4. RHETORICAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE QUR'AN (4)

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4. RHETORICAL EXPRESSSIONS OF THE QUR’AN (4) 4. Parenthesis, ‫ضة‬ َ ‫ُج ْملَ ُ​ُةُمُعْ َت ِر‬ “Parenthesis is a word, phrase, or clause inserted in a sentence that is grammatically complete without it, separated usually by commas, dashes, or upright curves.”1 It is a word or phrase inserted as an explanation or afterthought into a passage which is grammatically complete without it, in writing usually marked off by brackets, dashes, or commas.2 It is a stylistic device that comes from a Greek word, meaning to place or alongside. Parenthesis is a qualifying or explanatory sentence, clause or word that writers insert into a paragraph or passage. However, if they leave it out, even then grammatically it does not affect the text that it is correct without it. Writers mark them off by round and square brackets or by commas, dashes, little lines and brackets. As far as its purpose is concerned, this verbal unit provides extra information, interrupts syntactic flow of words, and allows the readers to pay attention on explanation. However, the overuse of parenthesis may make sentences look ambiguous and poorly structured.3 It is a sentence within another sentence, marked off by comas, dashes or brackets. It is an explanatory or qualifying word, clause or sentence inserted into a passage with which it doesn’t necessarily have any grammatical connection. For example: ‫لُوُ سْ َع َها‬ ُ َّ ِ‫لُ ُن َكلِّفُ​ُ​ُ َن ْف ًساُإ‬ ُ َ ُ‫ت‬ ُِ ‫ِينُآ َم ُنواُ َو َع ِملُواُالصَّال َِحا‬ َُ ‫َوالَّذ‬ (44:‫ونُ(األعراف‬ َُ ‫خالِ ُد‬ َُ ُ‫كُأَصْ َحابُ​ُ​ُ ْال َج َّن ُِةُ ُه ُْمُفِي َها‬ َُ ‫أُولَ ِئ‬ But those who believed, and worked righteousness– We tax not any person beyond his scope – such are the dwellers of Paradise. They will abide therein forever. (Q.7: 42).

1

Funk & Wagnall’s: Standard Dictionary of the English Language.

International Edition.

2 Oxford Dictionary.

3 http://literarydevices.net/parenthesis/

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Another example is as follows ‫ّللا ُ​ُأَعْ لَ ُ​ُمُ ِب َما‬ َُّ ‫ضعْ ُت َهاُأ ُ ْن َثىُ َو‬ ُْ َ‫ض َع ْت َهاُ َقال‬ َ ‫تُ َربُِّ​ُإِ ِّنيُ َو‬ َ ‫َفلَمَّاُ َو‬ ُ ُ ُ ِ‫الذ َك ُ​ُرُ َك ْاأل ْن َثىُ َوإِ ِّنيُ َس َّم ْي ُت َهاُ َمرْ َي َُمُ َوإِ ِّنيُأع‬ َّ ُ‫ْس‬ ‫يذ َها‬ َُ ‫تُ َولَي‬ ُْ ‫ض َع‬ َ ‫َو‬ ُ )63:‫يمُ(آلُعمران‬ ُِ ‫انُالرَّ ِج‬ ُِ ‫ِنُال َّش ْي َط‬ َُ ‫كُ َوذرِّ َّي َت َهاُم‬ َُ ‫ِب‬ Then when she gave birth to her [child Maryam (Mary)], she said: “O my Lord! I have given birth to a female child,”—And Allah knew better what she brought forth,--“And the male is not like the female, and I have named her Maryam (Mary), and I seek refuge with You (Allah) for her and her offspring from Satan, the outcast.” (Q. 6:63) ُ‫لُ َقالُواُإِ َّن َما‬ ُ​ُ ‫ّللا ُ​ُأَعْ لَ ُ​ُمُ ِب َماُ ُي َن ِّز‬ َُّ ‫انُآ َيةُ​ُ َو‬ َُ ‫َوإِ َذاُ َب َّد ْل َناُآ َي ًُةُ َم َك‬ ُ)101:‫ُونُ(النحل‬ َُ ‫لُ َيعْ لَم‬ ُ َ ُ‫لُأَ ْك َث ُر ُه ُْم‬ ُْ ‫تُ ُم ْف َترُ​ُ َب‬ َُ ‫ُأَ ْن‬ And when We change a Verse (of the Qur’an) in place of another – and Allah knows best what He sends down – they (the disbelievers) say: “You (O Muhammad) are but a Muftari! (forger, liar)” nay, but most of them know not. (Q. 16:101) ُ​ُ‫ك‬ َُ ‫ُ َألَم ََْلَنَُّ​ُ َج َه َّن َُمُ ِم ْن‬.‫ل‬ ُ​ُ ‫قُأَقُو‬ َُّ ‫لُ َف ْال َحقُ​ُ َو ْال َح‬ َُ ‫َقا‬ ُ​ُ​ُ)48-44:‫ِينُ(ص‬ َُ ‫كُ ِم ْن ُه ُْمُأَجْ َمع‬ َُ ‫َو ِممَّنُْ​ُ َت ِب َع‬ (Allah) said: “The truth is – and the truth I say, - that I will fill Hell with you [Iblis (Satan)] and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together.” (Q. 38:84-85) 5. Saj‘ )‫(السَّجْ ع‬ The term saj‘ means “rhymed prose”; it is the voice of man when he speaks rhymed prose with intermission, like the coo of pigeons, namely, coo coo coo. It is the agreement the last letters or last parts of two ends in two sections or more of expression, such as the verses of the Qur’an, namely, rhyming together. This rhyme in prose is called qāfiyah (rhyme) in poetry. For example, the Prophet said:

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ْ ‫ُ َو‬،‫لُ َت ْو َبتِي‬ ‫ِّتُحُجَّ تِي‬ ُْ ‫ُ َو َثب‬،‫ُ َوأ ِجبُْ​ُدَ عْ َوتي‬،‫لُ َح ْو َبتي‬ ُْ ِ‫اغس‬ ُْ ‫َُربُ​ُ َت َق َّب‬ )‫(رواهُأبوُداؤدُوُالنسائيُوُالترمذيُوُابنُماجهُوُأحمد‬ O my Lord, accept my repentance, wash my sin, answer my invocation, and strengthen my competent authority (Reported by Abū Dā’ūd, al-Nasā’ī, al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, and Aḥmad) Here we see the rhyming together of ḥawbatī, da‘watī, and ḥujjatī.

atī in tawbatī,

Scholars of Arabic rhetoric divide saj into four categories: 1. muṭarraf )‫)ال ُمطَرَّف‬, 2. mutawāzī (‫)ال ُمتَ َوازي‬, 3. muraṣṣa' (‫)ال ُم َرصَّع‬, 4. mutawāzin (‫ازن‬ ِ ‫)ال ُمتَ َو‬, and 5. mutamāthil (‫)ال ُمتَ َماثِل‬.

1. Muṭarraf )‫ ُ )ال ُم َطرَّ ف‬is when both agree in the letter of rhyme, but different in their meters, such as waqārā and aṭwārā in the following verses: )14ُ،16ُ:ُ‫لِلُ َو َقارً اُ َو َق ُْدُ َخلَ َق ُك ُْمُأَ ْط َوارً اُ( ُنوح‬ َُِّ ِ ُ‫ُون‬ َُ ‫لُ َترْ ج‬ ُ َ ُ‫َماُلَ ُك ُْم‬ What is the matter with you, that [you fear not Allah (His punishment), and] you hope not for reward (from Allah or you believe not in His Oneness) While He has created you in (different) stages [i.e. nutfah, then ‘alaqah, then muḍghah in Q. 23:13, 14] (Q. 71:13, 14) Here the wazn (form, measure, meter) of waqārā is totally different from that of aṭwārā but agree in the letter of rhyme, namely, ārā.

2. Mutawāzī (‫ال ُم َت َوازي‬, namely, parallel, similar) is when both have the same rhyme and meter, but their precedence are not equivalent, such as: ُ)ُ14،16ُ:‫فِي َهاُ ُسرُرُ​ُ َمرْ فُو َعةُ​ُ َوأَ ْك َوابُ​ُ َم ْوضُو َعةُ​ُ( ْال َغاشِ َية‬ Therein will be thrones raised high. And cups set at hand (Q. 88. 13, 13)

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Here the term marfū‘ah and mawḍū‘ah have the same rhyme and meter, but their precedence, namely, surur and akwāb are not equivalent.

3. Muraṣṣa‘ (‫الم َُرصَّع‬, decorated), is when both have the same rhyme and meter, and their precedence are also equivalent, such as: ُ)43ُ،48ُ:‫إِنَُّ​ُإِلَ ْي َناُإِ َيا َب ُه ُْمُ ُث َُّمُإِنَُّ​ُ َعلَ ْي َناُ ِح َسا َب ُه ُْمُ( ْال َغاشِ َية‬ Verily, to Us will be their return; Then verily, for Us will be their reckoning (Q. 88: 25-26).

