ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the notion of inimitability is concerned with the naturalness and eloquence of Qur'anic discourse and that grammatical, morphological, semantic, and phonetic congruity are the major constituents of inimitability. It discusses the notion of inimitability is defined in detail and its major criteria. The discussion makes reference to the views of Muslim theologians, and a historical account is also provided of how this notion has evolved since the third/ninth century. The notion of inimitability of Qur'anic discourse has been a controversial issue among Muslim and non-Muslim scholastics since the ninth/ninth century. Inimitability is correlated to the linguistic, phonetic, and rhetorical architecture of Qur'anic genre. The notion of inimitability of Qur'anic discourse has been a controversial issue among Muslim and non-Muslim scholastics since the third/ninth century. The notion of inimitability was also controversial among Muslim scholastics and non-scholastics. There are different views held by different rhetoricians with regards to the notion of inimitability.
