Literary Arts (Mar 2021)
Rhetorical Analysis of verse 17 of Surah Anfal Using the Intertextuality Approach: The Cases of Sharh al-Ta’arrof and Mersad al-‘ibad
Abstract
Mystical texts are formed based on religious and Qur’anic pretexts and extensive inter-textual connection with other mystical and literary texts; hence, mystical interpretations have been influenced in various aspects by the language of the Qur’an and religious influences. Such texts have been affected by the allegory and linguistic structure of the Qur’an. In addition, in many cases, their teachings have been expressed through interpreting and paraphrasing Qur’anic verses. The allegoric Verse 17 of Surah Anfal has influenced the mystical works linguistically and semantically. Therefore, it is important to study the intertextual relations of mystics' allusions and interpretations about this verse from different aspects. In this article, intertextual relations of Sharh al-Ta’arrof in Sufism and Mersad-al-‘ibad in the interpretation and citation of this verse have been studied. In this study, the main focus was the rhetorical and stylistic differences and similarities of these two works in an explicit and implicit reference to the discussed verse. The function and structure of imaginary forms and linguistic structures of texts naturally differ in different stylistic periods; nevertheless, the thematic unity and the use of common discourse and pretexts may provide patterns in which the commonalities of the two texts, while different from the stylistic periods, outweigh the differences. As in the present article, studies have addressed the commonalities and differences between stylistic differences and intertextual similarities in those texts. For the intertextual analysis of these texts, a context was required that would make this study methodical and there would be a model for this study, as well as showing the different rhetorical and stylistic aspects of the relationship between the two works. For this reason, the theoretical framework of Genette was chosen. His theoretical classification was similar in many ways to the text influencing patterns in Muslim rhetoricians' view. There is also the possibility of proposing rhetorical and stylistic discussions in intertextual comparison while in the discussed subject of this article, the direct and indirect presence of the Quranic text was important. So was it for Genette, and he in his intertextual discussions pays attention to the direct and indirect influences between texts. Genette’s intertextuality includes three types: explicit-intentional, hidden-intentional, and implicit. The present study has been done on the same basis. In explicit intertextuality, which in traditional rhetoric is called quotation, the author embeds all or part of an earlier text in his work. In hidden-intentional intertextuality, the author deliberately hides his pretext such as different types of plagiarism, but in mystical texts, the motive for using Quranic themes and not mentioning the source is not plagiarism; rather, it is due to being influenced by Sufi language and thought of the Quran and Quranic prefaces. In implicit intertextuality, the author uses signs that indicate their source. So, those who are familiar with the author's pretexts, with the pieces of evidence that he has placed in the text, can find the reference. In this research, based on the mentioned framework and descriptive-analytical method, the texts have been reviewed. The results show that the intertextual relationship between Sharh al-Ta'arrof and Mersad al-'ibad in quoting and interpreting verse 17 of Surah Anfal includes all three types; explicit, non-explicit, and implicit. Also, the intertextual connection of the Qur’an with the two texts of Sharh al-Ta’arrof and Mersad al-'ibad in the verse in question is not limited to content issues or quoting the verse and translating it; Rather, both texts have benefited from Qur’an’s linguistic structure in terms of the choice of words and their repetition as well as deprivative and nesseciative constructions. Literally, the most important form of verse usage is implicit intertextuality because, in this connection, there are different forms of allusion, allegory, and illustration. Linguistically, although these two works are of two different style periods, both have a simple language to express the meanings of verse 17 of Surah Anfal. This feature has made their linguistic construction closer to that of the verse. Nevertheless, Mersad al-'ibad has more musical and literary prominence. In fact, the conscious use of the words in Mersad al-Ibad is more obvious than its poetic and literary aspects as there are more cases of repetition and pun. He has also used allegory and metaphor besides other literary arts that have made the text more conceptual and artistic than Sharh al-Ta’arrof, which has allegorical construction.
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