Easy Balaaghah

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Easy Balaaghah

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‫‪Easy Balaaghah‬‬

‫‪7‬‬ ‫المقدمة‬
‫‪8‬‬ ‫الفصاحة‬
‫‪8‬‬ ‫‪ ‬فصاحة الكلمة‬
‫‪10‬‬ ‫‪ ‬فصاحة الكالم‬
‫‪15‬‬ ‫‪ ‬فصاحة املتكلم‬
‫‪16‬‬ ‫البالغة‬
‫‪16‬‬ ‫‪ ‬بالغة الكالم‬
‫‪17‬‬ ‫‪ ‬بالغة املتكلم‬
‫‪19‬‬ ‫علم المعانى‬
‫‪20‬‬ ‫اخلرب و اإلنساء‬
‫‪23‬‬ ‫‪ ‬الغرض من إلقاء اخلرب‬
‫‪26‬‬ ‫‪ ‬كيفية إلقاء اخلرب (أضرب اخلرب)‬
‫‪27‬‬ ‫‪ ‬خروج اخلرب عن مقتضى الظاهر‬
‫‪29‬‬ ‫اإلنشاء‬
‫‪30‬‬ ‫‪ ‬األمر‬
‫‪34‬‬ ‫‪ ‬النهى‬
‫‪36‬‬ ‫‪ ‬االستفهام‬
‫‪41‬‬ ‫‪ ‬التمىن‬
‫‪43‬‬ ‫‪ ‬النداء‬
‫‪46‬‬ ‫الذكر و احلذف‬
‫‪49‬‬ ‫‪ ‬حذف املسند إليه‬
‫‪51‬‬ ‫‪ ‬حذف املسند و املفعول‬

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‫‪53‬‬ ‫التقدمي و التأخري‬

‫‪56‬‬ ‫‪ ‬تقدمي املسند‬
‫‪57‬‬ ‫‪ ‬ترتيب اجلملة الفعلية‬
‫‪60‬‬ ‫التعريف و التنكري‬
‫‪60‬‬ ‫‪ ‬الضمري‬
‫‪61‬‬ ‫‪َ ‬‬
‫العلم‬
‫‪62‬‬ ‫‪ ‬اسم اإلشارة‬
‫‪64‬‬ ‫‪ ‬اسم املوصول‬
‫‪66‬‬ ‫‪ ‬الْ ُمحلّى بأل‬
‫‪67‬‬ ‫‪ ‬املضاف لِمعرفة‬
‫‪69‬‬ ‫‪ ‬املنادى‬
‫‪70‬‬ ‫‪ ‬التنكري‬
‫‪72‬‬ ‫اإلطالق و التقييد‬
‫‪73‬‬ ‫القصر‬
‫‪76‬‬ ‫‪ ‬طرق القصر‬
‫‪78‬‬ ‫الوصل و الفصل‬
‫‪80‬‬ ‫‪ ‬الفصل‬
‫‪84‬‬ ‫اإلجياز و املساواة و اإلطناب‬
‫‪84‬‬ ‫‪ ‬املساواة‬
‫‪84‬‬ ‫‪ ‬اإلجياز‬
‫‪87‬‬ ‫‪ ‬اإلطناب‬
‫‪93‬‬ ‫مقتضى الظاهر‬
‫إخراج الكالم على خالف َ‬
‫‪93‬‬ ‫املضمر‬
‫موضع َ‬‫َ‬ ‫‪ ‬وضع َ‬
‫املظهر‬
‫‪93‬‬ ‫املظهر‬
‫موضع َ‬‫َ‬ ‫‪ ‬وضع َ‬
‫املضمر‬

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‫‪94‬‬ ‫موضع املضارع‬

‫َ‬ ‫‪ ‬وضع املاضى‬
‫‪94‬‬ ‫موضع املاضى‬
‫َ‬ ‫‪ ‬وضع املضارع‬
‫‪95‬‬ ‫‪ ‬وضع اخلرب موضع اإلنشاء‬
‫‪95‬‬ ‫‪ ‬التغليب‬
‫‪97‬‬ ‫علم البيان‬
‫‪97‬‬ ‫التشبيه‬
‫‪101‬‬ ‫‪ ‬أنواع التشبيه‬
‫‪103‬‬ ‫‪ ‬تشبيه التمثيل‬
‫‪105‬‬ ‫‪ ‬التشبيه املقلوب‬
‫‪106‬‬ ‫‪ ‬التشبيه الضمىن‬
‫‪107‬‬ ‫اجملاز‬
‫‪109‬‬ ‫‪ ‬االستعارة‬
‫‪112‬‬ ‫‪ ‬االستعارة األصلية و التبعية‬
‫‪116‬‬ ‫‪ ‬املر ّشحة و ّ‬
‫اجملردة و املطلقة‬
‫‪118‬‬ ‫‪ ‬االستعارة التمثيلية‬
‫‪119‬‬ ‫املرسل‬
‫اجملاز َ‬
‫‪124‬‬ ‫اجملاز العقلى‬
‫‪127‬‬ ‫الكناية‬
‫‪131‬‬ ‫علم البديع‬
‫‪132‬‬ ‫المحسنات المعنوية‬
‫‪132‬‬ ‫التورية‬
‫‪133‬‬ ‫الطباق‬
‫‪135‬‬ ‫املقابلة‬
‫‪136‬‬ ‫مراعاة النظري‬

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‫‪137‬‬ ‫اجلمع‬
‫‪138‬‬ ‫التفريق‬
‫‪139‬‬ ‫التقسيم‬
‫‪140‬‬ ‫اللف و النشر‬
‫ّ‬
‫‪141‬‬ ‫ُحسن التعليل‬
‫‪142‬‬ ‫تأكيد املدح ِِبَا يشبه الذم و عكسه‬
‫‪144‬‬ ‫أسلوب احلكيم‬
‫‪146‬‬ ‫تعارف اجلاهل‬
‫‪147‬‬ ‫االفتنان‬
‫‪149‬‬ ‫النزاهة‬
‫‪150‬‬ ‫إرسال الْ َمثَل‬
‫‪151‬‬ ‫ائتالف اللفظ و املعىن‬
‫‪152‬‬ ‫املبالغة‬
‫‪154‬‬ ‫االستخدام‬
‫‪155‬‬ ‫تشابه األطراف‬
‫‪157‬‬ ‫المحسنات اللفظية‬
‫ّ‬
‫‪157‬‬ ‫اجلناس‬
‫‪159‬‬ ‫السجع‬
‫‪160‬‬ ‫االقتباس‬
‫‪161‬‬ ‫التضمني‬
‫‪163‬‬ ‫التلميح‬

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‫بسم اهلل‬
‫الرحمن‬
‫الرحيم‬

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‫اإلنتساب ‪. . .‬‬

‫إلى كل‬
‫َبحر‬
‫علَّمنى السباحة فى‬
‫البحر‬

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The Definition of ‫فصاحة‬

‫أفص َح ِ ي‬
The ‫ لغوى‬definition of ‫ فصاحة‬is ‫ بيان‬and ‫ ظهور‬The Arabs say ‫الصب‬ َ
when the speech of the infant is clear. ‫ اصطالحا‬it is used to
describe the ‫كلمة‬, the ‫ كالم‬and the ‫متكلم‬

‫فصاحة الكلمة‬
A ‫ كلمة‬is described as ‫ فصيح‬when it is free of the following factors:
1. ‫تنافر احلروف‬
2. ‫خمالفة القياس‬
3. ‫الغرابة‬

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‫ تنافر الحروف‬is when the combination of the ‫ حروف‬that constitute

the ‫ كلمة‬cause difficulty in its pronunciation. Examples of ‫كلمات‬
that suffer from ‫ تنافر احلروف‬are:
 ‫( الظش‬a jagged place)
 ‫( الُْع ُخع‬a plant which camels graze on)
 ‫( النُقاح‬clean water)

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‫ مخالفة القياس‬is when the construction of the ‫ كلمة‬contravenes the

laws of ‫ صرف‬Examples of a word in which there is ‫ خمالفة القياس‬are:

Example One: ‫( بوقات‬horns, trumpets) in the following stanza of

Al-Mutanabbi:
‫فان يكن بعض الناس سيفا للدولة – ففى الناس بوقات لا و طبول‬
If somebody among the people is a sword unto the kingdom
There are among them those who are unto it trumpets and
drums
Al-Mutanabbi used ‫ بوقات‬as the plural of ‫ بوق‬However, the laws of
‫ صرف‬demand that its plural should be ‫أبواق‬

Example Two: ‫ موددة‬in Al-Mutanabbi’s statement:

‫زهده – ما ىل ىف صدورهم من َم ْوَد َده‬ ِ
َ ‫ان بىن لَلئام‬
My children are vile and unconcerned
There is no love for me in their hearts
The word ‫ َم ْوَد َده‬does not conform with the laws of ‫ صرف‬It should
be ‫ َم َوّدة‬with a shuddah (sign of tashdeed) on the letter ‫د‬

Example Three: The word ‫ األجلَ ِل‬in the following stanza of Abu-
Najm Ibn Qudaamah:
ِ ‫احلمد هلل العلِى األجلَ ِل – أنت مليك الناس ربا‬
‫فاقبل‬ ّ
All praise is to Allah The Most High and Magnificent
You (O Allah) are the king of the people (and their Rabb),
Therefore accept (my du’aa)
According to the laws of ‫ صرف‬he should have said ‫األجل‬ ّ instead of
‫األجلَ ِل‬

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‫ الغرابة‬is when the meaning of the ‫ كلمة‬is unclear and uncommon

among the ‫فصحاء‬

Examples:
 ‫( افْ َرن َق َع‬he went away)
 ‫( اطلَ َخم‬it was severe)
 ‫( بعاق‬rain)

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‫فصاحة الكالم‬
‫ كالم‬is described as ‫ فصيح‬when it is free of the following factors:
1. ‫تنافر الكلمات‬
2. ‫ضعف التأليف‬
3. ‫التعقيد اللفظى‬
4. ‫التعقيد املعنوى‬

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‫ تنافر الكلمات‬is when the combination of the words in the

sentence are difficult on the tongue and the ear.

Example One:
‫قرب ق ِرب حرب قرب‬
َ ‫و قربُ حرب ِبكان قفر – و ليس‬
The grave of harb is in a barren place
And there is no (other) grave close to the grave of Harb

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Some scholars note that it is impossible to repeat this stanza

three times without faltering. The reason for this being the
closeness between the ‫ خمارج‬of the letters in each word. Thus,
although each word on its own is neither heavy nor disliked (by
the Arabs), their combination in this stanza is awkward.

Example Two:
‫أمدحه و الورى – معِى و اذا ما ملتُه ملتُه َو ْح ِدى‬
ْ ‫أمدحه‬
ْ ‫كرمي مىت‬
(He is a) noble man; when I praise him, I praise him and the
entire creation do so with me
And when I criticize him, I criticize him on my own

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‫ ضعف التأليف‬is when the sentence construction (‫ )تركيب‬does not

comply to the laws of ‫( حنو‬Arabic grammer).

Example One:
‫الدهر ُمطعِ ًما‬
َ ‫جمده‬ ِ ‫احدا – ِم َن‬
ُ ‫الناس أبقى‬ ً ‫الدهر و‬
َ ‫جمدا أخلَ َد‬
ً ‫و لو أن‬
If anybody’s honour could cause him to live forever
His honour would keep Mut’im alive forever
The construction of this stanza is grammatically incorrect
because the ‫ ضمري‬is supposed to refer to a previously mentioned
‫ اسم ظاهر‬In this stanza, however, the ‫ ضمري‬in ‫جمده‬ ُ refers to ‫ُمطعِ ًما‬
which is only mentioned after it.

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Example Two:
‫ي ِسنِمار‬ ِ ِ ِ
َ ‫وحس ِن فعل كما ُج ْوز‬
ُ – ‫عن كرب‬
ْ ‫َجَزى بَنُوه أبا الغيالن‬
His sons rewarded Abul-Ghailaan due to old age and good
deeds just as Sinimmaar was rewarded
Once again the ‫ ضمري‬precedes its ‫( مرجع‬the ‫ اسم ظاهر‬it refers to).
Hence this stanza is also grammatically incorrect.

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‫ التعقيد اللفظى‬is when a factor ‫ من جهة اللفظ‬causes obscurity in the

meaning of the ‫ كالم‬Such factors could be:
 ‫( تقدمي الكلمات أو تأخريها عن مواطنها األصلية‬mentioning of words before
or after their correct positions).
 ‫( الفصل بني الكلمات الىت جيب أن تتجاوز‬separation between such words
which are supposed to be next to each other).
 ‫( احلذف‬non mentioning of a word that should be mentioned).
 ‫( اإلضمار‬utilisation of a ‫ ضمري‬where an ‫ اسم ظاهر‬should be
utilised)

Example One:
‫دالئل‬ ِ ِ
ُ ‫وهم ال جي َف ُخون هبا هبم – شيَم على احلَ َسب األ َغِّر‬
ْ ‫ت‬ ْ ‫َخ َف َج‬
Traits indicative of noble lineage boasted about them
yet they do not boast of them (those traits)
The cause of the obscurity in the meaning of this stanza of Al-
Mutanabbi is ‫ الفصل‬Consider the ‫ فصل‬between ‫ ِشيَم‬and its ‫( صفة‬i.e.
‫)دالئل‬.
ُ The correct construction would be:
‫وهم ال جي َف ُخون هبا‬ ِ ِ
ْ ‫دالئل على احلَ َسب األ َغِّر‬
ُ ‫ت هبم شيَم‬ْ ‫َخ َف َج‬

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Example Two:
‫أنت حمَم ُد‬ ِ َِ ‫أّن ي ُكو ُن أبا‬
َ ‫وك والث َقالن‬َ ُ‫آدم – وأب‬
َ ‫الربية‬
How can Aadam be the father of mankind whereas your father
is Muhammed and you are the two mighty creations
There are three causes of obscurity in the meaning of this
stanza of Al-Mutanabbi:
 ‫ – التقدمي‬The of ‫ ي ُكو ُن‬appears before its
 ‫ – التقدمي‬The ‫ خرب‬appears before its ‫ مبتدأ‬in ‫أنت‬ ِ
َ ‫والث َقالن‬
 ‫ – الفصل‬The separation between the ‫وك( مبتدأ‬ َ ُ‫ )وأب‬and its ‫)حمَم ُد( خرب‬
The correct construction would be:
ِ ‫وك حمم ُد و أنت الث َق‬
‫الن‬ َِ ‫آدم أبا‬
َ َ َ ُ‫الربية وأب‬ َ ‫أّن ي ُكو ُن‬
(Note: Apart from the above discrepancies, the meaning of this
stanza is still improper.)

##### ##### #####

‫ التعقيد المعنوى‬is when obscurity in the meaning is caused by usage

of such metaphors (‫ جمازات‬and ‫ )كنايات‬which cannot be
understood.

Example One: The word ‫ َعني‬is commonly used in the meaning of

‫( جاسوس‬spy). Thus, usage of the word ‫( ألسنة‬tongues) in the
meaning of ‫( جواسيس‬spies) is an example of ‫التعقيد املعنوى‬

Example Two:
ً‫ب يف الرْوع َخيفانة‬
ُ ‫ وأ َْرَك‬- ‫وج َه َها َسعف ُمنتشر‬
ْ ‫َكسا‬
Its face was draped with an opened date leaf
And in fear I mount a locust (lightweight horse)

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Easy Balaaghah

In this stanza the poet, Imru-ul-Qays, is praising his horse.

Doing so he mentions two qualities:
1. The hair on its head is as long as date leaves and thus
covers its head.
2. It is as light as a locust and hence very fast.
 There is ‫ تعقيد معنوى‬in the first quality because the Arabs
generally disapproved of horses with so long hair that
covers the eyes. In fact, they regarded such horses as slow.
Usage of the same quality to describe a fast horse is
therefore inappropriate.
 The authors of ‫ البالغة الواضحة‬write that although there is no ‫تعقيد‬
‫ معنوى‬in usage of the word ً‫( َخيفانة‬which means locust) in the
meaning of horse, it is a weak comparison.

Example Three:
ِ ‫بت ج ْذبةً – فخر صريعاً بني‬
‫أيدي القصائد‬ ِ ‫ج َذبت نَداه غدوة الس‬
ُ ُ َ
On Saturday morning a pulled his generosity so firmly
He feinted in front of my poems
In this stanza, the aim of the poet (Abu Tammaam) is to inform
us that he received a generous gift from the ‫( َمَْ ُد ْوح‬person who
he is praising) and thus said a few couplets praising him.
However, there is ‫ تعقيد معنوى‬in the statement he feinted in front
of my poems because: having received a gift from somebody,
would it not be ungrateful to thereafter cause him to feint?

Example Four:
‫جمدا‬
ُ َ‫وع لت‬
َ ‫الد ُم‬
ُ ‫ب َعيناي‬
َ ‫لتقربُوا – و تَس ُك‬
ُ ‫عد الدار عنكم‬
َ ُ‫سأطلُب ب‬
I will seek a distant house from you so that you would be close
And my eyes would shed tears until they get dry

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Easy Balaaghah

Addressing his beloved the poet says that he would prefer

living far from them so that:
1. They would always remain in his thoughts. (Absence makes
the hearts grow fonder.)
2. He could cry for them until he can cry no more.
However, his message is obscure because normally, inability to
cry is regarded as an indication of indifference instead of
fondness and affection. Usage of this idea has therefore caused
‫ تعقيد معنوى‬in the above stanza.

##### ##### #####

‫ فصاحة المتكلم‬is the speaker’s ability to always express himself in a

‫ فصيح‬manner.

##### ##### #####

The following table represents the impediments of ‫ فصاحة‬and the

requirements in order to identify and remedy them.

Impediments Requirements
‫التنافر‬ ‫الذوق‬
‫خمالفة القياس‬ ‫الصرف‬
‫الغرابة‬ Frequent study of Arabic literature

‫ضعف التأليف‬ ‫النحو‬

‫التعقيد اللفظى‬ ‫النحو‬
‫التعقيد املعنوى‬ ‫البيان‬

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Easy Balaaghah

The Definition of ‫بالغة‬

The ‫ لغوى‬definition of ‫ بالغة‬is ‫ الوصول‬and ‫ اإلنتهاء‬The Arabs say:
 ‫ – بلَ َغ فُالن مر َاده‬He reached his goal.
 َ‫ب املدينة‬
ُ ‫ – بلغ الرْك‬The riders reached the city.

‫ اصطالحا‬it is used to describe the ‫ كالم‬and the ‫متكلم‬

##### ##### #####

‫بالغة الكالم‬
Before defining ‫ بالغة الكالم‬we have to understand the meaning of
‫ احلال‬, ‫املقتضى‬
َ and ‫املطابقة‬

‫ احلال‬is the reason for which the ‫ متكلم‬makes his statement in a

particular manner. It is also called ‫املقام‬
‫املقتضى‬
َ is the particular manner of speech demanded by ‫ احلال‬It is
also called ‫ناسب‬ ِ ‫اإلعتبار امل‬
ُ
‫ املطابقة‬is when the ‫ كالم‬is presented in the manner demanded by
‫احلال‬

Example One:
‫( اطناب‬presentation of a long-winded speech) is recommended if
you intend praising somebody. In such an instance, ‫( املدح‬praise)
is the ‫ حال‬, ‫ اطناب‬is the ‫مقتضى‬
َ and utilisation of ‫ اطناب‬in one’s ‫ كالم‬is
‫مطابقة‬

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Easy Balaaghah

Example Two:
‫( توكيد‬emphasis) is required at the time of ‫( انكار‬when voicing
disapproval). Thus, ‫ انكار‬is the ‫ حال‬, ‫ توكيد‬is the ‫مقتضى‬
َ and utilisation
of ‫ توكيد‬in one’s ‫ كالم‬is ‫مطابقة‬

The definition of ‫ بالغة الكالم‬is therefore

‫ضى احلال مع فصاحته‬
َ َ‫مطابَقتُهُ ملقت‬
‫ فصيح‬speech that corresponds with the situation

##### ##### #####

‫ بالغةُ المتكلِّم‬is the speaker’s ability to always express himself in a

‫ بليغ‬manner.

Note One: In order to identify ‫ األحوال‬and their ‫ مقتضيات‬it is

imperative to study ‫علم املعاّن‬

Note Two: ‫ علم البالغة‬comprises of three sections:

1. ‫علم املعاّن‬
2. ‫علم البيان‬
3. ‫علم البديع‬
The laws of each sectioned will be explained according to the
above sequence, Insha Allah.

Page 19
Easy Balaaghah

Page 20
Easy Balaaghah

‫علم المعانى‬
‫ علم املعاّن‬is defined as a set of rules by means of which the
student gains awareness of the ‫ أحوال‬of ‫ اللفظ العريب‬so that he could
choose his words according to the ‫مقتضى‬
َ of the ‫حال‬

‫ علم املعاّن‬comprises of eight areas of study:

1. ‫اخلرب و اإلنشاء‬
2. ‫الذكر و احلذف‬
3. ‫التقدمي و التأخري‬
4. ‫التعريف و التنكري‬
5. ‫اإلطالق و التقييد‬
6. ‫القصر‬
7. ‫الوصل و الفصل‬
8. ‫اإلجياز و اإلطناب و املساواة‬

In this book the above areas of study have been spread over
nine chapters.

Page 21
Easy Balaaghah

‫علم المعانى‬
Chapter One
‫الخبر و اإلنشاء‬

 ‫ كالم‬is of two types:

1. ‫خرب‬
2. ‫إنشاء‬
 ‫ خرب‬is when the speaker, irrespective of who he is, could be
described as either ‫ صادق‬or ‫كاذب‬
Example:
‫غىن – لَتُ َرى عليه خمايِ ُل الفقر‬
ً ‫إ ّن البخيل و إن أفاد‬
Even if the misers earns wealth
Signs of need will always be observed in him
Many people agree with this statement of Abul-‘Itaahiyah.
The fact that they can describe it as true means that it
must be classified as ‫خرب‬
 ‫ إنشاء‬is when the speaker, irrespective of who he is, can
neither be described as ‫ صادق‬nor ‫كاذب‬
Example:
ِ ‫جتد له‬
‫موض ًعا‬ ُ َ ‫حىت‬ّ ‫ال تتكلّ ْم ِبا ال يعنيك و َد ِع الكالم ىف كثري َما يعنيك‬
Do not speak regarding matters that do not concern you
and do not speak too much regarding matters that concern
you until you find an (appropriate) opportunity.
These words were uttered by Ibn ‘Abbaas radiallahu anhu.
In these words he can neither be described as ‫ صادق‬nor ‫كاذب‬
Hence, this statement is classified as ‫إنشاء‬

Page 22
‫‪Easy Balaaghah‬‬

‫‪‬‬ ‫‪) every sentence will‬إنشاء ‪ and‬خرب ‪ (i.e.‬كالم ‪In both types of‬‬
‫‪ (basic elements):‬أركان ‪comprise of two‬‬
‫‪) This will be any‬مسند إليه ‪ (which is also called the‬حمكوم عليه ‪1.‬‬
‫‪of the following:‬‬
‫الفاعل ‪‬‬
‫نائب الفاعل ‪‬‬
‫املبتدأ الذى له خرب ‪‬‬
‫ما أصلُهُ املبتدأ كاسم كان و أخواهتا ‪‬‬
‫‪) This will be any of‬مسند به ‪ (which is also called the‬حمكوم به ‪2.‬‬
‫‪the following:‬‬
‫التام ‪‬‬
‫الفعل ّ‬
‫اسم الفعل ‪‬‬
‫اخلرب ‪‬‬
‫املبتدأ الذى ليس له خرب ‪‬‬
‫ما أصله خرب املبتدأ كخرب كان و أخواهتا ‪‬‬
‫املصدر النائب عن فعل األمر ‪‬‬
‫‪‬‬ ‫‪ (besides‬حمكوم به ‪ and the‬حمكوم عليه ‪Everything in excess of the‬‬
‫قيود ‪ The following are all‬قَيد ‪) is a‬صلة املوصول ‪ and the‬مضاف إليه ‪the‬‬
‫أدوات الشرط ‪‬‬
‫أدوات النفى ‪‬‬
‫املفاعيل ‪‬‬
‫احلال ‪‬‬
‫التمييز ‪‬‬
‫النواسخ ‪‬‬

‫‪Page 23‬‬
‫‪Easy Balaaghah‬‬

‫‪Example:‬‬
‫ضى‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫فحك ‪ِ ،‬‬
‫لذت بعفوك ‪ ،‬و استجرت بص ِ‬
‫السخط فيما َم َ‬
‫الرضا ‪ ،‬و أنْسىن مرارَة ُ‬
‫فأذقْىن حالوَة ِّ‬ ‫َ ُ َ‬ ‫ُ‬
‫‪I sought refuge in your forgiveness, therefore allow me to taste‬‬
‫‪the sweetness of contentment and make me forget the‬‬
‫‪bitterness of anger over the past‬‬

‫المسند‬ ‫المسند إليه‬ ‫النوع‬ ‫الجملة‬

‫الفاعل (ألضمري‬
‫الفعل (الذ)‬ ‫خربية‬ ‫لذت بعفوك‬
‫ُ‬
‫أملسترت ىف الفعل)‬
‫الفعل‬ ‫الفاعل (ألضمري‬ ‫استَجرت بص ِ‬
‫خربية‬ ‫فحك‬ ‫ُ َ‬
‫(استخار)‬ ‫أملسترت ىف الفعل)‬
‫الفاعل (ألضمري‬ ‫ِ‬
‫الفعل (أذق)‬ ‫إنشائية‬ ‫الرضا‬
‫فأذقْىن حالوةَ ِّ‬
‫أملسترت ىف الفعل)‬
‫الفاعل (ألضمري‬ ‫ِ‬
‫الفعل (أنس)‬ ‫إنشائية‬ ‫ضى‬
‫السخط فيما َم َ‬
‫أنْسىن مرارةَ ُ‬
‫أملسترت ىف الفعل)‬

‫‪##### ##### #####‬‬

‫‪Page 24‬‬
Easy Balaaghah

Chapter One (A)

‫الغرض من إلقاء الخبر‬

 There are two fundamental purposes of ‫خرب‬

1. To inform the ‫ ُخماطَب‬of the ‫ ُحكم‬contained in the ‫ خرب‬This

‫ ُحكم‬is called the ‫فائدة اخلرب‬
Example:
ِ‫اب (رضي اهلل عنه) سنةَ ثالث و عشرين ِمن الجرة‬
ِ ‫تُو ِّيف عمر بن اخلط‬
َ ُ ُ َُ
‘Umar bin Khattaab radiallahu anhu passed away in the
twenty third year after the hijrah.
(It is quite obvious that the purpose of this ‫ خرب‬is nothing
more than to inform the ‫ ُخماطَب‬of the date of ‘Umar bin
Khattaab’s radiallahu anhu death.)

2. To inform the ‫ ُخماطَب‬that the ‫ ُمتكلّم‬is aware of the ‫ ُحكم‬This

is called ‫الزم الفائدة‬
Example:
‫سوةِ و العِ َقاب‬ ِ ِّ ‫ني و‬
َ ‫الرفْق ال بال َق‬ َ ‫ت بَنِْي‬
ِ ْ ِّ‫ك بالل‬ َ ْ‫لَ َق ْد أدب‬
You disciplined your sons with gentleness and kindness
instead of harshness and punishment.
The ‫ ُخماطَب‬is fully aware of how he disciplined his sons.
Therefore, the purpose of this ‫ ُمتكلّم‬is definitely not ‫فائدة‬
‫( اخلرب‬to inform the ‫ ُخماطَب‬of the ‫ ُحكم‬contained in his ‫)خرب‬.
Instead, his purpose is to inform the ‫ ُخماطَب‬that he is
aware of how he disciplined his sons.

Page 25
Easy Balaaghah

 Sometimes ‫ خرب‬is utilised for other purposes including:

1. ‫( اسرتحام‬asking for mercy)

Example: The statement of Moosa alaihis-salaam:
‫ت إيل ِمن َخري فَ ِقري‬ ِ ِّ ‫ب‬
َ ْ‫إّن ملا أنزل‬ ِّ ‫َر‬
O my Rabb! I am certainly in need of the good that you
have revealed to me.
Surely Moosa’s alaihis-salaam intention was not to
inform Allah of his need. He was fully aware that Allah is
All-Knowing. Similarly, his intention was definitely not to
inform Allah that he too is aware of his need. We
understand from the ‫( سياق‬context) of the above
statement that his aim was ‫( اسرتحام‬asking for Allah’s
mercy)

2. ‫الضعف‬ُ ‫( إظهار‬revelation of weakness)

Example: The statement of Zakariyya alaihis-salaam:
‫أس َشْيبًا‬ ِ ‫إّن وهن الع‬
ُ ‫ظم مىن و ا ْش َتع َل الر‬
ُ َ َ َ َ ِّ ‫رب‬
ِّ
O my Rabb! My bones are weak and my hair has turned
grey.
Here too, Zakariyya’s alaihis-salaam intention is neither
‫ فائدة اخلرب‬nor ‫ الزم الفائدة‬We understand from the ‫سياق‬
(context) of the above statement that his aim was ‫إظهار‬
‫الضعف‬
ُ (expression of his weakness).

3. ‫( إظهار التح يسر‬announcement of regret)

Example: The statement of Nooh alaihis-salaam:
‫رب إ ّن قَ ْوِمى كذبُ ْو ِن‬
ِّ

Page 26
Easy Balaaghah

O my Rabb! My people have belied me.

Once again the intention is neither ‫ فائدة اخلرب‬nor ‫الزم الفائدة‬
Instead, Nooh alaihis-salaam is expressing his regret
over the disbelief of his people.