Here the term iyābahum and ḥisābahum have the same rhyme and meter, and their precedence, ilaynā and ‘alaynā are also equivalent.

Another example: ُ)14ُ،16ُ:‫ارُلَفِيُ َجحِيمُ​ُ( ِال ْن ِف َطار‬ َُ َّ‫ارُلَفِيُ َنعِيمُ​ُ َوإِنَُّ​ُ ْالفُج‬ َُ ‫إِنَُّ​ُ ْاألَب َْر‬ Verily, the pious believers will be in Delight (Paradise). And verily, the wicked will be in the blazing Fire (Hell) (Q. 82:13, 14) Here the term na‘īm and jaḥīm have the same rhyme and meter, and their precedence, lafī and lafī are also equivalent.

4. Mutawāzin (‫ازن‬ ِ ‫ال ُم َت َو‬, having the same meter), is when they have the same meter, but different rhyme, such as: ُ)13ُ،18ُ:‫قُ َمصْ فُو َفةُ​ُ َو َز َر ِابيُ​ُ َمب ُْثو َثةُ​ُ​ُ​ُ( ْال َغاشِ َية‬ ُ​ُ ‫ار‬ ِ ‫َو َن َم‬ And cushions set in rows. And rich carpets (all) spread out (Q. 88:15, 16) Here the term maṣfūfah and mabthūthah have the same meter, but are different in rhyme, namely, fah is different in rhyme from thah.

Another example is: ُ)4-6:‫ينُ(الفاتحة‬ ُِ ‫ُ َمالِكُِ​ُ َي ْو ُِمُال ِّد‬.‫ِيم‬ ُِ ‫نُالرَّ ح‬ ُِ ‫الرَّ حْ َم‬ The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Only Owner of the Day of Recompense (Q. 1:3-4)

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Here the term ḥīm in al-raḥīm and dīn in al-dīn have the same meter, but are different in rhyme, namely, ḥīm (with m) is different in rhyme from dīn (with n) 5. Mutamāthil (‫ال ُم َت َماثِل‬, being alike) is they have the same meter, but not in rhyme; yet the precedence of the first is equivalent with that of the second. For example: ُ ُ‫ط‬ َُ ‫ينُ َو َه َد ْي َنا ُه َماُالص َِّرا‬ َُ ‫ابُ ْالمُسْ َت ِب‬ َُ ‫ُ َوآ َت ْي َنا ُه َماُ ْال ِك َت‬ ُ)114ُ،111ُ:‫ْالمُسْ َتقِي َُمُ(الصَّا َّفات‬ And We gave them the clear Scripture; and guided them the Right Path (Q.37:117, 118) Here the term al-kitāb and al-ṣirāṭ have the same meter, as well as al-mustabīn and al-mustaqīm, but different in rhyme, namely, the last letters, letter n )‫ (ن‬and mُ)‫ُ(م‬. ُ In poetry we have what we call al-ḍarūrāt al-shi‘riyyah ُ ‫ضرُور‬ )‫ات ُال ِّشعْ ِريَّة‬ َّ ‫(ال‬, namely poetical necessity where the poets violate grammatical rules for the sake of rhyme though addition, omission, alteration or inversion.4 ُ Similarly, we have them in the Qur’an. The example of the addition is as follows: ُ ُ​ُ.‫كُ َماُ ِه َي ُْه‬ َُ ‫ُ َو َماُأَ ْد َرا‬.ُ‫او َية‬ ُْ ‫َوأَمَّاُ َمنُْ​ُ َخ َّف‬ ِ ‫ُ َفأم ُ​ُهُ َه‬.ُ‫ازي ُن ُ​ُه‬ ِ ‫تُ َم َو‬ ُ)11-4:‫َنارُ​ُ َحا ِم َيةُ​ُ(القارعة‬ But as for him whose Balance (of good deeds) will be light, He will have his home in Hāwiyah (pit, i.e. Hell). And what will make you know what it is? It is a blazing Fire (Q. 101:9-11) The addition is like ‫‘( ُع َني َْزَُة‬unayzata) becomes ُ‫‘( ُع َني َْزة‬unazatin), ‫يا ُ َم َط ُ​ُر‬ (yā maṭaru) - ُ‫( َيا ُ َم َطر‬yā maṭarun), ‫(غِ َنى‬ghinā) - ‫) غِ َنا ُ​ُء‬ghināu(, and ‫ارف‬ َّ ‫( ال‬al-ṣayārif) – ‫اريْف‬ َّ ‫( ال‬al-ṣayārīf). The omission is like ‫ص ْن َعا َُء‬ َ ِ ‫ص َي‬ ِ ‫ص َي‬ ْ َ (ṣan‘ā’) becomes ‫صن َعُا‬ َ (ṣan‘ā) (omission of ‫(ْء‬, ُ‫( ُ َمالِك‬Mālikin) – ُ‫َمال‬ (Mālin), ‫( ُمِرْ دَ اسً ا‬mirdāsan) – ‫اس‬ َُ َ‫( مِرْ د‬mirdāsa), and ُ‫( أَفِر‬afirru) – ‫( أَفِر‬afir).

