The stylistics of the Surah Haqqaf based on the ambiguity style

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Qur’anic and Hadith Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran

Abstract

Stylistics of the Holy Qur’an is one of the new Qur’anic sciences derived from linguistics. Stylistics is the study of the structural, phonetic, and semantic styles of a text. This science studies the various expressive styles of the Holy Qur’an. In this paper, one of the stylistic aspects of Surah Al-Ahqāf, i.e., the ambiguity style, is analyzed. Accordingly, as a result, the style of ambiguity is the dominant semantic and expressive style of the Surah. Considering that the main axis of the Surah is one of the negative human manners, namely, ‘arrogance’, God Almighty uses the method of expressing ambiguity to cure this negative characteristic and warn man. Ambiguous expression style uses strange and unfamiliar words in the constructive style; in the grammatical style, it uses concise grammatical constructions, in the semantic style, it expresses topics unfamiliar and strange to the audience, and in the phonetic style, it uses sounds to astonish the audience. Using the style of ambiguity against the arrogant who consider themselves omniscient and omnipotent, God, the Most-Wise, informs them of their weakness and helplessness so that they will wake up and take the path of servitude.
In this article, one of the stylistic aspects of Surah Al-Ahqaf; That is, the style of ambiguity is analyzed. Surah Al-Ahqaf is the last Surah of Hawamim Surahs. The main audience of this surah is those who have an arrogant and selfish spirit. God has presented them with many arguments to prove the legitimacy of the Holy Prophet, the Holy Quran and the Day of Judgment and has answered their claims. He goes on to point out how they deal with the issue of guidance and the difference between their method and that of the believers, and finally both on the Day of Judgment. In the meantime, the story of the people of Aad, who did not accept the words of their Prophet out of stubbornness and selfishness and eventually perished, is also narrated, and also refers to the jinn who heard the call of guidance and spread it at the invitation of their people. The unbelievers are invited to be guided.
According to this study, the style of ambiguity is the dominant semantic and expressive style of Surah Al-Ahqaf. Considering that the main axis of this surah is one of the negative morals of human beings, namely arrogance, God uses the method of expressing ambiguity to treat this negative characteristic and warn man. Ambiguous expression style uses strange and unfamiliar words in the constructive style; In grammatical style, it uses concise grammatical constructions, and in semantic style, it expresses topics that are unfamiliar and strange to the audience, and in phonetic style, it uses sounds to astonish the audience. God Almighty, by using the style of ambiguity against the arrogant, who consider themselves omniscient and omnipotent , informs them of their weakness and helplessness in order to realize their helplessness and take the path of servitude.
The expressive style of ambiguity in this surah is done in three levels of construction, phonetic and semantic. At the structural level, it is done by bringing vague and unfamiliar words as well as vague and concise facial expressions. At the phonetic level, this goal has been achieved by using letters that indicate intensity and ambiguity, and at the semantic level by bringing up topics that were ambiguous to the audience. The people of Aad and the polytheists of the time of the Holy Prophet had an arrogant spirit who thought that they knew the path of guidance and goodness well and did not need guidance. God has kept them astonished and confused by vague speech to the extent that it is proven to them that they do not even distinguish the fertile wind from the winds of torment.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 April 2020
  • Revise Date: 01 February 2021
  • Accept Date: 21 September 2020

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