Mukhtasar al-Ma'ani by al-Taftazani, Vol. 1 (مختصر المعاني) — Page 19

Arabic text · النص

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

كَلِمَةُ الِافْتِتَاحِ.

Opening remarks.

الْقِسْمُ الثَّالِثُ.

The third section.

وَنَظْمُ الْقُرْآنِ تَأْلِيفُ كَلِمَاتِهِ مُتَرَتِّبَةَ الْمَعَانِي مُتَنَاسِقَةَ الدَّلَالَاتِ عَلَى حَسَبِ مَا يَقْتَضِيهِ الْعَقْلُ لَا تَوَالِيهَا فِي النُّطْقِ، وَضَمُّ بَعْضِهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ كَيْفَ مَا اتَّفَقَ.

The Quranic arrangement consists of composing words with ordered meanings and coherent implications as dictated by reason, rather than mere sequential pronunciation or random juxtaposition.

وَكَانَ الْقِسْمُ الثَّالِثُ مُرَادِفٌ لِمَا قَبْلَهُ.

The third section is synonymous with the preceding one.

عَطْفٌ عَلَى كَانَ الْأُولَى.

This is a conjunction referring back to the initial 'was'.

مِنْ مِفْتَاحِ الْعُلُومِ الَّذِي صَنَّفَهُ الْفَاضِلُ الْعَلَّامَةُ أَبُو يَعْقُوبَ يُوسُفُ السَّكَّاكِيُّ تَغَمَّدَهُ اللَّهُ بِغُفْرَانِهِ أَعْظَمُ مَا صُنِّفَ فِيهِ - أَيْ فِي عِلْمِ الْبَلَاغَةِ وَتَوَابِعِهَا - مِنَ الْكُتُبِ الْمَشْهُورَةِ.

From the 'Miftah al-Ulum,' authored by the distinguished scholar Abu Ya'qub Yusuf al-Sakkaki—may God grant him His mercy—comes the greatest of the famous books written on rhetoric and its related fields.

التَّعْبِيرُ عَنْهُ.

The expression used for it.

فَغَيْرُ الْمَشْهُورِ بِالْأَوْلَى.

If this applies to the famous, it applies even more so to the obscure.

وَنَظْمُ الْقُرْآنِ الْمُرَادُ بِهَذَا الْكَلَامِ بَيَانُ نُكْتَةِ إِيثَارِ التَّعْبِيرِ بِالنَّظْمِ عَلَى التَّعْبِيرِ بِاللَّفْظِ وَهِيَ التَّنْبِيهُ عَلَى مَنْشَأِ الْإِعْجَازِ بِاللَّفْظِ؛

The term 'Quranic arrangement' is used here to highlight why 'arrangement' is preferred over 'wording,' specifically to draw attention to the source of its inimitability.

فَإِنَّ النَّظْمَ تَأْلِيفُ الْكَلِمَاتِ حَالَةَ كَوْنِ مَعَانِيهَا مُتَرَتِّبَةً وَدَلَالَاتِهَا مُتَنَاسِقَةً كَائِنًا ذَلِكَ التَّرْتِيبُ وَالتَّنَاسُقُ عَلَى حَسَبِ مَا يَقْتَضِيهِ الْعَقْلُ،

Arrangement refers to composing words while their meanings are ordered and their implications are harmonious, as required by reason.

وَلَمَّا كَانَ الْإِعْجَازُ بِاعْتِبَارِ كَمَالِ الْبَلَاغَةِ وَالْبَلَاغَةُ بِاعْتِبَارِ هَذَا النَّظْمِ لَا بِمُجَرَّدِ اللَّفْظِ كَيْفَ كَانَ، اخْتَارَ النَّظْمَ عَلَيْهِ

Since inimitability depends on the perfection of rhetoric, and rhetoric depends on this arrangement rather than mere word choice, he chose the term 'arrangement'.