The alteration is like ‫ْن‬ ُِ ‫( أَ َرى ُ ْاث َني‬ara’thnayni) – ‫ْن‬ ُِ ‫( أَ َرى ُإِ ْث َني‬arā ithnayni), ُ‫َيا ُأ َبا‬ ‫( المُغيرُِة‬yā abā’-mughīrati) - ‫( َيا ُا َبا ُالمُغيرُِة‬yā bā’-mughīrati), and ُ‫األجل‬ (alَ ُ َ ajalli) – ‫ل‬ ُِ ‫( األجْ ل‬al-ajlali). The inversion is like ‫ّللا‬ ُِ ُ ‫ السال ُ​ُم ُعليكُِ ُورحم ُة‬and it ُ becomes ‫ّللاُالسال ُ​ُم‬ ُِ ُ‫ عليكُِ​ُورحم ُة‬.

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Here there is addition of ‫ هـ‬in ‫ِي‬ َُ ‫ ه‬meaning “she” to suit the rhyme in ُ‫او َية‬ َ ِ ‫ َه‬and ُ‫حا ِم َية‬.

The addition of alif ُ)‫ (ا‬is common to suit the rhyme, such ُ , )33:‫الرَّ سُول ُ(األجزاب‬, )31:‫الس َِّبيْال ُ(األجزاب‬, as:ُ )10:‫الظ ُن ْو َنا ُ(األجزاب‬ andُ)18:‫يرا (اإلنسان‬ َُ ‫ار‬ ِ ‫ُ َق َو‬.

The omission of yā’ )‫ ُ(ي‬is common, especially if it is a personal pronoun meaning ‫“ نِي‬me”, ‫“ُي‬my” or ‫ك‬ َُ ُ“you” as an object. It has to be mentioned in translation. For example, the following verses where Prophet Ibrāhīm told his father about the idols and about Allah, as follows: .ُ‫ِين‬ ُِ ‫ُالَّذِيُ َخ َل َقنِيُ َفه َُ​ُوُ َي ْهد‬.‫ِين‬ َُ ‫لُ َربَُّ​ُ ْال َعا َلم‬ ُ َّ ِ‫َفإِ َّن ُه ُْمُ َع ُدوُ​ُلِيُإ‬ .‫ِين‬ ُِ ‫تُ َفه َُ​ُوُ َي ْشف‬ ُ​ُ ْ‫ُ َوإِ َذاُ َم ِرض‬.ُ‫ِين‬ ُِ ‫َوالَّذِيُه َُ​ُوُي ُْط ِع ُمنِيُ َو َيسْ ق‬ )41-11:‫ُ(الشعراء‬.‫ين‬ ُِ ‫َوالَّذِيُ ُيمِي ُتنِيُ ُث َُّمُيُحْ ِي‬ Verily, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the ‘ālamīn (mankind, jinn and all that exists), Who had created me, and it is He Who guides me.

And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink.

And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me. And Who will cause me to die, and then will bring me to life (again) (Q. 26:77-81) Before the omission the words are originally ‫ َي ْهدِيُِني‬, ِ‫ي‬ ُ ‫ َيسْ قِين‬, ‫ َي ْشفِيُِني‬, and ‫ يُحْ ِييُِني‬.

(Turner, 10 October, 2016) :‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبةُالشاملة‬ (‫ُهـ‬046ُ.‫تفسيرُالطبريُ(ت‬ (‫ُهـ‬334ُ.‫تفسيرُالقرطبىُ(ت‬ )‫ُهـ‬331ُ.‫تفسيرُابنُكثيرُ(ت‬ http://www.elibrary4arab.com/ebooks/arabic/aroodqafeya/droorat.htm http://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=78131 http://articles.islamweb.net/media/index.php?page=article&la ng=A&id=174379 https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/‫سجع‬ http://www.alimam.ws/ref/168