1 THE RHETORICAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE QUR'AN (3)

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1. THE RHETORICAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE QUR’ĀN (3) There are many linguistic features other than jinas which can be taken as evidence of its inimitable linguistic nature. ُ ‫ ال َّت َن‬,‫ ال ُم َما َثلة‬,‫)ال َّت َشا ُب ُه الج ُْزئِي‬, Among them are: Analogy (‫اظ ُر‬ ْ , Antiphrasis (‫) ال ُم َغا َير َة‬, Antithesis (‫( الطِ َباق‬Țibāq) and ‫)ال ُم َقا َبلَة‬ Parenthesis, (‫ضة‬ َ ‫)ال ُج ْملَ ُة المُعْ َت ِر‬, Hyperbole )‫(ال ُغلُو‬, iltifat (sudden transition), Ellipsis, the disagreement of words with its literal meaning, e.g., imperative, and specification. ُ ‫ ال َّت َن‬,‫ ال ُم َما َثلة‬,‫(ال َّت َشا ُب ُه ال ُج ْز ِئي‬. Analogy is a comparison 1. Analogy )‫اظ ُر‬ of two things based on their being alike in some way (Merriam-Webster). It is partial likeness or agreement.

Resemblance of properties or relations, similarity without identity. For example: )11-11:‫ َو َز َر ِابي َمب ُْثو َثة (الغاشية‬.‫ار ُق َمصْ فُو َفة‬ ِ ‫َو َن َم‬ And cushions set in rows. And rich carpets spread out. (Q.88:15-16).

11(-9:‫ َوأَمَّا السَّا ِئ َل َف َل َت ْن َهرْ (الضحى‬. ْ‫َفأَمَّا ْال َيتِي َم َف َل َت ْق َهر‬ Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression.

And repulse not the beggar. (Q. 93: 9-10).

2. Antiphrasis ) ‫(ال ُم َغا َير َة‬ Antiphrasis is the usually ironic or humorous use of words in senses opposite to the generally accepted meanings, as in “this giant of 3 feet 4 inches” (Merriam-Webster). It is the use of a term in a sense opposite to its usual meaning, especially ironically. For example: ْ ِ ‫ُث َّم صُبوا َف ْو َق َر ْأسِ ِه مِنْ َع َذا‬ َ ‫ ُذ ْق إِ َّن َك أَ ْن‬.‫ِيم‬ ‫ت‬ ِ ‫ب ال َحم‬ (49-44:‫ْال َع ِزي ُز ْال َك ِري ُم (الدخان‬ Then pour over his head the torment of boiling water. Taste you (this)! Verily, you were (pretending to be the mighty, the generous! (Q. 44: 48-49).

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It is said to a person who used to claim to be mighty and generous in his world, when he was being punished in the Hereafter and was reminded of his claim to be mighty and generous; what he is suffering is the opposite of his statement.

3. Antithesis, ‫( الطِ َباق‬Țibāq) and ‫( ْال ُم َقا َبلَة‬Muqābalah) or )‫ال َّت َقابُل‬ Taqābul) types.

Antithesis is the exact opposite of something or someone (Merriam Webster). It is the balancing of contrasted words or ideas against each other or the direct contrary, a strong contrast. It is opposition of one thing to another, between two things. This Antithes of Țibāq type is divided into two ُ ‫ (طِ َب‬is when the two types: Positive Antithesis )‫اق ْاإل ْي َجاب‬ words (nouns, verbs or prepositions) are positive, such as: “I like honesty, and I hate tyranny” )‫ ;( أ ُ ِحب الص ْد َق َوأَ ْك َرهُ الظ ْل َم‬the example in the Qur’ān is as follows: ً ‫َو َتحْ َس ُب ُه ْم أَ ْي َق‬ )14 : ‫( سورة الكهف‬..... ‫اظا َو ُه ْم ُرقُود‬ And you would have thought them awake, whereas they were asleep….” (Q. 18:18) ُ ‫ (طِ َب‬is when one of the word Negative Antithesis )‫ب‬ ِ ‫اق الس ْل‬ negates the other, such as, “I like honesty, and I do not like tyranny” )‫(أُحِب الص ْد َق َو َل أُحِب الظ ْلم‬. The example in the Qur’ān is as follows: )1:‫ُث َّم مِنْ مُضْ َغة م َُخلَّ َقة َو َغي ِْر م َُخلَّ َقة لِ ُن َبي َن لَ ُك ْم (الحج‬ … then from a little lump of flesh—some formed and some unformed (as in the case of miscarriage— that We may make (it) clear to you Our Power and Our Ability to do what We will)…

This verse is about the creation of the baby in his mother’s womb.