بِالنَّظْمِ الَّذِي هُوَ إِدْخَالُ اللَّآلِي فِي السِّلْكِ اسْتِعَارَةٌ بِأَنْ شَبَّهَ الْقُرْآنَ بِعَقْدِ الدُّرَرِ عَلَى طَرِيقِ الْمَكْنِيَّةِ، وَإِثْبَاتُ النَّظْمِ تَخْيِيلٌ، أَوْ شَبَّهَ تَأْلِيفَ كَلِمَاتِ الْقُرْآنِ بِإِدْخَالِ اللَّآلِي فِي السِّلْكِ ثُمَّ اسْتُعِيرَ لَفْظُ النَّظْمِ لَهُ

'Arrangement'—the stringing of pearls—is a metaphor likening the Quran to a pearl necklace. Affirming this arrangement is an act of imagination, or perhaps the composition of Quranic words is likened to stringing pearls, with the term 'arrangement' borrowed for that purpose.

تَأْلِيفٌ: جَمْعُهَا عَلَى الصِّفَةِ الَّتِي ذَكَرَهَا مُتَرَتِّبَةَ الْمَعَانِي أَيِ الْأُمُورِ الَّتِي يَقْصِدُهَا الْبُلَغَاءُ كَالتَّأْكِيدِ وَعَدَمِهِ وَتَقْدِيمِ الْمُسْنَدِ إِلَيْهِ أَوِ الْمُسْنَدِ لِاقْتِضَاءِ الْحَالِ لِذَلِكَ وَتَرْتِيبُهَا وَضْعُ كُلٍّ مِنْهَا فِي مَحَلِّهِ الْمَطْلُوبِ فِيهِ.

Composition means gathering words with the mentioned attribute of ordered meanings—the nuances intended by the eloquent, such as emphasis, or fronting the subject or predicate as the context demands—and placing each in its proper, required position.

مُتَنَاسِقَةَ الدَّلَالَاتِ الْمُرَادُ بِتَنَاسُقِ الدَّلَالَاتِ مُطَابَقَتُهَا لِمُقْتَضَيَاتِ الْأَحْوَالِ وَمُنَاسَبَتُهَا إِيَّاهَا فَلَا تَرِدُ الْمُتَشَابِهَاتُ؛ لِأَنَّ تَشَابُهَهَا مُقْتَضَى حَالِ الْبَلَاغَةِ فِيهَا فِيهِ كَانَ ارْتِفَاعُ شَأْنِهَا

Harmonious implications refers to their correspondence and suitability to the requirements of the context. Similarities are not rejected, as they are often required by rhetorical context, which is precisely what elevates the status of the discourse.

الْمُرَادُ بِالدَّلَالَاتِ الدَّلَالَاتُ الِاصْطِلَاحِيَّةُ، وَهِيَ الْمُطَابِقِيَّةُ وَالتَّضَمُّنِيَّةُ وَالِالْتِزَامِيَّةُ،

'Implications' here refers to the technical definitions: correspondence, inclusion, and necessary implication.

وَالْمُرَادُ بِتَنَاسُقِهَا تَشَابُهُهَا وَتَمَاثُلُهَا فِي الْمُطَابَقَةِ لِمُقْتَضَى الْحَالِ أَيْ حَالَ كَوْنِ تِلْكَ الْكَلِمَاتِ دَلَالَتُهَا مُتَمَاثِلَةٌ فِي الْمُطَابَقَةِ لِمُقْتَضَى الْحَالِ فَإِذَا كَانَ الْحَالُ يَقْتَضِي دَلَالَةَ الْمُطَابَقَةِ أَتَى بِهَا هَكَذَا،

Harmony refers to their similarity and consistency in meeting the requirements of the context. When the context demands a specific correspondence, the words are presented accordingly.

وَلَا يَرِدُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْمَعْنَى هُوَ الَّذِي فَسَّرَ بِهِ تَرْتِيبَ الْمَعَانِي فِيمَا مَرَّ فَيَلْزَمُ عَلَيْهِ التَّكْرَارُ؛ لِأَنَّ الْأَوَّلَ فِي الْمَعَانِي وَالثَّانِيَ فِي الدَّلَالَاتِ وَبَيْنَهُمَا فَرْقٌ.

