I'jaz al-Qur'an discourse, which expounds on the miraculous aspects of the Qur'an, has roots in the theological, linguistic, exegetical, and apologetic discussions of early Islam. I'jaz writings also engage extensively with the literary and stylistic features of the Qur'an. How were the literary critical aspects of i?j?z discourse constructed? What historical developments in Arabic literary history shaped and influenced conceptions of Qur'anic inimitability during the formative period of thought on i'jaz al-Qur'an? I'jaz al-Qur'an discourse underwent an important phase in its development during the Abbasid era as a central debate raged among critics of Arabic poetry. This debate was over a new style of poetry known as badi'. Badi' poetry was characterized by its ornate and manneristic style, and it was highly polarizing: its fans saw it as marvelous and clever, while its critics decried its farfetched metaphors and distracting wordplay. This controversy loomed large on the Abbasid literary scene, crystalizing around prominent poets such as Abu Tammam (d. 231/845) and al-Mutanabbi (d. 354/965), and continuing to occupy critics for generations afterward. In what ways did the debate over bad?? style shape and influence thought on the Qur'an? This paper investigates the ways in which some early scholars of Qur’anic style—Muhammad ibn Qutayba, 'Ali ibn 'Isa al-Rummani, and Abu Bakr al-Baqillani—reacted to the badi' debate both directly and indirectly. In particular, it looks at the ways in which these theologians discussed the Qur'an’s features, taking the examples of clarity, conciseness, and rhyming verse endings (fawasil). It examines these discussions alongside these thinkers’ evaluative comments on badi' poetry and related literary styles. In doing so, it identifies and analyzes key ways in which Abbasid-era theologians were influenced by the debate over badi' as well as discourse on poetry and prose more generally. The results of this investigation demonstrate the inextricable tie between influential texts on Qur'anic style and the literary trends that were current in the era during which these texts were written. Understanding the role of Abbasid poetic production and literary debates in forming thought on i'jaz al-Qur'an makes possible a more historically contextualized understanding of this discourse, an important locus of Arabo-Islamic literary critical thought.