4. ‫( الفخر‬to boast)
Example: ‘Amr bin Kulthoom said:
‫اج ِديْنَا‬
ِ ‫الفطام لنا صِب – ََِتير له اجلبابِر س‬
َ ُ ََ ُ َ َ
ِ ‫إذا ب لَغ‬
ََ
When an infant belonging to us is weaned
The tyrants fall in prostration to him
The aim of the poet in this stanza is obvious – he is
merely boasting of his tribe.

5. ‫احلث على السعى و اجل ّد‬ ‫ي‬ (encouragement of hard work and
diligence)
Example: Taahir bin Husain was a minister of the
‘Abbaasi khaleefah Ma’moon. Thinking that the
governor, ‘Abbaas bin Moosa, had delayed in collecting
the taxes from the public, he sent him the following
message:
ِ ِ ِ ‫و ليس أخو احل‬
‫ت َعلَى َو َجل‬ُ ‫أخ ْوَها َم ْن يَبِْي‬
ُ ‫ات نَائ ًما – َو لك ْن‬
َ َ‫اجات َم ْن ب‬
َ َ ُْ َ
The person in need does not spend the night sleeping
Instead, he spends the night in fear
Taahir bin Husain’s aim is neither the ‫ فائدة اخلرب‬nor the ‫الزم‬
‫ الفائدة‬His aim is merely to encourage ‘Abbaas bin Moosa
to work harder.

Page 27
Easy Balaaghah

Chapter One (B)

)‫ب الخبر‬
ُ ‫كيفية إلقاء الخبر (أض ُر‬

 If the ‫ ُخماطَب‬is ‫خاىل الذهن عن احلكم‬

ُ (unaware of the ‫)حكم‬,
ُ the ‫خرب‬
should be presented without any ‫( أدوات التأكيد‬particles of
emphasis). This type of ‫ خرب‬is called ‫خرب ابتدائي‬
 If the ‫ ُخماطَب‬is doubtful regarding the ‫ ُحكم‬but desires to know
the truth, ‫( تأكيد‬emphasis) is desirable. This type of ‫ خرب‬is
called ‫خرب طلب‬
 If the ‫ ُخماطَب‬is denying the ‫ ُحكم‬, it will be imperative to use
one or more of the ‫( أدوات التأكيد‬dependant on the strength
and weakness of the denial).

Example:
 If you wish to inform the ‫ ُخماطَب‬that his brother is coming and
he (the ‫)خماطَب‬ُ is ‫خاىل الذهن عن احلكم‬
ُ it will be sufficient for you to
merely say: ‫أخوك قادم‬
 If the ‫ ُخماطَب‬is doubting you, it would be desirable to utilise a
little bit of ‫ تأكيد‬Thus you should say something like: ‫إ ّن أخاك قادم‬
 However, if the ‫ ُخماطَب‬is disbelieving you, it would be
necessary to utilise one or more ‫ أدوات التأكيد‬Thus you should
ِ َ‫و اهللِ إنّه ل‬
say something like: ‫ إ ّن أخاك لَقادم‬or ‫قادم‬ ُ َ

Page 28
Easy Balaaghah

 There are many different ‫ أدوات التأكيد‬among which are:

 ‫إ ّن‬
 ‫أ ّن‬
 ‫ال َقسم‬
 ‫الم اإلبتداء‬
 ‫نُونا التأكيد‬
 ‫ف التنبيه‬
ُ ‫أحر‬
ُ
 ‫احلروف الزائدة‬
 ‫قَد‬
 ‫ّأما الشرطية‬

Chapter One (C)

‫خروج الخبر عن مقتضى الظاهر‬

 Due to various reasons considered by the ‫ ُمتكلّم‬the ‫ خرب‬is

sometimes presented contrary to the demand of the rules
mentioned in the previous chapter.

 One such reason could be that the ‫خاىل الذهن‬ ُ is treated as if he

is ‫( ُمتَ َرّدد‬doubtful). This happens when the ‫ ُمتكلّم‬had already
hinted to the ‫ حكم‬of the ‫خرب‬
Example:
‫ألمارة بِال يس ْوِء‬ ِ ُ ‫أبر‬
ّ ‫ئ ن ْفسى إ ّن النفس‬ِّ ‫و ما‬
I do not declare myself innocent; surely nafs is an excessive
commander of evil.

Page 29
Easy Balaaghah

The ‫ ُخماطَب‬is ‫ىل الذهن‬ ِ

ُ ‫ خا‬regarding the ‫ حكم‬mentioned in the
words ‫ألمارة بِال يس ْوِء‬
ّ ‫ إ ّن النفس‬Therefore there is no apparent need
for ‫ تأكيد‬However, since this statement is preceded by the
words ‫ئ ن ْف ِسى‬ ُ ‫أبر‬
ِّ ‫ و ما‬which indicate to an unfavourable ‫حكم‬
regarding the nafs, the ‫ ُخماطَب‬is now eager to identify that
‫ حكم‬Thus he is treated as ‫( ُمتَ َرّدد‬doubtful) and ‫ تأكيد‬is included
in the ‫خرب‬

 Another reason is that ‫ ُخماطَب‬who is not ‫نكر‬ ِ ‫( م‬disputing the

ُ
‫ )حكم‬is treated as if he is ‫نكر‬ ِ ‫ م‬This happens when he displays
ُ
apparent signs of ‫( إنكار‬disbelief, rejection).
Example:
‫عد ذلِك لَ َميّتُ ْو َن‬
َ َ‫ُُثّ إنّ ُك ْم ب‬
Thereafter you all are going to die.
ِ
The ‫ ُخماطَبني‬in this aayah are not ‫نكر‬ ِ ‫ م‬They do not deny that
ُ
one day they will all have to leave the world. Apparently
there is therefore no need for ‫ تأكيد‬However, they were
treated as ‫نكر‬ ِ ‫ م‬and ‫ تأكيد‬was applied because of the negligent
ُ
way in which they lead their lives; as if they are ‫نكر‬ ِ ‫م‬
ُ

 ِ ‫ م‬as if he is not so. This

A third reason is treatment of the ‫نكر‬ ُ
is done when there are ‫( دالئل و شواهد‬proof, evidence) which, if
studied by the ‫خماطَب‬,
ُ he would desist from ‫إنكار‬
Example: Addressing the idolaters Allah says:
ِ ‫و إلكم إله و‬
‫احد‬ َ
Your deity is one.

Page 30
Easy Balaaghah

The fact that the ‫ ُخماطَبِني‬were idolaters who deny the oneness
of Allah demanded the usage of one or more ‫أدوات التأكيد‬
However, the ‫ ُخماطَبِني‬have been treated as if they are not
denying Allah’s oneness because the ‫ دالئل و شواهد‬in this
regard are just so many and so evident that if they ponder
over them, they will certainly desist from idol-worship.
Hence, no ‫ أدوات التأكيد‬were used.

‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Two

‫اإلنشاء‬

 There are two types of ‫إنشاء‬

1. ‫طلب‬
2. ‫غري طلب‬
 In the first type the ‫ ُمتكلّم‬seeks something which is not
available at that moment in time.
 In the second type the ‫ ُمتكلّم‬does not seek anything.
 The first type comprises of five types:
1. ‫أمر‬
2. ‫هنى‬
3. ‫استفهام‬
4. ‫متىن‬
5. ‫نداء‬

Page 31
Easy Balaaghah

 The second type appears in various forms. Some of them

are:
1. ‫تَ َع يجب‬
2. ‫مدح‬
3. ‫ذم‬ّ
4. ‫قسم‬
5. ‫أفعال الرجاء‬
6. ‫مجيع ِصيَغ العُ ُقود‬
7. ‫ُرب‬
َِ ‫كم‬
8. ‫اخلربية‬ ْ
 None of the various forms of ‫ إنشاء غري طلب‬fall under the ambits
of ‫علم املعاّن‬
ُ and will hence not be discussed in this book.

Chapter Two (A)

‫األمر‬

 ‫ أمر‬is when a person in authority commands his subordinate

to do an action.
 There are four word forms for ‫أمر‬
1. ‫فعل األمر‬
ُ
Example: The word ‫ ُخ ِذ‬in the aayah ‫الكتاب بِ ُقوة‬
َ ‫ُخ ِذ‬
ِ ‫ون‬
2. ‫بالم األمر‬ ِ ‫ضا ِرع املقر‬
ُ ُ َ ُ‫امل‬
Example: The word ‫ َو لْيُ ْوفُ ْوا‬in the aayah ‫َو لْيُ ْوفُ ْوا نُ ُذ ْوَرُهم‬
3. ‫اسم فعل األمر‬

Page 32
Easy Balaaghah

Example: The word ‫ َحي‬in ‫َحي على الفالح‬

4. ‫املصدر النائب عن فعل األمر‬
Example: The word ً‫ إحسانا‬in the aayah ً‫الوالِ َدي ِن إحسانا‬ِ
َ ‫َو ب‬
 The word forms of ‫ أمر‬are sometimes used for meanings
other than it’s ‫( أصل‬original) meaning. Some of these other
meanings are:

1. ‫( إرشاد‬advice)
Example One:
‫بدين إىل أجل فاكتبوه‬
َ ‫إذا تداينتُ ْم‬
When you engage in a credit transaction until a
specified period of time, make a note of it.
Example Two:
ِ ‫املشور‬
ُ ‫نت ِمن أهل‬ ِ
‫ات‬ َ ‫شا ِور سواك إذا نابْتك نائبة – يوما و إ ْن‬
Consult with others if one day you are afflicted with a
calamity
even though you may among those who are consulted.

2. ‫( دعاء‬when making du’aa to Allah)

Example One:
ِ ‫رب ْأوِز‬
‫عىن أ ْن أش ُكَرك‬ ّ
O Rabb! Guide me to be grateful to you.
Example Two:
‫دهرك هازل‬
َ ‫نفس ُجدِّى إ ّن‬
ُ ‫موت ُزر إ ّن احليا َة ذميمة – و‬
ُ ‫فيا‬
O death, visit (me); surely life is despicable
O nafs, be serious; surely your time is taking things
lightly

Page 33
Easy Balaaghah

3. ‫( التماس‬a request)
Example One: When you tell your counterpart
(somebody equal to you): ‫الكتاب‬ ِ ‫أعط ِىن‬
ِ (Give me the book).
Example Two:
ِ ِ
ِ – ‫ك ِمن ِذ ْكرى حبيب و منْ ِزِل‬
َ ‫بس ْقط اللِّ َوى و‬
‫بني الد ُخول فَ َح ْوَم ِل‬ َ َ َ َ ْ ‫قفا نَْب‬
Stop! Let’s cry in remembrance of a beloved and (his)
home
Between (the places of) Saqt-il-Liwaa and Howmal

4. ‫( َمت ِّىن‬desire)
Example One:
‫اح ِمنك بِ ْأمثَ ِل‬
ُ َ‫اإلصب‬ ُ ِ‫اجنل – ب‬
ْ ‫صبْح وما‬ ِ ‫الطويل أال‬
ُ ‫الليل‬
ُ ‫أال أيها‬
O lengthy night! Will you not expose the morning?
(Although) the morning is not better than you
Example Two:
‫ف ال تطل ِع‬ ِ
ْ ‫صبح ق‬
ُ ‫نوم ُزْل – يا‬
ُ ‫ليل طُ ْل و يا‬
ُ ‫يا‬
O night, be lengthy and O sleep, get away!
O morning, stop! Don’t rise!

5. ‫( َتيري‬giving of a choice)
Example One:
‫مرةً و ُجمانِبُ ْه‬
ّ ‫ف ذنب‬ُ ‫احدا ْأو ِص ْل أخاك فإنّه – ُمقا ِر‬
ً ‫شو‬ ِ
ْ ‫فع‬
Live on your own or maintain ties with your brother
Because he will sometimes commit a sin and
(sometimes) abstain from it
Example Two:
‫جم ِِيع املطالِب‬ َ ‫عن‬ ْ ‫فليبخ ْل و َم ْن شاء فاليَ ُجد – كفاّن نَ َداكم‬
َ ‫فمن شاء‬

Page 34
Easy Balaaghah

Whoever desires may be stingy and whoever desires

may be generous
Your generosity is sufficient for all my needs

6. ‫( تسوية‬to show that there is no difference)

Example One:
‫صِربُْوا‬
ْ َ‫اصِربُْوا ْأو ال ت‬
ْ
Exercise patience or do not . . .
(It will not make a difference.)
Example Two:
‫وخفق البُنُ ْوِد‬
ِ ‫بني طع ِن ال َقنا‬ َ – ‫أنت كرمي‬ َ ‫تو‬ ْ ‫ش ع ِزيْ ًزا أو ُم‬
ِ
ْ ‫ع‬
Live in honour or die in dignity between the wound of a
spear and the fluttering of the flag

7. ‫( تعجيز‬to show inability of the ‫)خماطَب‬

Example:
‫ات ِم ْن كثرةِ البَ ْذ ِل‬ ِِ َ َ‫ُأرْوِّن ََِبْيال ط‬
َ ‫ال ُع ْمًرا بِبُ ْخله – َو هاتُ ْوا ك ِرْْيًا َم‬
Show me a miser who lived for a long time due to his
miserliness
And bring me a generous man who died due to excessive
spending

8. ‫( هتديد‬to warn)
Example:
ِ
ْ َ‫ َو ََلْ تَ ْستَ ْح ِي ف‬- ‫ش َعاقبَةَ الليَ ِايل‬
ُ‫اصنَ ْع َما تَ َشاء‬ َ ْ‫إذا ََلْ ََت‬
When you don’t fear the outcome of the nights
And you have no shame, do as you please!

Page 35
Easy Balaaghah

9. ‫( إباحة‬to show permissibility)

Example:
‫ُكلُ ْوا َو ا ْشَربُ ْوا َو ال تُس ِرفُ ْوا‬
Eat and drink but do not waste!

Chapter Two (B)

‫النهى‬

 ‫ هنى‬is when a person in authority commands his subordinate

not to do an action.

 There is only one word form for ‫ هنى‬viz. ‫اهية‬ ِ ‫املض ِرع مع ال الن‬
َ ََ َ
Example:
‫أحسن‬ ِ ِ َ ‫و ال تقربُ ْوا‬
َ ‫مال اليتيم إالّ بالىت ه َى‬
Do not approach the wealth of the orphan except in the
manner that is best.

 ‫ هنى‬is sometimes used for meanings other than it’s ‫أصل‬

(original) meaning. Some of these other meanings are:

1. ‫( دعاء‬when making du’aa to Allah)

Example:
‫يب األ ْع َد ِاء‬ ْ ‫ال تُ ْش ِم‬
َِ ‫ت‬
Do not cause the enemies to take pleasure in my
difficulty

Page 36
Easy Balaaghah

2. ‫( التماس‬to request)
Example:
‫الطعن يَشتَ ِق‬
ُ ‫أقول فإنّهُ – ُش َجاع َم َىت يُذ َك ْر له‬
ُ ‫فال تَ ْب لُغاهُ ما‬
Don’t inform him of what I say because
He’s a brave man who yearns to go to battle whenever it
is mentioned
(Praising the bravery of Saif-ud-Dawlah, Al-Mutanabbi is
requesting two imaginary companions not to inform
Saif-ud-Dawlah of what he was saying regarding him
because . . .)

3. ‫متىن‬
ّ (desire)
Example:
‫صخ ِر النّ َدى‬ ِِ ِ
َ ‫ أال تَبْكيان ل‬- ‫ين ُج ْوَدا و ال َْجت ُم َدا‬
ّ ْ‫أعي‬
َ
O my eyes, be generous and don’t stay dry
Will you not cry for Sakhr The Generous?
(Lamenting the death of her brother, Khansaa is desiring
to never stop crying for him.)

4. ‫( ارشاد‬advice)
Example:
‫عدى‬ ِ
ِ ُ‫السفهاء ت‬ ‫خالئق‬ ‫جتلس إىل أهل الدنايا – فإ ّن‬
َ ْ ‫ال‬
Don’t sit with disgraceful people
Surely the habits of fools are contagious

5. ‫( توبيخ‬reprimand)
Example:
‫فعلت عظيم‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫عليك إذا‬
ْ ‫عن ُخلُق و تأت َى مثلَهُ – َعار‬
ْ َ‫ال تنه‬

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Easy Balaaghah

Don’t prohibit an action and (then) commit the same

It will be a great shame on you if you do so

6. ‫( تيئيس‬to create hopelessness)

Example:
‫ال تعتذروا قدكفرمت بعد إْيانكم‬
Do not apologise;
you disbelieved after bringing Imaan.

7. ‫( هتديد‬a warning)
Example: Warning an subordinate, you would say to
him: ‫( ال متتثل أمرى‬Don’t fulfill my command!)

8. ‫( حتقري‬to belittle)
Example:
‫ألجنَاس َمنَاكِيْ ُد‬
ْ ‫صا معهُ – إ ّن العبِيْ َد‬
َ ‫الع‬
َ ‫العبد إالّ و‬
َ ‫تشرت‬َِ ‫ال‬
Don’t purchase a slave except if the stick is with him
Slaves are undoubtedly impure and troublesome

Chapter Two (C)

‫اإلتستفها‬

 ‫ استفهام‬is the seeking of knowledge regarding something

which is previously unknown.
 There are many different ‫ أدوات‬of ‫ استفهام‬Among them are ‫مهزة‬
and ‫هل‬ْ

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Easy Balaaghah

 ‫ مهزة‬is utilised to determine two things:

1. ‫ – تص يور‬Determination of a ‫( مفرد‬an individual). In this
instance the ‫ مهزة‬will be followed by the ُ‫( مسئُ ْول عنه‬issue
being enquired). In most instances this will be followed
ِ ‫( م‬something equal to the ‫مسئ ول‬
by ‫ ْأم‬and thereafter a ‫عادل‬ ُ ُْ
‫)عنه‬
Example:
‫أخ ْوك؟‬ ِ
ُ ‫أأنت املُسافُر ْأم‬
َ
Are you the traveler or your brother?
The questioner knows that either the ‫ خماطب‬or his brother
is a traveler. His question is therefore not about ‫نِسبة‬
(attribution of description). He is not asking the ‫خماطب‬
what are you? The aim of the question is merely to
determine who is the traveler.
2. ‫ – تصديق‬Determination of ‫( نِسبة‬attribution of description).
ِ ‫ م‬will be mentioned after the ‫مسئ ول‬
In this instance no ‫عادل‬ ُ ُْ
ُ‫عنه‬
Example:
‫الذهب؟‬
ُ ‫أيصدع‬
ُ
Does gold rust?
This question is not regarding determination of a ‫ مفرد‬Its
is regarding ‫( نِسبة‬can rust be attributed to gold?)
 ‫هل‬ ِ
ْ is only utilised for ‫ تصديق‬In this instance too, no ‫ ُمعادل‬will be
mentioned after the ُ‫مسئُ ْول عنه‬
Example:
‫هل يعقل احليوان؟‬

Page 39
Easy Balaaghah

 The other ‫ أدوات اإلستفهام‬and there usages are reflected in the

following table:

‫اإلستعمال‬ ‫األداة‬
Specification of ‫ُعقالء‬ ‫َم ْن‬
Explanation of an ‫ اسم‬or the ‫ حقيقة‬of a item ‫َما‬
Specification of time (past and present tense) ‫َم َىت‬
Specification of time (future tense only) and is only used ‫أيّا َن‬
to instill fear
Specification of ‫( حال‬condition) ‫ف‬
َ ‫كي‬
ْ
Specification of ‫( مكان‬place) ‫أيْ َن‬
Used for different purposes ‫أّن‬
ّ
 In the meaning of ‫كيف‬
 In the meaning of ‫أين‬ ِ
َ ‫م ْن‬
 In the meaning of ‫َم َىت‬
Specification of ‫( عدد‬number) ‫كم‬
ْ
Specification of one of two items / people who have ‫أى‬
ْ
something in common between them. It is also utilised to
enquire about ‫ غري العاقل‬، ‫ عاقل‬، ‫ عدد‬، ‫ حال‬، ‫ مكان‬، ‫زمان‬

 Since the usages of all the above ‫ أدوات‬fall under ‫ تص يور‬, the
answer in each will be in the form of ‫( تعيني‬specification) of
the ‫مسئُ ْول عنه‬

##### ##### #####

Page 40
Easy Balaaghah

 ‫ استفهام‬is often used for other meanings. Some of the other

meanings for which it is used are:

1. ‫( الن ْفي‬negation)
Example:
ِ
‫اإلحسان إإلحسان‬ ُ‫هل َجزاء‬
ْ
Is the compensation for good anything besides good?

2. ‫( ا ِإلنْ َكار‬disapproval)
Example:
‫دع ْون‬ ِ
ُ َ‫أغري اهلل ت‬
َ
Do you worship somebody besides Allah?
(The meaning of the aayah is: Do not worship anybody
besides Allah!)

3. ‫( الت ْقرير‬confirmation)
Example:
‫اه ْم ُح َس َاما‬
ُ ‫أمض‬
َ ‫ ُه ُم عُوداً و‬- ‫أع ّم ُه ْم ُجوداً و ْأزَكا‬
َ ‫ت‬َ ‫ألَ ْس‬
Aren’t you the most generous among them as well as
the most noble and the possessor of the sharpest
sword?
(The poet’s intention is that the ‫ خماطب‬is definitely the
most generous . . .)

4. ‫بيخ‬
ِ ‫( الت ْو‬reprimand)
Example:
‫الما‬ ِ - ‫اخللْف ب ي ن ُكم إِال ما‬
َ ‫وهذه الضجةُ ال ُك َربى َع‬
َ ُ َ َْ ُ ُْ ‫إالم‬ َ

Page 41
Easy Balaaghah

Till when will this discord between you continue?

For what is this huge din about?

5. ‫( التعظيم‬to show importance)

Example:
‫أضاعوين وأي فَىت أَضاعوا؟‬
They destroyed me – And what a man they have
destroyed?
6. ‫( التحقري‬to belittle)
Example:
ِ
‫ور َواجلَلَ ُم‬
ُ ُ‫أين املَحاج ُم يا كاف‬ َ َ‫من أيِّة الطيْرِق يأيت مثل‬
َ - ‫ك ال َكَرُم‬
From which path will honour ever reach you?
Where are the blood-cupping instruments and the
scissors, O Kaafoor?
(Reminding Kaafoor of his past – that he was lowly a
blood-cupper – the poet’s aim is to belittle him.)

7. ‫( االستبطاء‬description of something as slow)

Example:
‫نصر اهلل‬
ُ ‫مىت‬
َ
When is Allah’s help going to come?

ِ ‫( الت َع‬to express amazement)

8. ‫جب‬
Example:
ِ ‫الز‬
‫حام‬ ِ ِ ‫ ف َكيف و‬- ‫أبِنْت ال ّد ْه ِر ِعندي ُك يل بِنْت‬
ّ ‫من‬
َ ‫صلْت أنت‬
ََ َ َ
O daughter of time (fever), I have every daughter (every
other difficulty)
How did you reach me in the crowd?

Page 42
Easy Balaaghah

9. ‫( الت َم ِّين‬desire)
Example:
‫هل لنا ِم ْن ُش َف َعاءَ فيَش َف ُع ْوا لَنا‬
ْ
Do we have any intercessors who will intercede on our
behalf?
(This statement will be uttered by the Kuffaar on the
day of Qiyaamah. Their intention will be: If only we had
intercessors . . .)

10. ‫( التشويق‬arousing of desire)

Example:
ِ ُ‫هل أدلي ُكم على جتارة ت‬
‫نجْي ُك ْم ِم ْن عذاب أليم‬ ْ ُ
Should I show you a trade that will save you from a
painful punishment?

Chapter Two (D)

‫التمني‬

 ‫متىن‬
ّ is the yearning for something desirable but there is no
hope in attaining it (irrespective of whether it is actually
possible or not).
 The original word for ‫متىن‬ ّ is ‫ت‬َ ‫لَْي‬
Example:
ِ
‫السحاب‬ ‫هناره َمر‬
ُ ‫ومر‬ّ - ‫شهرا‬ ً ‫الليل فيه كا َن‬
َ ‫فليت‬َ
If only the nights in it (Ramadaan) are as long as a month
And its days could pass like the passing of the days

Page 43
Easy Balaaghah

 Sometimes ‫هل‬
ْ , ‫ لَ ْو‬and ‫ لعل‬are also utilised for ‫متىن‬ ّ
Example One:
‫هل لنا ِم ْن ُش َف َعاءَ فيَش َف ُع ْوا لَنا‬
ْ
Do we have any intercessors who will intercede on our
behalf?

Example Two:
‫ذلك يُ ْشتَ َرى أَو يَْرِج ُع‬
َ ‫ ْلو أَن‬- ُ‫يدةً أَي ُامه‬ َِ ‫وىل الشباب‬
َ ‫َح‬ ُ َ
Youth left in a condition that its days are praiseworthy
If only that (youth) could be purchased or it could return

Example Three:
ِ ‫ لَعلِّي إِىل من قَد هويت أ‬- ‫ هل من يعري جناحه‬،‫أ َِسرب الْ َقطا‬
‫َط ُري‬ ُ َ َُ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ َْ
O flock of birds, is there anyone who will lend me his wings?
Probably I could fly to the one I love

 ‫ تَ َر ِّجى‬is the yearning for something desirable and there is

hope in attaining it.
 Two words are used for ‫ تَ َر ِّجى‬viz. ‫ لعل‬and ‫َع َسى‬
Example:
‫بالفتح‬ ِ ‫َعسى اهلل أ ْن‬
ِ َ‫يأيت‬ َ
Maybe (hopefully) Allah will grant us victory.

 Sometimes ‫ت‬ َ ‫ لَْي‬is also used for ‫تَ َر ِّجى‬

 Example:
ِ ِ‫ني املصائ‬
‫ب‬ ‫ ِمن الب ع ِد ما بيين وب‬- ‫أحبّيت‬
ِ ‫فَيا لَيت ما ب يين وبني‬
َ َ َ َ ُْ َ َ َ َْ َ
If only the distance between myself and my beloved
Was like the distance between myself and my problems

Page 44
Easy Balaaghah

Chapter Two (E)

‫النداء‬

 ‫ نداء‬is defined as ‫طلب اإلقبال‬

ُ (to call someone) using a ‫حرف‬
(consonant) that is a substitute of the verb ‫( ْأد ُع ْو‬I call).
 There are eight ‫ أدوات‬for ‫ نداء‬viz.
‫آى و أيا و َهيا و َوا‬
ْ ‫أى و يا و آ و‬
ْ ‫المزة و‬
 ‫ المزة‬and ‫أى‬
ْ are utilised for ‫( نداء القريب‬calling somebody close to
the ‫)متكلّم‬
 The rest of the ‫ أداوات‬are utilised for ‫( نداء البعيد‬calling
somebody far from the ‫)متكلّم‬
 Sometimes a person who is ‫ بعيد‬is treated as if he is ‫ قريب‬and
hence called with the ‫ أداة‬for ‫ نداء القريب‬The reason for doing
this is to indicate that although the ‫ خماطب‬is physically far
from the ‫ متكلّم‬, he is constantly in his thoughts and close to
his heart.
Example: While in jail, Al-Mutanabbi wrote the following
stanzas to the governor.
ِ ‫وعْتق الع‬
)5( ‫بيد‬ ِ ِ ‫ ِهبات الليج‬- ‫ك ِرقّي ومن َشأنُه‬ ِ
َ ُ ‫ني‬ َ ُ ُ َْ َ ‫َأمال‬
ِ ‫ ِء واملوت مين كحبل الور‬- ‫طاع الرجا‬
‫يد‬ ِ َ ‫دعوتُك ِع‬
َ َ ُ َْ َ ّ ِ ‫ند انْق‬ َ َْ َ
O owner of my bondage and he whose trait is bestowal of
silver and freeing of slaves
I beseech you at a time when I have no more hope and
death is as close to me as my jugular vein
Although the governor was not with Al-Mutanabbi in the
jail, he used ‫ المزة‬His intention was to inform the governor

Page 45
Easy Balaaghah

that although he is far from him, he has not stopped

thinking of him. Hence, it is as if they are close to each
other.

 Similarly, a person who is ‫ قريب‬is treated as if he is and hence

called with any of the ‫ أدوات النداء‬besides ‫ المزة‬and ‫أى‬
ْ There are
various reasons for doing this:

 Indication to an extremely lofty status.

Example:
‫أعظم‬ ِ
ُ ‫ت بأن َع ْف َو َك‬
ُ ‫ فَلَ َق ْد َعل ْم‬- ً‫ت ذنويب كثْ َرة‬
ْ ‫ب إ ْن َعظُ َم‬
ِّ ‫يا َر‬
O my Rabb, if my sins are too many
I certainly know that your forgiveness is greater
(Despite Allah’s closeness to man, the poet addresses
Allah using ‫ يا‬which is meant for ‫ نداء البعيد‬His intention in
doing this is to indicate to the loftiness of Allah in
comparison to himself (and everybody else).

 Indication to an extremely lowly status.

Example:
‫ إذا َمجَ َعْتنا يا َج ِر ُير امل َج ِام ُع‬- ‫ك آبَائي فَ ِجْئين ِبِثْلِ ِه ْم‬
َ ِ‫أُولَئ‬
َ
Those are my ancestors, so show somebody like them
When the assemblies assemble us O Jareer
Despite the presence of the ‫( خماطب‬whose name is Jareer)
the poet used ‫ يا‬which, as mentioned above is meant for
‫ نداء البعيد‬, in order to hint to his lowly status (Jareer, you
and your ancestors are no comparison to me and my
ancestors)

Page 46
Easy Balaaghah

 Indication to the negligence or absent-mindedness of

the ‫خماطب‬
Example:
‫وت؟‬ ِ ِ ِ
ُ َُ‫من َْجت َم ُع الدينْيَا وأنت مت‬
ْ ‫ ل‬- ‫أَيا جام َع الدنيَا لغَري بَال َغة‬
O gatherer of the dunya beyond his needs
For who do you amass the dunya whereas you are going
to die

 ‫ نداء‬is sometimes used for meanings other than the above.

