Stylistics Studies of the Holy Quran

Stylistics Studies of the Holy Quran

Re-examining the Cohesion of "Sūrah al-Ghāshiyah" in Light of the Theory of Semitic Rhetoric (Based on the Research of Michel Cuypers)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Associate Professor, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares, University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Quranic Studies and Hadith ،Faculty of Theology، Alzahra University، Tehran، Iran
3 PhD in Quranic studies and Hadith, Faculty of Theology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
One of the models for analyzing textual cohesion is the Semitic Rhetoric Model, which originates from studies of the Bible. Rhetorical analysis, based on the fundamental principle of symmetry, seeks to explain the composition of a text and determine its structure. To achieve this, the text is first divided into various levels, and then the symmetry between these levels is identified. To determine the symmetrical relationships within the discourse, it is necessary to recognize the connections between the elements that constitute the text. These relationships are limited to two types: correspondence and contrast, which are examined from four aspects: lexical, morphological, syntactical, and discursive. Michel Cuypers, a Belgian scholar, was the first to apply the Semitic Rhetoric Model to analyze the structure of Qur'anic Chapters [Sūrahs]. After applying the rules of symmetrical composition to various Meccan and Medinan Chapters [Sūrahs], he described and interpreted their structures. In this study, the cohesion of Chapter 88 [Surah Ghāshiyah] is re-examined through the lens of Semitic Rhetoric Theory, with a focus on Cuypers' research. The findings indicate that the rules of symmetrical composition are not applicable at all levels of this Chapter [Sūrah]. Among the three levels of symmetrical composition—major, intermediate, and minor—the model is only effective at the minor level, where the structure follows a mirror and reverse pattern. 
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Volume 8, Issue 2 - Serial Number 15
Eighth year, number one, fifteenth in a row, autumn and winter 2024
October 2024
Pages 226-247

  • Receive Date 17 February 2024
  • Revise Date 12 March 2024
  • Accept Date 22 April 2024
  • Publish Date 22 October 2024