Introduction to BALAAGHA Art of Eloquence Lesson Six

1. Introduction to BALAAGHA Art of EloquenceLesson Six From AL-BALAAGHA AL-WAADHEHA Modifications by Sheikh Safdar Razi

2. ISTIA’AARAH TASREEHE (Explicit) ISTIA’AARAH MAKNI (Implicative or Indicative) • ISTIA’AARAH is a type of metaphor (MAJAAZ) , and it is TASHBEEH with the absence of either MOSHABAH or MOSHABAH BEHE therefore ISTIA’AARAH is divided into two categories: 1. TASREEHEYA (Explicit) – in which the MOSHABAH BEHE (Source of Description) is mentioned but the MOSHABAH (Described) is not mentioned. • Imam Ali Chief of the Believer is like the glowing sun. • In TASREEHE we remove Imam Ali but keep one of its characteristic which is being chief of the believer in the sentence, therefore the sentence will be : Chief of the Believer is like the glowing sun. 2. MAKNIYA (Implicit) – in which the MOSHABAH BEHE (source of description) is removed and is indicated by one of its associate. • The oppressor is like the darkness (which is associated with night and was removed). In this sentence the MOSHABAH is existing which is the oppressor, the MOSHABAH BEHE which is the night associated with darkness.. Therefore the sentence becomes “The Oppressor is like the night ”

3. ISTIA’AARAH MAKNI (Implicative or Indicative) الَر كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِبِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ • [Shakir 14:1] Alif Lam Ra. (This is) a Book which We have revealed to you that you may bring forth men, by their Lord's permission from utter darkness into light-- to the way of the Mighty, the Praised One, • Quraan uses Istia’aarah Maknia in this verse. • Quran is resembled like a guiding light or torchlight (MOSHABBAH BEHE which was removed) which takes people out of darkness and guides them towards light. • The Moshabbah is Quran, • Moshabbah behe (source of Description) is guide light which was removed and one of the associated thing -taking people out from the darkness to light is mentioned to indicate its removal • i.e. Quraan is like the torchlight which takes the people out of darkness.

4. ISTIA’AARAH MAKNI قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا ! وَاشْتَعَل :Got burned الرَّأْسُ ;Head شَيْبًا َ ;Hoary - Whiteness of elderly Age [Shakir 19:4] He said: My Lord! surely my bones are weakened and my head flares with hoariness, and, Prophet Zakariya (AS) is resembling the gray hair as a fuel which has been burned and leaves gray ashes. My head has burned like the fuel , and become gray or white. The fuel (MOSHABBAH BEHE was removed) and the burned (ISHTIAAL) which is associated with the burning was mentioned to indicatd the absence of “fuel”. The fuel is source of description and was removed and one of the things associated to fuel which is the process of burring was mentioned therefore it is ISTIA’AARAH MAKNI . Note:The only thing is not there is the elderly age and it is indicated by the weakness of bones, but there is no MOSHABAH BEHE, like what is resembling his getting old.

5. ISTIA’AARAH TASREEHE (Explicit) ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الأَنْهَارُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاء وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللّهِ وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ • [Shakir 2:74] Then your hearts hardened after that, so that they were like rocks, rather worse in hardness; and surely there are some rocks from which streams burst forth, and surely there are some of them which split asunder so water issues out of them, and surely there are some of them which fall down for fear of Allah, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do. • The meaning is: Your will (MOSHABAH) in your heart became hardened like the hard rocks • The will was removed and the heart which is associated with the will was mentioned. ISTI’AARAH TASREEHIYAH

6. Cont. Example • In Arabic language “heart” is used for three things : Physical Heart, reflecting intellect, and emotional heart. • In Arabic, heart is used as the place of making the will or intention. It is assumed that the sentences as follows: Your “will” inside your hearts became hardened like the rocks. – Which indicates prejudice of disbelievers. • Note: There are several ISTIAARAH TASREEHIYAH resembling the types of will with the types of stones, and all of these types of wills have been removed.

7. ISTIA’AARAH - Original and Followed • ISTIA’AARAH (ASLIYA) Original • ISTIA’ARAH TABA’IYA (Follower) • The above two types of ISTIA’ARAH will be discussed in the second level.