Some of them are:

1. ‫( الزجر‬to rebuke)
Example:
‫أقول َويل أُسائِ ْل‬
ُ ‫ ُن َويل‬- ‫باهلل قُ ْل يل يا فُال‬
‫فاعل‬ ِ ‫أتُ ِريد يف‬
ْ ‫ين‬ َ ‫كنت يف العشر‬
َ ‫ قد‬- ‫ني ما‬ َ ‫السبع‬
ّ
In Allah’s name, please tell me O Fulaan (So-and-So)
And I tell and ask myself (too)
Do you desire to do in your seventies
What you use to do in your twenties

2. ‫التحسر‬
ّ (to express regret)
Example:
ِ ‫أعداءُ ما‬
ِ ‫للعيش بعدك لذة …و ال خلليل هبجة‬
‫َبليل‬
O Addaa, neither is there any pleasure in life after you
(after your death)
Nor can a friend experience any joy from his friend

Page 47
Easy Balaaghah

3. ‫( اإلغراء‬incitement)
Example: When a person hesitates in combating the
enemy, it is said to him:
‫أقدم‬
ْ ‫شجاع‬
ُ ‫يا‬
O brave man, go ahead!

‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Three

‫الذكر و الحذف‬

 ‫( ذكر‬mentioning of every word related to the meaning which

you intend conveying to the ‫ )خماطَب‬is the ‫( أصل‬general rule).
 However, if any word is understood from the rest of the
statement, it should be omitted. Such omission is called
‫حذف‬
 Due to various reasons, the above rules are often
contradicted.
 Al-Maydaani has mentioned sixteen reasons for ‫ذكر‬. We will
suffice with the following:

1. ‫ – زيادة التقرير و اإليضاح‬extra clarification

Example:
‫ك ُه ُم امل ْفلِ ُح ْون‬
َ ِ‫ب َو أولَئ‬ ِ َ ِ‫أولئ‬
ّ ‫ك َعلى ُهدى م ْن ر‬
The second ‫( اسم اإلشارة‬indicative pronoun) ‫ك‬ َ ِ‫ أولَئ‬would
have been understood even if it was not mentioned.
However, it was mentioned for ‫( زيادة اإليضاح‬to clarify that

Page 48
Easy Balaaghah

just as they are guided by Allah, they are the ones who
will be successful in the hereafter).

2. ‫ – قلّة الثقة بالقرينة‬when either the reference of the rest of the

statement to this particular word is not clear enough or
the ‫ خماطَب‬is not intelligent enough to understand it.
Example:
While speaking of Zaid, you also spoke of somebody
else. Thus, if you thereafter praise him saying ‫الص ِديْ ُق‬ َ ‫ن ْع َم‬
ِ
(He is a excellent friend), the reference of this statement
to Zaid would not be clear enough. Hence, you would
have to repeat the name of Zaid and say ‫الص ِديْ ُق َزيْد‬ ِ
َ ‫ن ْع َم‬
(Zaid is an excellent friend).

3. ‫( – التعريض بغباوة السامع‬allusion to the feeble-mindedness of

the listener)
Example: When the idolaters asked Ibrahim alaihis-
salaam if it was he who had broken their idols, he
replied:
‫بَ ْل فَ َعلَهُ َكبِْي ُرُه ْم ه َذا‬
This big one among them did it.
The meaning would have been clearly understood
without the word ‫ ه َذا‬However, Ibrahim alais-salaam
added it as a hint to his audience that they are really
foolish. How can you worship such defenseless objects?

4. ‫حىت ال يتأتّى لهُ اإلنكار‬

ّ ‫( – التسجيل على السامع‬to seek confirmation
from the listener in order to avert denial)

Page 49
Easy Balaaghah

Example:
Zaid was accused of a particular crime. In the courtroom
the judge asked the witness: ‫يفع ُل كذا؟‬ َ ‫يدا هذا‬
ً ‫أيت ز‬
َ ‫( َه ْل ر‬Did you
see this Zaid doing such-and such?”) The witness
replied: ‫يفع ُل‬
َ ‫يدا هذا‬
ً ‫أيت ز‬
ُ ‫“( نَ َع ْم ر‬Yes, I saw this Zaid doing
such-and such.” The speech of the judge and the
witness are clearly understandable without the word ‫هذا‬
However, they included it in their statements so that
the accused would not have an opportunity to deny that
the witness was referring to him. (Due to the word ‫هذا‬
the accused will not be able to say: He was referring to
another Zaid!)

5. ‫ – التع يجب إذا كان احلكم غريبا‬To express amazement at

something unusual.
Example:
There is a shoemaker by the name Masroor in the
community. Nobody ever heard him delivering a
khutbah in the past. Today somebody tells you that this
afternoon Masroor delivered a captivating khutbah in
the masjid. You cannot believe what you heard. In
amazement you ask: ‫املسجد؟‬ ِ ‫ب ِىف‬
َ َ‫( َم ْسُرْور احل ّذاءُ َخط‬Masroor the
shoemaker delivered a khutbah in the Masjid?)

6. ‫ – التعظيم و اإلهانة‬To honour or insult.

Example:
You are asked ‫( هل رجع األمري؟‬Has the commander
returned?) If he did return, it would be sufficient for you

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Easy Balaaghah

to merely say ‫ نَ َعم‬However, if his army was victorious,

you do not suffice with ‫ نَ َعم‬Instead, you say: ‫املنص ْوُر‬
ُ ‫( َر َج َع‬The
victorious one has returned.) Similarly, if the army
suffered defeat, you say ‫املهُزْوُم‬
ْ ‫( رجع‬The defeated one has
returned) instead of sufficing with ‫نَ َعم‬

Chapter Three (A)

‫حذف المسند إليه‬

‫ حذف‬is applied to the ‫ مسند إليه‬for the following reasons:

1. ‫ – إخفاء اخلرب عن غري املخاطب‬Concealment of the ‫ خرب‬from anybody
besides the ‫خماطب‬
Example: While Zaid and yourself were speaking of Bakr,
somebody else joined the gathering. Thus both of you
stopped speaking of Bakr. However, a few minutes later you
saw Bakr coming towards the gathering. Since you did not
want the third person in the gathering to know who you are
speaking of, you merely said ‫( أقْ بَ َل‬He came) instead of ‫أقبل بكْر‬
َ
(Bakr came).

2. ‫ – ضيق املقام‬Circumstantial restriction. This could be due to

pain or in order to avoid loosing the opportunity.
Example One:
‫قال ىل كيف أنت فقلت عليل – سهر دائم و حزن طويل‬
He asked me: How are you? I said: Ill; continuous
sleeplessness and prolonged grief

Page 51
Easy Balaaghah

The word ‫ أنا‬is ‫ حمذوف‬in the sentence ‫ فقلت عليل‬He should have
said: ‫ أنا عليل‬However, an ill person does not talk much. Thus,
it was appropriate to make ‫حذف‬

Example Two: Accompanying your friend on a hunting trip,

you spotted a gazelle. Instead of saying something like:
Look, there is a gazelle in that direction, you merely say:
Gazelle! The reason being that if you choose the complete
sentence, the animal may run away before you complete it.

3. ‫ – احملافظة على وزن أو قافية‬Maintenance of the ‫ وزن‬or ‫قافية‬

Example:
ِ
ُ ‫ حبيبُك ذُ ْو َخ َفر – َو كبِْي ُر الس ّن‬:‫فقال‬
‫ فىت‬:‫فقلت‬
He said: Your beloved is shy and an old man
I said: (He is) a young man!
‫ فىت‬is the ‫ مسند‬The ‫ مسند إليه‬is ‫ حمذوف‬The complete sentence
should have been ‫ هو فىت‬However, the ‫ مسند إليه‬was omitted in
order to maintain the ‫( وزن‬scale) of the poem.

4. ‫ِّباعا لالستعمال‬
ً ‫ – ات‬Adherence to common usage.
Example: When an unexpected person gets something
correct, the you remark: ‫( َرْمية ِم ْن غ ِري َرام‬A shot without a
shooter). This is supposed to be ‫صيْب‬ ِ ‫( هذه رمية ِمن غ ِري رام م‬This is a
ُ َ ْ َْ
shot from a shooter who does not know how to shoot
properly). However, the ‫ مسند إليه‬is omitted in accordance
with common Arab usage.

Page 52
Easy Balaaghah

5. ‫ – كون املسند ال يليق إال به‬Because the ‫ مسند‬cannot apply to anybody

else.
Example:
‫َخالِ ُق ُك ّل َش ْيء‬
This statement supposed to be ‫( اهلل َخالِ ُق ُك ّل َش ْيء‬Allah is the
creator of everything). Since the ‫ مسند‬applies only to Allah,
the ‫ مسند إليه‬is not mentioned.

Chapter Three (B)

‫حذف المسند و المفعول‬

 ‫ حذف‬is applied to the ‫ مسند‬for the same reasons mentioned

above.
 Sometimes the ‫ مسند‬is omitted due to an indication to it in
the rest of the statement.
Example:
‫فَسيَ ُق ْولُْو َن َم ْن يُعِْي ُدنا؟ قُ ْل الّ ِذى فَطََرُك ْم أ َّو َل َمّرة‬
They will say: Who will return us (to life)?
Say: He who created you in the first instance (will do so).
Is indicated in the translation, the complete statement
would have been: ‫ يُعِْي ُد ُك ْم الّ ِذى فَطََرُك ْم أ َّو َل َمّرة‬However, ‫ يُعِْي ُد ُك ْم‬is
already understood from the first part of the aayah (i.e.
‫)فَسيَ ُق ْولُْو َن َم ْن يُعِْي ُدنا‬. Hence there was no need to mention it again.

Page 53
Easy Balaaghah

‫حذف المسند و المفعول‬

‫ حذف‬is applied to the ‫ مفعول به‬for the following reasons:

1. ‫ – التعميم مع االختصار‬To show a general meaning in a brief

manner.
Example:
‫و اهلل يَ ْدعُ ْو إىل َدا ِر السالَِم‬
Allah calls to the land of peace.
The ‫ مفعول به‬in this aayah is ‫ حمذوف‬in order to that Allah’s
invitation is general and encompasses everybody.

2. ‫ – احملافظة على وزن أو سجع‬Maintenance of the ‫ وزن‬or ‫قافية‬

Example:
َ ‫ك ِم َن ْاأل‬
‫ُوىل‬ ِ ‫ ولَ ْْل‬- ‫ك وما قَلَى‬
َ َ‫َخَرةُ َخْي ر ل‬ َ َ َ َ ‫ك َربي‬
َ ‫َما َود َع‬
The ‫ مفعول به‬of ‫ قَلَى‬has been omitted in order to maintain the
‫( فاصلة‬conformity between the end of the last words in each
aayah).

3. ‫املتع ّدى منزلة الالزم‬

َ ‫ – تنزيل الفعل‬Treatment of ‫( الفعل املتعدى‬a verb that
requires two objects) as if it is ‫( الزم‬only requires one object).
This is done when there is no purpose in mentioning the
‫معمول‬
Example:
ِ ِ
‫ين ال يَ ْعلَ ُمو َن‬ َ ‫َه ْل يَ ْستَ ِوي الذ‬
َ ‫ين يَ ْعلَ ُمو َن َوالذ‬
Are those who know and those who do not know equal?
The ‫ مفعول به‬of ‫ يَ ْعلَ ُمو َن‬and ‫ ال يَ ْعلَ ُمو َن‬has not been mentioned
because doing so will serve no purpose.

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Easy Balaaghah

4. ‫ – طلبًا لالختصار‬Brevity
Example:
‫يَغْ ِفُر لِ َمن يَ َشاء‬
He forgives whoever He desires.
ِ
The ‫ مفعول به‬of ‫( يَغْفُر‬i.e. ‫ )ال ُذنُ ْوب‬is ‫ حمذوف‬for the sake of brevity.

5. ‫يم ِذ ْك ِرِه‬
ُ ‫ – تقد‬It was already mentioned
Example:
ُ ِ‫ْيَْ ُحو اللهُ َما يَ َشاء َويُثْب‬
‫ت‬
Allah erases whatever He desires and
He retains (whatever He desires)
The ‫ مفعول به‬of ‫ت‬ ُ ِ‫( َويُثْب‬i.e. ‫ ) َما يَ َشاء‬is ‫ حمذوف‬because it is already
mentioned.

‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Four

‫التقديم و التأخير‬

Utterance of all the ‫( أجزاء‬parts) of a sentence at the same time

is impossible. Mentioning some parts before the others is
necessary. Hence, the two types of sentences – ‫ اجلملة الفعلية‬and
‫ – اجلملة اإلمسية‬have specific sequences. However, there are a
number of reasons due to which these sequences are not
adhered to. In such instances certain parts of the sentence are
brought before their usual position. This is known as ‫ تقدمي‬Let us
now look at the reasons that warrant ‫ تقدمي‬of the ‫مسند إليه‬

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Easy Balaaghah

1. ‫ – األمهّية‬Importance. Since the ‫ مسند إليه‬is the ‫ حمكوم عليه‬which

always precedes the ‫ حكم‬, in ‫ اجلملة اإلمسية‬it should be
mentioned before the rest of the sentence.

2. ‫باع القواعد‬
ُ ّ‫ – ات‬Adherence to the rule. One example in this regard
is commencement with words that enjoy ‫( صدارة‬appearing in
the beginning).
Example:
‫األهَرام؟‬
ْ ‫َم ْن َرفَ َع‬
(Who built the pyramids?)

3. ‫املتأخر‬
ّ ‫ – التشويق إىل‬To arouse interest in the latter word. This
happens when there is an indication in the former word
that the latter word is extra-ordinary.
Example:
‫تح َدث ِم ْن مجَ ِاد‬ ِِ ِ ِ
ْ ‫َو الّذى َح َارت الَِْربيّةُ فْيه – َحيَ َوان ُم ْس‬
The aspect regarding which the creation is astonished
An animal created from a lifeless substance
The reason for prior mentioning of ‫ت الَِْربيّةُ فِْي ِه‬ ِ ‫ و الّ ِذى حار‬is to
ََ َ
arouse interest in ‫تح َدث ِم ْن مجَ ِاد‬ ‫س‬ ‫م‬
ْ ْ ُ َََ‫ان‬
‫و‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ح‬ which is certainly extra-
ordinary.
(Note: ‫تح َدث‬ ِ
ْ ‫ َحيَ َوان ُم ْس‬refers to man and ‫ مجَاد‬refers to the sperm
from which man is created.)

4. ‫ص على عموم السلب و سلب العموم‬

‫ – الن ي‬This comprises of two issues:

Page 56
Easy Balaaghah

a. Reference to general negation. This is achieved by

mentioning of the ‫( أداة العموم‬particles denoting generality)
before the ‫( أداة النفى‬particles of negation).
Example:
‫ُك يل ذلِك ََلْ يَ ُك ْن‬
It was none of that!
(Neither this nor that.)

b. Negation of generality. This is achieved by mentioning of

the ‫( أداة النفى‬particles of negation) before the ‫أداة العموم‬
(particles denoting generality).
Example:
‫ََلْ يَ ُك ْن ُك يل ذلِك‬
It wasn’t all of that.
(It wasn’t both of them; but it could be one of them.)

5. ‫ – التخصيص‬Specification
Example One:
‫ت‬ُ ‫َما أنا قُ ْل‬
I did not say so.
(It was not I who said so.)
Example Two:
ِ ُ ‫أضرْم‬ ِِ ِ ِ ‫و ما أنا أس َقم‬
َ ‫ت ىف قَلِِْب‬
‫نارا‬ َ ْ ‫ت ج ْسمى به – َو ال أنا‬
ُ ْ ْ َ
Neither did I quench my body with it
Nor did I ignite a fire in my heart

Page 57
Easy Balaaghah

Chapter Four (A)

‫تقديم المسند‬

In addition to some of the reasons mentioned above (‫ األمهّية‬,

‫ التشويق‬, ‫باع القواعد‬
ُ ّ‫ ات‬and ‫ تقدمي )التخصيص‬is applied to the ‫ مسند‬for the
following reasons also:

1. ‫ط التع يجب أو اإلنكار‬

ّ ‫ – كون املتقدم حم‬When the aspect mentioned first
is the focus of a question, expression of one’s amazement
or disapproval.
Example:
‫ف؟‬ِ ‫ضع ِهب ِذهِ الزخا ِر‬
ِ ِ ِ َ ‫أ‬
َ ُ ‫بعد طُْول الت ْجَربَة تَنْ َخ‬
After so much of experience are you still deceived by this
embellishment?
The ‫ متكلم‬is expressing his amazement that the ‫ خماطب‬was
deceived after all his experience. Because ‫بعد طُْوِل الت ْجَربَِة‬ َ (after
so much experience) is the focus of his ‫ تع يجب‬, he mentioned
it before the rest of his sentence.

2. ‫ – احملافظة على وزن‬Maintenance of ‫( وزن‬in poetry)

Example:
‫ت‬ ِِ ِ ِ ِ
ُ ‫الس ُك ْو‬
ُ ‫إذا نَطَ َق السفْيهُ فَال ُجتْبهُ – فَ َخْي ر م ْن إجابَته‬
When a fool speaks, don’t answer him
Silence is better than answering him
‫ َخْي ر‬is the ‫ مسند‬and it was brought before the ‫( مسند إليه‬i.e.
‫ت‬
ُ ‫)الس ُك ْو‬
ُ was to maintain the ‫وزن‬

Page 58
Easy Balaaghah

3. ‫ – التفاؤل‬Expression of a good omen.

Example: When visiting an ill person, you tell him:
ِ
َ ْ‫ِىف عافيَة أن‬
ُ‫ت إ ْن َشاءَ الله‬
You will be well, Insha Allah.
ِ ِ
‫ ىف عافيَة‬is the ‫ مسند‬and it is brought before the ‫( مسند إليه‬i.e. ‫ت‬
َ ْ‫)أن‬
for the sake of ‫التفاؤل‬

4. When the ‫ مسند‬is the ‫ عامل‬, the ‫ مسند إليه‬is the ‫ معمول‬and there is
no purpose in delaying the ‫مسند إليه‬
Example:
‫قام زيد‬
َ
Zaid stood up.

Chapter Four (B)

‫ترتيب الجملة الفعليّة‬

The basic sequence of a any ‫ مجلة فعليّة‬is:

‫الفاعل الفعل‬ ‫ املفعول ألجله الظرف املفعول املطلق املفعول به‬All other ‫قُيُ ْود‬
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th

However, due to various reasons, the above sequence is often

not adhere to. Mentioned below are a few of these reasons.

1. ‫ – إرادة التخصيص‬Specification (Restriction of the ‫ حكم‬to the

aspect that is mentioned first).

Page 59
Easy Balaaghah

Example:
‫ني‬ ِ
ُ ْ ‫إياك نعبُ ُد َو إياك نَ ْستَع‬
You alone do we worship and from you alone do we ask
‫ إياك‬is the ‫ املفعول به‬but it was brought before the verbs ‫ نعبُ ُد‬and
‫ني‬ ِ
ُ ْ ‫ نَ ْستَع‬for the above purpose.

2. ‫ – االهتمام بشأن املق ّدم‬To show importance of the aspect that is

mentioned first).
Example:
ِ
َ ْ‫بَِوال َدي‬
‫ك ُك ْن بَرا‬
To your parents, be kind.
‫ك‬ ِ ِ
َ ْ‫ ب َوال َدي‬was mentioned first in order to highlight to the ‫خماطب‬
the importance of his parents.

3. ‫رد اخلطأ ىف التعيني أو االشرتاك‬

ّ ‫ – إرادة‬Rectification of an error in
identification between two or more items or people.
Example: You told me that you had spoken to Zaid. A little
while later I got confused and said: ‘But you spoke to Bakr?’
In response you said:
‫ت‬
ُ ‫يدا كلّ ْم‬
ً ‫َز‬
It was Zaid that I had spoken to.

4. ‫ – التنبيه على أ ّن املق ّدم هومناط اإلنكار أو االستغراب أو االستعظام‬An indication to

the disapproval, strangeness or extra-ordinary nature of
the aspect mentioned first.
Example:
‫احِ َرتام‬ َ َ‫ِر ْجل‬
ْ ‫ك متَُيد َإيل ُد ْو َن‬
Your feet stretch towards me without any respect!

Page 60
Easy Balaaghah

َ َ‫ ِر ْجل‬is the ‫ مفعول به‬of ‫ متَُيد‬and should have appeared after it.
‫ك‬
However, it was brought before in order to show
disapproval.

5. ‫ – احملافظة على وزن‬Maintenance of ‫( وزن‬in poetry), ‫( سجع‬in prose)

and ‫ فاصلة‬at the end of Qur’aanic aayaat).
Example:
‫َجاءَ ُه ْم ِم ْن َربّ ُه ْم الَُدى‬
Guidance came to them from the Rabb.
‫ الَُدى‬is the ‫ فاعل‬and should appear before the words ‫ِم ْن َربّ ُه ْم‬
However, it was brought at the end in order to maintain the
‫فاصلة‬

6. ‫ – األمهّية‬Importance.
Example:
‫قتل اخلارجى زيد‬
َ
Zaid killed the Khaarijy.
Due to the Khaarijy’s mischief, the news that he was killed was
important. Thus ‫ اخلارجى‬which is the ‫ مفعول به‬was brought before
the ‫( فاعل‬i.e. Zaid).

7. ‫ – التخليص َِمّا يُ ْوِه ُم معىن َغْي َر ُمَراد‬Avoidance of possible misunderstanding.

Example:
ِ َ‫ول رِّيب الله وقَ ْد جاء ُكم بِالْب يِّن‬
‫ات‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ‫ال َر ُجل ُم ْؤمن م ْن آَل ف ْر َع ْو َن يَكْتُ ُم إْيَانَهُ أَتَ ْقتُلُو َن َر ُج ًال أَ ْن يَ ُق‬
َ َ‫َوق‬
‫ِم ْن َربِّ ُك ْم‬
And a believing man from the family of Fir’aun who was
concealing his imaan said: Do you slay a man because he says:
My Rabb is Allah . . .?

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Easy Balaaghah

The purpose of the words ‫ ِم ْن آَ ِل فِْر َع ْو َن‬is to inform the reader of

the Qur’aan that this man was a Coptic and not an Isra’eeli.
They were mentioned before ُ‫ يَكْتُ ُم إِْيَانَه‬in order to avoid the
misconception that he was only concealing his imaan from
Coptics.

‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Five

‫التعريف و التنكير‬

 The ‫ مسند إليه‬is ‫( حمكوم عليه‬the item to which the ‫ حكم‬is

attributed). Hence it has to be a ‫( معرفة‬definite noun).
 There are eight types of ‫معرفة‬
1. ‫الضمري‬
2. ‫العلَم‬
َ
3. ‫اسم اإلشارة‬
4. ‫اسم املوصول‬
5. ‫بأل‬
ْ ‫احمللى‬
َ
6. ‫املضاف إىل معرفة‬
7. ‫املنادى‬
َ

‫الضمير‬
 ‫ الضمري‬is utilised to indicate ‫ تكلّم‬, ‫ ِخطاب‬or ‫ َغيْبَة‬in a concise
manner.

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 ‫ ِخطاب‬is used primarily to address a ‫( معني‬specific) person who

is ‫مشاهد‬
َ (in the presence of the ‫)متكلّم‬.
 However, it is also used to address somebody who is ‫مشاهد‬ َ ‫غري‬
(absent) but in the heart (thoughts) of the ‫متكلّم‬
Example:
‫ني‬ ِ
ُ ْ ‫إياك نعبُ ُد َو إياك نَ ْستَع‬
(Although Allah is All-Knowing, All-Hearing and All-Seeing,
man cannot see Him in the dunya. Thus it is as if He is ‫غري‬
‫)مشاهد‬
َ
 ‫ ِخطاب‬is also used to address a ‫( غري معني‬unspecified) person if
the aim of the ‫ متكلّم‬is ‫( تعميم اخلطاب‬a general address to
anybody who is prepared to listen).
Example:
‫إليك‬ ِ ‫اللئِيم من إذا أحسنْت‬
َ ‫إليه أساء‬ َ ْ َ ُْ
A mean person is one who ill-treats you
when you do good to him

‫ال َعلم‬
 ‫العلم‬ َ is utilised to bring it’s meaning with it’s ‫ خاص‬specific
name in the mind of the ‫خماطَب‬
Example:
ِ ‫اع َد ِمن‬
‫البيت‬ ِ ‫و إ ْذ يرفع إبراهيم القو‬
َ ُ ْ ُ
Recall the time when Ibrahim raised the foundations
of the house (the Ka’bah).

 However, it is sometimes utilised for other reasons like:

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1. ‫ – التعظيم‬To honour.
Example:
‫سيف الد ْولة الفرس‬
ُ ‫ركب‬
Saif-ud-Dawlah mounted the horse.
(Saif-ud-Dawlah was the title of Ali bin Abdillah bin
Hamdaan who was the king of Halab.)

2. ‫ – اإلهانة‬To disgrace.
Example:
‫ص ْخر‬
َ ‫ب‬
َ ‫ذَ َه‬
Sakhr went.
(This would apply if Sakhr is a harsh-hearted person.)

ِ ‫ – الكناية معناه اللغوى قبل نقله إىل الع‬To allude to it’s original
3. ‫لميّة‬ َ
(literal) meaning before it became an ‫( َعلم‬a proper
noun).
Example: A person by the name of Mahmood brought
you some good news. Thus you said: ‫ جاءنا احملمود بالبشائر‬using
the word al-mahmood in it’s original (‫ لُغَ ِوى‬/ literal)
meaning (i.e. the praiseworthy one).

‫اتسم اإلشارة‬
 ‫ اسم اإلشارة‬is utelised when it is the only available way to refer
to the intended meaning.
Example: You see something on sale in a shop but you do
not know what it is called. Thus, you point at it and tell the
shopkeeper: ‫( بِ ْع ِىن هذا‬Sell me this!)

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Easy Balaaghah

 When it is not the only possible method of reference to the

intended meaning, it could be used for any one of the
following reasons:

1. ‫ – االستغراب‬To describe something as strange.

Example:
‫ت مذاهبُهُ – و جاهل جاهل تَ ْل َقاهُ مرزوقًا‬ ْ َ‫كم عاقل عاقل أعي‬
ْ
‫ِّح ِريْ َر ِزنْ ِديْ ًقا‬
‫ن‬ ‫ال‬ ِ ‫هذا الذى ت رَك األوهام حائِرةً – و صي ر‬
‫العاَل‬
ْ َ ََ َ ََ
How many intelligent people have constrained incomes
How many ignorant people you find that are wealthy
This is what bewilders the thoughts (of people)
And makes a learned man to irreligious

2. ‫ – كمال العناية به‬To show perfect interest / concern.

Example:
‫ت يَ ْع ِرفُهُ َو احلِ يل و احلََرُم‬ ُ ‫الذى تَ ْع ِر‬
ُ ‫ف البَطْ َحاءُ َوطْأتَهُ – و البَ ْي‬ ِّ ‫ه َذا‬
This is the man whose step is known by Al-Bathaa
The Ka’bah, Al-Hil and Al-Haram know him
This stanza is part of a lengthy poem said by Al-Firazdaq
in praise of Zain-ul-Aabideen, the great-grandson of
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam.

3. ‫ – التعظيم‬To show honour.

Example:
‫إ ّن هذا القرآن يهدى للىت هى أقوم‬
Surely this Qur’aan guides to the Path that is straightest.

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4. ‫ – التحقري‬To disgrace.
Example: Looking down on the Nabi of Allah, the
idolaters to each other:
‫أهذا الذى يذكر آلتكم‬
Is this the person who speaks of your idols?

‫اتسم الموصول‬
 ‫ اسم املوصول‬is utelised when it is the only available way to refer
to the intended meaning.
Example: Yesterday you were visited by a person whose
name you do not know. Today he left on a journey to
Makkah. Thus you tell somebody else:
‫الذى زارّن باألمس مسافر إىل مكة‬
The person who visited me yesterday has gone
on a journey to Makkah.

 When it is not the only possible method of reference to the

intended meaning, it could be for any one of the following
reasons:
1. ‫ – التعليل‬To show the ‫عل ِّة‬ ّ (cause) of the ‫ حكم‬mentioned in
the ‫خرب‬
Example:
ِ ‫ات كانت لم جنت‬
‫الف ْرَد ْو ِس نُُزال‬ ِ ‫إ ّن الذين آمنوا و ع ِملُوا الص‬
ِ ‫احل‬
ُ َ ْ ْ َ
Certainly those who bring Imaan and do good deeds, the
Gardens of Firdaus will be their entertainment.
They will receive the Gardens of Firdaus due to their
Imaan and good deeds.

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2. ‫ – إخفاء األمر عن غري املخاطب‬To conceal the matter from

somebody other then the ‫خماطَب‬
Example:
‫قضيت حاجاتِى كما ْأه َوى‬
ُ ‫جاد األمريُ ِبه – و‬
َ ‫أخذت ما‬
ُ ‫و‬
I took what the Ameer generously gave me
And I fulfilled my needs as I desire

3. ‫ – التنبيه على اخلطأ‬Rectification of an error.

Example:
ْ ُ‫غليل صدوِرهم أ ْن ت‬
‫صَر ُع ْوا‬ َ ‫إن الذين تروهنم إخوانكم – يشفى‬
Those who you think are your brothers
The malice in their hearts is satisfied by your being
toppled

4. ‫ – التهويل‬To scare the ‫خماطَب‬

Example:
‫فَغَ ِشيَ ُهم ِّم َن الْيَ ِّم َما َغ ِشيَ ُه ْم‬
Covered them from the sea whatever covered them.

