**2. Literature review**

#### **2.1 Creativity and innovation: The Quran (recitation)**

Islam came at a time when there was prevalent ignorance in pre-Islamic Arabia. The Quran guided Muslims to be creative and to use their creativity for the benefit of humanity and in accordance with Sharia law and Islamic principles [5]. The Quran promoted creativity by providing examples of creativity to inspire and make Muslims understand in a greater depth. The Quran created a system that allowed Muslims to become focused on helping people and societies by being inventors of new theories and ideas. Science, math, biology, languages, culture, geography, psychology, sociology, algorithms, and many other areas began to take shape, assisting and creating new building blocks that lead to the great Islamic civilisations that followed.

Before examples are provided of the Quran promoting creativity, it is important to first examine an unsupported supposition amongst many Muslims. Muslims believe that Allah is the creator of the universe, therefore a question sometimes arises that can the word '*to create*' or the Arabic word '*khalq*' be used in reference to human beings. It

<sup>2</sup> There are approximately 72 different Islamic followings and traditions, all with different interpretations of the Quran, Sunnah, and the Ahadith.

is a consensus (*Ijma*) amongst the Scholars that Allah is the creator of all creation but it is sometimes debated whether can Muslims or people be referred to as a creator? The Quran uses the word '*khalq*' when addressing and referring to the people, it states: '*You only worship idols besides Allah and you create (khalq) a lie.*' [6]. This is clear evidence that the Arabic word '*khalq*' can be used in reference to human invention and creativity as Allah has used it to highlight the lies created.

Another example, where Allah describes his creativity and also identifies creativity of the people in the Quran, is in the verse: '*Then we made the seed a clot, then we made the clot a lump of flesh, then we made (in) the lump of flesh bones, then we clothed the bones with flesh, then we caused it to grow into another creation, so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators*' [7]. The verse ends with '*so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators*', firstly, this confirms that Allah is the best of creators as He has created from nothingness. Secondly, Allah confirms that He is not the only creator, but He is the best. Thirdly, as for human beings, Allah states He is the best, therefore, if human beings create or are creative then that is acceptable in Islam as they can never be better than Allah for what He has created. Fourthly, Allah accepts that creativity or creation by human beings will be limited to their needs and intellect, as the above verse relating to the creation of a human being by Allah, can only vest in Allah as He has the intelligence, creativity and power to be that creative. It appears by this verse that Allah sets the creativity framework in Islam by acknowledging that He is '*the best of the creators*' He is acknowledging that there will be creative thinkers and creators less blessed than Allah who will also create and be creative and innovative.

The *Quran* is seen as a creative miracle as it holds accounts of the past and the future and cannot be duplicated by human beings. Allah, knowing this, provides three creative challenges to all of creation including the Muslims to display creative intellect. In the first challenge He states: '*Say: 'If all mankind and the jinn*<sup>3</sup> *would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce its like even though they exerted all and their strength in aiding one another*' [8]. *There is also the verse: 'Knowing that they have failed in their creativity, He challenges them again to become creative by issuing a second challenge He states: 'Or do they say that he has invented it? Say (to them), 'Bring ten invented chapters like it, and call (for help) on whomever you can besides God, if you are truthful'* [9]. Also, '*The humans and Jinns, unable to successfully complete the creative task of providing 10 Chapters, Allah further challenges them lowering the degree of the challenge to a single chapter only where He states: 'And if you all are in doubt about what I have revealed to My servant, bring a single chapter*<sup>4</sup> *like it, and call your witnesses besides God if you are truthful*' [10].

Allah in His three challenges challenged the whole of creation to create a chapter as He has done in the *Quran*. Allah's challenge was also towards those that spoke Arabic eloquently and they too after attempting to draft a chapter of the Quran were unable to successfully produce a chapter like that in the *Quran*. This is an example of Islam

<sup>3</sup> Jinn are the creation of Allah, made out of a smokeless flame, which exist alongside Muslims but cannot see the Jinn. The Jinn can see the human beings.

<sup>4</sup> The smallest chapter in the Quran is Al-Kawthar, which consists of only three verses, Allah is challenging the whole of creation to be creative and create just three verses of the Quran.

promoting creativity and asking people to become creative and innovators and even asking the whole creation to team up together to challenge Islam. This very challenge threatens the very fabric of Islamic existence but still remains today open to the whole of mankind to participate in.