It could be between two negative verbs, such as the following Qur’ānic verse:

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ُ ‫ُث َّم َل َيم‬ )13:‫ُوت فِي َها َو َل َيحْ َيى (سورة األعلى‬ There [i.e. in the Hellfire] he will neither die (to be in rest) nor live (a good living) (Q. 78:13) It could be between two verbs, one is commanding and the other in prohibiting, such as: ْ ‫اس َو‬ )44:‫ (المائدة‬...‫اخ َش ْو ِن‬ َ ‫… َف َل َت ْخ َشوُ ا ال َّن‬ Therefore, fear not men, but fear Me… (Q. 5:44) It could be between two similar words, but with different meanings, such as: )11:‫ُون (النمل‬ َ ‫َو َم َكرُوا َم ْكرً ا َو َم َكرْ َنا َم ْكرً ا َو ُه ْم َل َي ْش ُعر‬ So, they plotted a plot, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not. (Q. 27:50) It could be between two prepositions, such as: ‫ال‬ ِ ‫َولَهُنَّ م ِْث ُل الَّذِي َع َلي ِْهنَّ ِب ْال َمعْ رُوفِ َولِلر َج‬ )224:‫َعلَي ِْهنَّ َد َر َجة (البقرة‬ And they (women) have rights (over their husbands) as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them… (Q. 2:228) Here the two prepositions “for” in “for them” ) َّ‫(لَهُن‬ and “on” in “on them” ) َّ‫ ( َعلَي ِْهن‬are mentioned.

It could be between two different words, a verb and a noun, such as: َّ ‫َو َمن يُضْ ل ِ​ِل‬ )31:‫ّللا ُ َف َما َل ُه مِنْ َهاد (الزمر‬ … And whom Allah sends astray, for him there will be no guide. (Q. 39:36) or between a noun and a verb, such as: )122:‫(األنعام‬... ُ‫ان َم ْي ًتا َفأَحْ َي ْي َناه‬ َ ‫أَ َو َمن َك‬ Is he who was dead and We have him life … (Q. 6:122)

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ُ ‫( الط َب‬Metaphorical The above verse belongs to ‫ازي‬ ِ ‫اق ْال َم َج‬ Antithesis), namely, ‫اس‬ َ ‫أَ َو َمن َك‬ ِ ‫ان َم ْي ًتا َفأَحْ َي ْي َناهُ َو َج َع ْل َنا لَ ُه ُنورً ا َي ْمشِ ي ِب ِه فِي ال َّن‬ ‫ين‬ ِ ‫َك َمن َّم َثل ُ ُه فِي الظل ُ َما‬ َ ‫ك ُزي َن ل ِْل َكاف ِ​ِر‬ َ ِ‫ارج م ْن َها َك َذل‬ َ ‫ت َلي‬ ِ ‫ْس ِب َخ‬ )122:‫ون (األنعام‬ َ ُ ‫َما َكا ُنو ْا َيعْ َمل‬ Is he who was dead (without Faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We have him life (by knowledge and Faith) and set for him a light (of Belief) whereby he can walk amongst them—like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can never come out? Thus it is made fair-seeming to the disbelievers that which they used to do. (Q. 6:122).

Here death is the metaphor of ignorance and disbelief, life is of knowledge and faith, whereas light is of belief, and darkness of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy.

With regard to Antithesis of Muqābalah type, classical Muslim scholar Badr al-Dīn al-Zarkashī (d. 794/ 1392) gave its definition, as follows: ‫ َو ُي َخالِفُ ُه ِفي َبعْ ضها‬, ‫ض صِ َفا ِت ِه‬ ِ ْ‫از ُن ُه ِفيْ َبع‬ ِ ‫ُه َو ِذ ْك ُر ال َّشيْ ِء َم َع َما ُي َو‬ It is the mentioning of something with what is equal to it in some of its qualities and their opposite in others.