5. ‫ – الته يكم‬To mock.

Example: The idolaters mockingly sad to the Nabi of
Allah:
‫ك لَ َم ْجنُ ْون‬ ِّ ‫يا أيها الّ ِذى نُِّزَل َع ْلي ِه‬
َ ّ‫الذ ْكُر إن‬
O he to whom the reminder was revealed, you are mad!

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‫ال ُْم َحلَّى بأ َْل‬

 ‫( الْ ُم َحلى بأ َْل‬the noun that has the suffix ‫ )أ َْل‬is utelised when the
aim is to refer to the ‫ جنس‬itself. In this case the ‫ أ َْل‬is called
‫جنسية‬
Example:
‫اإلنسان حيوان ناطق‬

 It also used to refer to a ‫( معهود‬known individual). This

individual is known because
i. He was previously mentioned.
Example One:
‫كما أرسلنا إىل فرعون رسوال فعصى فرعون السوال‬
Just as we sent a Rasool to Firaun thus he disobeyed
the Rasool.
ii. He is physically present.
Example Two:
‫اليوم أكملت عليكم دينكم‬
Today have I perfected your deen for you.
iii. The ‫ خماطَب‬is acquainted with him.
Example:
‫إ ْذ يبايعونك حتت الشجرة‬
When they pledged obedience to you beneath the
tree
Note: In the above instances the ‫ أ َْل‬is called ‫عهدية‬

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 ‫ الْ ُم َحلى بأ َْل‬is also utelised to refer to all the ‫( أفراد‬individuals) of

a particular ‫جنس‬
Example:
‫إ ّن اإلنْ َسا َن لَ ِفى ُخ ْسر‬
Surely man is at a loss!

 When the ‫ ُحمَلى بأ َْل‬is the ‫ خرب‬, it implies ‫( قصر‬i.e. that the ‫خرب‬/‫مسند‬
applies to that particular ‫مبتدأ‬/‫ مسند إليه‬only).
Example:
‫و هو الغفور الرحيم‬
He (alone) is the All-Forgiving and Most-Merciful.

‫المضاف لمعرفة‬
 ‫ املضاف ملعرفة‬is utelised when it is the only available way to refer
to the intended meaning.
Example: ‫( كتاب سيبويه‬The Book of Seebwayh) and ‫( سفينة نوح‬The
Ark of Nooh)

 When it is not the only possible method of reference to the

intended meaning, it could be used for any one of the
following reasons:

1. ‫تعسره‬
ّ ‫ – تع ّذر التع ّدد أو‬When mentioning every individual is
impossible or extremely difficult.
Example:
‫أمجَ َع ْأه ُل ا ْحلَ ِّق علَى ك َذا‬
ْ
The followers of the truth are unanimous that . . .

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(Enumerating the names of every single individual

among the followers of the truth is impossible.)

2. ‫ – التعظيم للمضاف ْأو املضاف إليه‬Honouring of the ‫ مضاف‬, ‫مضاف إليه‬

or somebody else.
Example One:
‫ضَر‬
َ ‫ك َح‬ِ ِ‫كتاب املل‬
ُ
The letter of the king arrived.
Example Two:
ِ ‫هذا‬
‫ابىن‬
This is my son.

3. ‫ – التحقري للمضاف أو املضاف إليه‬To disgrace the ‫ مضاف‬, ‫ مضاف إليه‬or

somebody else.
Example One:
‫اللص‬
ِّ ‫ابن‬ُ ‫هذا‬
This is the thief’s son.
Example Two:
‫يق هذا‬ِ ‫الل ي‬
ُ ‫ص َرف‬
The thief is this man’s brother.

4. ‫ – االختصار لضيق املقام‬Brevity due to circumstances.

Example:
ِ ْ‫صعِ ُد – َجنِْيب َو ُجث‬
‫ماّن ِِبكة ُم ْوثَ ُق‬ ْ ‫ني ُم‬
ِ ِ ‫هواى مع الرْك‬
َ ْ ‫ب اليَ َمن‬ َ
My beloved is travelling alongside the Yemeni travelers
While my body is chained in Makkah
The circumstances of a prisoner are quite constrained
and often cause difficulty in speaking too much. Thus
the poet (who was a prisoner) thought it appropriate

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that he resort to ‫ اختصار‬He therefore utelised ‫ إضافة‬and

said ‫( هواى‬my beloved) instead of ‫( الّ ِذى ْأه َوى‬the one who I
love).

‫ال ُمنادَى‬
 ‫نادى‬ َ ُ‫ امل‬is utelised when the ‫ متكلم‬does not know of any ‫ُعنوان‬
(specific means of addressing the ‫ )خماطَب‬i.e. a proper noun,
title etc.
Example: !‫( يا رجل‬O man!) or !‫( يا فىت‬O youngster!)

 It is also used to indicate to the reason for seeking a

particular action from the ‫خماطَب‬
Example:
!‫يا خادم أحضر الطعام‬
O servant, bring the food!
(The reason why you should bring the food is that you are
my servant.)

 Obviously, it is often used for any one of the purposes

mentioned in our discussion on ‫( نِداء‬Chapter Two E – Page
36).

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Easy Balaaghah

Chapter Five (A)

‫التنكير‬

 ‫ التنكري‬is the utilisation of a ‫( نكرة‬indefinite noun).

 The ‫ نكرة‬is used when the ‫ متكلم‬is unaware of a definite method

of reference (‫ َعلَم‬etc.) to the person/item he is speaking
about.
Example:
‫جاءنا َر ُجل‬
A man came to us.

 It is often used for other purposes:

1. ‫ – التكثري‬To show abundance.

Example:
‫ب ُر ُسل ِم ْن قَ ْبلِك‬
َ ‫فإ ْن ك ّذبُ ْوك فَ َق ْد ُك ِّذ‬
If they belie you, then surely (many) Rusul before you
were belied.
The aim of this aayah ( to console Nabi sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) indicates that the purpose of the ‫ نكرة‬in ‫ ُر ُسل‬is
‫ التكثري‬Thus we added the word many to the translation.

2. ‫ – التقليل‬To show insignificance.

Example:
‫بس ْوَرة م ِن ِمثْلِ ِه‬
ُ ‫فأتوا‬
Bring a (short) surah like it.

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Easy Balaaghah

3. ‫ – التعظيم و التحقري‬To honour/ disgrace

Example:
‫حاجب‬ ِ ‫عن‬
‫طلب العرف‬ ِ
ُ ْ ُ‫ليس له‬
َ ‫كل أمر يَشْي نُهُ – َو‬
ِّ ‫عن‬
ْ ‫له حاجب‬
He has a barrier (protector) from everything that may
disgrace him
But he has no barrier from seeking good deeds
The word ‫حاجب‬ ُ appears twice in this stanza. In both
instances it is ‫ نكرة‬In the first instance, the purpose of the
‫ نكرة‬is ‫( التعظيم‬a great barrier) whereas its purpose in the
second instance is ‫( التحقري‬He doesn’t even have the
slightest barrier to prevent him from good deeds.)

4. ‫ – العموم بعد النفى‬To show generality.

Example:
‫َما َجاءَنا ِم ْن بشري‬
No giver of glad-tidings came to us.

5. ‫ – إخفاء األمر‬Concealment.
Example:
‫عن الصواب‬
ْ ‫فت‬
َ ‫ إنّك احنر‬: ‫قال رجل‬
A man told me that you have deviated from
the straight path.
(The ‫ متكلم‬did not disclose the identity of his informant in
order to protect him from being harmed by the ‫)خماطَب‬

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Easy Balaaghah

‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Six

‫اإللطقا و التقييد‬

 ‫ اإلطالق‬is when the ‫( مجلة‬sentence) comprises of nothing more

then the ‫ مسند‬and the ‫ مسند إليه‬This happens when there is no
benefit in mentioning anything else.

 ‫ التقييد‬is when the ‫( مجلة‬sentence) comprises of the ‫ مسند‬, ‫مسند إليه‬

and something else that is related to both or any one of
them.
Example One:
‫يضا‬
ً ‫َما َز َال زيد مر‬
Zaid is still ill.
Example Two:
‫العا ََلَ ُم ْفتَ ِقًرا إليه‬ ِ
َ ُ‫ََلْ َيَْلُ ِقِ اهلل‬
Allah did not create the world due to need for it.

 ‫ التقييد‬occurs by including any one of the following factors in

the sentence:

1. ‫أدوات الشرط‬ 2. ‫أدوات النفى‬

3. ‫النواسخ‬ 4. ‫املفاعيل‬
5. ‫احلال‬ 6. ‫التمييز‬
7. ‫املستثىن بإال‬ 8. ‫التوابع‬

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Easy Balaaghah

 Following the example of books like ‫ سفينة البلغاء‬and ‫البالغة الواضحة‬

we will not discuss any details regarding the usage of the
above because the place for that is the books of Nahw.

‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Seven

‫القصر‬

 ‫ قصر‬is the restriction of one thing to another in a specific

manner.
Example:
ِ ‫إمنا‬
‫العاَلُ زيد‬
The only ‘aalim is Zaid.
In this sentence knowledge is restricted to Zaid. Thus it is an
example of ‫قصر‬

 There are two types of ‫قصر‬

1. ‫ – القصر احلقيقي‬when the ‫ قصر‬is in accordance with reality
and not in relation to something specific.
Example:
ُ‫الرا ِز ُق اهلل‬
َ ‫إمنا‬
The only provider of sustenance is Allah.
In this statement ‫( رزق‬providing of sustenance) is
restricted to Allah and this restriction is in accordance
with reality; it is not in relation to any specific item etc.
Hence this is ‫قصر حقيقي‬

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2. ‫ – القصر اإلضايف‬When the restriction is only in relation to

something specific.
Example: Somebody is claiming one of the following:
 Both, Yusuf and Ahmed are trustworthy.
 Either Yusuf or Ahmed is trustworthy.
 Only Ahmed is trustworthy.
However, you are convinced that only Yusuf is
trustworthy. Hence you say:
‫ما أمني إال يوسف‬
There is no trustworthy person besides Yusuf.
This ‫ قصر‬is ‫ إضايف‬because it is only in relation to a specific
person (i.e. Ahmed).

 ‫ قصر‬is also divided in accordance with it’s nature. In this

instance too there are two types:

1. ‫ – قصر صفة على موصوف‬Restriction of a particular ‫( صفة‬feature)

to somebody (or something) specific.
Example:
ِِ ِ ِ
ُ‫إّمنا َيَْ َشى اهللَ م ْن عبَاده الْ ُعلَ َماء‬
From the servants of Allah,
only the ‘Ulamaa fear Him.
In this aayah the fear of Allah is restricted to Allah. The
fear of Allah is the ‫ صفة‬and Allah is the ‫ موصوف‬This is
therefore ‫ قصر صفة على موصوف‬Furthermore, this ‫ قصر‬is not in
relation to anybody specific. Thus it is also ‫قصر حقيقي‬

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Easy Balaaghah

2. ‫ – قصر موصوف على صفة‬Restriction of a ‫( موصوف‬somebody or

something) to a particular ‫صفة‬
Example:
‫َو َما ُحمَمد إال َر ُس ْول‬
Muhammed is only a Rasool.
In this aayah Nabi Muhammed sallallahu alaihi
wasallam is restricted to a particular ‫ صفة‬He is not a
deity who cannot die; he is just a Rasool. This is
therefore ‫ قصر موصوف على صفة‬It is also clear from the above
that this is ‫قصر إضايف‬

 Based on the condition of the ‫ خماطَب‬there are three types of

‫قصر‬
1. ‫ – قصر إفراد‬When the ‫ خماطَب‬is claiming ‫( شركة‬association)
between two things. Thus ‫ قصر‬is utelised to refute this
claim of the ‫خماطَب‬
Example: Somebody is claiming that Zaid is a ‫ شاعر‬and a
‫ كاتب‬too. However, you are convinced that he is only ‫شاعر‬
Thus you tell him: ‫( ما زيد إال شاعر‬Zaid is only a ‫)شاعر‬

2. ‫ قصر قلب‬- When the ‫ متكلِّم‬aims to establish something

opposite to what his ‫ خماطَب‬had claimed.
Example: Somebody is claiming that Zaid is sitting. You
are convinced that he is standing. Thus you tell him:
‫ما زيد إال قائم‬
Zaid is doing nothing but standing.

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3. ‫ قصر تعيني‬- When the ‫ خماطَب‬is doubtful between two (or

more) things. Thus ‫ قصر‬is utelised to specify one of the
two items for him.
Example: Somebody is doubting whether Zaid is
standing or sitting. You are quite sure that he is
standing. Thus you tell him: ‫ما زيد إال قائم‬

 Every ‫ قصر‬comprises of two parts:

a. ‫ – املقصور‬The restricted attribute, person or item.
b. ‫ – املقصور عليه‬The item or person to whom the restriction is
attributed.
Example: In the aayah ُ‫( إّمنا َيَْ َشى اهللَ ِم ْن ِعبَ ِادهِ الْ ُعلَ َماء‬From the
servants of Allah, only the ‘Ulamaa fear Him), fearing
Allah is the ‫ مقصور‬and ُ‫ الْ ُعلَ َماء‬is the ‫مقصور عليه‬

‫طرق القصر‬
Mentioned below are the more famous methods for the
creation of ‫ قصر‬and the position of the ‫ مقصور عليه‬each.

1. ‫ – النفى و االستثناء‬The ‫ مقصور عليه‬will appear after the ‫أداة االستثناء‬

Example:
‫ال يفوز إال اجمل يد‬
Only the diligent are successful.

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2. ‫ إمنا‬- The ‫ مقصور عليه‬will appear after the ‫مقصور‬

Example:
‫إمنا احلياةُ تعب‬
Life is merely tiredness.

3. ‫ العطف بال‬- The ‫ مقصور عليه‬will appear in contrast to what is

mentioned after ‫ال‬
Example:
‫متحركة ال ثابتة‬
ِّ ‫األرض‬
ُ
The earth is in motion; it is not stationary.

4. ‫ العطف بِبَ ْل أو لكن‬- The ‫ مقصور عليه‬will appear after the ‫ بَ ْل‬and ‫لكن‬
Example:
‫بل متحركة‬
ْ ً‫األرض ثابتة‬
ُ ‫ما‬
The earth is not stationary; it is in motion.

5. ‫ تقدمي ما ح يق التأخري‬- The ‫ مقصور عليه‬is the word that is brought

before its actual position.
Example:
‫ب‬ ِ ‫إىل اهلل أشكو ال إىل الناس أن ِىن – َأرى‬
ُ ‫األرض تَ ْب َقى واألخْلءَ تَ ْذ َه‬
َ
To Allah do I complain (and) not to the people
Surely I see that the earth remains but my friends are
passing on
The words ‫ إىل اهلل‬are supposed to appear after the verb ‫أشكو‬
However, they were brought forward on the basis of ‫ قصر‬The
poet is saying that he complains to nobody but Allah. Thus
the ‫ مقصور عليه‬is Allah. (This is ‫ قصر صفة على موصوف‬and ‫)قصر حقيقي‬

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‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Seven

‫الوصل و الفصل‬

 ‫ وصل‬is the ‫ عطف‬of one ‫( مجلة‬sentence) to another. Although

there are a few ‫ أدوات العطف‬the discussion in this chapter is
only with regards to ‫ عطف‬through the letter ‫واو‬
 ‫ فصل‬is the omission of such ‫عطف‬
 ‫ وصل‬is employed in the following three situations:

1. When both sentences are either ‫ خربية‬or ‫ إنشائية‬, there is

‫ مناسبة تامة‬between them and there is nothing to disallow
‫عطف‬
Note One: ‫ مناسبة تامة‬is when:
a. There is some ‫ تعليق‬between the ‫ مسند إليه‬of the first
sentence and the ‫ مسند إليه‬of the second sentence.
b. The ‫ مسند‬in the first sentence is ‫( َماثل‬similar) or ‫مضاد‬
(opposite) to the ‫ مسند‬in the second sentence.
Note Two: The ‫( موانع العطف‬factors that disallow ‫ )عطف‬will
be discussed in the chapter on ‫( فصل‬Chapter Seven A
Insha Allah).
Example One:
‫احةَ ِحلَ ُس ْود‬ ِ
َ ‫ال َوفَاءَ ل َك ُذ ْوب و ال َر‬
A liar is never faithful and a jealous person never has
any rest.

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These two sentences are both ‫ خربية‬there is an apparent

relationship between the ‫ مسند إليه‬of the first sentence
(‫ ) َك ُذ ْوب‬and the ‫ مسند إليه‬of the second sentence (‫)ح ُس ْود‬.
َ
Furthermore, there is nothing to disallow ‫عطف‬

2. When one of the two sentences is ‫ خربية‬and the other is

‫ إنشائية‬and ‫ فصل‬may imply a meaning quite opposite to
what was actually intended.
Example: Somebody asked you if Ali recovered from his
illness. You replied: ُ‫( ال َو َش َفاه اهلل‬No, may Allah cure him.)
Although the first sentence (‫ )ال‬is ‫ خربية‬and the second
sentence is ‫ إنشائية‬, you employed ‫ عطف‬because if you did
not do so (and merely said: ‫)ال َش َفاه اهلل‬, the questioner
would think that you meant may Allah not cure him.

3. The intention is to include both sentences under the

same ‫حكم إعراىب‬
Example:
‫أكل املرار‬ ً‫ وعلّ َم ساغبا‬- ‫أعبد كل حر‬ ِ ‫وحب‬
َ ‫العيش‬ ‫ي‬
ُ َ
Love for the worldly life has enslaved every free man
And it has taught every hungry man to eat bitter fruit
The two sentences which we refer to in this example
are:
i. ‫أعبد كل حر‬
َ
ii. ‫أكل املرار‬ ً‫علّ َم ساغبا‬
ُ َ

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The reason for employing ‫ عطف‬between them is to show

that they share the same ‫( حكم إعراىب‬Both sentences are ‫ىف‬
‫)حكم املرفوع‬

Chapter Seven

‫الفصل‬

 ‫ فصل‬is compulsory in the following five situations:

1. When there is ‫ )كمال االتصال( ِّاحتاد تام‬between the two
sentences. ‫ ِّاحتاد تام‬is when:
a. The second sentence is ‫ بدل‬of the first sentence.
Example:
‫ أ ََمد ُك ْم ِِبَا تَ ْعلَ ُمو َن‬- ‫ني‬ ِ
َ ‫أ ََمد ُك ْم بِأَنْ َعام َوبَن‬
He aided you with what you know. He aided you
with livestock and sons.
b. The second sentence is ‫ بيان‬of the first sentence.
Example:
‫اخلُلْ ِد َوُملْك َال يَْب لَى‬
ْ ِ‫ك َعلَى َش َجَرة‬ َ َ‫ ق‬- ‫س إِلَْي ِه الشْيطَا ُن‬
َ ‫ال يَا آَ َد ُم َه ْل أ َُدلي‬ َ ‫فَ َو ْس َو‬
Shaytaan whispered to him. He said: O Aadam,
should I show you the tree of eternity and never
ending kingdom?
c. The second sentence is ‫ م َؤِّكدة‬of the first sentence.
Example:
‫ أ َْم ِهلْ ُه ْم ُرَويْ ًد‬- ‫ين‬ ِ
َ ‫فَ َم ِّه ِل الْ َكاف ِر‬
Give the disbelievers respite. Give them respite for a
little while.

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2. When there is ‫ )كمال االنقطاع( تبايُن تام‬between the two

sentences. ‫ تبايُن تام‬is when:
a. One of the two sentences is ‫ خربية‬and the other is ‫إنشائية‬
Example:
‫ت الذي الَ ينقضي تَ َعبُ ْه‬ ِ
َ ْ‫ أَن‬- ‫صاحب الدينْيَا الْ ُمحب لا‬َ ‫يا‬
O man of the world who is in love with it
You are the one whose tiredness will not end
The first sentence (‫صاحب الدينْيَا الْ ُم ِحب لا‬ َ ‫ )يا‬is ‫ إنشائية‬and the
second sentence (ْ‫ت الذي الَ ينقضي تَ َعبُه‬ َ ْ‫ )أَن‬is ‫خربية‬
b. There is no ‫( مناسبة‬relationship) between the meaning
of the two sentences.
Example One:
‫َعلِى َكاتِب و احلَ َم ُام طَائِر‬
Ali is a writer. The dove is flying.
(The absence of ‫ مناسبة‬between the two sentences is
obvious.)
Example Two: The following stanza of Abu Tamaam
is often criticised:
ِ ْ ‫صِرب وأن أَبَا احلُس‬
ُ‫ني َك ِرمي‬ َ - ‫هو عاَل أن النوى‬
َ َ ‫ال والذي‬
I swear by the being who knows that: date-pits are
bitter and Abul-Husain is generous
There is absolutely no ‫ مناسبة‬between bitterness of
the date-pits and the generosity of Abul-Husain.
Hence there was no need for ‫ عطف‬between the two
sentences.

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3. The second sentence is an answer to a question that

results from the first sentence. In this instance it is said
that there is ‫ ِشبه كمال االتِّصال‬between the two sentences.
Example:
‫لكن َغ ْمَرتِى ال تَنْ َجلِى‬
ْ ‫ص َدقُ ْوا َو‬
ِ ‫زعم‬
َ - ‫الع َواذ ُل أن ِىن ِىف َغ ْمَرة‬
َ َ ََ
The critics claimed that I am in difficulty. They spoke the
truth, except that my difficulty will not be solved.
After saying ‫الع َو ِاذ ُل أن ِىن ِىف َغ ْمَرة‬
َ ‫ َز َع َم‬the poet perceived that he
was asked whether the critics were correct in what they
said. Thus he said: ... ‫ص َدقُ ْوا‬ َ

4. A sentence is preceded by two sentences and it could

be ‫ معطوف‬on one of them. However, such ‫ عطف‬may be
misleading. It could be understood that the ‫ عطف‬is on
the other sentence thus distorting the intended
meaning. In this instance we say that there is ‫ِشبه كمال النقطاع‬
between the two sentences.
Example:
‫ بدالً أراهأ ىف الضالل هتيم‬- ‫و تظن سلمى أنىن أبغى هبا‬
Salma thinks that I a substitute for her
I think that she is wandering in error
There are three sentences in the above stanza:
i. . . . ‫تظن سلمى‬
ii. ً‫أبغى هبا بدال‬
iii. ‫أراهأ ىف الضالل هتيم‬
The third sentence could be ‫ معطوف‬on the first sentence.
However, ‫ عطف‬may imply that it is ‫ معطوف‬on the second

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sentence. (Thus the listener may think that the poet is

attributing the thought that Salma is in error to her
whereas his intention is to attribute it to himself.)
Hence, ‫ فصل‬was employed.

5. There is no intention to include the second sentence

under the same ‫ حكم‬This happens when there is a ‫مانع‬
‫( للعطف‬factor that disallows ‫)عطف‬. In such instances we
say that there is ‫ني ال َك َمالَ ْني‬ َ ْ َ‫ تَ َو ُسط ب‬between the two
sentences.
Example:
‫ئ هبِِ ْم‬ُ ‫اطينِ ِه ْم قَالُوا إِنا َم َع ُك ْم إِمنَا َْحن ُن ُم ْستَ ْه ِزئُو َن اللهُ يَ ْستَ ْه ِز‬
ِ ‫وإِذَا خلَوا إِ َىل َشي‬
َ َْ َ
And when they are in seclusion with their Shayateen
(leaders) they say: ‘We are with you; we were just
mocking’. Allah will mock at them
The two sentences referred to in this example are:
a. ‫إِنا َم َع ُك ْم‬
b. ‫ئ هبِِ ْم‬ ُ ‫يَ ْستَ ْه ِز‬
The second sentence cannot be ‫ معطوف‬on the first
sentence because that would mean that the second
sentence is part of the statement of the Hypocrites.
Similarly, it cannot be ‫ معطوف‬on ‫ قَالُوا‬because that would
mean that Allah only mocks at them when they are in
seclusion with their leaders.

‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Eight

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Easy Balaaghah

‫اإليجا و المساواة و اإللطناب‬

 ‫ المساواة‬is the expression of one’s intended meaning using

such an amount of words which people who are neither
experts in ‫ بالغة‬nor totally ignorant of sound literary style
regard as suitable (neither too much nor too little). Put
differently, ‫ ملساواة‬is when the amount of words used is equal
to the intended meaning. Addition of a single word would
be redundant. Similarly, deletion of a single word affect the
clarity of the meaning.
Example:
ِ ِ ‫وإِ َذا رأَي‬
ْ ‫وضو َن ِيف آَيَاتنَا فَأ َْع ِر‬
‫ض َعْن ُه ْم‬ ُ ُ‫ين ََي‬
َ ‫ت الذ‬
َ َْ َ
When you see those who criticise our signs,
turn away from them.

 ‫ اإليجا‬is the usage of a phrase that conveys one’s message

although it is shorter than normal.
 ‫ اإلجياز‬is employed for a variety of reasons:
1. ‫ – تسهيل احلفظ‬To make memorization easy.
2. ‫ – تقريب الفهم‬To make understanding easier.
3. ‫ – ضيق املقام‬Narrow circumstances (E.g. insufficient time,
the ‫ متكلم‬is ill or incarcerated).
4. ‫ – اإلخفاء‬Concealment of the ‫ خرب‬from others.
5. ‫ – دفع السآمة‬To avoid being boring.
 There are two types of ‫إجياز‬
1. ‫صر‬ ِ
َ ‫ – إجياز ق‬Conveying of vast meaning using few words
without resorting to ‫حذف‬

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Easy Balaaghah

Example One:
‫اخلَلْ ُق َواأل َْمُر‬
ْ ُ‫أَالَ لَه‬
Behold! Creation and command belongs to Allah.
As short as this aayah may be, the words ‫اخلَلْ ُق‬ ْ and ‫ األ َْمُر‬are
so comprehensive that they encompass everything in
life. Thus Sayyiduna Ibn Umar radiallahu anhu would
say: Whoever thinks that this aayah has omitted
something, should look for it.
Example Two:
ِ
‫اص َحيَاة‬ ِ ‫ص‬ َ ‫َولَ ُك ْم ِيف الْق‬
For you in qisaas is life.
This aayah is another famous example of ‫ إجياز‬Its
meaning is that when a would-be murderer knows that
if found guilty of murder, he will be punished with the
death sentence, he will most definitely desist from
murder. Thus he saves his life as well as the life of his
(would-be) victim. This vast meaning, however, is
ِ
condensed in the few words of ‫اص َحيَاة‬ َ ‫َولَ ُك ْم ِيف الْق‬
ِ ‫ص‬

2. ‫ – إجياز حذف‬Conveying of vast meaning using few words

due to ‫ حذف‬This ‫ حذف‬could be of a single word, a single
sentence or a few sentences.
Example One:
‫و اسئل القرية الىت كنا فيها‬
Ask the town in which we were.
The meaning of the aayah is actually Ask the people of
the town. The word ‫ أهل‬is ‫ حمذوف‬between ‫ اسئل‬and ‫القرية‬
Example Two:

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Easy Balaaghah

‫ فَ َسّرُه ْم َوأتَينَاهُ َعلى الََرِم‬- ‫الزَما َن بَنُوهُ يف َشبيبَتِ ِه‬ّ ‫أتَى‬

The children of time came to him in his youth
and he made them happy – we came to him in old-age
In this example a whole sentence is ‫ حمذوف‬i.e. ‫( فَ َسائَنَا‬and
he made us sad).
Example Three:
. . . ‫ِّيق أَفْتِنَا ِيف‬ ِ ِ ِِ ِ
ُ ‫الصد‬
ِّ ‫ف أَيي َها‬ ُ ‫وس‬ ُ ُ‫ ي‬- ‫أَنَا أُنَبِّئُ ُك ْم بتَأْ ِويله فَأ َْرسلُون‬
I will inform you of it’s interpretation. Yusuf, O truthful
one, inform us about . . .
The first sentence (‫ون‬ ِ ُ‫ )أَنَا أُنَبِّئُ ُكم بِتَأْ ِويلِ ِه فَأَرِسل‬is addressed to the
ْ ْ
king and his ministers whereas the second sentence is
directed to Yusuf alaihis-salaam. There is obviously
more than one sentence ‫ حمذوف‬in-between them.

