Journal of Language Sciences & Linguistics. Vol., 3 (2), 30-33, 2015
Available online at http://www.jlsljournal.com
ISSN 2148-0672 ©2015
Spiritual Virtues (Antithesis, Contrast, Inversion) of
Quran
Sakineh Sadat Jamali, Seyyed Hossein Ebrahimian*
Department of Arabic Literature, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran
*
Corresponding Author: Seyyed Hossein Ebrahimian
ABSTRACT: The current research aim is surveying the spiritual virtues (antithesis, contrast, and inversion) in
Quran; to this aim firstly, each of the spiritual virtues are defined and then a few evidences from Quran are
provided for each of them. The current research method is descriptive and data are collected by the use of
library method. The researcher has gathered the required information through studying books, articles and theses
written in this regard. What the current research pursues is the effect of spiritual virtues (antithesis, contrast and
inversion) of the verses of Quran for better understanding of the concepts of this holy book. The research results
showed that surveying the verses of Quran in terms of rhetoric and oratory is one of the signs of semantic
miracles of Quran. As a special and important literary work, Quran includes delicate and beautiful tips which are
some of the reasons to miracle of this holy book. Understanding the spiritual virtues in verses of Quran helps us
for better understanding and interpreting Quran.
Keywords: Miracle of Quran, Rhetoric, Oratory, Spiritual Virtues, Antithesis, Contrast.
INTRODUCTION
Quran is the religious book of Muslims and since its descent this miracle has been proved to not only
Muslims but also other non-Muslim scholars. When Quran frankly states that it is a miracle and challenges
others this itself is one of the reasons for its miracle.
Miracle of Quran has different aspects, and scholars have exclusively covered each aspect. One of the
aspects of miracle of Quran is in terms of rhetoric. Rhetoric characteristic of Quran is a very important element;
there are many different literary arts used in Quran which have attracted the attention of many Arab and nonArab Muslim scholars. Quran is the holy book of Muslims and we believe that this book is a divine miracle. One
of the aspects of miracle of Quran is its rhetorical aspect and in the discussion of rhetorical aspect of Quran,
spiritual virtues and its different types exist in verses of Quran by understanding which we can see the miracle
and superiority of this book, its beauty and understanding its verses and a better interpretation.
Romani, after Jaht (255) and Vaseti (306) is the 3rd person who believes in style and order about the
miracle of Quran and in fact he considers the miracle of Quran in its proportion and harmony of words
(Mostafa, 2006).
Before writing Kitab Al- Badi by Al-Mu`tazz Billah Abbasi (296) and considering the rhetorical virtues and
literary arrays as a science, Arabs used to pay considerable attention to verbal beauty and although these
beauties were undefined, they were used in poetry and prose; one of these examples is Quran which is a
masterpiece in this regard and we can see that different types of imageries are used in this holy book (Jafari,
1999).
Rhetoric of speech also means reaching the specific aim in speech; sometimes rhetoric is interpreted as
delivering. Rhetoric is both related to speech and speaker. Rhetoric of speech has two conditions: Eloquence in
speech and compliance with the audience's conditions. Rhetoric of speech means delivering the meaning with
the best linguistic structure in a visible way. Knowledge of rhetoric is considered as a practical knowledge and
its aim is advantaging the speech or protecting it from non-grammatical mistakes which are sometimes related to
the way of expressing meanings and sometimes related to the way of coordinating speech to the condition of
expressing it and sometimes related to the way of selection of words. These three branches are discussed in
sciences of eloquence, semantics and rhetoric respectively (Erfan, 2001; Mohammadi, 2013; Nasirian, 2013).
Semantics is knowledge in which different modes and methods of speech are discussed for coordinating to
the audience’s conditions; which means use of words based on the required speech: transposition of word, or
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J. Lang. Sci. Ling. Vol., 3 (2), 30-33, 2015
prolongation of the word (Mohammadi, 2013). Eloquence is a set of rules and principles based on which
delivering a meaning in terms of logical implication on meaning is different with some others; which means use
of meanings according to the required condition of the speech: simile, metaphor and metonymy (Nasirian,
2013). Rhetoric is a knowledge through which the methods and privileges increasing the beauty of speech are
recognized and it means beautifying the speech based on the required condition of the speech. Rhetoric is a
knowledge discussing different types of literal and spiritual forms resulting in the beauty of speech and it is
divided to two parts of spiritual and verbal virtues. In verbal virtues, all the beauty and advantage of speech is in
that word and in spiritual virtues: meaning results in arrangement and beauty of the speech and its different
types are: antithesis, contrast, inversion, hyperbole (Alhory, 2011; Erfan, 2001; Kharghani, 2013; Faghihi,
2003); we survey some of these in our research along with their evidences in Quran.
