Can the Qur’an be considered a form of poetry, given that it states within itself that it is not the word of a poet?

The Qur’an is not poetry, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) could not have been a poet, because the Qur’an was revealed free from the constraints of poetry, nor is it pure prose, because it is bound by specific constraints not found in other forms of speech.

Allah revealed the Qur’an in a unique style, unprecedented before it and unmatched after it. It differs from the customary forms of speech known to Arabs, whether poetry or prose. The Qur’an itself affirmed that it is not the word of a poet or a soothsayer. Some eloquent Arabs and poets, such as Utbah ibn Rabi’ah and Anis al-Ghifari, denied that it was poetry and acknowledged the distinctiveness of its style.

Therefore, the Qur’an is considered a special category among the divisions of speech in the Arabic language. Its verses have been perfected and detailed with clear Arabic eloquence. It does not resemble poetry or prose, nor do they resemble it.