconsider the criteria of Qur’an-likeness and to provide a more precise articulation of the concept of inimitability.
Keywords
Qur&rsquo
anic challenge (taḥaddī) Qur&rsquo
anic inimitability (iʿjāz) artificial intelligence large language models philosophy of religion Islamic theology
Subjects

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Interdisciplinary Studies of the Quran and Theology
Volume 3, Issue 2 - Serial Number 5
September 2026
Pages 167-184