METHODOLOGY
A review is conducted through referring to Quran, Interpretations and narrative resources for surveying the
subject.
RESULTS
Antithesis
Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed; a contrasting of opposing
ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences. Holy Quran uses antithesis a lot and especially when it talks
about facts such as faith unbelief, servitude and sins, goodness and badness, darkness and light, advantage and
disadvantage, development and misdirection, heaven and hell, sky and earth, life and death. Antithesis has two
kinds: real and virtual (Mirlohi, 1989; Faghihi, 2003; Al-Saeidi, 1995) which are discussed below:
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He is the first and the last, the clear and the hidden. He has knowledge of all things (AL-HADID -Verse 3).
The blind and the seeing are not equal, (FATIR, Verse 19).
Nor are darkness and light (FATIR, Verse 20).
The shade and the hot wind are not equal, (FATIR, Verse 21).
Nor are the living and the dead equal. Allah makes to hear whosoever he will, but you cannot make those
who are in their graves hear (FATIR, Verse 22).
Those who spend their wealth by day and by night, in private and in public, their wage are with their lord,
and no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow. (AL-BAQARA, Verse 274).
By the even, and the odd, (AL-FAJR, Verse 3).
That issues from between the loins and the ribs (AT-TARIQ, Verse 7).
Say: 'the evil and the good are not alike, even if the abundance of evil pleases you. Have fear of Allah, you
who are possessed of minds, in order that you prosper (AL-MAEDA, Verse 100).
That it is he who causes to laugh and causes to weep. (AN-NAJM, Verse 43) and that it is he who causes to
die, and causes to live (AN-NAJM, Verse 44).
Ay: 'o Allah, owner of the kingdom. You give the kingdom to which you will, and take it away from whom
you will, you exalt whom you will and abase whom you will. In your hand is good, you have power over all
things (AL-E-IMRAN, Verse 26).
He created the heavens and the earth in six days, and willed to the throne. He knows what penetrates the
earth and all that emerges from it; all that descends from heaven and all that ascends to it. He is with you
wherever you are. Allah sees the things you do (AL-HADID -Verse 4).
And now, we have set you on the jurisprudence of the command, therefore follow it and do not follow the
desires of those who do not know (AL-JATHIYA, Verse 18).
Prosperous is he who purified it, (ASH-SHAMS, Verse 9) and failed is he who buried it! (ASH-SHAMS,
Verse 10).
Allah knows what every female bears, and what shrinks and swells the womb. And everything with him has
its measure (AL-RAD, Verse 8).
who are humble in their prayers; (AL-MUMENOON, Verse 2) who turn away from idle talk; (ALMUMENOON, Verse 3)
(Offensive) fighting is obligatory for you, though it is hateful to you. But you may hate a thing although it is
good for you, and may love a thing although it is evil for you. Allah knows, and you do not (AL-BAQARA,
Verse 216).
The promise of Allah! Allah does not fail his promise, yet most people do not know. (AL-ROOM, Verse 6)
they know an outward part of this life, but of the everlasting life they are inattentive (AL-ROOM, Verse 7)
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• Who were delivering the messages of Allah, fearing him and fearing none except Allah. Allah suffices as a
reckoner (AL-AHZAB, Verse 39).
• They seek to hide themselves from the people, but they do not hide themselves from Allah for he is with
them when they hide the saying that does not please him. Allah encompasses what they do (AN-NISA,
Verse 108).
• In his mercy he has appointed for you the night and the day, so that you can rest in it, and seeks his bounty,
in order that you will be thankful. ‘(AL-QASAS, Verse 73).
• That is satan frightening those whom he sponsored. So do not fear them, and fear me, if you are believers
(AL-E-IMRAN, Verse 175).
• Allah has knowledge of all that you hide and all that you reveal. (AN-NAHL, Verse 19) but those whom you
invoke, other than Allah do not create anything they are themselves created. (AN-NAHL, Verse 20) they are
dead, not living; and they do not know when they will be raised (to life) (AN-NAHL, Verse 21).
• So because of their sins they were drowned and admitted into the fire. They found none to help them other
than Allah (NOOH, Verse 25).
