Grammatical Shift for Rhetorical Purposes: Iltifāt and Related Features in the Qur'ān

Abstract

In a study which has been described as pioneering, Neue Beiträge zur semitischen Sprachwissenschaft, Theodor Nöldeke ‘discussed in detail the “Stylistische und syntaktische Eigentümlichkeiten der Sprache des Korans” (pp. 5–23) thereby collecting together everything that had occurred to him in this respect during his protracted and intensive study of the Holy Book of the Muslims.’ Among the examples Nöldeke discusses (pp. 13–14) are Q. 7 (not 77 which is clearly a misprint in his text): 55, 27:61; 35:27, 6:99, 20:55, 10:23, etc. where there is a sudden shift in the pronoun of the speaker or the person spoken about, known as iltifāt in balāgha (Arabic rhetoric), though Nöldeke does not refer to the term here. Introducing his discussion of this feature, Nöldeke remarks that ‘the grammatical persons change from time to time in the Qur'ān in an unusual and not beautiful way (nicht schöner Weise)’ (p. 13). This is a personal value judgement. Arab writers, in contrast see the matter differently. Ibn al-Athīr, for instance, after studying this stylistic feature, as we shall see below, classed it among the ‘remarkable things and exquisite subtleties we have found in the Glorious Qur'ān.’ It will be seen that the examples Nöldeke cites immediately following the statement quoted above do not occur haphazardly in the Qur'ān but follow a pattern. Examination of where exactly the shift occurs and why, will show how effective the technique is in these examples and why Muslim literary critics and exegetes greatly admire iltifāt and its related features. Nöldeke further remarks (p. 14) that in a few places the second and third person plural are exchanged abruptly: 30:38, 49:7, 10:23. Here again it will be seen that the changes are made according to an effective pattern and that the frequency of occurrences of this type is much greater than is indicated by Nöldeke.

Revealing gender discourses in the Qurʾān: An integrative, dynamic and complex approach

“…Gender grammatical shift is a technique that has been extensively applied in the Qurʾān and in presentation of gender equality can be more prominent than the first type, as it implies a greater emphasis on gender equality in the language. Haleem (1992) wrote in detail about this literary feature and its use in the Qurʾān (see more in Haleem 1992:407-432). In the following, we present examples of both types.…”

Gaya Bahasa Iltifȃt dalam Ayat-Ayat ‘Itȃb dan Pengaruhnya bagi Penafsiran Alquran

“…17 Pada perkembangannya, muncul beberapa temuan baru mengenai jenis iltifa> t di dalam Alquran. Selain iltifa> t pada kata ganti, kata kerja, dan bilangan, terdapat pula iltifa> t antar si> ghah, bina> " nah} wi> , dan mu"jam, seperti apa yang dikemukakan oleh Hasan T{ abl, 18 dipertegas oleh Abdel Haleem, 19 dan diikuti oleh Mardjoko Idris. 20 Contoh iltifa> t pada kata kerja dapat dijumpai pada surah al-Ma> idah ayat 70 berikut: Dalam ayat tersebut kata kerja yang sedang berlangsung (mud} a> ri"): -taqtulu> n‖ digunakan setelah kata kerja lampau (ma> d} i> ): "kadzdzabtum", padahal keduanya merujuk pada subjek yang sama, yaitu Bani Israil.…”

'Parallel Worlds' - Clusters for a Theory of Concepts of Communications: Historical Intercultural and Cultural Comparative Studies of Perspectives of National and Transnational Conditions, Values, Concepts, and Terms of 'Communication' - 'Orality' - 'Literacy' - 'Rhetoric' - 'Media'

“…Lexically iltifat means 'to turn/turn one's face to'. 610 Iltifat has been called by rhetoricians shajaat al-carabiyya showing in their opinion the daring nature of the Arabic language. 611 The word iltifat is used for turning aside in speech to talk about something before continuing with the original subject.…”

“…Types of iltifat and related features exist. 612 Arabic rhetoric refers to a phenomenon called iltifat ('conversion' or 'turning one's face to'). The change of speech from one mode to another, for the sake of freshness and variety for the listener and in order to renew his interest and to keep his mind from boredom was a part of the rhetorical culture.…”