Qur’anic Brevity and Verbosity: What and How?

Abstract

Arabic rhetoric is a linguistic means to a pragmatic end. Its major objective is to achieve succinctness and effective context-sensitive discourse. Hence, the stylistics (cilm al-Macani) is the second branch of Arabic rhetoric which deals with the semantic significance of words and expressions. It has to do principally with the art of conveying intended ideas or meaning successfully by skilful combination of words in a sentences or phrase. Thus, this study acquaints the usage of Qur’anic brevity and verbosity in the construction of verses. In this vein, however this study was selected one of the most recent exegetical work in the Archipelago as the object of study, namely al-Mishbah by Shihab. In interpreting the Qur’an, Shihab emphasizes the importance of Arabic to understanding the verses context and not focused on the text only. By doing so, to obtain a neat conclusion of this debate, this study uses literature and document analysis method with Tafsir al-Mishbah as a source of study inclusive of language and Tafsir books as major references. The findings showed that brevity identifies two kinds which are elliptical and succinctness. It is essential that omitted word(s) should not be a very essential part of the narration. The study also stipulates that verbosity may be used by way of emphasis or to obliterate ambiguity. In lieu of this, Shihab was applied brevity and verbosity method which is recognized and formulated by scholars and exegetes.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1939