• Such are those who barter away guidance for error, their trade did not profit (them), nor are they guided
(AL-BAQARA, Verse 16).
Contrast
Is providing two or more compatible meanings and then providing their contrast meanings (Al-Saeidi,
1995: 134). In contrast it is possible to provide two, three, four or five or more meanings (words) against each
other and according to Sheikh Safi Addin Helli, the more the words the more rhetoric it will be. The difference
between antithesis and contrast is that in antithesis the antonym words are written immediately after each other
but in contrast firstly a few words are written and then their antonyms are written with the same order.
• They shall laugh but little and shed many tears. so shall they be recompensed for their earnings. (ALTAWBA, Verse 82)
• (Offensive) fighting is obligatory for you, though it is hateful to you. But you may hate a thing although it is
good for you, and may love a thing although it is evil for you. Allah knows, and you do not (AL-BAQARA,
Verse 216).
• And to those who shall follow the messenger the unlettered prophet (muhammad) whom they shall find
written with them in the torah and the gospel. He will order kindness upon them and forbid them to do evil.
He will make good things lawful to them and prohibit all that is foul (AL-ARAF, Verse 157).
• among the people of the book there are some, who, if you trust him with a qintar (98,841.6 lbs.), will return
it to you, and there are others, who, if you trust him with a dinar will not hand it back unless you stand over
him, for they say: 'as for the common people, they have no recourse to us. They say lies against Allah while
they know (AL-E-IMRAN, Verse 75).
• Who, when people measure for them, take full measure, (AL-MUTAFFIFIN, Verse 2) but when they
measure or weigh for others, they reduce! (AL-MUTAFFIFIN, Verse 3).
• And cooperate in righteousness and warding off (evil), and do not cooperate in sinfulness and transgression.
Have fear of Allah, for Allah is stern in retribution. (AL-MAEDA, Verse 2)
• The lightning almost snatches away their sight, whenever it flashes upon them they walk on, but as soon as it
darkens they stand still. Indeed, if Allah willed, he could take away their sight and hearing. Allah has power
over all things (AL-BAQARA, Verse 20).
• he (joseph) said: 'it was she who sought to seduce me, ' and a witness (an infant) of her people bore witness,
saying: 'if his shirt is torn from the front, she is speaking the truth and he is one of the liars, (YUSUF, Verse
26) but, if his shirt is torn from behind, she lied, and he is of the truthful (YUSUF, Verse 27).
• for him that gives and fears (Allah) (AL-LAIL, Verse 5) and believes in the finest, (AL-LAIL, Verse 6) we
shall surely ease him to the path of easing; (AL-LAIL, Verse 7) but for him that is a miser, and sufficed,
(AL-LAIL, Verse 8) and he belied the finest (AL-LAIL, Verse 9) we shall surely ease for him the path of
hardship (the fire) (AL-LAIL, Verse 10).
• He will make good things lawful to them and prohibit all that is foul (AL-ARAF, Verse 157).
Inversion
Inversion is to bring in a part of words in speech and then invert it, which mean to do a transposition:
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He brings out the living from the dead, and the dead from the living. He revives the earth after its death.
Likewise you shall be brought forth (AL-ROOM, Verse 19).
It is Allah who splits the grain and the date stone. He brings forth the living from the dead, and the dead
from the living. So, that is Allah; how then are you perverted? (AL-ANAAM , Verse 95)
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They are not permitted to the unbelievers, nor are the unbelievers permitted to them (AL-MUMTAHINA,
Verse 10).
But whosoever does good works of righteousness, whether they be a believing male or female, shall enter
paradise, and not be wronged a pit mark of a date stone. (AN-NISA, Verse 124)
And who is better in religion than he who submits his face to Allah, being a good doer, and follows the
creed of Abraham, pure in faith? Allah took Abraham for a close friend (AN-NISA, Verse 125).
CONCLUSION
What the current research found out is that one of the miracles of Quran is its rhetorical aspect and that
Quran has used rhetorical arts in its different verses and this has caused many scholars to admit the miracle of
this divine book. There are many figures of speech included in Quran. Quran has pointed out to delicate points
according to the condition of its audience and this shows this divine book as a special work of art. Since the
linguistic arrays of the context are covered with different layers and shadows of meaning thus it is impossible to
understand them with careful attention to the beauties of a very delicate context. Understanding the spiritual
virtues of verses of Quran has an important effect on understanding its meaning and concept and helps scholars
and commentators to understand and interpret the concepts of verses of Quran.
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