al-Balagha 1 - al-Bayan wal-Badi - Jamiat al-Madina
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- Jāmiʿat al-Madīnah al-ʿĀlamiyyah
al-Balagha 1: al-Bayan wal-Badi' (Arabic: البلاغة ١ - البيان والبديع) is a single-volume academic textbook produced as part of the undergraduate curriculum of Al-Madinah International University (course code LARB4093) covering two foundational branches of Arabic rhetoric: 'ilm al-bayan (the science of figurative and descriptive expression) and 'ilm al-badi' (the science of rhetorical embellishment).
Purpose and Approach
The textbook is designed to introduce students to rhetorical principles necessary for understanding revealed scriptures—the Quran and the hadith—as well as classical Arabic poetry and prose. It frames rhetoric as an indispensable instrument for revealing the inimitability (i'jaz) of the Quran and unpacking the precise meanings of its verses.
In establishing the necessity of rhetorical studies for exegesis (tafsir), the text draws extensively on classical authorities:
- It cites al-Zamakhshari's al-Kashshaf (quoting al-Jahiz's Nazm al-Qur'an) on how mastery of 'ilm al-ma'ani and 'ilm al-bayan is essential to uncovering the deeper realities of the Quran.
- It references al-Suyuti's al-Itqan fi 'Ulum al-Qur'an, which lists ma'ani, bayan, and badi' among the core disciplines required of any Quranic exegete.
- It incorporates statements and perspectives from al-Sakkaki, Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi (al-Burhan fi 'Ulum al-Qur'an), Katip Celebi (Kashf al-Zunun), Ahmad al-Ushmuni (Manar al-Huda), al-Shawkani (Talab al-'Ilm wa-Tabaqat al-Mu'allimin), and Muhammad al-Tahir ibn 'Ashur (al-Tahrir wal-Tanwir).
Content and Structure
The book is arranged into sequential lessons that define concepts, analyze their linguistic and technical definitions, and provide illustrative examples:
- 'Ilm al-Bayan: The work examines the core divisions of figurative expression, beginning with simile (tashbih) and figurative language (majaz), before addressing implicit metaphor (al-isti'ara al-makniyya and al-isti'ara al-takhyiliyya) and metonymy (kinaya and ta'rid).
- 'Ilm al-Badi': The text explores rhetorical embellishment and its standing among the rhetorical sciences, discussing whether badi' operates independently or subordinately to ma'ani and bayan. It also references modern analytical scholarship, such as Muhammad Abu Musa's al-Balagha al-Qur'aniyya fi Tafsir al-Zamakhshari, to illustrate how Quranic rhetoric harmonizes devices of badi', ma'ani, and bayan.
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