 Usage of a shorter than normal phrase that does not convey

the intended meaning completely is called ‫إخالل‬
Example:
ِِ ِ ِ
َ ‫ ل الن ْوك َم ْن َع‬- َ‫ش َخْي ر ِيف ظال‬
‫اش ك ّدا‬ ُ ‫والْ َعْي‬
Life is better in the shade of ignorance
Than the person who lives in toil
The poet’s message in this stanza is that if a person has
wealth, he does not have to toil in order to earn a living.
Thus, ignorance with wealth is not problematic. On the
contrary, it is better than intelligence without wealth.
Despite intelligence, you will have to sweat in order to earn
a living if you do not have wealth. This message of the poet
is not conveyed completely in the above stanza. This is
called ‫إخالل‬

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Easy Balaaghah

 ‫ اإللطناب‬is the usage of more words than required provided

there is some benefit in doing so.
Example:
‫وح فِ َيها‬ ِ
ُ ‫تَنَزُل الْ َم َالئ َكةُ َوالير‬
On this night (Laylat-ul-Qadr) the angels
and Jibreel descend
Jibreel is an angel. Mentioning him after mentioning the
angels is therefore unnecessary. However, there is a
definite benefit in mentioning him separately – it highlights
his importance and noble status. This is a type of ‫ إطناب‬called
‫عطف اخلاص على العام‬

 If more words than required are used and there is no

benefit in doing so:
1. If the extra word is differentiable from the rest of the
statement, the usage of the word is called ‫حشو‬
Example:
‫ ولكنين عن علم ما يف غد عمي‬- ‫و أعلم علم اليوم و األمس قبله‬
I have knowledge of today and yesterday before it
But I’m blind regarding knowledge of tomorrow
Yesterday is definitely before today. The word ‫ قبله‬is
therefore extra and serves no purpose. It therefore falls
under ‫حشو‬

2. If the extra word is not differentiable from the rest of

the statement, the usage of the extra word is called ‫تطويل‬
Example:

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Easy Balaaghah

‫األد َْمي لر ِاه َشيْ ِه – و أُلْ ِفى قَ ْوَلَا كِ ْذبًا َو ِميْ نًا‬
ِ ‫و قددت‬
ُْ
I cut the skin until the veins
And I found that her statement was untrue and false
The words ‫ كِ ْذبًا‬and ‫ ِميْ نًا‬have the same meaning. One of
them is therefore unnecessary. However, since neither
of the two is more preferred than the other, the
unnecessary word is not differentiable from the other.
This is hence an example of ‫تطويل‬

 ‫ إطناب‬is created through the following methods:

1. ‫ – ذكر اخلاص بعد العام‬Mention of something ‫( خاص‬specific)
after something ‫( عام‬general).
Example:
‫وح فِ َيها‬ ِ
ُ ‫تَنَزُل الْ َم َالئ َكةُ َو الير‬
On this night (Laylat-ul-Qadr) the angels
and Jibreel descend
‫وح‬ ِ
ُ ‫ الير‬is ‫ خاص‬and ُ‫ الْ َم َالئ َكة‬is ‫عام‬

2. ‫ ذكر العام بعد اخلاص‬- Mention of something ‫( عام‬general) after

something ‫( خاص‬specific).
Example:
ِ َ‫ب ا ْغ ِفر ِيل ولِوالِ َدي ولِمن دخل ب ي ِيت م ْؤِمنًا ولِلْم ْؤِمنِني والْم ْؤِمن‬
‫ات‬ ُ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ َْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ ِّ ‫َر‬
O Rabb, forgive me, my parents, whoever enters my
house as a believer, and all the believing men and
women.
ِ ِ
‫يت ُم ْؤمنًا‬ ِ ِ ِ ِِ ِ
َ ‫ ل َم ْن َد َخ َل بَْي‬is ‫ خاص‬and ‫ني َوالْ ُم ْؤمنَات‬ َ ‫ وللْ ُم ْؤمن‬is ‫عام‬

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3. ‫ – اإليضاح بعد اإلهبام‬Clarification after obscurity.

Example:
ِ ِ ِ
َ ‫ أ ََمد ُكم بِأَنْ َعام َوبَن‬- ‫َوات ُقوا الذي أ ََمد ُكم ِبَا تَ ْعلَ ُمو َن‬
‫ني‬
Fear Allah who aided you with what you know; he aided
you with livestock and sons.
The meaning of ‫ َما تَ ْعلَ ُمو َن‬is ‫( مبهم‬obscure). However, it is
ِ
clarified in the next sentence (‫ني‬ َ ‫)أ ََمد ُكم بِأَنْ َعام َوبَن‬.

4. ‫ – التكرار لِداع‬Repetition due to a valid reason. Such reasons

include:
 ‫ – طول الفصل‬Lengthy separation.
Example:
‫ت َم َواثِيْ ُق َع ْه ِدهِ – َعلَى ِمثْ ِل ه َذا إنهُ لَ َك ِرْمي‬
ْ ‫و إن ْامَرءًا َد َام‬
Surely a man whose pledges continue in this manner,
surely he is dignified.
‫ َك ِرْمي‬is the ‫ خرب‬of the first ‫ إن‬Hence, there was no need
to repeat ُ‫ إنه‬for a second time (i.e. before ‫) َك ِرْمي‬.
However, it was repeated in view of the lengthy
separation in-between.

 ‫ – زيادة الرتغيب ىف العفو‬Additional encouragement to

forgive.

Example:
‫ص َف ُحوا َوتَغْ ِفُروا فَِإن اللهَ َغ ُفور َرِحيم‬
ْ َ‫َوإِ ْن تَ ْع ُفوا َوت‬
If you overlook, pardon and forgive, then certainly
Allah is All-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.

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Easy Balaaghah

The is not much difference in the meanings of the

words ‫ تَ ْع ُفوا‬, ‫ص َف ُحوا‬ ِ
ْ َ‫ ت‬and ‫ تَ ْغفُروا‬Therefore, any one of
them would have sufficed. However, all three were
used for the sake of ‫( زيادة الرتغيب‬additional
encouragement).

 ‫ – تأكيد اإلنذار‬To emphasise a warning.

Example:
‫ف تَ ْعلَ ُمو َن‬
َ ‫ َكال َس ْو‬- ‫ف تَ ْعلَ ُمو َن‬
َ ‫ُُث َكال َس ْو‬
Definitely, you will soon know!
Definitely, you will soon know!

5. ‫ – االعرتاض‬Insertion of a 1‫مجلة معرتضة‬

Example:
‫السن فإين‬
ِّ ُ‫ أَال َك َذبُوا َكبري‬- ‫بأين‬
ِّ ‫ت بَنُو َس ْعد‬
ْ ‫أَال َز َع َم‬
Banu Sa’d claim – Behold! They are liars – that I am an
old man.
The actual sentence is ‫السن‬ ِّ ُ‫بأين َكبري‬ِّ ‫ت بَنُو َس ْعد‬ْ ‫ أَال َز َع َم‬Thus the
sentence ‫ أَال َك َذبُوا‬is ‫مجلة معرتضة‬

6. ‫ – التذييل‬Emphasis of a sentence by mentioning a second

sentence which comprises of the same meaning as the
first sentence. This is of two types:

1
A sentence that appears in-between the actual sentence or between two
sentences that are ‫( متصل‬connected to each other) and has no ‫حمل اإلعراب‬

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a. That which is equivalent to a parable. This happens

when the second sentence is not dependent on the
first sentence; it’s meaning can be understood in the
absence of the first sentence.
Example:
‫عام‬ ِ
ُ َ‫لكل َغد ط‬ِّ ‫ذار َغد‬
َ ‫ ح‬- ً‫يس َباىبء لغَد طَعاما‬ َ َ‫ول‬
I do not conceal food for tomorrow due to fear for
tomorrow; there is food for every tomorrow
The sentence ‫عام‬ ُ َ‫لكل َغد ط‬
ِّ is equivalent to a parable. It
is not dependent on the previous sentence and
could be understood in it’s absence.
b. That which is not equivalent to a parable. This
happens when the second sentence is dependent on
the first sentence; it’s meaning cannot be
understood in the absence of the first sentence.
Example:
‫أصحب الدينيا بال أ ََم ِل‬
ُ ‫ تركتين‬- ُ‫ُؤمله‬ ُ ‫َل يُْب ِق‬
ّ ‫جود َك يل شيئاً أ‬
Your generosity has left nothing for me to hope in
You’ve left me to accompany the dunya without any
hopes
The meaning of the second sentence cannot be fully
understood in the absence of the first sentence.

7. ‫ – االحرتاس‬When the ‫ متكلم‬realizes that his statement could

be misunderstood, he adds another clause sentence in
order to avoid such misunderstanding.
Example One:
‫ضاء ِم ْن َغ ِْري ُسوء‬ َ ِ‫ك يَ َد َك ِيف َجْيب‬
َ ‫ك ََتُْر ْج بَْي‬ ْ ُ‫اسل‬
ْ

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Easy Balaaghah

Insert your hand in your collar – it will come out white

without any ailment.
When Allah Ta’aala told Moosa alaihis-salaam that his
hand would come out white in colour, Moosa alaihis-
salaam could have feared that this would be the result
of white-liver or some other calamity. Thus, in order to
allay such fear, Allah Ta’aala added the words ‫ِم ْن َغ ِْري ُسوء‬
(without any ailment).

Example Two:
‫يب‬ ِ َ ‫ني‬ ِ ْ ‫ َم َع احلِلْ ِم يف َع‬- ُ‫ إذا ما احلِلْم َزين أ َْهلَه‬،‫َحلِيم‬
ُ ‫الع ُد ِّو َمه‬ َ ُ
Tolerant when tolerance adorns its people
Despite tolerance, feared in the eyes of the enemy
Praising himself the poet said that he is tolerant. He
then realised that tolerance could be misconstrued to
mean that he is a coward (unable to fight for his rights).
Thus in order to avoid this misunderstanding, he added
the words ُ‫( إذا ما احلِْل ُم َزي َن أ َْهلَه‬when tolerance adorns its
people). Having said this he then realised that people
could now think that due to his tolerance, his enemies
do not even fear him. Hence, to avert this
misunderstanding, he added ‫يب‬ ِ َ ‫ني‬ ِ ْ ‫( َم َع احلِلْ ِم يف َع‬Despite
ُ ‫الع ُد ِّو َمه‬
my tolerance, I am feared in the eyes of the enemy).
Thus there are two examples of ‫ االحرتاس‬in the above
stanza.

‫علم المعانى‬
ُ
Chapter Nine

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Easy Balaaghah

‫قتضى الظاهر‬
َ ‫إخراج الكقا على خقاف ُم‬

Circumstances sometimes warrant contradiction of the laws

mentioned in the preceding chapters. In this chapter we discuss
a few types of such contradiction (which is called ‫إخراج الكالم عن‬
‫)مقتضى الظاهر‬.
َ

‫موض َع المض َمر‬

ِ ‫ – وضع المظ َهر‬Usage of an ‫ إسم ظاهر‬in place of a ‫ضمري‬
(for a valid reason).
Example:
ِ ‫اس َولَ ِكن أَ ْكثَ َر الن‬
‫اس ال يَ ْش ُكُرو َن‬ ْ َ‫إِن اللهَ لَ ُذو ف‬
ِ ‫ضل َعلَى الن‬
Surely Allah is benevolent to the people but
most of the people are ungrateful.
ِ
The second ‫ الناس‬is an ‫ إسم ظاهر‬in place of a ‫ أَ ْكثَ َرُه ْم – ضمري‬would have
sufficed. However, the ‫ إسم ظاهر‬was used instead of the ‫ ضمري‬for
the sake of ‫( متكني‬consolidation).

‫ – وضع المض َمر موض َع المظ َهر‬Usage of a ‫ ضمري‬in place of an ‫إسم ظاهر‬
(for a valid reason).
Example:
‫ت َم َدا ِرِع الظ ْل َم ِاء‬
َ ‫ك َْحت‬
ِ َ‫ال َخمافَة‬
َ ‫الرقَبَاء – َو أتَ ْت‬
ُ َ َ‫ص‬ َ ‫ت ال ِو‬
ْ َ‫أب‬
She refused to join you due to fear of the guards
But she came to you beneath the dark cloaks
The ‫ فاعل‬of ‫ت‬ ْ َ‫ أب‬is a ‫ ضمري‬whose ‫ مرجع‬was not previously mentioned.
Thus, an ‫ إسم ظاهر‬of the ‫ فاعل‬should have been used. However, the
poet sufficed with the ‫ ضمري‬in order to indicate that the ‫ فاعل‬is

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constantly in his thoughts and thus, even if he has not

mentioned her name, it is quite obvious who he is referring to.

‫ – وضع الماضى موضع المضارع‬Usage of the past tense for

something that is still going to happen.
Example:
ِ ِ
ُ‫أَتَى أ َْمُر الله فَال تَ ْستَ ْعجلُوه‬
The command of Allah (The Day of Qiyaamah or the
punishment) is coming, so do not be hasty!
Although the word ‫ أَتَى‬is in the past tense, it has been used in
the future tense as an indication to the certainty of the arrival
of Allah’s command.

‫ – وضع المضارع موضع الماضى‬Usage of the present tense for

something that had occurred in the past.
Example:
‫استَكْبَ ْرُْمت فَ َف ِري ًقا َكذبْتُ ْم َوفَ ِري ًقا تَ ْقتُلُو َن‬ ِ
ْ ‫أَفَ ُكل َما َجاءَ ُك ْم َر ُسول ِبَا َال تَ ْه َوى أَنْ ُف ُس ُك ُم‬
Do you behave arrogantly every time a Rasool comes to you
with a message that you dislike, thus a group (of them) you
belied and (another) group you kill?
In this aayah Allah Ta’aala is addressing the Jews who had killed
a number of Rusul in the past. Thus the past tense (‫ )قَتَلْتُ ْم‬should
have been used. However, the present tense (‫ )تَ ْقتُلُو َن‬was used in
order to indicate that killing a Nabi is such a heinous crime that
its memory is still fresh; as if it happening at this very moment
in time.
‫ – وضع الخبر موضع اإلنشاء‬Usage of ‫ خرب‬instead of ‫( إنشاء‬for a valid
reason).

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Easy Balaaghah

Example: The statements ‫( َر ِض َى اهلل عنه‬which is made after

mentioning the name of a Sahaabi), ‫( َرَِحَهُ اهلل‬which is made after
mentioning the name of a pious person who has passed away)
and ‫( َح ِفظَه اهلل‬which is made after mentioning the name of a pious
or learned person who is still alive).

‫ – التغليب‬Usage of the name of one of two things for the other.

Example One: When speaking of ‫ األب‬and ‫ األُم‬collectively, we
refer to them as ‫ األبوان‬Due to the fact that the father is the
stronger figure in the household, the word ‫ أب‬is given
preference and used for the mother as well.
Example Two:
‫ودن ِيف ِملتِنَا‬ ِ ِ َ ‫ك يا ُشعيب وال ِذين آَمنُوا مع‬
ُ ‫ك م ْن قَ ْريَتنَا أ َْو لَتَ ُع‬ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َْ َ َ ‫لَنُ ْخ ِر َجن‬
We will expel you, O Shu’aib, and those believe with you from
our town unless you return to our religion.
Nabi Shu’aib alaihis-salaam was never a disbeliever. There was
therefore no possibility of him returning to disbelief. However,
his followers were previously disbelievers. Since he was a single
individual and they were a whole group of people, he was
included the word ‫ودن ِيف ِملتِنَا‬ ُ ‫( أ َْو لَتَ ُع‬unless you return to our
religion). Inclusion of Shu’aib alaihis-salaam in this manner is
an example of ‫تغليب‬

There are a few other types of ‫مقتضى الظاهر‬َ ‫ إخراج الكالم عن‬viz.
‫ االتفات‬, ‫ أسلوب احلكيم‬and ‫ جتاهل العارف‬However, they will be
explained later; in the section on ‫ علم املعاّن‬Insha Allah.

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Easy Balaaghah

‫علم البيان‬
‫ علم البيان‬is defined as a field of study through which the student
gains an awareness of the different ways in which a single
meaning could be expressed without any ambiguity.

There are three areas of study in ‫ علم البيان‬viz.

1. ‫التشبيه‬
2. ‫اجملاز‬
3. ‫الكناية‬

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter One
‫التشبيه‬

 In simple terms, ‫ تشبيه‬is a comparison of one thing to

another. Arabic medium textbooks define it as the claim
that one or more items share one or more feature of
something else.
 Every ‫ تشبيه‬comprises of four components:
1. ‫ – املشبّه‬The item being compared.
2. ‫ – املشبّه به‬The item to which the comparison is made.
3. ‫ – أداة الشبيه‬A particle of comparison (‫ ك‬, ‫كأ ّن‬, ‫ ِمثْل‬, ‫ ِشْبه‬, ‫ ُْياثِ ُل‬,
ُ‫ يُشابِه‬or any other word that shows a similarity between
the ‫ مشبّه‬and the ‫)مشبّه به‬.
4. ‫ – وجه الشبه‬The reason for comparison (the common
feature).

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Easy Balaaghah

 The ‫ وجه الشبه‬must be stronger and more evident in the ‫مشبّه به‬
than in the ‫مشبّه‬
Example:

‫صْب ُح يف ا ْحلُ ْس‬

‫ُرب لَْيل كأَنه ال ي‬
‫َس َوَد الطِّْي لَسان‬
ْ ‫ِن وإ ْن كا َن أ‬
Many a night is like the morning in beauty
Even though it dons a black cloak

‫وجه الشبه‬ ‫أداة التشبيه‬ ‫املشبّه به‬ ‫املشبّه‬

‫احلسن‬ ‫كأن‬ ‫صبح‬
‫ال ي‬ ‫لَْيل‬

 Note that the ‫( وجه الشبه‬beauty) is more evident in the ‫مشبّه به‬
(the morning) than it is in the ‫( مشبّه‬the night).

##### ##### #####

Writers, poets and orators employ ‫ تشبيه‬for various reasons

including:

1. ‫ – بيان إمكان املشبّه‬To show the possibility of the ‫مشبّه‬

Example: Praising Isma’il bin Bulbul, Ibn-ur-Roomi said:
ِ ِ‫ َكما عال ب‬- ‫وكم أَب قَ ْد عال بِابن ذُرا َشرف‬
‫رسول اهلل َع ْدنَا ُن‬ َ َ ْ
How many fathers ascended the peaks of honour
due to a son?
Just as ‘Adnaan gained ascendency due to
the Rasool of Allah

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Easy Balaaghah

The second half of this stanza is a ‫ تشبيه‬to prove that the

poets claim (that many fathers gain honour due to the
achievements of their sons) is possible.

2. ‫ – بيان حال املشبّه‬To show the condition of the ‫مشبّه‬

Example: Praising a king for his generosity, Abut-Teeb said:
‫وك َجدا ِو ُل‬
ُ ُ‫ك ََْبر َواملل‬ ِ ‫يك م‬
َ ّ‫ كأن‬- ُ‫صريُه‬
ُ َ َ َ‫َأرى ُكل ذي ُملْك إل‬
I see that every kings destination is to you
As if you are a sea and they are streams

3. ‫ – بيان مقدار املشبّه‬To show the extent / quantity of the ‫مشبّه‬

Example: Describing a lion, Al-Mutanabbi said:
‫نار ال َفر ِيق ُحلُوال‬
َ ‫يجى‬
َ ‫ت الد‬ ْ َ‫ما قُوبِل‬
َ ‫ َْحت‬- ‫ت َعْيناهُ إالّ ظُنّتَا‬
Whenever its eyes are seen in the darkness of night
they are thought to be the fire of a group of
camping travelers
The poets aim in this ‫ تشبيه‬is to describe the extent of the
glow of the lion’s eyes.

4. ‫ – تقرير حال املشبّه‬To confirm the condition of the ‫مشبّه‬

Example:
‫ين يَ ْد ُعو َن ِمن ُدونِِه الَ يَ ْستَ ِجيبُو َن َلُم بِ َش ْيء إِال‬ ِ
َ ‫َوالذ‬
‫اس ِط َكفْي ِه إِ َىل الْ َماء لِيَْب لُ َغ فَاهُ َوَما ُه َو بِبَالِغِ ِه‬
ِ ‫َكب‬
َ
Those who worship anybody other than Allah, none of their
worship will be accepted but like the person who stretches
his hands to the water so that it may reach him – But it will
never reach him.

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Easy Balaaghah

The purpose of this aayah is to confirm the condition of the

‫ – مشبّه‬that the worship / du’aa of the idolater will never be
accepted.

5. ‫ – تزيني املشبه‬To embellish the ‫مشبّه‬

Example: Praising his servant, a poet said:
‫مد‬
ُ ‫يمن الص‬ ِ ِ
ُ ‫مه‬ْ ْ‫ َخولَنيه ال‬- ‫َما هو َعبد لكنهُ و ُلد‬
ِ ِ ِ
ُ ‫ فَ ْهو يَدي والذراعُ َو‬- ‫َوشد أزِري َبُس ِن خدمته‬
‫العض ُد‬
He’s not a slave, instead he’s a son
Given to me by Al-Muhaimin, As-Samad2
He gave me strength through his excellent service
He’s my hand, forearm and upper arm

6. ‫ – تقبيح املشبّه‬To shame the ‫مشبّه‬

Example: A Bedouin said about his wife:
‫ َتومهْتَهُ باباً ِم َن النار يُ ْفتَ ُح‬- ُ‫ فَماً لَو َرأَيْتَه‬- ‫كانت‬
ْ ‫ ال‬- ‫وتَ ْفتَ ُح‬
When she opens her mouth – May she not! – and you see it,
You would think that a door of the fire is being opened

2
Al-Muhaimin and As-Samad are among the many names of Allah.

Page 102
Easy Balaaghah

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter One (A)
‫أنواع التشبيه‬

Based on the presence and absence of the four components,

there are five types of ‫تشبيه‬

1. ‫ – التشبيه الْ ُم ْر َسل‬When the ‫ أداة التشبيه‬is mentioned.

Example:
ً‫ِس ْرنا يف ليل َهبيم كأَنهُ البَ ْحُر ظَالماً وإِْرهابا‬
We travelled on a night that was like the sea
in darkness and scariness.

‫وجه الشبه‬ ‫أداة التشبيه‬ ‫المشبّه به‬ ‫المشبّه‬

ً‫ظَالماً وإِْرهابا‬ ‫كأَن‬ ‫البَ ْحُر‬ ‫ليل‬

2. ‫ – التشبيه الْ ُم َؤكد‬When the ‫ أداة التشبيه‬is not mentioned.

Example:
‫ليك الْ ُعيُو ُن َش ْرقاً و َغ ْربا‬ ِ ‫أَنْت جنْم يف ِرفْعة‬
َ َ‫ جتْت‬- ‫وضياء‬ َ
You are a star in loftiness and radiance
The eyes gaze at you from the east and the west

‫وجه الشبه‬ ‫أداة التشبيه‬ ‫المشبّه به‬ ‫المشبّه‬

ِ ‫ِرفْعة‬
‫وضياء‬ Not
‫ْجنم‬ ‫ت‬
mentioned َ ْ‫أَن‬

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Easy Balaaghah

3. ‫ التشبيه الْ ُم َفصل‬- When the ‫ وجه الشبه‬is mentioned.

Example: In the previous two examples, the ‫ وجه الشبه‬is
mentioned. Hence both of them are examples of ‫التشبيه الْ ُم ْج َمل‬
also.

4. ‫ التشبيه الْ ُم ْج َمل‬- When the ‫ وجه الشبه‬is not mentioned.

Example:
‫آت ِيف الْبَ ْح ِر َكاأل ْعالِم‬ َ ‫اجلََوا ِرالْ ُم‬
ُ ‫نش‬ ْ ُ‫َولَه‬
Unto Him belongs the huge ships like mountains
in the sea

‫وجه الشبه‬ ‫أداة التشبيه‬ ‫المشبّه به‬ ‫المشبّه‬

َ ‫اجلََوا ِرالْ ُم‬

Not
‫ك‬ ‫األعالم‬ ‫ت‬
ُ ‫نشآ‬ ْ
mentioned

5. ‫ – التشبيه البليغ‬when neither the ‫ أداة التشبيه‬nor the ‫ وجه الشبه‬is

mentioned.
Example:
‫مام‬
ُ َ‫أنت الغ‬
َ ‫ت اليرَىب و‬
ُ ‫ َْحن ُن نَْب‬- ‫مام؟‬
ُ ُ‫ت أيهذا ال‬
َ ‫أيْ َن ْأزَم ْع‬
Where do you intend going, O courageous one?
We are the plants of the hillocks and you are the clouds

‫وجه الشبه‬ ‫أداة التشبيه‬ ‫المشبّه به‬ ‫المشبّه‬

Not Not
‫اليرَىب‬ ‫َْحن ُن‬
mentioned mentioned
Not Not
‫مام‬
ُ َ‫الغ‬ ‫أنت‬
َ
mentioned mentioned

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Easy Balaaghah

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter One (B)
‫تشبيه التمثيل‬

‫ تشبيه التمثيل‬is when the ‫ وجه الشبه‬is a pictorial representation

comprising of a number of items.
Example One:
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫مثل ال ِذين اَت ُذوا ِمن د‬
ْ ‫ون الله أ َْوليَاء َك َمثَ ِل الْ َعن َكبُوت اَتَ َذ‬
‫ت بَْيتًا‬ ُ َ َ ُ ََ
ِ‫وت لَب يت الْعن َكبوت‬ ِ ‫وإِن أَوهن الْب ي‬
ُ َ ُ ْ َ ُُ َ َ ْ َ
The similitude of those who keep helpers other than Allah is
that of the spider; it built a house (web) – but the weakest of
houses is the house of the spider.

‫وجه الشبه‬ ‫المشبّه به‬ ‫المشبّه‬

The ‫ صورة‬of The condition of a The condition of
something that spider that spins a those who seek
seeks help from web thinking that, assistance from
something else despites its anybody other than
which is unable to weakness, the web Allah.
offer any help. will protect it from
its enemies.

Example Two:
‫صال‬ ِ ‫ يف الشط‬، ‫الروض‬
ْ َ‫ ف‬،‫ني‬ ِ ‫ ِر‬- ‫بني زه‬ َ ‫يفصل‬ُ ُ‫واملاء‬
َ‫صال‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫َكبِس‬
ْ َ‫ أيْدي ال ُقيُون َعلَيْه ن‬- ‫ت‬ ْ ‫ َجّرَد‬،‫اط َو ْشي‬ َ
The water separated the flowers of the garden into two
halves
Like an embroidered cloth on which the ironsmiths
unsheathed a sword

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‫وجه الشبه‬ ‫المشبّه به‬ ‫المشبّه‬

A ‫ صورة‬comprising of The ‫ صورة‬of a shining The ‫ صورة‬of a stream
a shining line sword placed across running through a
running across a a green cloth with garden with green
green background colourful grass and colourful
interspersed with embroidery on it. flowers on both
beautiful colours. sides.

Example Three:
ِ ‫الالل‬
‫بالعيد‬ ِ ‫ بشر س ْقم‬... ‫ت دولةُ الصيام وقَ ْد‬ ِ
ُ ُ َ َ ْ‫ض‬ َ ‫قَد ان َق‬
ِ ‫ألكل عْن ُق‬ ِ
‫ود‬ ُ ... ‫تلو الثريا ك َفاغر َش ِره‬
ُ ِ ُ‫يفتح فاه‬ ُ َ‫ي‬
The rule of fasting has terminated and
The illness of the crescent has given the glad-
tidings of ‘eid
Following the stars like a greedy man
Opening his mouth to eat a bunch of grapes

‫وجه الشبه‬ ‫المشبّه به‬ ‫المشبّه‬

A ‫ صورة‬comprising of The ‫ صورة‬of a man The ‫ صورة‬of the
a bow-shaped item opening his mouth crescent with a
following an item in order to eat a constellation of stars
made up of a bunch of grapes. in front of it.
number of smaller
items.

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Easy Balaaghah

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter One (C)
‫التشبيه المقلوب‬

As previously mentioned, the ‫ وجه الشبه‬should be stronger and

more evident in the ‫ مشبّه به‬However, in order to exaggerate, the
‫ مشبّه‬is sometimes given the status of the ‫ مشبّه به‬implying that the
‫ وجه الشبه‬is stronger in the ‫ مشبّه‬This is called ‫التشبيه املقلوب‬
Example One:
‫دح‬
ُ َ‫حني ْيُْت‬
َ ‫ َوجهُ اخلليفة‬- ُ‫الصباح كأن غُرته‬
ُ ‫وبَدا‬
The morning dawned as if its glow was
The khaleefah’s face when he is praised
Although not mentioned, the ‫ وجه الشبه‬in this stanza is to shine. It
is quite obvious that khaleefah’s face can never shine more
than the morning light. Thus the khaleefah’s face should be the
‫ مشبّه‬and the morning light should be the ‫ مشبّه به‬However, the
poet did the opposite. He made the khaleefah’s face the ‫مشبّه به‬
and the morning light the ‫مشبّه‬
Example Two:
‫در احلَلي ِم‬ ِ ِ
ُ ‫ص‬
َ ‫يحها‬
َ ‫ودونَ ُه ُم فَالة – كأن فَس‬
ُ ‫أح ين لم‬
I yearn for them but there is a desert between them
Its vastness is like the chest (heart) of the tolerant man
Describing the tolerant man, the poet was supposed to
compare his big-heartedness to the vastness of a desert.
However, he did the opposite – he compared the vastness of
the desert to the tolerant man’s chest (heart).

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Easy Balaaghah

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter One (D)
‫التشبيه الضمنى‬

 ‫ التشبيه الضمىن‬is when the ‫ مشبّه‬and the ‫ مشبّه به‬are evident in the
speech but they do not appear in any of the usual forms of
‫تشبيه‬
 ‫ التشبيه الضمىن‬is employed to show that the ‫ حكم‬attributed to
the ‫ مشبّه‬is possible.
Example One:
‫ َويف ُعنُ ِق ا ْحلَ ْسنَ ِاء يُ ْستَ ْح َس ُن الْعِ ْق ُد‬- ‫أصبَ َح ِش ْع ِري ِمْن ُه َما ِيف َم َكانِِه‬
ْ ‫َو‬
My poem about the two of them was in it’s place
And on the neck of a beautiful woman is a necklace
regarded as beautiful
In this stanza the poet (Al-Mutanabbi) is comparing his
poem about the ameer and his father to a necklace on the
neck of a beautiful lady. However, he has not used the
usual format of ‫تشبيه‬
Example Two:
‫عايل‬ ِ ْ‫ فالسيل حرب لِل‬- ‫الَ تُْن ِك ِري عطَل الْ َكرمي ِمن الْغِىن‬
ِ ْ‫مكان ال‬ ْ ُْ َ َ َ َ
Do not think that a generous man without wealth is strange
The flood is always at war with a high place
Having said that it is not strange to see a generous man
who has no wealth, the poet realizes that he could
elaborate his claim by an example. The example he
provides is that of the mountain peaks. When it rains, they
receive the rain water before the rest of the earth. Yet the
water does not collect on the mountain peaks – it collects

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else where. Like wise, the generous man may be spending

abundantly on others, yet he may not possess any wealth
himself. However, here too the ‫ تشبيه‬does not appear in it’s
usual format.
Example Three:
ِ َ‫ إن الس ِفينَةَ الَ َْجتري على الْيَب‬- ‫ك َم َسالِ َك َها‬
‫س‬ ْ ُ‫تَ ْر ُجو الن َجاةَ َوََلْ تَ ْسل‬
You desire salvation but you do not follow it’s path
Surely the cannot sail on dry land!
In this stanza the poet is admonishing the ‫ خماطب‬who desires
salvation from the wrath of Allah but is not desisting from
his evil habits. Thus he compares him to a person who is
trying to sail a ship on dry land. Just as a ship cannot sail on
dry land, so too, salvation is impossible without repentance
and desisting from sin. Once again, the ‫ تشبيه‬does not appear
in it’s usual format.

