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THE QUR’ĀN AND ARABIC STYLISTICS

A Seminar Presented at

Prof. A.J. Boullata Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University

25 November, 1977

“Al-Jurjānī’s Classification of Isri‘āra”

Journal of Arabic Literature, II (1971), pp. 48-75

By Kamal Abu Deeb *******

Al-Jurjānī’s definition of isri‘āra:

It is lending the meaning of one object to another object, the

aim being the attribution of the dominant trait in the first

object to the second one.

Al-Jurjānī divided isri‘āra into two types:

1. Non-significant type:

2. Significant type:

1. Non-Significant Type The use of synonyms, borrowing a word from different

category , e.g., the Arabic word for “lip”: (for human

beings), (for camels), and (for horses).

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2. Significant Type

Examples: I saw a lion , i.e., a brave man

I saw a sea , i.e., a generous man

The two types may converge, e.g., in the following poem of Farazdaq:

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“If you belonged to the tribe of the D.abb, you would know

my kinship, but (as you are) a negro with thick camel’s lips.”

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Mubarrad says:

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“The children had hardly fallen asleep when I saw him [the

guest] urging his camel [to move fast towards my tent] by hitting it on its side with his leg and his hoofs.”

Then he continued:

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“Then I said to him: ‘Welcome go this countenance of a

greeted person and a visitor.’”

Other examples:

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Mutanabbī said:

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Al-Jurjānī divided the Significant type of isri‘āra into

two categories:

a. (particular), i.e., known by particular people, e.g.,

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“When he called his helpers the mountain paths of the tribe

flooded to him with faces like dinars.”

b. (general), i.e., easily understood by common people.

This category is divided into two kinds based on the word

used in it: (1) NOUN and (2) VERB .

(1) Isri‘āra with NOUN .

a. . It is based on transference (simile, ),

e.g., “I saw a lion,” i.e., a brave man.

b. . It is not based on transference (simile,

), but it remains as it is with an addition of

something to it, e.g., Labīd said:

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“Many a blustering cold morning have I encountered,

When its reins were held by the hand of the north wind.”

(The poet wants to compare the north wind in its control of the morning to a human being who holds something

in his hand and controls it and moves it as he likes).

(2) Isti‘āra with VERB

The verb affects either the subject, e.g.,

“The situation speaks so”

“His two eyes spoke to me about what was in his heart”

or the object, e.g.,

“The truth was collected for us in one criterion; it killed avarice and revived generosity”

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Based on the nature of the dominant trait al-Jurjānī

divided the Significant type of isti‘āra into three divisions:

a. One attribute of the same category. The quality can

be classified in a scale of excellence and non-excellence or of strength and weakness, i.e., from

more excellent to less excellent, e.g., “The horse is

flying” . (Flying and running belong to

the same category of fast movement, (

The example from the Qur’ān:

“And We dispersed [lit. “ripped apart”]

them all totally.” (Q. 34:19) b. Two attributes of different category to two different

objects, e.g., “I saw a sun” (The sun shines

and the man smiles).

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c. “The pure type ”. It is the highest

degree of isti‘āra. The similitude is taken from

intellectual image. This type is divided into three

sub-divisions: 1. From sensory comprehended object to

intellectual meaning, i.e., from concrete to abstract. Examples:

“I saw light” , i.e., guidance.

“…and follow the light which is sent down with him…” (Q. 7:57).

“Show us the straight path” (Q. 1:6)

2. Between two concrete objects, but the similarity is intellectual, for example, the

Prophet said: (“Beware of green

plant growing in the dung.”). Green plant

means a beautiful woman; growing in the dung means raised in bad family. An unidentified

poet said,

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“He is honey if you are complaisant

with him, and if you treat him harshly he will become thoughtless (rash)”

The companions of the Prophet are called

(“stars of guidance”).

3. Making similarity from intellectual to intellectual. It has many kinds, but the most

important ones are:

a. Similarity of nothingness to existence, e.g., “An ignorant man is dead.”

b. From existence to nothingness, e.g.,

“Begging is death.”

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Al-Jurjānī, ‘Abd al-Qāhir. Asrār al-Balāghah, ed. Ritter.

________. Al-Ījāz: Sharh. Kitāb Dalā’il al-I‘jāz, ed. al-Marāghī.

D.ayf, Dr. Shawqī. Al-Balāghah: Tat.awwur wa Tārīkh

(Cairo: Dār al-Ma‘ārif, 1960).

Muhammad Amin A. Samad

Montreal, 25 November, 1977