Criticizing the Denial Thinking on Trope in Qur'an

Document Type : scientific-research

Author

Assistant professor in Arabic language and literature, Islamic Azad Univercity, Izeh

Abstract

To understand the concepts of Holy Qur'an and finding the inner meanings of its verses, the words "Reality" and "Trope" have been entered the field of Qur'anic literature acting against each other from at least the second Hijri century. Trope was firstly defined by Aristotle, but this term has been implied three meanings in Islam world, from 3rd up to 5th Hijri centuries: it was firstly "the way of expressing the meaning of verses and understanding their implications." Then, it was used with a more general meaning, including the ways of speech, and finally as a common term of rhetoric which stood against the rhetoric term of Reality, "a word or expression used in a figurative sense, or; a word, phrase, or image used in a new and different way in order to create an artistic effect".  Since the introduction of the third meaning, some commentators denied trope totally, and some of them denied it in relation with divine attributes or in God's words. The Salafists and apparentists denied trope in Qur'an. Ibn – Taymiyyah was one of their famous figures who rejected the discussion of "Reality and Trope" absolutely, and believed that all the words of Allah and the prophet are real. In return, most scholars of rhetoric, methodology and interpretation believe, on the basis of rational reasons, that the denial of trope in Qur'an and language is the result of ignorance and obstinacy with no scientific foundation.       

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