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter Two
‫المجاز‬

 There are two types of ‫ اجملاز‬viz.

1. ‫اجملاز اللغوى‬
2. ‫اجملاز العقلى‬
 ‫ اجملاز اللغوى‬is also of two types viz.
1. ‫االستعارة‬
2. ‫اجملاز الْ ُم ْر َسل‬

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Easy Balaaghah

 ‫ اجملاز اللغوى‬is a word that has been used out of it’s ‫موضوع له‬
(original) meaning.
 ‫ االستعارة‬is that ‫ جماز‬in which the ‫( عالقة‬relationship) between the
‫ حقيقة‬and the ‫ جماز‬is ‫مشاهبة‬ َ [Chapters Two (A), Two (B) and Two
(C) will discuss ‫ االستعارة‬Insha Allah.]
 ‫ اجملاز الْ ُم ْر َسل‬is that ‫ جماز‬in which the ‫( عالقة‬relationship) between
the ‫ حقيقة‬and the ‫ جماز‬is something other than ‫مشاهبة‬َ [‫اجملاز الْ ُم ْر َسل‬
will be discussed in Chapter Four, Insha Allah.]
 ‫ اجملاز العقلى‬is when something is not attributed to the person
or item to which it is supposed to be attributed. [This type
of ‫ اجملاز‬will be discussed in Chapter Five, Insha Allah.]

(Examples for each of the above will be mentioned in the

following chapters, Insha Allah.)

‫اجملاز‬

‫اجملاز‬
‫اجملاز العقلى‬
‫اللغوى‬

‫اجملاز املرسل‬ ‫االستعارة‬

‫ىف املركب‬ ‫ىف املفرد‬

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Easy Balaaghah

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter Two (A)
‫االستعارة‬

 As previously mentioned, ‫ استعارة‬is a type of ‫ جماز‬in which the

‫( عالقة‬relationship) between the ‫ حقيقة‬and the ‫ جماز‬is ‫مشاهبة‬
َ
 Another aspect of ‫ استعارة‬is the ‫ حذف‬omission of the ‫ أداة التشبيه‬,
‫ وجه التشبيه‬and either the ‫ مشبّه‬or the ‫ مشبّه به‬3
 Accordingly, there are two types of ‫استعارة‬
1. ‫ – تصرحيية‬when the ‫ مشبّه به‬is mentioned and the ‫ مشبّه‬is ‫حمذوف‬
(omitted)
2. ‫ مكنية‬- when the ‫ مشبّه‬is mentioned and the ‫ مشبّه به‬is ‫حمذوف‬
(omitted). In such instances there will always be an
indication to one or more of the ‫( لوازم‬features) of the ‫مشبّه‬
‫به‬

Example One:
ِ ‫ك لِتخرِج الناس ِمن الظيلُم‬
‫ات إِ َىل النيوِر‬ ِ ِ
َ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ ‫كتَاب أَنْ َزلْنَاهُ إلَْي‬
This is a book which We revealed to you so that you may
remove the people from darkness to light.

‫مشبّه به‬ ‫مشبّه‬

ِ ‫الظيلُم‬
‫ات‬ ‫الضالل‬
َ

3
In ‫ استعارة‬the ‫ مشبّه‬is called the ‫ مستعار له‬and the ‫ مشبّه به‬is called the ‫مستعار منه‬

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Easy Balaaghah

‫النيوِر‬ ‫الداية‬
The above aayah has two examples of ‫ استعارة‬In both of them,
the ‫ مشبّه به‬is mentioned and the ‫ مشبّه‬is ‫ حمذوف‬Thus both are
examples of ‫استعارة تصرحيية‬

Note: In every ‫ استعارة‬there must be a ‫( قرينة‬factor) indicating

usage of the ‫ جماز‬In the above example the ‫ قرينة‬is the words
ِ
ُ‫كتَاب أَنْ َزلْنَاه‬

Example Two: Describing the Roman envoys entry into the

court of Saif-ud-Dawlah, Al-Mutanabbi said:
‫سعى ْأم إىل البَ ْد ِر ْيرتَقي‬ ِ ِ ِ
َ َ‫ إىل البَح ِر ي‬- ‫درى‬
َ ‫َوأقْ بَ َل َْيشي يف البساط فَما‬
He proceeded to walk on the carpet without knowing
Whether towards the sea he was walking or to the moon he
was ascending

‫مشبّه به‬ ‫مشبّه‬

‫البحر‬ ‫سيف الدولة‬
‫البدر‬ ‫سيف الدولة‬

As evident in this table, there are two examples of ‫ استعارة‬in

the above stanza and in both of them the ‫ مشبّه به‬is
mentioned. Thus both of them are ‫استعارة تصرحيية‬

In this example the ‫( قرينة‬factor) indicating usage of the ‫ جماز‬is

ِ ِ‫َْي ِشي يف الب‬
the words ‫ساط‬

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Easy Balaaghah

Example Three:
‫ْس َشيْبًا‬ ِ ِ ِّ ‫ر‬
ُ ‫ب إ ِّين َوَه َن الْ َعظْ ُم م ِّين َوا ْشتَ َع َل الرأ‬ َ
My Rabb, my bones have become weak and my head is
kindling with white hair.

‫مشبّه به‬ ‫مشبّه‬

‫النار‬ ‫ْس‬
ُ ‫الرأ‬

 The above table reveals that in this example the ‫ مشبّه‬is

mentioned and the ‫ مشبّه به‬is ‫ حمذوف‬Thus this is ‫استعارة مكنية‬
 The word ‫ َوا ْشتَ َع َل‬is the ‫( قرينة‬factor) indicating usage of the
‫ جماز‬It is also a ‫( الزمة‬feature) of the ‫مشبّه به‬

Example Four: Hajjaaj, the tyrant, said in one of his public

addresses:
‫ت وحا َن قِطافُها‬
ْ ‫ألرى ُرُؤوساً قد أينَ َع‬
َ ‫إين‬
I see heads that have ripened and the time for harvesting
them has arrived

‫مشبّه به‬ ‫مشبّه‬

‫مثارا‬
ً ً‫ُرُؤوسا‬

Hajjaaj compared the heads of his enemies to ripe fruit.

However, he only mentioned the their heads (i.e. the ‫;)مشبّه‬
he did not mention the fruits (i.e. the ‫)مشبّه به‬. Nevertheless,

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Easy Balaaghah

he did indicate to one of the ‫( لوازم‬features) of the ‫ مشبّه به‬by

using the word ‫ت‬ ْ ‫( أينَ َع‬This word together with the sentence
‫ وحا َن قِطافُها‬is the ‫ قرينة‬indicating usage of the ‫)جماز‬

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter Two (B)
‫االستعارة األصلية و التبعية‬

 ‫ االستعارة‬is divided in three different ways:

1. According to whether the ‫ مشبّه‬or the ‫ مشبّه به‬is mentioned.
In this regard there are two types; ‫ تصرحيية‬and ‫( مكنية‬They
were discussed in the previous chapter.)
2. According to the nature of the word in which the ‫استعارة‬
took place. In this regard there are two types; ‫ أصلية‬and
‫تبعية‬
3. According to whether something befitting the ‫ مشبّه‬or the
‫ مشبّه به‬is mentioned. Here there are three types; ‫ مرشحة‬,
‫ ُجمَرَدة‬, and ‫ُمطْلَ َقة‬

##### ##### #####

 ‫ االستعارة‬is called ‫ أصلية‬when it occurs in an ‫اسم جامد‬

Example One:
ْ ِ‫ت ما حل ب‬
‫نابه‬ ْ ِ‫الدهر ب‬
َ ‫ ْلي‬- ‫نابه‬ ُ ‫عضنا‬
Time bit us with it’s tooth
If only our misfortunes afflicted him

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Easy Balaaghah

In this stanza, the poet compares time to an animal; the ‫وجه‬

‫ التشبيه‬being ‫( إيذاء‬both of them cause difficulty). However,
only mentioned the time (i.e. the ‫)مشبّه‬. Instead of
mentioning the ‫)مشبّه به‬, he merely indicated to one of it’s ‫لوازم‬
(i.e. ‫ – عض‬to bite). Furthermore, this ‫ استعارة‬is in the word ‫الدهر‬ ُ
which is an ‫ اسم جامد‬Hence this ‫ استعارة‬is ‫مكنية أصلية‬
Example Two:
ِ ‫ياض الس‬
‫حائب‬ ِ ‫الر‬
ِّ ‫قي‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِِ
َ ‫ سقاها احل َجى َس‬- ً‫ت إلَْيه م ْن ل َساين حدي َقة‬
ُ ْ‫ََحَل‬
I carried to him a garden from my tongue
Watered by intelligence just as gardens are watered by the
clouds
Here the poet compares his poem to a garden; the ‫وجه التشبيه‬
being ‫( مجال‬beauty). In this example, the ‫( مشبّه به‬i.e. ً‫)حدي َقة‬ ِ has
been mentioned. Since ً‫حدي َقة‬ ِ is an ‫ اسم جامد‬this ‫ استعارة‬is ‫تصرحيية‬
‫أصلية‬

##### ##### #####

 ‫ االستعارة‬is called ‫ تبعية‬when it occurs in ‫ حرف‬, an ‫ اسم مشتق‬or a ‫فعل‬

 Looked at from a different angle, every ‫ استعارة تبعية‬could be
explained as ‫استعارة مكنية‬

Example One:
‫اح‬
َ ‫َخ َذ األَلْ َو‬
َ‫بأ‬ُ‫ض‬
َ َ‫وسى الْغ‬
َ ‫ت َعن يم‬
َ ‫َولَما َس َك‬
And when Moosa’s anger subsided,
he took the slates . . .

Page 115
Easy Balaaghah

The word used for subsided is ‫ت‬ َ ‫ َس َك‬which, literally, means to

be silent. Explaining this ‫ استعارة‬we say: ‫ سكون‬was compared to
‫ سكوت‬Thereafter the word ‫ت‬ َ ‫ َس َك‬was derived from ‫سكوت‬
Furthermore, ‫ سكوت‬is the ‫ مشبّه به‬Thus this ‫ استعارة‬is ‫تبعية تصرحيية‬

Looked at differently, we could say that Moosa’s anger was

compared to a human being. However, only the ‫ مشبّه‬was
mentioned. Instead of mentioning the ‫ مشبّه به‬, one of it’s ‫لوازم‬
(i.e. ‫ )سكوت‬was indicated to. Thus this ‫ استعارة‬is ‫مكنية أصلية‬

Example Two:
Praising his poetry, a poet said:
‫ب‬ ِ
ُ ‫مائر والقلو‬
ُ ‫ تبس َمت الض‬- ً‫األمساع يوما‬
َ ‫صافح‬
َ ‫إذا ما‬
When my poetry makes musaafahah with the ears 4

The hearts smile

The ‫ استعارة‬in this stanza is in the word ‫صافح‬

َ which is derived
from ‫ مصافحة‬which in turn has been used in the meaning of
‫( وصول‬to reach). In other words, ‫ مصافحة‬is the ‫ مشبّه به‬Hence, this
‫ استعارة‬is ‫تصرحيية تبعية‬

Looked at from a different angle, it could be said that the

‫ استعارة‬in this stanza is ‫مائر – مكنية أصلية‬
ُ ‫ الض‬and ‫القلوب‬
ُ have been
compared to people. However, the people have not been
mentioned. Nevertheless, the word ‫ت‬ ِ ‫ تبسم‬indicates to them.
َ

4
To shake hands.

Page 116
Easy Balaaghah

Example Three:
ِ
‫جديد‬
ُ ‫ثوب اللهو وهو‬
َ ‫ت‬ُ ‫ ولَبِ ْس‬- ‫الصبا‬
ِّ ‫ت به الشبيبةَ و‬
ُ ‫بلد صحْب‬
A place in which I accompanied youth and childhood
And I donned the garment of fun while it was new

There are two examples of ‫ استعارة‬in this stanza. In the first

example, َ‫ت به الشبيبة‬ ِ
ُ ‫( صحْب‬youth and childhood) are compared
to friends. However, the ‫( مشبّه به‬i.e. friends) have not been
mentioned. Instead, mention is made of ‫ مصاحبة‬which is one
of the ‫ لوازم‬of friends. Since ‫الصبا‬
ِّ ‫ الشبيبةَ و‬are the ‫ مشبّه‬and ‫ اسم جامد‬,
this ‫ استعارة‬is ‫مكنية أصلية‬

In the second example, ‫ استعارة‬is employed in the word ‫ت‬ ُ ‫لَبِ ْس‬
The poet’s intention was: I enjoyed the garment of life. The
Arabic word for enjoyment is ‫ َمتتيع‬However, the poet first
compared ‫ َمتتيع‬to ‫( لُبس‬to wear a garment). He thereafter
derived the word ‫ت‬ ُ ‫ لَبِ ْس‬from ‫ لُبس‬Since ‫ت‬ ُ ‫ لَبِ ْس‬is a ‫ فعل‬and derived
from the ‫ مشبّه به‬, this ‫ استعارة‬is ‫تصرحيية تبعية‬

Look at from a different angle, we could say that ‫( اللهو‬fun)

has been compared to a person who borrowed his garment
to the poet. However, while the ‫( مشبّه‬i.e. ‫ )اللهو‬has been
mentioned, the owner of the garment has not been
mentioned. Instead one of the ‫ لوازم‬of the owner (i.e. ‫ )لُبس‬has
been mentioned. Hence this is ‫استعارة مكنية أصلية‬

Page 117
Easy Balaaghah

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter Two (C)
‫المجردة و المطلقة‬
َّ َّ
‫المرشحة و‬

 ‫ االستعارة الْ ُمَرش َحة‬is that ‫ استعارة‬in which mention is made of

something that befits the ‫مشبّه به‬
Example:
‫ت ِجتَ َارتُ ُه ْم‬ ِ ِ‫أُولَئ‬
ْ َ‫ين ا ْشتَ َرُوا الض َاللَةَ بِا ْلَُدى فَ َما َرَِب‬
َ ‫ك الذ‬
َ
Those are the ones who purchased misguidance in
exchange for guidance, but their trade was not profitable

‫ استعارة‬has been employed in the word ‫ ا ْشتَ َرُوا‬It has been used
‫جمازا‬
ً in the meaning of ‫( استبدلوا‬to substitute). In other words,
‫ استبدلوا‬is the ‫ مشبّه‬and ‫ ا ْشتَ َرُوا‬is the ‫ مشبّه به‬Furthermore ‫ ا ْشتَ َرُوا‬is a ‫فعل‬
Thus this is ‫ استعارة تصرحيية تبعية‬Added to this, the words ‫ت‬ ْ َ‫فَ َما َرَِب‬
‫ ِجتَ َارتُ ُه ْم‬correspond to the ‫ مشبّه به‬Hence, this ‫ استعارة‬is also ‫ُمَرش َحة‬
Put differently, we say that the mention of ‫ ال ِربح‬and ‫ التجارة‬is
‫ترشيح‬

##### ##### #####

 ‫ االستعارة الْ ُم َجرَدة‬is that ‫ استعارة‬in which mention is made of

something that befits the ‫مشبّه‬
Example:
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ك ي‬
ُ‫ م َن ال يدنْيا إىل ُهلْك يَصري‬- ‫فكل عمود قَ ْوم‬ ْ ِ‫فَِإ ْن ْيهل‬

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Easy Balaaghah

If he dies, then every tribal head in the world

is going to die.

In this stanza, the poet is comparing the tribal head to a

pillar. However, he only mentioned the pillar (i.e. the ‫)مشبّه به‬.
The Arabic word for pillar is ‫عمود‬ِ which is an ‫ اسم جامد‬Hence,
ِ ‫ إِىل هلْك ي‬correspond
this is ‫ تصرحيية أصلية‬Moreover, the words ُ‫صري‬ َ ُ
with the ‫ مشبّه‬Here, we may say that these words are ‫جتريد‬

##### ##### #####

 ‫ االستعارة الْ ُمطْلَ َقة‬is that ‫ استعارة‬in which no mention is made of

anything befitting the ‫ مشبّه‬and the ‫)مشبّه به‬.
Example:
‫العطش إِىل لِقائِك‬
ِ ُ ‫إِ ِّين‬
‫شديد‬
I am extremely thirsty to meet you.
In this statement desire is the ‫ مشبّه‬and ‫العطش‬ ِ (thirst) which is
an ‫ اسم جامد‬is the ‫ مشبّه به‬Hence this is also ‫ تصرحيية أصلية‬Since
nothing befitting either the ‫ مشبّه‬or the ‫ مشبّه به‬is mentioned,
this ‫استعارة ُمطْلَ َقة‬

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‫علم البيان‬
Chapter Three
‫االستعارة التمثيلية‬

Thus far the various types of ‫ استعارة‬discussed centered on the

‫( ُم ْفَرَد‬single word). In this chapter we discuss the employment of
‫ استعارة‬in the ‫( ُمركب‬sentence). Such employment of ‫ استعارة‬is known
as ‫االستعارة التمثيلية‬

Definition: ‫ االستعارة التمثيلية‬is defined as a ‫ تركيب‬that is used beyond

it’s ‫( موضوع له‬original) meaning on the basis of ‫مشاهبة‬

Example One:
‫ َِجي ْد ُمرا ِبه الْ َماءَ اليزالال‬- ‫ك ذا فَم ُمر َمريض‬
ُ َ‫َوَم ْن ي‬
One whose mouth is bitter due to illness
Will find sweet water to be bitter

The ‫( موضوع له‬original) meaning of this stanza is quite apparent.

If, due to illness, there is a bitter taste in your mouth, even
sweet water will taste bitter for you. However, the poet (Al-
Mutanabbi) uttered it in reference to people who criticized his
poetry due to their lack of sound literary taste. In other words,
he used these words out of their ‫( موضوع له‬original) meaning and
compared his critics to people whose mouths are bitter due to
illness.

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Example Two:
ِ ‫كل َخ‬
‫طيب‬ ِّ ‫هيزةُ قَ ْو َل‬
َ ‫ت َج‬
ْ ‫قَطَ َع‬
Jaheezah terminated the speech of every orator.
A man from one Arab tribe killed a man from another tribe.
Representatives from each tribe were now engaged in a
meeting on how they could reconcile the two tribes, when a
young girl by the name of Jaheezah entered the meeting and
announced that: the victim’s guardians had caught the
murderer and taken his life in retaliation – there was therefore
no need for any further discussion. Hearing her statement, one
of the participants made the above statement. Consequently,
this statement became a parable. Whenever somebody makes
a decisive statement which silences the rest of the participants
in the discussion (or is unanimously accepted by everybody),
we say: ‫طيب‬ِ ‫كل َخ‬
ِّ ‫هيزةُ قَ ْو َل‬
َ ‫ت َج‬ْ ‫ قَطَ َع‬In so doing, we are comparing such
a speaker to Jaheezah and using the above statement out of it’s
‫( موضوع له‬original) meaning. This is called ‫ متثيل‬or ‫االستعارة التمثيلية‬

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter Four
‫المجاز ال ُْم ْر َسل‬

 If the ‫( عالقة‬relationship) between the ‫ حقيقة‬and the ‫ جماز‬is

‫مشاهبة‬, the ‫ جماز‬is called ‫استعارة‬
 If the ‫( عالقة‬relationship) between the ‫ حقيقة‬and the ‫ جماز‬is not
‫ مشاهبة‬, the ‫ جماز‬is called ‫رسل‬
َ ُ‫اجملاز امل‬
 ‫ عالئق‬other than ‫ مشاهبة‬include:

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1. ‫السبَبِية‬
َ – When the word used by the ‫ متكلم‬is the ‫سبب‬
(cause) of the intended meaning.
Example:
‫أع ّد ِمْن َها َوال أ َُع ّد ُد َها‬
ُ - ‫لي َسابِ َقة‬
ّ ‫لَهُ أيَاد َع‬
He has shown me many favours in the past
I am counted among them yet I cannot count them
The literal meaning of ‫ أيَاد‬is hands. Because hands are
used to do favours for others, they are like their ‫سبب‬
Hence the word ‫( أيَاد‬hands) is used in the meaning of
favours.

2. ‫ – الْ ُم َسببِية‬When the word used by the ‫ متكلم‬is the ‫ُم َسبب‬
(result) of the intended meaning.
Example:
‫ُه َو ال ِذي يُِري ُك ْم آيَاتِِه َويُنَ ِّزُل لَ ُكم ِّم َن الس َماء ِرْزقًا‬
He is the being who shows you His signs and sends
for you sustenance from the sky.
It is obvious that Allah sends rain from the sky.
However, this rain is the ‫( سبب‬cause) of sustenance. Put
differently, sustenance is the ‫( ُم َسبب‬result) of rain.
Hence, the word ‫( ِرْزقًا‬sustenance) has been used in the
meaning of rain.

3. ‫ اجلُْزئِية‬- When the word used by the ‫ متكلم‬is a ‫( جزء‬part) of

the intended meaning.

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Easy Balaaghah

Example:
‫ك َك ْي تَ َقر َعْي نُ َها‬َ ‫اك إِ َىل أ ُِّم‬
َ َ‫فَ َر َج ْعن‬
Thus We returned you to your mother
so that her eye could be at ease
In this aayah the word ‫ني‬ ُ ْ ‫( َع‬eye) has been used ‫جمازا‬ ً in the
meaning of Moosa’s mother’s person (whole body). The
‫( عالقة‬relationship) between ‫ني‬ ُ ْ ‫( َع‬eye) and the whole body
is ‫ ُج ْزئِية‬The eye is a ‫( جزء‬part) of the whole body.

4. ‫ – ال ُكلِّية‬When the intended meaning is a ‫( جزء‬part) of the

(meaning of the) word used by the ‫متكلم‬
Example:
‫َصابِ َع ُه ْم ِيف آذَاهنِِ ْم‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫ُكل َما َد َع ْوتُ ُه ْم لتَ غْفَر َلُ ْم َج َعلُوا أ‬
Whenever I invite them so that you may forgive them,
They place their fingers in their ears.
Placing the whole finger in the ear is impossible. Thus
‫َصابِ َع‬
َ ‫( أ‬fingers) has been used ‫جمازا‬ ً in the meaning of
fingertips. The ‫( عالقة‬relationship) between ‫َصابِ َع‬ َ ‫( أ‬fingers)
and the fingertips is ‫ ُكلِّية‬The finger is the whole and the
fingertip is a ‫( جزء‬part) of it.

5. ‫ اعتبار ما كان‬- When the word used by the ‫ متكلم‬is based on

the past.
Example:
‫َوآتُواْ الْيَتَ َامى أ َْم َوا َلُ ْم‬
And give the orphans their wealth.

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Easy Balaaghah

In the light of the sharee’ah an orphan is a ghair-baaligh

child who has lost his father. Therefore, when the
orphan becomes baaligh (reaches puberty), he ceases
to be an orphan. On the other hand, giving the orphan
his wealth before he becomes baaligh is impermissible.
Hence, the meaning of the aayah is that: give the
orphans their wealth when they become baaligh.
However, when they become baaligh, they are no
longer orphans. We therefore conclude that the word
‫ الْيَتَ َامى‬in this aayah is used on the basis of the past – they
are called orphans because previously they were
orphans.

6. ‫ اعتبار ما يكون‬- When the word used by the ‫ متكلم‬is based on

the future.
Example:
ِ َ‫ضليوا ِعباد َك وَال يلِ ُدوا إِال ف‬
ِ ‫ك إِن تَ َذرهم ي‬
‫اجًرا َكف ًارا‬ َ َ ََ ُ ْ ُْ َ ‫إِن‬
If you leave them, they will mislead your servants
And they will not beget but sinful and ungrateful
children.
A newborn child is sinless. Thus the words ‫اجًرا‬ ِ َ‫ ف‬and ‫َكفارا‬
ً
have been used ‫جمازا‬ ً on the basis of the future. These
children are called sinners and disbelievers in view of
what they will turn out to be.

7. ‫ الْ َم َحلِّية‬- When the word used by the ‫ متكلم‬is a ‫( َحمَ ّل‬place) of
the intended meaning.

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Easy Balaaghah

Example:
‫اسأ َِل الْ َق ْريَةَ ال ِيت ُكنا فِ َيها‬
ْ ‫َو‬
Ask the town in which we were.
The town cannot be spoken to. Yes, the residents of the
town are spoken to. Thus the word َ‫ الْ َق ْريَة‬has been used in
the meaning of it’s residents. The ‫( عالقة‬relationship)
between the town and it’s residents is ‫ َحمَلِّية‬The town is
the ‫حمل‬
ّ ...

8. ‫ ا ْحلالِّية‬- When the intended meaning is a ‫( َحمَ ّل‬part) of the

(meaning of the) word used by the ‫متكلم‬
Example:
‫وه ُه ْم فَ ِفي َر َْحَِة اللّ ِه ُه ْم فِ َيها َخالِ ُدو َن‬
ُ ‫ت ُو ُج‬
ْ ‫ين ابْيَض‬
ِ
َ ‫َوأَما الذ‬
Those whose faces will be white will be in the mercy of
Allah; they will remain therein forever.
Allah’s mercy is not something physical in which people
are able to stay. ‫( َر َْحَِة اللّ ِه‬Allah’s mercy) therefore refers
to Jannah. However, Jannah is called ‫ َر َْحَِة اللّه‬on the basis
of ‫ ا ْحلالِّية‬- Jannah is the ‫ َحمَ ّل‬and ‫ َر َْحَِة اللّه‬is ‫حال‬ ّ

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Easy Balaaghah

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter Five
‫المجاز الع ْقلِى‬

In the beginning of ‫ علم البيان‬we mentioned that ‫ اجملاز‬is of two

types viz. ‫ اجملاز اللغوى‬and ‫ اجملاز الع ْقلِى‬Al-Hamdulillah, we have thus far
completed ‫ االستعارة( اجملاز اللغوى‬and ‫مرسل‬ َ ْ‫ اجملاز ال‬fall under ‫ )اجملاز اللغوى‬In
ِ
this chapter we discuss ‫اجملاز الع ْقلى‬

 ‫( اجملاز الع ْقلِى‬which is also called ‫ )اجملاز ىف اإلسناد‬is when, due to an

‫( عالقة‬relationship), a ‫ فعل‬or something that has the meaning
of a ‫ فعل‬is attributed to something to which it is not
supposed to be attributed.
 There are a number of types of this type of ‫اجملاز‬

1. ‫ – اإلسناد إىل سبب الفعل‬Attribution of the ‫ فعل‬to it’s ‫( سبب‬cause).

Example:
‫ف طَائَِفةً ِمنْ ُه ْم يُ َذبِّ ُح أَبْنَاءَ ُه ْم‬ ِ ْ ‫ض وجعل أَهلَها ِشي عا يست‬ ِ
ُ ‫ضع‬ َ ْ َ ً َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ِ ‫إِن ف ْر َع ْو َن َعال ِيف ْاأل َْر‬
Fir’aun behaved arrogantly in the land and divided it’s
people into groups – regarding a group among them as
weak, he slaughtered their (newborn) sons . . .
Being the king, Fir’aun definitely did not personally take
the life of every newborn child. Instead, his soldiers did
so with his command. Thus, attribution of slaughtering
of the newborn boys to him is due to ‫ اجملاز الع ْقلِى‬The ‫عالقة‬

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Easy Balaaghah

(relationship) being ‫ – سببية‬his command was the ‫ سبب‬for

the soldiers’ slaughter of the newborn boys.
2. ‫ – اإلسناد إىل زمان الفعل‬Attribution of the ‫ فعل‬to the time of it’s
occurrence.
Example:
‫وسا‬ ِ ُ ‫إِنا ََن‬
ً ُ‫اف م ْن َربِّنَا يَ ْوًما َعب‬َ
We fear from our Rabb a frowning day.
The day does not frown. Description of the Day of
Qiyaamah is therefore based on ‫ اجملاز الع ْقلِى‬It is described
as a frowning day because almost everybody on that
day (excluding Allah’s chosen friends) will frown due to
fear and anxiety. In short, frowning is attributed to the
Day of Qiyaamah because it will be the ‫( زمان‬time) for
such frowning.

3. ‫ – اإلسناد إىل مكان الفعل‬Attribution of the ‫ فعل‬to the ‫( مكان‬place)

of it’s occurrence.
Example:
‫ت أ َْوِديَة بِ َق َد ِرَها‬ ِ ِ
ْ َ‫أَنْ َزَل م َن الس َماء َماءً فَ َسال‬
He sent water from the sky, thus the valleys
flowed to their brim.
Truly speaking, the valleys do not flow; the rainwater
flows. However, flowing is attributed to the ‫( أ َْوِديَة‬valleys)
because they are the ‫( مكان‬place) in which the rainwater
flows.

