a Surah the like thereof

I am looking forward to your list of criteria that you think defines the miracle/inimitability of the Quran.

Ok, here it is: Based on the smallest chapter in the Quran.

1. Unique Literary Form
2. Unique Linguistic Genre
3. Abundance of rhetorical devices/features:
- Emphasis
- Multiple Meaning
- Iltifaat � Grammatical shift
- Word order and Arrangement
- Ellipsis
- Conceptual Relatedness (Intertextuality)
- Intensification
- Choice of words & Particles
- Phonetics
- Semantically Orientated Repetition
- Intimacy
- Exaggeration
- Rebuke and contempt
- Conciseness
- Flexibility
- Prophesy/Factual

You can read all at: http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/essays-articles/exploring-the-quran/three-lines-the-changed-the-world-the-inimitability-of-the-shortest-chapter-in-the-qur%E2%80%99an/

The Saint wrote: Ok, here it is: Based on the smallest chapter in the Quran. 1. Unique Literary Form 2. Unique Linguistic Genre 3. Abundance of rhetorical devices/features:

The first two we have already seen.  They amount to nothing more than free verse.  As for an abundance of rhetorical devices, that is a matter of opinion (what is "abundance"?), but I can find plenty of rhetorical devices in the hypothetical "sura" I quoted in my opening post, as well as the passage from the Book of the Dead and for that matter in virtually all poetry.  There is nothing unique about rhetorical devices.

So that's it?  The challenge is to produce free verse with an abundance of rhetorical devices/features?  Really?  Perhaps Shakespeare was a prophet! 

The first two we have already seen. They amount to nothing more than free verse.

If that is what you have understood so far, your intellect is pitiable!

As for an abundance of rhetorical devices, that is a matter of opinion (what is "abundance"?), but I can find plenty of rhetorical devices in the hypothetical "sura" I quoted in my opening post, as well as the passage from the Book of the Dead and for that matter in virtually all poetry. There is nothing unique about rhetorical devices.

Since you are bent-upon making a fool of yourself. Show me examples of all types of rhetorical devices, or the devices used in the verse you posted in your opener. And while you are at it please show me examples of the use of these devices in the Book of the Dead or other texts that you might know of.

So that's it? The challenge is to produce free verse with an abundance of rhetorical devices/features? Really? Perhaps Shakespeare was a prophet! LOL

No. It is not that at all. The challenge, has nothing to do with free verse. Your approach is very simplistic and connived naivete.

You have to do some really serious studies. Start with learning Arabic. That is the only way to comprehend nuances and subtleties, depths and alternative meanings of words of the language.

Edited by The Saint - 05 October 2015 at 3:05am

The Saint wrote: Since you are bent-upon making a fool of yourself. Show me examples of all types of rhetorical devices, or the devices used in the verse you posted in your opener.

Here you go.  I've only provided one example of each, but in most cases there are several examples to choose from.  There are also numerous rhetorical devices not mentioned by Tzortrzis.  I'm not sure if this was supposed to be a complete list or merely illustrative.  In any case, they are easy enough to find.

Emphasis

From paragraph 5: "certainly, my punishment is violent and severe".  The word "certainly" adds emphasis, and the choice of first person singular ("my") rather than the more usual plural form ("our") makes the punishment more personal, implying that the offence is to God directly.

Multiple Meaning

From paragraph 4: "It is God who illuminated the heavens and the earth".  The word "illuminated" suggests both the literal meaning of providing light from the sun, and also the metaphorical meaning of revealing the heavens and earth, and making them known to us.

Iltifaat � Grammatical shift

From paragraph 15: "he hopes to merit the reward of his Lord".  The reference to "his Lord" is from Ali's point of view; and yet later in the same paragraph He directs Muhammad to say "the chastisement which I prepare for them". A lesser writer might have said "which your Lord prepares", to be consistent; but in His infinite wisdom, God has chosen the word "I", again emphasizing the personal nature of their affront to Him and of His retribution.

Word order and Arrangement

From paragraph 1: "As to myself, I understand and I know."  For humans, knowledge precedes understanding -- one gains specific knowledge of details in order to attain understanding of the principles underlying them.  God chose to reverse these two concepts to show that He has no such restrictions.  His understanding of the world is separate from specific factual knowledge of its parts; indeed, He made the parts in accordance of His understanding of the whole.

Ellipsis

From paragraph 8: "O prophet! my advertisement arrived (at its destination); perhaps will they act (conformably to it)."   The words in parentheses are understood from the context, rather than being part of the text itself.  (Note that there is no example of ellipsis given in the Tzortzis analysis of al-Kawthar.  Apparently he overlooked it.)

Conceptual Relatedness (Intertextuality)

From paragraph 4: "It is God who illuminated the heavens and the earth"  This is related to the so-called "Verse of Light" in the Quran (24:35): "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth."  It is also internally related to paragraph 2, which mentions "the two lights, Muhammed and Ali".  Indeed, light is a metaphor that appears frequently in the Quran.

Intensification

From paragraph 17: "they shall be safe in the kiosques of paradise."  The word "kiosques" (kiosks) denotes a small space, usually open on one side -- not an obvious place of safety and refuge, nor one which would normally be associated with the grandeur of Paradise.  The contrast in meaning intensifies the promise of God to keep them safe even in what might otherwise be seen differently.

Choice of words & Particles

From paragraph 3: "the gardens of delight"  Although God seems to take delight in detailing the tortures inflicted on the damned, He prefers generalities in describing heaven, to allow our imaginations to provide whatever images might delight each of us personally.  However, in this passage God makes an exception.  The metaphor (and it clearly is just a metaphor) of a garden calls to mind the peacefulness as well as the bounty of heaven, to which I think we all can relate.

Phonetics

From paragraph 11: "Their habitation shall be hell".  The word "habitation" may be an unusual choice for a place of torture, but the use of this word forms an alliteration to strengthen the message and draw the listener's attention to it.

Semantically Orientated Repetition

From paragraph 3: "they shall be thrown into hell";
from paragraph 7: "certainly, hell is their habitation";
from paragraph 11: "Their habitation shall be hell".  Three times God warns that sinners shall be sent to hell, and there are many other passages that present the same semantic idea in different words (2, 5, 9, 12, 15, 16).  This drives home the main message, that your loving and merciful God intends to torture disbelievers endlessly.

Intimacy

From paragraph 15: "He passes the night prostrate before God."  In addition to indicating Ali's piety, God chooses to mention this to show his intimate relationship and knowledge of Ali's habits, even when he is alone at night.

Exaggeration

From paragraph 9: "their enemy is the Imam of sinners."  Whether this is a reference to an historical leader, or perhaps to Satan, the title "Imam" is obviously undeserved; but to use such an epithet heightens the degree of animosity and threat that he poses.

Rebuke and contempt

From paragraph 12: "Among them we changed some into apes and hogs; we cursed them until the day of resurrection."  References to apes and hogs are clear expressions of contempt, and there can be no stronger rebuke than the curse that God imposes here.

Conciseness

From paragraph 5: "God had already destroyed Ad and Tamud, on account of their crimes."  Rather than provide a long list of crimes and their consequences, God simply refers to two tribes which would have been known at the time the Quran was revealed.

Flexibility

I have no idea what rhetorical device Tzortzis means by "flexibility", and he doesn't give an example himself, so neither will I.

Prophesy/Factual

From paragraph 16: "We have announced to thee a progeny of just men"  The "just men" referred to are the Twelve Imams also mentioned in the Quran (5:12).  Later in the paragraph they are described as "living or dead", in reference to the Mahdi.