In other words it is the mentioning of something with two or more agreed meanings without contradiction, then it is brought what is the opposite of it in order. For example, ً ‫َف ْل َيضْ َح ُكوا َقل‬ 42:‫ُون (التوبة‬ َ ‫ِيل َو ْل َي ْب ُكوا َك ِثيرً ا َج َزا ًء ِب َما َكا ُنوا َي ْكسِ ب‬ So let them laugh a little and (they will) cry much as a recompense of what they used to earn (by committing sins) (Q. 9:82) The terms laugh and a little agree with each other and without contradiction, then come cry and much as

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their opposite, i.e., laugh as the opposite of cry, and a little as the opposite of much.

This muqabalah type of antithesis is divided into three categories: a. Two things compared with two others, such as the example above. Other examples are: )21:‫ك ِممَّنْ َت َشا ُء (آل عمران‬ َ ‫ك َمنْ َت َشا ُء َو َت ْن ِز ُع ْالم ُْل‬ َ ‫ُت ْؤتِي ْالم ُْل‬ You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will…(Q. 3:26) َ ‫ت َو ُت ْخ ِر ُج ْال َمي‬ )22:‫ت م َِن ْال َحي (آل عمران‬ ِ ‫َو ُت ْخ ِر ُج ْال َحيَّ م َِن ْال َمي‬ …You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living… (Q. 3:27) )11-11:‫ار َم َعا ًشا (النبأ‬ َ ‫ َو َج َع ْل َنا ال َّن َه‬.‫َو َج َع ْل َنا اللَّ ْي َل لِ َبا ًسا‬ And We have made the night as covering (through its darkness), and We have made the day for livelihood.(Q. 78:10-11) ‫ار ُمبْصِ رً ا‬ َ ‫أَلَ ْم َي َر ْوا أَ َّنا َج َع ْل َنا اللَّ ْي َل لِ َيسْ ُك ُنوا فِي ِه َوال َّن َه‬ )41:‫ون (النمل‬ َ ‫ك َ​َل َيات لِ َق ْوم ي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬ َ ِ‫إِنَّ فِي َذل‬ See they not that We have made the night for them to rest therein, and the day sight-giving?

Verily, in this are āyāt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,revelations, etc.) for the people who believe (Q. 27:86) b. Three things compared with three others, such as: َّ ‫َو ُيحِل َل ُه ُم‬ َ ‫ت َوي َُحر ُم َعلَي ِْه ُم ْال َخ َبائ‬ )112:‫ (األعراف‬...‫ِث‬ ِ ‫الطي َبا‬ … he allows them as lawful at-tayyibat (i.e., all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), and prohibits them al-khabā’ ith (i.e., all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and food) (Q. 7:157) c. Four things compared with four others, such as:

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ُ‫ َف َس ُن َيس ُره‬. ‫ص َّد َق ِب ْالحُسْ َنى‬ َ ‫ َو‬.‫َفأَمَّا َمنْ أَعْ َطى َوا َّت َقى‬ ‫ب‬ َ ‫ َو َك َّذ‬. ‫ َوأَمَّا َمنْ َب ِخ َل َواسْ َت ْغ َنى‬. ‫ل ِْليُسْ َرى‬ )11-1 :‫ َف َس ُن َيس ُرهُ ل ِْلعُسْ َرى (الليل‬.‫ِب ْالحُسْ َنى‬ As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him, and believes in the best, We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness). But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient. And denies the best We will make smooth for him the path for evil. (Q. 92:5-10) The examples of Antithesis in the verses of the Qur’ān are used very extensively. As a book of guidance the Qur’ān mentions two contrasting things side by side, namely, truth and falsehood, good and evil, belief and disbelief, guidance and misguidance called juxtaposition in order to highlight the difference between the two sides. This is very evident with the Qur’ānic expression ‫ َفأَمَّا‬or ‫ أَ َّما‬followed by ‫ َوأَمَّا‬as in the above verse.1 Allah says in the Qur’ān, )11:‫ْن (البلد‬ ِ ‫َو َه َد ْي َناهُ ال َّنجْ َدي‬ And shown him he two ways (good and evil) (Q. 90:10) It is up to us, whether we choose guidance and the right way or misguidance and the wrong way.

(CIVIC, 23 September, 2016) Bibliography: Al-Maktabah al-Shamilah https://islamwich.com/2013/04/03/quranic-challenge/ https://old.uqu.edu.sa/page/ar/43947 http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/essays-articles/exploring-thequran/the-inim https://sites.google.com/site/mihfadha/balagha/18 http://www.sunnti.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14313 1

See also Q. 2:26; 3:56-57; 4:173; 11:106-108; 30:15-16; 69: 19-25; 79:37-40; 84:7-10; and 101:6-9.