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Easy Balaaghah

4. ‫ اإلسناد إىل مصدر الفعل‬- Attribution of the ‫ فعل‬to it’s ‫( مصدر‬verbal

noun).
Example:
‫ب‬ِ ِ‫اد عطاياه ُجيَ ين ُجنُ ْونَ َها – إذا ََلْ يُ َع ِّو ْذها بِرقْ يَ ِة طال‬
ُ َ‫ت‬
ُ
His gifts almost went insane when he did not protect it
with the incantation of a seeker
In this stanza the verb ‫ ُجيَ ين‬is attributed to ‫ ُجنُ ْو َن‬which is
it’s ‫مصدر‬

5. ‫ إسناد املبين للفاعل إىل املفعول‬- Usage of the ‫( اسم الفاعل‬active

participle) in the meaning of the ‫( اسم املفعول‬passive
participle).
Example:
‫اص َم الْ ْيوَم ِم ْن ْأم ِر اهللِ إال َم ْن َرِح َم‬
ِ ‫ال ع‬
َ
Today nobody is protected from Allah’s command but
the one on whom Allah shows mercy
ِ ‫ ع‬is an ‫ اسم الفاعل‬and it is generally translated
The word ‫اص َم‬ َ
as protector. However, in this aayah it is used in the
meaning of the ‫( اسم املفعول‬i.e. ‫ )معصوم‬and it is translated as
one who is protected.

6. ‫ إسناد املبين للمفعول إىل الفاعل‬- Usage of the ‫( اسم املفعول‬passive

participle) in the meaning of the ‫( اسم الفاعل‬active
participle).
Example:
‫ورا‬ ِ ِِ ِ ِ ِ ‫وإِ َذا قَرأْت الْ ُقرآ َن جع ْلنا ب ي نك وب‬
ً ُ‫ين الَ يُ ْؤمنُو َن باآلخَرة ح َجابًا م ْست‬
َ ‫ني الذ‬
َ ْ َ َ َ َ َْ َ َ َ َ َ َ

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Easy Balaaghah

When you read the Qur’aan, We place between you and

those who disbelieve in the hereafter
a concealing barrier.
The word ‫ورا‬‫ت‬
ً ُْ‫س‬ ‫م‬ is an ‫ اسم املفعول‬and is generally translated
as concealed. However, in this aayah it is used in the
meaning of the ‫ اسم الفاعل‬and is translated as concealing.

‫علم البيان‬
Chapter Six
‫الكناية‬

 ‫ الكناية‬is a word that is used in the ‫( الزم‬consequence) of it’s

meaning together with the possibility that the actual
meaning was intended.
Example:
‫جعفر مهزول الفصيل‬
Translated literally, this sentence would mean: Ja’far’s
animals are skinny. However, the Arabs would understand
from this statement that Ja’far is extremely hospitable. A
hospitable man would always be slaughtering his animals in
order to entertain and feed his guests. Thus his animals
would not have an opportunity to get fat. In other words,
skinny animals is the ‫( الزم‬consequence) of generosity and
hospitality. Usage of the above description (‫ )مهزول الفصيل‬in
the meaning of generosity and hospitality (together with
the possibility of merely referring to the actual meaning i.e.
that Ja’far’s animals are skinny) is an example ‫كناية‬

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Easy Balaaghah

 Dependent on the ‫( مكىن عنه‬issue alluded to), there are three

types of ‫كناية‬

1. When the ‫ مكىن عنه‬is a ‫( صفة‬description).

Example:
Khansaa said about her brother Sakhr:
ِ ‫العماد كثري‬
‫الرماد إذا ما شتا‬ ِ ‫فيع‬ ِ
ُ ُ ‫طويل النجاد ر‬
ُ
His sword belt is long, his pillars are high and he has
abundant ash in the winter season
 Only a tall person will wear a long sword belt. Thus
ِ
the words ‫النجاد‬ ‫طويل‬
ُ mean Sakhr was tall.
 High pillars imply that his house was huge and lofty;
high pillars would not be necessary if the house is
small.
 Having abundant ash means that he cooks abundant
food to feed his guests. Feeding a large amount of
guests indicates generosity and hospitality.
(Note that all the meanings intended above are ‫)صفات‬

2. When the ‫ مكىن عنه‬is a ‫( نسبة‬attribution)

Example:
‫ضيَاءً يُْزري ب ُك ّل ِضيَ ِاء‬ ِ ‫ك الذي املج ُد‬
ِ َ‫فيه ل‬
َْ َ ِ‫إ ّن يف ثَ ْوب‬
In your garment in which is nobility there is a light which
belittles every (other) light
The poet’s aim is to attribute ‫( امل ْج ُد‬dignity) to the person
َ
he is praising. However, instead of doing so explicitly,
he attributes ‫( امل ْج ُد‬dignity) to something related to him
َ
i.e. his garment. In short, he is indirectly attributing ‫امل ْج ُد‬
َ
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Easy Balaaghah

(dignity) to the person he is praising. Thus the ‫ مكىن عنه‬is a

‫( نسبة‬attribution)

3. When the ‫ مكىن عنه‬is neither a ‫ صفة‬nor ‫ نسبة‬but a ‫موصوف‬

(described noun).
Example:
ِ
‫األضغان‬ ‫جمامع‬
َ ‫الطاعنني‬
َ ‫أبيض خم َذم و‬
َ ‫بكل‬ِّ ‫الضاربني‬
(I praise) those who strike with every sharp sword
Who stab the assemblies of malice
The heart is where people conceal their malice and
hatred for others. Thus the words ‫األضغان‬ ِ ‫جمامع‬ actually
َ
mean the hearts of people. ‫األضغان‬ ِ ‫جمامع‬ is neither a ‫ صفة‬nor
َ
a ‫ ; نسبة‬it is a ‫موصوف‬

 Dependent on the ‫( وسائط‬links) between the spoken word

and the intended meaning, there are three types:

1. ‫ – التلويح‬When the ‫ وسائط‬are many.

ِ ‫ كثري‬in the meaning of generosity
Example: Usage of ‫الرماد‬ ُ
and hospitality.
 Abundant ash implies frequent lighting of the fire.
 Frequent lighting of the fire implies frequent
cooking.
 Frequent cooking implies abundant guests.
 Abundant guests imply generosity and hospitality.

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Easy Balaaghah

2. ‫ – الرمز‬When there are few or no ‫ وسائط‬and the intended

meaning is unclear.
Example:
‫زيد عريض الوسادة‬
Zaid’s pillow is broad.
Broadness of his pillow is an indication that his nape is
broad. This in turn indicates stupidity. Since the
relationship between a broad pillow and stupidity is
unclear, this ‫ كناية‬is called ‫رمز‬
3. ‫ – اإلشارة‬When the there are few or no ‫ وسائط‬and the
intended meaning is clear.
Example:
‫اجملد ألْقى رحلَه – ِىف آل طلحة ُُث ََلْ يَتَ َحول‬
َ ‫أيت أن‬
َ ‫َأو ما ر‬
Did you not see that nobility placed it’s tents among
Talha’s family and never went away thereafter?
The poet’s intention – to describe Talha’s family as
noble people – is quite clear. Hence this ‫ كناية‬is an
example of ‫اإلشارة‬

‫التعريض‬
‫ التعريض‬is a type of ‫ كناية‬wherein the ‫ خماطَب‬is able to understand the
intention of the ‫ متكلم‬due to the ‫( سياق‬context) of his statement
or some other ‫( قرينة‬factor).
Example: Zaid is frequently causing problems for people. Thus
you tell him:
‫خري الناس من ينفع الناس‬
The best of people is the one who benefits them.

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‫علم البديع‬

‫ علم البديع‬is the study of the various methods that could be

employed in order to enhance the beauty of one’s speech.
There are two areas of study in ‫ علم البديع‬viz.
1. ‫ – الْ ُم َح ِّسنات الْمعنوية‬Factors that relate to the meaning.
2. ‫ – الْ ُم َح ِّسنات الل ْف ِظية‬Factors that relate to the spoken word.
Each one of them comprises of a number of different types. For
the purpose of this book, we will suffice with only a few of
them.

)1( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫التورية‬

‫ التورية‬is when a word has two meanings; ‫( قريب‬close – which is

immediately understood) and ‫( بعيد‬distant – which is not
immediately understood) and the ‫ متكلم‬intends the latter.
Example One:
‫األديب‬ ‫دهم‬ ِ ِ
ُ ُ ْ‫ لقاءُ املوت عن‬- ‫أدمي وجهي َعن أُنَاس‬َ ‫أصو ُن‬ ُ
‫يب‬ ِ ِ
ُ َ‫اىف به َلُ ُم حب‬
َ ‫ َولَ ْو َو‬- ‫عنده ُم بَغيض‬
ُ ‫ب الشعر‬
‫َوَر ي‬
I protect the skin of my face from people
For whom meeting death is the (only) admonisher
In their eyes, the composer of a poem is abhorred
Even if . . . brings it to them
The word ‫يب‬ُ َ‫ حب‬above could mean somebody beloved. This is it’s
‫ قريب‬meaning. However, it could also refer to the famous poet,

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Abu Tammaam, whose name was Hebeeb bin Aws. This is the
‫ بعيد‬meaning and this is what the poet intended. Thus, he
means: They abhor anybody who composes a poem even if he
be the famous poet, Abu Tammaam Hebeeb bin Aws.

Example Two:
‫عوق‬
ْ َ‫ور هبَا ي‬ ِ ‫أب ي‬
َ‫ص‬ ُ ُ‫ات ش ْعرك كال ُقص … … ور وال ق‬
ُ َْ
‫قيق‬
ْ ‫…حر ومعناها َر‬ ِ
ُ … ‫العجائب لَ ْفظُها‬
َ ‫ومن‬ َ
The stanzas of your poem are like palaces
There are no faults in it that obscure appreciation
of its beauty
Amazingly its words are free but its meaning is . . .
The word ‫قيق‬ ْ ‫ َر‬could mean slave. Mention of the word ‫( ُحر‬free)
before it causes the ‫ خماطَب‬to immediately consider this meaning.
However, this is not what the poet meant. Instead, he used the
word ‫قيق‬
ْ ‫ َر‬in the meaning of feeble. He meant: but the meaning
of your poem is feeble.

)2( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫ال ِطباق‬

 ‫ طباق‬is the mentioning of two opposite (conflicting)

meanings in the same statement.
Example One:
‫َوَْحت َسبُ ُه ْم أَيْ َقاظًا َوُه ْم ُرقُود‬
You would have thought that they were awake whereas
they were asleep.

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Example Two:
ِ
ِ ‫اهر والْب‬
‫اط ُن‬ ِ
َ َ ُ ‫ُه َو ْاألَو ُل َو ْاآلَخُر َوالظ‬
He is The First and The Last and
The Apparent and The Concealed.
There are two examples of ‫ طباق‬in this aayah:
ِ ‫ْاألَو ُل و ْاآل‬
a. ‫َخُر‬ َ
ِ ‫اهر والْب‬
b. ‫اط ُن‬ ِ
َ َ ُ ‫َِالظ‬

 There are two types of ‫ طباق‬viz.

ِ‫م‬
1. ‫ – طباق اإلجياب‬When both of the opposites are either ‫وجب‬ ُ
(positive) or ‫( سالب‬negative).
Example: The above citations from the Qur’aan are
examples of ‫طباق اإلجياب‬

2. ‫ – طباق السلب‬When one of the two opposites is ‫وجب‬ ِ‫م‬

ُ
(positive) and the other is ‫( سالب‬negative).
Example One:
‫اس َوالَ يَ ْستَ ْخ ُفو َن ِم َن اللّ ِه‬
ِ ‫يَ ْستَ ْخ ُفو َن ِم َن الن‬
They hide from the people
but they do not hide from Allah.

Example Two:
‫قول‬
ُ َ‫حني ن‬ ِ ‫ وال ي‬- ‫اس قوَلم‬
ِ ّ‫نكُر إن ِشئنا على الن‬
ِ ُ‫ون‬
َ ‫القول‬
َ ‫نكرو َن‬ُ
We disapprove of the speech of the people if we desire
But they do not disapprove of the speech when we
speak

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)3( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫الْ ُمقابلة‬

 ‫ الْ ُمقابلة‬is when the ‫ متكلم‬mentions two or more items and

thereafter mentions their opposites in the same sequence.
Example One:
Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam said to the Ansaar:
‫ وتَِقليو َن ِعنْ َد الط َمع‬،‫إِنكم لَتَكْثُُرو َن ِعنْ َد الْ َفَزع‬
Your numbers increase at the time of fear
But you are few at the time of greed
(You eagerly offer your assistance at the time of battle
but you are not greedy for booty.)
Note:
 ‫ تَ ِقليو َن‬is the opposite of ‫تَكْثُُرو َن‬
 ‫ الط َمع‬is the opposite of ‫الْ َفَزع‬

Example Two:
Abdul Malik bin Marwaan said:
‫ وال لُ ْم َتها َعلَى مكروه ابتدأْتُه َبزم‬،‫ت نَ ْفسي َعلَى حمبوب ابتدأْتُه َبع ْجز‬ ِ
ُ ‫َما ََح ْد‬
Neither do I praise myself for something praiseworthy
which I commence because I have no other alternative
Nor do I criticize myself for something loathsome which I
commence with (my own) determination
Note:
 ‫ لُ ْمت‬is the opposite of ‫ت‬ ِ
ُ ‫ََح ْد‬
 ‫ مكروه‬is the opposite of ‫حمبوب‬
 ‫ حزم‬is the opposite of ‫َع ْجز‬

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)4( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫ُمراعاة النظير‬

‫ مراعاة النظري‬is the mentioning of two or more related items

between which there is no ‫( تضاد‬conflict).

Example One:
‫س َوالْ َق َمُر َِبُ ْسبَان‬
ُ ‫الش ْم‬
The sun and the moon rotate according
to a (fixed) calculation.
In this aayah Allah Ta’aala mentions ‫س‬ ُ ‫( الش ْم‬the sun) and ‫( الْ َق َمُر‬the
moon). The relationship between the two and the fact that
there is no conflict between them is quite apparent.

Example Two:
Describing the leanness of the camels upon which he was
migrating, the famous poet, Al-Buhtary, said:
‫ ُه ِم َم ِْربيةً بَ ِل األ َْوتَا ِر‬- ‫َس‬ ِ ِِ
ْ ‫كالْقس ّي الْ ُم َعط َفات بَ ِل األ‬
Like curved bows, in fact sharp arrows,
in fact the strings of the bows
The relationship between bows, arrows and the strings of the
bows and the fact that there is no conflict between them is
quite apparent.

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)5( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫الجمع‬

‫ اجلمع‬is the gathering of a number of different things under the

same ‫( حكم‬ruling).

Example One:
‫ال َوالْبَنُو َن ِزينَةُ ا ْحلَيَاةِ الدينْيَا‬
ُ ‫الْ َم‬
Wealth and children are the beauty of the worldly life.
In this aayah ‫ال‬ُ ‫ الْ َم‬and ‫ الْبَ نُو َن‬have been included under the same
ruling i.e. both of them are the beauty of the worldly life.

Example Two:
‫إن الشباب و الفراغ و اجلِ َدة – مفسدة للمرء أي مفسدة‬
Youth, free time and wealth
Are a great cause of destruction for a man
The poet has gathered three items (‫ الشباب‬, ‫ الفراغ‬and ‫ ) اجلدة‬under
the same ‫ حكم‬i.e. they can be a great cause of destruction for a
man.

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)6( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫التفريق‬

‫ التفريق‬is defined as the separation between two items of the

same ‫( نوع‬type).

Example One:
‫سخ ِاء‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫ َكنَوال األَم ِري يَ ْوَم‬- ‫ت َربِيع‬ َ ْ‫َما نَو ُال الْغَ َم ِام َوق‬
‫ ونو ُال الْغَ َم ِام قَطَْرةُ َم ِاء‬- ‫فنوال األ َِم ِري بَ ْد َرةُ َع ْني‬
The gift of the clouds in spring is not
Like the Ameer’s gift at the time of generosity
The Ameer’s gift is a huge amount of gold
And the gift of the clouds is a drop of water
ِ‫( نَو ُال الْغَمام‬the gift of the clouds) and ‫( نوال األ َِم ِري‬the Ameer’s gift) are
َ
two things belonging to the same type; they are both gifts.
However, the poet differentiated between them saying that
they are different – one is a bag of money and the other is a
drop of water.

Example Two:
‫ب ََل يَ ُدِم‬
ِ ‫ود ال يس ْح‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
ُ ‫ َع ِن الْعبَاد َو ُج‬- ُ‫ود َكفْيه ََلْ تُ ْقل ْع َس َحائبُه‬
ُ ‫فَ ُج‬
The generosity of his palms, it’s clouds
never pull back from the servants (people)
but the generosity of the clouds do not last forever
ِ‫( جود َكفيه‬the generosity of his palms) and ‫ب‬ ِ ‫ود ال يس ْح‬
ْ ُ ُ ُ ‫( ُج‬the
generosity of the clouds) are also two items belonging to the
same type. However, the poet differentiated between them
saying that one stops and the other does not.

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)7( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫التقسيم‬

‫ التقسيم‬is of two types:

1. Mentioning all the items within a particular type.

Example:
‫لكن ِىن َع ْن ِعلْ ِم َما ِىف َغد َع ِم ْى‬
ِ ‫س قَب لَه – و‬ ِ ‫و أعلَم ِعلْم‬
ُ ْ ِ ‫األم‬ْ ‫اليوم َو‬
ْ َ ُْ
I know the knowledge of today and tomorrow before it
But I’m blind towards the knowledge of what’s going to
happen tomorrow
There are only three days in our lives; yesterday, today and
tomorrow and this stanza has mentioned all three of types.

2. Mentioning a number of different items and then referring

something specific to each one of them.

Example:
‫بأدبِِه‬ ِِ ِ ِ
َ ‫ب و الْ ُم ْجتَ ِه ُد – هذا با ْجت َهاده و ذَ َاك‬
ُ ‫تأد‬
ِّ ‫ال يَنْ َج ُح إال الْ ُم‬
Nobody but the well-mannered and the hardworking are
successful. This one (is successful) due to his hard work and
that one due to his good manners.

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)8( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
ُّ َّ‫الل‬
‫ف و النَّ ْشر‬

‫ اللف و النشر‬is very similar to the second type of ‫ التقسيم‬The

difference between the two is that while in the latter, we
mention a number of different items and then refer something
specific to each one of them, in the former (‫ )اللف و النشر‬we
mention a number of different items and then, relying on the
listener’s understanding, we refer something unspecified to
each one of them.

Example:
‫ضلِ ِه‬ ِ
ْ َ‫َوِم ْن َر َْحَتِ ِه َج َع َل لَ ُك ُم اللْي َل َوالن َه َار لِتَ ْس ُكنُوا فِ ِيه َولتَبْتَ غُوا ِم ْن ف‬
Due to His mercy He made for you the day and the night
So that you could rest therein and seek His bounty (sustenance).

Having mentioned the night and the day, Allah Ta’aala

thereafter mentioned ‫( لِتَ ْس ُكنُوا فِ ِيه‬so that you could rest therein)
and ‫ضلِ ِه‬
ْ َ‫( لِتَْبتَ غُوا ِم ْن ف‬so that you could seek His bounty). Since the
night was mentioned before the day, ‫ لِتَ ْس ُكنُوا فِيه‬was mentioned
before ‫ضلِ ِه‬ ْ َ‫ لِتَبْتَ غُوا ِم ْن ف‬However, there is no specification in the
aayah that ‫ لِتَ ْس ُكنُوا فِيه‬refers to the night and ‫ضلِه‬ ْ َ‫ لِتَبْتَ غُوا ِم ْن ف‬refers to
the day. The reason for not specifying this is that it is quite
obvious and easy for the recite of the Qur’aan to understand it.

Literally, ‫ اللف و النشر‬could be translated as folding and unfolding.

Explaining it in the light of the above example, we could say

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Easy Balaaghah

that the ‫( لف‬folding) is in ‫ اللْي َل َوالن َه َار‬and the ‫( نشر‬unfolding) is in

‫ضلِ ِه‬ ِ
ْ َ‫لِتَ ْس ُكنُوا فِ ِيه َولتَبْتَ غُوا ِم ْن ف‬

‫ اللف و النشر‬is of two types:

a. ‫ – مرتب‬When the ‫( نشر‬unfolding) follows the sequence of the
‫( لف‬folding). The aayah quoted above is an example of this
type.
b. ‫ غري مرتب‬- When the ‫( نشر‬unfolding) does not follow the
sequence of the ‫( لف‬folding).

)9( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫ُح ْس ُن التعليل‬

Occasionally, the ‫( متكلم‬explicitly or implicitly) denies the

common ‫( ِعلة‬cause) of something and instead, establishes an
uncommon and exquisite ‫ ِعلة‬befitting his ‫( غرض‬aim) in denying
the common ‫ ِعلة‬This is known as ‫حسن التعليل‬

Example One:
‫من اخلَ َج ِل‬
َ ‫ولكن تعداكم‬
ْ ً‫ طبعا‬- ‫وتربتها‬
ْ ‫مصر‬
َ ‫عن‬
ْ ‫ث‬ُ ‫قصر الغَْي‬
َ ‫ما‬
The rain did not fail to reach Egypt and it’s soil due to some
natural cause
Instead it went beyond you due to it’s shyness
The poet’s aim in this stanza is to praise Egypt. Thus he claims
that the shortage of rain in Egypt is not due to some natural

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Easy Balaaghah

cause. Instead, it is because, considering Egypt’s greatness, the

rain felt too shy to fall on it.

Example Two:
There was an earthquake in Egypt. Shortly thereafter, a poet
praised the Egyptian ruler of the time saying:
‫من ِع ْدلِِه طَربا‬
ْ ‫صت‬
ِ ِ ‫ما زلزلَت ِم‬
ْ َ‫صُر من َكْيد يُر ُاد هبا … …وإمنا رق‬
ْ ْ ُ
Egypt was not shaken due to a plot against it
It was merely dancing out of joy due his justice

)10( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫عكسه‬ َّ ِ ِ
ُ ‫تأكيد ال َْم ْدح بما يُشبه الذ َّم و‬

َّ ُ‫( تأكيد المدح بِما يُ ْشبِه‬emphasis of praise in a manner that

‫الذم‬
resembles criticism) is of two types:
1. ‫( استثناء‬exclusion) of a praiseworthy quality after dismissal of
a blameworthy quality.

Example One:
ِ ‫ ال تَ َقع العني على‬- ‫ليس به عيب ِسوى أَنه‬
‫شبهه‬ َُْ ُ ُ َ َ
There is nothing wrong with him
Except that your eye will not see somebody like him

Example Two:
‫الوطن‬ ِ ِ
ْ ‫تعاب بنسيان األَحبة و‬
ُ - ‫غري أن ضيُوف ُك ْم‬
َ ‫ب فيكم‬
َ ‫وال َعْي‬
There is nothing wrong in you except that
(due to your hospitality)

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Easy Balaaghah

Your guests are criticized for forgetting their beloved and

their home

2. ‫( استثناء‬exclusion) of a praiseworthy quality after mentioning

of another praiseworthy quality.

Example One:
‫أين من قَُريْش‬ ِ ‫أَنَا أفْصح الْعر‬
ِّ ‫ب بَْي َد‬ ََ ُ َ
I am the most eloquent of Arabs except that
I am from the Quraish

Example Two:
‫ َج َواد فَ َما يُْبقي ِم َن امل ِال بَاقِيَا‬- ُ‫غي َر أَنه‬
ْ ُ‫َخالقُه‬
ْ‫تأ‬ْ َ‫فَ َىت َك ُمل‬
َ
A young man whose character is perfect except that
He is generous – thus he spares no wealth

##### ##### #####

‫ح‬ ِ ِ ِّ ‫( تأكي ُد‬emphasis of criticism in a manner that

َ ‫الذم بما يُ ْشبهُ ال َْم ْد‬
resembles praise) is also of two types:
1. ‫( استثناء‬exclusion) of a blameworthy quality after dismissal
of a praiseworthy quality.
Example:
‫العيب فيهم‬ َ ‫خري يف هؤالء القوم إِال أَهنم يعيبو َن‬
ُ ‫زماهنم و‬ َ ‫ال‬
There is nothing good in these people except that
They criticize their time whereas the fault is in them

2. ‫( استثناء‬exclusion) of a blameworthy quality after

mentioning another blameworthy quality.

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Easy Balaaghah

Example:
.‫صديق السفها ِء‬
ُ
ِِ
ُ‫اجلاهل عد يو نَ ْفسه لكنه‬
ُ
The ignorant man is the enemy of himself
But he is the friend of the fools

)11( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫أسلوب الحكيم‬

 ‫ أسلوب احلكيم‬is the utterance of a statement which the ‫ خماطب‬is

not expecting.

 It is employed in order to draw the attention of the ‫ خماطب‬to

something more important than what he is talking about.

 There are two ways in which this is done:

1. Evading his question and answering a question which he
did not ask.

Example One:
ِ
‫بالعافية‬ َ ‫ كم ِسن‬:‫قيل لشيخ َه ِرم‬
‫ إِين أَنْ َع ُم‬:‫يك؟ فقال‬
An old man was asked: ‘How old are you?’ He replied:
‘I’m enjoying good health.’
Good health is much more important than long age.
Thus, instead of answering the question about his age,
the old man tried to draw the questioner’s attention to
the fact that he should rather enquire about his health.
Hence he said that he was enjoying good health.

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Example Two:
ِ
‫باملوجود‬ ‫جتود‬
َ ‫اجلود أَ ْن‬
ُ :‫الغىن؟ فقال‬
َ ‫ ما‬:‫قيل لرجل‬
A man was asked: ‘What is wealth?’ He replied:
‘Generosity is that you share whatever you have.’
Generosity is more important than wealth. Of what
benefit is hoarded wealth? Thus, when this man was
asked to define wealth, he endeavoured to draw the
questioner’s attention that instead of enquiring of the
definition of wealth, he should focus on the definition
of generosity.

2. Interpreting his statement contrary to the way he had

intended.
Example One:
ِ ‫ولق ْد أَتيت‬
ِ ‫ يف قَ ْر‬- ُ‫لصاحب وسأَلْتُه‬
‫ض دينار ألمر كانَا‬ ُ
‫فقلت لهُ وال إنسانا‬ ِ
ُ ً‫ عينا‬- ‫ت‬ ْ ‫فأَجابَين واهلل داري ما َح َو‬
I went to my friend and asked him
to lend me one dinar for something that happened
He replied: By Allah, my house does not contain
any ‘ayn
So I said: Not even a human being?
The Arabic word ‫ عني‬has many different meanings
including gold and eye. When the poet’s friend said: ‫داري‬
ً‫ت عينا‬
ْ ‫ ما َح َو‬my house does not contain any ‘ayn, he meant
gold. (My house does not contain any gold.) However,
the poet interpreted it as eye. Thus he said: ‫( وال إنسانا‬If
your house does not contain any eye, does it not contain
any human being?)

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Example Two:
‫س‬ِ ْ‫در أُن‬ ْ ‫ ِيل ْرحيانَة‬- ُ‫كنت أَراه‬
َ ‫ومص‬ ُ ‫جاءَين ابْين ْيوماً و‬
‫إنك نفسي‬
َ ‫قلت‬ ُ ‫س؟‬ ِ ُ ُ‫قال ما الروح؟ ق‬
ُ ‫لت إنك ُروحي – قال ما الن ْف‬ ُ
My son came to me one day – and I regarded him as
my flower and the source of my joy
What is the rooh? He asked. I replied: You are my rooh.
What is the nafs? He asked. I replied: You are my nafs.
The poet’s son was too young to understand what the
rooh and the nafs are. However, instead of telling this
to his son, the poet directed his son’s thoughts to
something else. He told him how much he loved him . . .

)12( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫تعارف الجاهل‬

‫ جتاهل العارف‬is the treatment of something ‫( معلوم‬known) as if it is

‫( جمهول‬unknown). It is employed for a number of different
reasons including ‫( التع يجب‬expression of amazement), ‫الْمدح‬
(praise), ‫الذم‬
ّ (criticism), ‫( التوبيخ‬reprimand), ‫( اإلنكار‬disapproval) and
‫( اإليناس‬creation of familiarity or a friendly atmosphere).

Example One: Mourning the death of her brother, Laila Bint

Tareef said:
ِ ‫ك ََل َْجتز ْع َعلَى ابْ ِن طَ ِر‬
‫يف‬ َ ْ َ ‫ َكأَن‬- ‫ك ُموِرقاً؟‬
َ َ‫اخلَابُوِر َمال‬
ْ ‫أَيَا َش َجَر‬
O trees of Khaaboor, why do you (still) have leaves?
It seems that you do not mourn for Ibn Tareef
(This is an example of ‫ جتاهل العارف‬for the sake of reprimand.)

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Example Two:
‫صن أ َْم نِ َساءُ؟‬ ِ ُ ‫ أَقَوم‬- ‫ال أ َْد ِري‬
ْ ‫آل ح‬ ْ ُ ‫ف إِ َخ‬ َ ‫َوَما أ َْد ِري‬
ُ ‫وس ْو‬
I don’t know, but I think I will soon know
Are the family of Husain men or women?
(This is an example of ‫ جتاهل العارف‬for the sake of criticism.)

Example Three: When Moosa alaihis-salaam was on Mount

Toor, Allah Ta’aala asked him:
‫وسى‬
َ ‫يام‬
ُ ‫ك‬َ ِ‫ك بِيَ ِمين‬
َ ‫َوَما تِْل‬
What is in your right hand, O Moosa?
(This is an example of ‫ جتاهل العارف‬for the sake of ‫ – اإليناس‬to make
Moosa alaihis-salaam feel at ease.)

)13( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫االفتنان‬

‫ االفتنان‬is the employment of two or more ‫( فنون‬tones) at a time.