8. The Indirect TASHBEEH of DHIMNEE • In TASHBEEH of DHIMNEE the simile is indirect (both components are not linked, the clue is their existence together). • Example: In the example the two segments in one line of a poetry are initially not related, but both by being in one line indicates a simile. If these two segments were not in one line of the poetry the simile would not have been comprehended nor the connection and relation of simile between them. This is why this is an indirect TASHBEEH • Literal Translation of the poetry: And my poetry became in him in its position == and in the neck of a beautiful woman the necklace manifest the beauty. • Interpreted translation: My poetry's position became to him = the beautiful necklace’s on the neck of a beautiful woman. • Meaning: My poetry is embraced by him as the beautiful necklace is embraced around the neck of a beautiful woman.

9. The MAQLOOB (Inverse) TASHBEEH • To consider the MOSHABAH due to the point of similarity is more obvious in the MOSHABAH BEHE . • Lion is like Ali (as) • The bravery of Ali (as) is more obvious than the Lion, thus Imam Ali becomes MOSHABAH BEHE and the Lion becomes MOSHABAH. • This type is used when a description in the described exceeds the level of description in the source. • The Light of the day was like his forehead. • As the light of the day was like his forehead instead of saying his forehead was like the light of the day.

10. ISTI’AARAH TAMTHEELIYAH • ISTIA’AARAH TAMTHEELE – These are metaphorical structures used in certain events due to the similarity between such event and the indicated meaning in the structure with the existence of a QAREENA (Context Clue) which diverts the mind of the listener from the literal meaning of the structure to the metaphorical meaning of the structure which is MOSHABAH and has been removed (similar to combining TASREEHIYAH and TAMTHEELY). • Example: Traditional Maxims of Arabs such as: • “Before throwing arrows fill the quiver (arrow bag)” Is said to a person who wants to build a house without having money. • “You are writing on water” – Somebody who is insisting on something unachievable • “Your taste is bitter” – Someone who cannot comprehend the beauty of poetry. • “The sword has returned to its sheath” is used for the warrior who returns home.

11. ISTIA’AARAH TAMTHEELE 5. “Tie the camel and rely” is for someone who relies on Allah [swt] without taking the necessary causes. 6. “Do not put jewels in front of the pigs” is for someone who gives a valuable speech to those that don’t value it. 7. “You reap (harvest) what you grow” is used for a person who earns the profit or loss or any consequences due to his action. 8. “Every horse has a misstep” – This is said when a perfect person who rarely make mistakes slips or errs. 9. “A believer is not stung twice from one pit (burrow)” - This saying is said to a person who is trying to make the same mistake twice. 10. “And the dawn came after the darkness of the night” is mentioned to someone who is relived from difficulties. Most ISTIA’AARAH TAMTHEELE is a combination of ISTIA’AARAH TASRIHIYAH which does not have the MOSHABBAH (Described one) an TASHBEEH TAMTHEELE (Has the movements)

12. Eloquence of TASHBEEH In the art of TASHBEEH (Simile) the speaker tries to compare between two things in a beautiful imagery or in a beautiful imagination. The eloquence rises from the disparities between those two things which share one or several points of resemblance. Certain mixtures of imaginary pictures give more impact in the heart of the listener. That is why it was said the more disparity found in the TASHBEEH the more beauty it presents. For example, saying Ali is a lion gives more beauty then saying Ali is brave like a lion. In first example it is called BALEEGH (extremely eloquent) because it is trying to indicate that the described one is exactly source of description.

13. Forms of Similarities used by Arabs Resembling the Generous with Sea/Rain. Brave with lion beautiful face with sun and moon, sharp person with sword, highly dignified person with star, patient and balanced with mountain, false hopes with dreams, brightening face by the coin of dinar, dark pitch hair with night, pure water with pearl, night with the waves of the sea, army with invading sea, the horse with wind and lightning , stars with pearls and flowers, teeth with hail and pearls, ships with mountains, curved river banks by curved snakes, growing old with day and the glitter of swords, blaze on the forehead of the horse with crescent, coward with ostrich and fly, deceiving with fox, extravagance with butterfly, stubborn with iron and rock, a stupid person with donkey, stingy with barren land,

14. BALAGHA with ISTI’AARAH ISTI’AARAH is more eloquent than the BALIGH TASHBEEH. The reason behind that is that in ISTI’AARAH beside resemblance and similarity of certain characteristic or description there is a creativity and depth in imagination which creates stronger impact in the heart of the listener. It is not just because of the arrangements of the words but also the way the words are arranged in a sentence and which creates an imagination or image in the mind beyond the level of the words therefore when ISTI’AARAH is properly placed the listener overlooks the words and just brings the imagination of the image created in the mind and enjoys the beauty of it.