One might object that this repeats the explanation of 'ordered meanings,' but there is no redundancy; the first refers to meanings, while the second refers to implications, and they are distinct.

لَا تَوَالِيَهَا فِي النُّطْقِ فَلَا يُقَالُ لِذَلِكَ نَظْمُ الْقُرْآنِ

Merely following one another in speech does not constitute what is called Quranic arrangement.

وَالْحَاصِلُ أَنَّ نَظْمَ الْقُرْآنِ لَا يُطْلَقُ عَلَى جَمْعِ كَلِمَاتِهِ كَيْفَ مَا اتَّفَقَ أَيْ مِنْ غَيْرِ رِعَايَةِ الْمُنَاسَبَةِ بِخِلَافِ نَظْمِ الْحُرُوفِ؛ فَإِنَّهُ تَوَالِيهَا فِي النُّطْقِ مِنْ غَيْرِ اعْتِبَارِ مَعْنًى يَقْتَضِيهِ،

In short, 'Quranic arrangement' is not used for words gathered at random without regard for suitability, unlike the arrangement of letters, which is simply sequential pronunciation regardless of meaning.

حَتَّى لَوْ قِيلَ مَكَانَ ضَرَبَ رَبَضَ لَمَا أَدَّى إِلَى إِفْسَادٍ فِي اللَّفْظِ.

For instance, replacing 'daraba' with 'rabada' would not corrupt the wording.

كَيْفَ مَا اتَّفَقَ أَيْ عَلَى أَيِّ وَجْهٍ وَأَيِّ حَالٍ اتَّفَقَ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ بَيْنَ الْمَعَانِي تَرْتِيبٌ أَمْ لَا، وَكَانَ بَيْنَ الدَّلَالَاتِ تَنَاسُقٌ أَمْ لَا، وَيَرْجِعُ ضَمِيرُ اتَّفَقَ إِلَى التَّوَالِي وَالضَّمِّ.

'However it happens' refers to any manner or state, regardless of whether there is order in the meanings or harmony in the implications. The pronoun refers back to the sequence and the joining.

مِنْ مِفْتَاحِ الْعُلُومِ سَمَّى كِتَابَهُ مِفْتَاحَ الْعُلُومِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ مِفْتَاحُ الْعُلُومِ التِّسْعَةِ الَّتِي اشْتَمَلَ عَلَيْهَا،

He named his book 'Miftah al-Ulum' (Key to the Sciences) because it unlocks the nine sciences it contains.

أَمَّا الْقِسْمُ الْأَوَّلُ فَفِيهِ النَّحْوُ وَالصَّرْفُ وَالِاشْتِقَاقُ، وَأَمَّا الْقِسْمُ الثَّانِي فَفِيهِ الْعَرُوضُ وَالْقَوَافِي وَالْمَنْطِقُ، وَأَمَّا الْقِسْمُ الثَّالِثُ فَفِيهِ الْمَعَانِي وَالْبَيَانُ وَالْبَدِيعُ.

The first section covers grammar, morphology, and derivation; the second covers prosody, rhyme, and logic; and the third covers meanings, rhetoric, and stylistic innovation.

أَعْظَمُ خَبَرُ كَانَ وَالْعَظِيمُ فَوْقَ الْكَبِيرِ كَمَا أَنَّ مُقَابِلَهُ أَعْنِي الْحَقِيرَ دُونَ الصَّغِيرِ الَّذِي يُقَابِلُ الْكَبِيرَ.

'Greatest' is the predicate of 'was.' 'Great' stands above 'big,' just as its opposite, 'insignificant,' stands below 'small,' which is the opposite of 'big'.