The word ‫ فنون‬is generally translated as subjects, arts or simply
varieties. In the context of ‫ احملسنات املعنوية‬I have translated it as
tones in view of the types of ‫ فنون‬referred to viz. ‫( املدح‬praise), ‫الجاء‬
(satire), ‫( الفخر‬boasting), ‫( التحدِّى‬challenge), ‫( التهنيئة‬congratulation),
‫( التعزية‬condolence) and ‫( العتاب‬reprimand).

Example One:
‫ني فِ َيها ِجثِيا‬ ِِ
َ ‫ين ات َق ْوا َونَ َذ ُر الظالم‬
ِ
َ ‫ُُث نُنَ ِّجي الذ‬
We will then grant salvation to those who possess taqwa
And we will leave the wrongdoers kneeling in it (Jahannam)

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This aayah is an example of ‫ االفتنان‬because it combines ‫( الوعد‬a

promise) and ‫( الوعيد‬a warning).

Example Two: When Mu’aawiyah radiallahu anhu passed away,

people were bewildered as to whether they should offer their
condolences to his son Yazeed or whether they should
congratulate him on becoming the khaleefah. Thus Abdullah
bin Hammaam As-Salooli visited Yazeed and said to him:

،ً‫يت جسيما‬ ِ
َ ‫ وأ ُْعط‬،ً‫ئت عظيما‬ َ ‫ فقد ُرز‬،‫ وأعانك على الرعية‬،‫ وبارك لك يف العطية‬،‫آجَرك اهلل على الرزية‬ َ
‫ت ِخالفة اهلل؛‬ ‫ح‬
َ ْ ُ
ِ‫ ومن‬،‫ واصرب له على ما رِزيت؛ فقد فقدت خليفة اهلل‬،‫فا ْش ُك ِر اللّه على ما أُعطيت‬
َ ُ ْ
‫ فأُعطيت‬،‫ فغفر اللّه ذَنْبَه؛ وولَيت الرياسة‬،‫ت جزيالً؛ إ ْذ قضى ُمعا ِويةُ َْحنبه‬ ِ
َ ‫ َوُوهْب‬،ً‫ففارقت جليال‬
َ
‫ ووفقك لصاحل األمور‬،‫السياسة؛ فأوردك اللّه موا ِرَد السرور‬
‫أصفاكا‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ
ْ ‫ وا ْش ُك ْر حبَاء الذي باملُلْك‬- ‫ت ذا ثقة‬ َ ْ‫ فقد فارق‬،‫يد‬
ُ ‫ يَز‬،‫اصْب ْر‬
‫كع ْقباكا‬ َ ‫ كما ُرِز‬- ‫ال ُرْزءَ أَصبَح يف األقوام نَ ْعلَمه‬
ُ ‫ئت وال ُع ْق َِب‬
‫عاه ُم واللهُ يَْرعاكا‬
ُ ‫ت ْتر‬ ِ ‫ت وايل أم ِر‬
َ ْ‫ فأَن‬- ‫الناس كلهم‬ َ َ ‫بح‬ ْ ‫أص‬ ْ

“May Allah reward you in your loss, bless you in your gift and
assist you over your subjects. Most certainly, you have lost
somebody great and received something enormous. Exercise
patience over your loss; you have lost the khaleefah of Allah
and you have received the khilaafah of Allah. You have parted
from an honourable (father) and received a huge (gift) when
Mu’aawiyah passed on, may Allah forgive his sin. You have
received leadership and administration (of the state). May Allah
bless you with joy and guide you to what is correct.”
He then read the following couplets:

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Easy Balaaghah

Be patient, Yazeed, because you have separated from

somebody reliable
Be grateful to the being who chose you for kingdom
We neither know of a loss in all the nations like yours
Nor do we know of an outcome like yours
You are now in charge of the affairs of all the people
You will see to them and Allah will see to you

Due to the successful and effective combination of ‫التعزية‬

(condolence) and ‫( التهنيئة‬congratulation), the above speech and
couplets are an excellent example of ‫االفتنان‬

)14( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫النزاهة‬

‫ النزاهة‬is the usage of decent, respectable words in satire.

Example One: An excellent example of ‫ النزاهة‬is Surah Lahab. The

purpose of this Surah is ‫( ذ يم أىب لب و امرأته‬to lampoon Abu Lahab
and his wife).

Example Two:
‫ت و ال كِالبًا‬
َ ‫كعبًا بَلَ ْغ‬
ِ
ْ ‫فغض طرفَك إن من منري – فال‬ ِّ
Lower your gaze, you are from Nameer
You’ve neither reached (the status) of Ka’b nor Kilaab5
Example Three:
ِ ‫حسِِب بِ ِذ ْك ِرَك ِيل ذَما و منْ َقصةً – فِيما نَطَ ْقت فَال تَنْ ُقص و ال‬
‫تذِم‬ َ ْ َ َْ َ َ َ َْ

5
Nameer, Ka’b and Kilaab are names of Arab tribes.

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Your mentioning me is a sufficient disgrace for me

and an impediment in your speech
So don’t impede and don’t disgrace

)15( ‫سنة الْ َم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫إرسال ال َْمثَل‬

‫ إرسال األمثال‬is defined as the inclusion in one’s poem or prose of a

‫( َمثَل‬proverb) or any other statement that could be treated like a
parable and quoted as an example (a wise statement, a
warning etc.)

Example One:
‫ت َذا َوَرِم‬
ُ ‫استَ ْس َمْن‬
ِ ِ ‫رجوتكم نُصحاء ِىف الشدائِ ِد ِىل – لِضع‬
ْ ‫ف ر ْشد ْى َو‬ ُْ َََ
Due to my weak understanding,
I hoped that you would wish me well in my difficulties
I (erroneously) thought that the swollen person was fat!
The phrase ‫ت ذَا َوَرِم‬ ُ ْ‫استَ ْس َمن‬
ْ ‫ َو‬is a famous proverb.

Example Two:
‫ب قَ ْوم ِعْن َد قَ ْوم فَ َوائِ ُد‬ ِ ‫بِ َذا قَضت األيام ما ب ني أهلِها – م‬
ُ ‫صائ‬
َ َ َ ْ ََْ ُ ْ َ
That is how the days passed judgement between its people
The suffering of some people are the advantage of others
In this stanza the phrase ‫ب قَ ْوم ِعْن َد قَ ْوم فَ َوائِ ُد‬ ِ ‫ م‬is also a famous
ُ ‫صائ‬
َ َ
proverb.

)16( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬

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‫ائتالف اللفظ و المعنى‬

‫ ائتالف اللفظ و املعىن‬is correspondence of the ‫( لفظ‬spoken word) and

the ‫( معىن‬intended meaning). For example, usage of stern words
when boasting and gentle words when pleading for mercy. In
this regard, Jaahidh said: ‘There is a specific type of word for
every type of speech and there is a specific name for every type
of meaning.’

Example One:
‫إذا ما غضبنا غضبة مضرية – هتكنا حجاب الشمس أو قطرت دما‬
‫إذا ما أعرنا سيدا من قبيلة – ذرى منرب صلى علينا و سلما‬
When we get angry like the tribe of Mudar
We tear the veil of the sun until it drips with blood
When we lend to the leader of any tribe
the top of our pulpit, he prays for us
The poet’s intention in these stanzas is to highlight his tribe’s
fearsomeness and their superiority over other tribes. The tone
of the words he chose in both stanzas definitely befits his aim.

Example Two:
‫أَن – َو نَ َفى َع ِّين الْ َكَري طَْيف أ ََل‬ ِ ِ
َْ ْ‫ََلْ يَطُ ْل لَْيلى َو لك ْن ََل‬
The night was not long but I did not sleep
A visiting thought drove away from me (all) sleep

Notice the gentleness of his words and how they befit the
poet’s aim (i.e. complaining of lack of sleep).
)17( ‫سنة الْ َم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬

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Easy Balaaghah

‫المبالغة‬

In simple words, ‫ مبالغة‬is an exaggeration in the form of a far-

fetched or impossible description. It is divided into three types:
1. ‫ – التبليغ‬When the exaggerated description is ‫( عقال‬logically)
and ‫( عادة‬usually) possible.
Example:
ِ
ُ ‫و نُ ْك ِرُم َج َارنا َما َد َام فْي نَا – َو نُْتبِ ُعهُ الْ َكَر َامةَ َحْي‬
‫ث َما ال‬
We honour our neighbour so long as he is among us
And we send honour behind him when his not (among us)
Honouring one’s neighbor in his presence and absence is ‫عقال‬
and ‫ عادة‬possible.

2. ‫ – اإلغراق‬When the exaggerated description is possible ‫ عقال‬but

not ‫عادة‬
Example:
‫ب ال يدنْيا بِالَ أ ََم ِل‬ ُ ‫ََلْ يُْب ِق ُج‬
ْ ‫ تَ َرْكتَِين‬- ُ‫ود َك ِيل َشْيئَاً أ َُؤِّملُه‬
ُ ‫أص َح‬
Your generosity has left nothing more for me to desire
You’ve left me to accompany the dunya without desire
Although the above is ‫ عقال‬possibly but ‫ عادة‬it does not
happen.

3. ‫ – الغُلُّو‬When the exaggerated description is ‫ عقال‬and ‫عادة‬

impossible.

Example:

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Easy Balaaghah

‫س ِم ْن َكَرم – بآبائِ ِه ْم أو َْجم ِد ِه ْم لَ َق َع ُد ْوا‬

ِ ‫الشم‬
ْ ‫لَ ْو كا َن يَ ْق ُع ُد فَ ْو َق‬
If people sat on top of the son due to the honour of their
ancestors or their own dignity, they (the people who the
poet is praising) would have done so

Note: ‫ الغُلُّو‬is only acceptable if something which ‫يقربه إىل الصحة‬

(takes it closer to being correct) is added to it. This includes any
‫ فعل املقاربة‬e.g. ‫ كاد‬or ‫( أداة فرض‬particle indicating assumption) e.g. ‫لَ ْو‬
Similarly, ‫ الغُلُّو‬is also acceptable if mentioned in jest.

Example One:
‫اد قِ ِسيهُ ِم ْن َغ ِْري َرام – متَُ ِّك ُن ِىف قُلُ ْوِهبُ ُم النِّبَاال‬
ُ ‫تَ َك‬
His bows almost shot the arrows in their hearts
without any archers
It is ‫ عقال‬and ‫ عادة‬impossible for a bow to shoot an arrow without
an archer. However, this ‫ الغُلُّو‬is acceptable due to the word ‫اد‬ ُ ‫تَ َك‬

Example Two:
‫لك أنف يابن حرب – أنفت منه أألنوف‬
‫أنت ىف البيت تصلى – و هو ىف السوق يطوف‬
You have a nose, O son of harb,
which other noses scorn
You are in the house performing salaah
while it is walking in the market
There is no need to explain why the above is ‫ عقال‬and ‫عادة‬
impossible. However, it is acceptable because it has been
mentioned in jest.
)18( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬
َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬

Page 155
Easy Balaaghah

‫االستخدام‬

‫ االستخدام‬is when:
1. A word is used in a particular meaning and thereafter
followed by a ‫( ضمري‬pronoun) which, although referring to
the first word, has a different meaning.
Example:
‫ضابًا‬ ِ ِ ُ‫نزل السماء‬
َ ‫بأرض قَ ْوم – َر َعْيناه َو إ ْن كانُ ْوا غ‬ َ ‫إذا‬
When the sky (rain) descends on the land of a people
We take care of it even if they are
Although the ‫ ضمري‬in ‫ َر َعْيناه‬refers to ُ‫ السماء‬it’s meaning is ‫النبات‬
(the plants, crops etc that grow after the rain).

2. A word is used in a particular meaning and thereafter

followed by ‫( ضمريين‬two pronouns), each one referring two a
different meaning and the meanings of both are different
from the meaning of the word which there refer to.
Example:
‫األع َد ِاء فَلَ ْم تَنَ ِم‬
ْ ‫استَ ْخ َد ُم ْو َها َم َع‬ ِ ِ ِِ ‫و العني قر‬
ْ ‫ت هب ْم لَما هبَا َمس ُح ْوا – َو‬
ْ
The eye was cooled when they were generous with it
And they took it’s services against the enemies,
thus it did not sleep
ِ
The ‫ ضمري‬in ‫ هبَا‬and ‫استَ ْخ َد ُم ْوَها‬ ْ refer to ‫ العني‬However, while ‫العني‬
means the eye, the first ‫ ضمري‬means gold and the second ‫ضمري‬
means spy.

)19( ‫ْم ْعنَ ِويَّة‬

َ ‫سنة ال‬
ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬

Page 156
Easy Balaaghah

‫تشابه األطراف‬

A type of ‫ مراعاة النظري‬, ‫ تشابه األطراف‬is defined in ‫ خمتصر املعاّن‬and ‫البالغة العربية‬
as ‫( تناسب‬agreement) between the beginning and the end of a
statement. (Thus they discussed it under the ‫)حمسنات معنوية‬
Example:
ِ ْ ‫يف‬ ِ
ُ‫اخلَبري‬ َ ْ‫ص ُار َوُه َو يُ ْد ِرُك األَب‬
ُ ‫ص َار َوُه َو اللط‬ َ ْ‫ال تُ ْد ِرُكهُ األَب‬
Eyes cannot see him yet He sees all eyes,
and He is Al-Lateef, Al-Khabeer 6
The ‫( تناسب‬agreement) between the beginning of the above
ِ
َ ْ‫ )ال تُ ْد ِرُكهُ األَب‬and the word ‫يف‬
aayah (‫ص ُار‬ ُ ‫( اللط‬which appears at the
end) is quite apparent.

However, the authors of ‫ سفينة البلغاء‬and ‫ دروس البالغة‬define it as:

commencement of a sentence with the last word of the
previous sentence. (Hence the authors of ‫ دروس البالغة‬included it
among the ‫)حمسنات لفظية‬

Example One:
ِ ِ ِ ِ
‫اجةُ َكأَن َها َك ْوَكب ُد ِّري‬ َ ‫اح ِيف ُز َج‬
َ ‫اجة اليز َج‬ ُ َ‫صب‬ ْ ‫َمثَ ُل نُوِرهِ َكم ْش َكاة ف َيها م‬
ْ ‫صبَاح الْم‬
The similitude of His nor is like that of a niche
in which there is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass and
the glass is as if it is a shining star.

6
Al-Lateef:
Al-Khabeer: All-Knowing

Page 157
Easy Balaaghah

Notice how the word ‫صبَاح‬ ِ

ْ ‫ م‬appears in the end of the first
sentence and the beginning of the second sentence. Similarly,
the word ‫اجة‬
َ ‫ ُز َج‬appears in the end of the second sentence and
the beginning of the third sentence.

There are many more ‫ ُحمَ ِّسنات معنوية‬Allaamah

Sa’d-ud-Deen At-Taftaazaani rahimahullah
mentioned twenty nine of them in his
famous ‫ خمتصر املعاّن‬However, for the purpose
of this book, we have decided to suffice
with the ‫ ُحمَ ِّسنات‬mentioned thus far. Hence
forth, we discuss a few of the ‫ُحمَ ِّسنات لفظية‬

Page 158
Easy Balaaghah

)1( ‫سنة اللفظية‬

ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫الجناس‬

‫ اجلناس‬is when two words resemble each other in pronunciation

but they have different meanings. There are two types of ‫اجلناس‬

1. ‫تام‬
ّ – (complete) – When there is agreement between the
two words in four issues:
a. ‫ – نوع احلروف‬The type of letters.
b. ‫ – شكل احلروف‬The appearance of the letters. (They have
the same ‫ حركات‬/ vowels.)
c. ‫ – عدد احلروف‬The number of letters.
d. ‫ – ترتيب احلروف‬The sequence of the letters.

2. ‫تام‬
ّ ‫( – غري‬incomplete) – When there is disagreement between
the two words in one of the four issues mentioned above.

Example One:
ِ
َ ‫اعةُ يُ ْقس ُم الْ ُم ْج ِرُمو َن َما لَبِثُوا َغْي َر َس‬
‫اعة‬ َ ‫وم الس‬
ُ ‫َويَ ْوَم تَ ُق‬
On the day when the final hour will take place,
the sinners will swear that they did not stay (in the dunya) more
than a little while
The ‫ جناس‬in this aayah is between the first and second ‫اعة‬ َ ‫ َس‬Both
of them agree in the four issues mentioned above. However,
while the first ‫اعة‬
َ ‫ َس‬means the Day of Qiyaamah, the second ‫َساعَة‬
means a small fraction of time. This is therefore ‫تام‬ ّ ‫جناس‬

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Easy Balaaghah

Example Two:
‫اعواْ بِِه‬ ِ ْ ‫وإِ َذا جاءهم أَمر ِّمن األَم ِن أَ ِو‬
ُ ‫اخلَْوف أَ َذ‬ ْ َ ْ ُْ َ َ
When news of security or fear reach them, they broadcast it.
The ‫ جناس‬in this aayah is between ‫ أ َْمر‬and ‫ األ َْم ِن‬Notice that both
commence with a ‫ مهزة‬followed by a ‫ ميم‬However, the third letter
in the two words differ. In the first word it is a ‫ راء‬and in the
second word it is a ‫ ميم‬Thus this is ‫تام‬ ّ ‫جناس غري‬

Example Three:
‫صبَابَ ْه‬ ِ
َ ‫يق غراماً – هبَا وفَ ْر َط‬
ُ ‫ما يستَف‬
ْ‫صبابَه‬ ُ ‫روم‬
ُ َ‫ َما ي‬... ُ‫ولو َدرى لَك َفاه‬
ْ
He is not regaining his senses due to infatuation
with her and excessive love
If he knows, a little left over water will suffice
for what he desires
In this example, the ‫ جناس‬is between the words ‫صبَابَ ْه‬ َ and ‫صبابَ ْه‬
ُ
Besides the different meanings, they differ in ‫( شكل‬appearance).
The first letter of the two words have a different ‫ شكل‬/ ‫ حركة‬In
the first word it has a ‫ فتحة‬but in the second word it has a ‫ضمة‬ ّ
Hence, this is also ‫تام‬
ّ ‫جناس غري‬

Example Four:
ِ ِ ُ ِ‫عاَل – ف‬ ِ ‫فَيا راكِب الوجن ِاء هل أنْت‬
ُ‫تلك املَعاَل‬
َ ‫ف‬ َ ‫كي‬
ْ ‫داؤ َك نَ ْفسي‬ َْ َ
O rider of the strong camel, do you know
May I be sacrificed for you, How were the landmarks?

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Easy Balaaghah

ِ and ‫عاَل‬
In this stanza, the ‫ جناس‬is between the words ‫عاَل‬ ِ
ُ َ‫ امل‬This
‫ جناس‬is ‫تام‬
ّ ‫ غري‬because while the first word has only three letters,
there are four letters in the second word.

Example Five:
ِ ‫ك والر‬
‫يب‬ ِ ‫ مت‬- ‫ف يف‬
ِّ ‫وهنن جالءُ الش‬ ِ ِ‫ود الصحائ‬
ُُ ُ ‫بيض الص َفائح ال ُس‬
ُ
Swords, not books in the texts of which is
glaring doubt and uncertainty
In this instance, the ‫ جناس‬is between the words ‫ الص َفائح‬and ‫ف‬ ِ ِ‫الصحائ‬
This ‫ جناس‬is ‫تام‬
ّ ‫ غري‬because of the difference in the ‫( ترتيب‬sequence)
of the letters in the two words.

)2( ‫سنة اللفظية‬

ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫السجع‬

‫ السجع‬is the agreement in the last letter of the ‫( فاصلتني‬dual of ‫)فاصلة‬

between two sentences.

 In ‫( علم العروض‬prosody – the study of verse-forms and poetic

metres) ‫ الفاصلة‬is defined as the last three letters of the
concluding word in a sentence. (‫ الفاصلة‬in prose is equivalent
to ‫ القافية‬in poetry.)
 Based on the above, it could be concluded that ‫ السجع‬is only
found in ‫( النثر‬prose). However, although it is found
predominantly in ‫ النثر‬, it is sometimes found in ‫ الشعر‬also.

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Easy Balaaghah

Example One:
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:
ً‫ َوأ َْع ِط َمُْ ِسكاً تلفا‬،ً‫الل ُهم أ َْع ِط ُمنْ ِفقاً َخلَفا‬
O Allah, give the one who spends a substitute
And give the one who misers destruction.
 Notice the agreement in the last letters of ً‫ َخلَفا‬and ً‫تلفا‬

Example Two: A Bedouin said:

‫ت‬ َ ‫ فَِإن‬، ‫ت‬
َ ‫ك طَالَ َما قَ ْد َعافَ ْي‬ َ ْ‫الل ُهم إِ ْن ُكن‬
َ ‫ت قَ ْد أَبْلَْي‬
O Allah, if you have tested me, (I still thank you because)
surely you gave me sound health for a long time.
 Notice the agreement between the last letters of ‫ت‬ َ ‫ أَبْلَْي‬and
‫ت‬
َ ‫َعافَ ْي‬

)3( ‫سنة اللفظية‬

ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫االقتباس‬

‫ االقتباس‬is the inclusion of a phrase from the Qur’aan or a hadith

in one’s poetry or prose without indicating the source (that the
phrase is taken from the Qur’aan or a hadith of Rasulullah
sallallahu alaihi wasallam). A slight alteration to the cited
phrase is permissible.

Example One:
‫اخع نَ ْف ِسي َعلَى آثَ َارِه ْم‬َ
ِ
ِ ‫ أنَا ب‬- ‫ارهم‬ ِ
ْ ‫ست ُم َسائالً َع ْن َد‬
ُ َ‫َر َحلُوا فَل‬
They went away, thus I don’t ask about their homes
Should I kill myself behind them?

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Easy Balaaghah

In the Qur’aan, Allah Ta’aala tells Nabi sallallahu alaihi

wasallam: ‫ك َعلَى آثَا ِرِه ْم‬َ ‫اخع ن ْف َس‬ِ ‫كب‬
َ َ ‫( فَلَ َعل‬Maybe, you are killing yourself
behind them . . .). In this stanza, the poet incorporated these
words (i.e. ‫ك َعلَى آثَا ِرِه ْم‬ ِ ‫ )ب‬without giving us the slightest
َ ‫اخع ن ْف َس‬ َ
indication that they are taken from the Qur’aan. Also note the
slight change of ‫ك‬ َ ‫ ن ْف َس‬to ‫نَ ْف ِسي‬

Example Two:
‫الوطَ ِن‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫يب‬ُ ‫ قَلما يُْرعى َغر‬- ‫اس يف أ َْوطاهن ُم‬
َ ‫ال تُعاد الن‬
‫اس َبُلْق َح َس ِن‬ ِِ
َ ‫ خالق الن‬- ‫بينه ْم‬
ُ ً‫شئت َعْيشا‬ َ ‫وإذا ما‬
Don’t treat people as enemies in their land
Seldom is consideration given to a stranger
When you desire to stay among them
Treat the people with good character
The words ‫اس َبُلْق َح َس ِن‬ ِِ
َ ‫ خالق الن‬are taken from a hadith of Rasulullah
sallallahu alaihi wasallam. However, they have been quoted
without any indication to their source. (In this instance, the
poet has not made any changes to the words of the hadith.)

)4( ‫سنة اللفظية‬

ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫التضمين‬

 ‫ التضمني‬is also called ‫اإليداع‬

 It is when the poet includes a portion of another poet’s
poem in his own poem and hints to what he has done if the
other poet’s poem is not well-known.
 There is no harm in making a slight alteration.

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Easy Balaaghah

Example One: The stanza of Al-Hareeri:

ِ ُ ‫أض‬ ِ ِ ِّ ‫علَى أ‬
‫اعوا‬
ُ ‫أض‬ َ ‫ىت‬ ً َ‫اعوين َوأَي ف‬ َ – ‫َين َسأُنْش ُد عْن َد بَيْعي‬ َ
Except that I will announce at the time of my sale
They’ve wasted me – And what a man they’ve wasted
The second half of this stanza is taken from the following
stanza of Al-‘Arji:
‫ لِيَ ْوِم َك ِر َيهة َو ِس َد ِاد ثَ ْغ ِر‬- ‫اعوا‬
ُ ‫َض‬
َ ‫ىت أ‬
ً َ‫َي ف‬
َ ‫أضاعوين وأ‬
They’ve wasted me – And what a man they’ve wasted
(A man who could help them)
On the day of battle and defence of the border

Note:
1. The word ‫ َسأُنْ ِش ُد‬was inserted by Al-Hareeri to hint that the
words ‫أضاعُوا‬
َ ‫ىت‬ ِ َ are drawn from some other poet’s
ً َ‫أضاعُوين َوأَي ف‬
work.
2. Al-Hareeri did not altered the words of Al-‘Arji

Example Two:
Boasting about himself, Suhail bin Watheel had said:
‫أنا ابن جال و طالع الثنايا – مىت يضع العمامة تعرفوه‬
I am the son of a man whose position was clear and who
frequently enters the mountain passes
When he removes his turban, you will recognize him

Some time later, another poet said about somebody else:

ِ ِ ِ ِ
ُ‫أقُ ْو ُل ل َم ْع َشر َغلَطُْوا َو َغطي ْوا – م َن الشيْ ِخ الرشْيد َو أنْ َكُرْوه‬
‫هو ابن َجال َو طَالع الثنايا – مىت يضع العمامة تعرفوه‬
I say to a group who erred, lowered their gazes in front of
the righteous old man and found him strange

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Easy Balaaghah

He is the son of a man whose position was clear and who

frequently enters the mountain passes
When he removes his turban, you will recognize him

Observe how this second poet incorporated the words of the

first poet in his poem. Also observe the alteration of ‫ أنا‬to ‫هو‬

)5( ‫سنة اللفظية‬

ِّ ‫ال ُْم َح‬
‫التلميح‬

‫ التلميح‬is when the speaker hints in the course of his speech to an

aayah, hadith, famous poem, proverb or story.

Example: The statement of Abu Tammaam:

ِ ‫اع ِة الْ َكر‬ ِ ‫لَعمرو مع الرم‬
‫ب‬ ْ َ ‫ك يف َس‬ َ ْ‫أح َفى ِمن‬ ِ
ْ ‫ أ ََر يق َو‬- ‫ضاء َوالن ُار تَلْتَظي‬ َ ْ ََ َْ
Amr with the hot sand while the fire is blazing is
More compassionate than you in a time of difficulty
Abu Tammaam is criticizing his ‫ خماطب‬saying that if a person in
difficulty approaches you for assistance, he will find that you
are more unsympathetic than Amr. By, saying this, he is
referring to the following stanza that was famous among the
Arabs:
‫ض ِاء بِالنا ِر‬ ِ ِ ِِ ِ ِ
َ ‫ َكامل ْستَج ِري م َن الرْم‬- ‫الْ ُم ْستَجريُ بِ َع ْمرو عنْ َد ُك ْربَته‬
ُ
The one who seeks Amr’s protection in his distress
Is like a person who seeks protection from
the blazing hot sand
The story behind this second stanza is that Kulaib killed a camel
belonging to Amr. Thus Amr waited for an opportune time to

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Easy Balaaghah

take revenge. One day, when Kulaib had travelled beyond the
outskirts of the city, Amr followed him and shot him in the
back. As Kulaib fell to the blazing hot ground, Amr came and
stood in front of him. He pleaded to Amr for a little water.
Instead of giving him water, Amr killed him. Thus it was said:
‫ض ِاء بِالنا ِر‬ ِ ِ ِِ ِ ِ
َ ‫ َكامل ْستَج ِري م َن الرْم‬- ‫الْ ُم ْستَجريُ بِ َع ْمرو عنْ َد ُك ْربَته‬
ُ
A person in distress who seeks help from Amr is comparable
seeking help from the blazing hot sand. He definitely will not
receive any help. Instead of receiving help, he will be harmed
even more.

‫ي لَ ْوال أَ ْن َهدَانَا اللَّه‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِِ

َ ‫ا ْل َح ْمد للّه الَّذي َهدَانَا ل َهذَا َو َما كنَّا لنَ ْهتَد‬
ِ ِ ِِ ٍ
‫ن‬َ ‫أَص َحابِه أَ ْجمَع ْي‬ ِ
ْ ‫و صلى اهلل عَلَى نَبيِّنَا م َحمَّد َو عَلَى آله َو‬
ِ ِ َّ َ‫ك ي ا أَرحم‬ ِ
‫ن‬
َ ‫الراحم ْي‬ َ ْ َ َ ‫بَِر ْح َمت‬

Abu Hudhaifa Muhammed Karolia

27 Rajab 1432 / 30 June 2011
Al-Jaami’ah Al-Mahmoodiah
Persida, Springs

Page 166
‫‪Easy Balaaghah‬‬

‫المصنف ‪ /‬المصنقين‬ ‫اسم الكتاب‬

‫عمر بن علوى بن أيب بكر الكاف‬ ‫البالغة‬
‫أس ُسها َو ُعلُ ْوُمها َو فُنوُهنا عبد الرَحن حسن حبنكه امليداّن‬
‫البالغة العربية – ُ‬
‫علي اجلارم‬ ‫البالغة الواضحة‬
‫مصطفى أمني‬
‫حفين بك ناصف‬ ‫دروس البالغة‬
‫حممد بك دياب‬
‫سلطان آفندي حممد‬
‫الشيخ مصطفى طموم‬
‫لفيف ِم َن األساتذة‬ ‫سفينة البلغاء‬
‫الدكتورة إنعام فَوال عكاري‬ ‫الْ ُم ْع َج ُم الْ ُم َفص ُل ِيف عُلُ ْوِم الْبَال َغة‬

‫‪Page 167‬‬
Easy Balaaghah

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9. Easy Balaaghah

Page 168