Vocabulary · المفردات (18 verbs · 106 nouns)

• اِقْتَضَى — to require
• اتَّفَقَ — to happen
• صَنَّفَ — to write
• تَغَمَّدَ — to cover
• شَبَّهَ — to liken
• اِسْتَعَارَ — to borrow
• قَصَدَ — to intend
• رَدَّ — to reject
• فَسَّرَ — to explain
• لَزِمَ — to be necessary
• أَطْلَقَ — to release
• رَعَى — to observe
• ضَرَبَ — to strike
• أَدَّى — to lead
• رَجَعَ — to return
• سَمَّى — to name
• اِشْتَمَلَ — to include
• قَابَلَ — to face
• كَلِمَة — word
• افْتِتَاح — opening
• قِسْم — section
• ثَالِث — third
• نَظْم — arrangement
• قُرْآن — Quran
• تَأْلِيف — composition
• مُتَرَتِّب — ordered
• مَعْنًى — meaning
• مُتَنَاسِق — harmonious
• دَلَالَة — indication
• حَسَب — measure
• عَقْل — intellect
• تَوَالٍ — succession
• نُطْق — pronunciation
• ضَمّ — joining
• بَعْض — part
• كَيْف — manner
• اتِّفَاق — agreement
• مُرَادِف — synonym
• عَطْف — conjunction
• أَوَّل — first
• مِفْتَاح — key
• عِلْم — science
• فَاضِل — virtuous (male)
• عَلَّامَة — scholar
• غُفْرَان — forgiveness
• أَعْظَم — greatest
• بَلَاغَة — rhetoric
• تَابِع — follower
• كِتَاب — book
• مَشْهُور — famous
• تَعْبِير — expression
• مُرَاد — intended
• كَلَام — speech
• بَيَان — clarification
• نُكْتَة — subtlety
• إِيثَار — preference
• لَفْظ — wording
• تَنْبِيه — alert
• مَنْشَأ — origin
• إِعْجَاز — inimitability
• حَال — state
• كَوْن — being
• تَرْتِيب — arrangement
• تَنَاسُق — harmony
• كَمَال — perfection
• مُجَرَّد — mere
• إِدْخَال — insertion
• لُؤْلُؤ — pearl
• سِلْك — thread
• اسْتِعَارَة — metaphor
• عَقْد — necklace
• دُرَّة — pearl
• طَرِيق — way
• مَكْنِيَّة — implied
• إِثْبَات — affirmation
• تَخْيِيل — imagination
• تَجْرِيد — abstraction
• جَمْع — collection
• صِفَة — attribute
• أَمْر — matter
• بَلِيغ — eloquent (male)
• تَأْكِيد — emphasis
• عَدَم — non-existence
• تَقْدِيم — fronting
• مُسْنَد — predicate
• اقْتِضَاء — requirement
• وَضْع — placement
• مَحَلّ — place
• مَطْلُوب — required
• مُطَابَقَة — correspondence
• مُقْتَضًى — requirement
• مُنَاسَبَة — suitability
• مُتَشَابِه — similar
• ارْتِفَاع — elevation
• شَأْن — status
• اصْطِلَاح — terminology
• مُطَابِقِيَّة — correspondence
• تَضَمُّنِيَّة — inclusion
• الْتِزَامِيَّة — implication
• تَمَاثُل — similarity
• تَكْرَار — repetition
• فَرْق — difference
• حَاصِل — result
• رِعَايَة — regard
• حَرْف — letter
• اعْتِبَار — consideration
• مَكَان — place
• إِفْسَاد — corruption
• وَجْه — aspect
• ضَمِير — pronoun
• تِسْعَة — nine
• نَحْو — grammar
• صَرْف — morphology
• اشْتِقَاق — derivation
• عَرُوض — prosody
• قَافِيَة — rhyme
• مَنْطِق — logic
• بَدِيع — innovation
• خَبَر — predicate
• عَظِيم — great
• كَبِير — big
• مُقَابِل — counterpart
• حَقِير — insignificant
• صَغِير — small