Intermediate
Antithetical Parallelism
Surah: Yunus (56)
The Phenomenon of Antithesis — "Gives Life and Causes Death" / "Gives and Withholds"
يُحۡيِۦ وَيُمِيتُ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ
— يونس الآية 56
Definition of muqabala (antithesis/parallel opposition):
Bringing two or more meanings then their opposites in order — broader than tibaq (antithesis) which is limited to just two opposites.
Types of Quranic antithesis:
Bringing two or more meanings then their opposites in order — broader than tibaq (antithesis) which is limited to just two opposites.
Types of Quranic antithesis:
- Simple tibaq: "He gives life and causes death." (3:156) — two opposites — life and death embody Allah's absolute sovereignty over existence.
- Compound muqabala: "As for him who gives, and is pious, and affirms the good — We will ease him toward ease. As for him who withholds, considers himself self-sufficient, and denies the good — We will ease him toward hardship." (92:5-10) — three against three and outcome against outcome.
- Clarification: The opposite reveals the boundaries of meaning — "gives life" acquires its full meaning beside "causes death."
- Concision: Instead of elaborating each side, two opposites suffice — the mind completes the picture.
- Rhythmic beauty: The sonic balance between opposites gives the sentence an internal music.
Source: Al-Jurjani (p.237); Al-Zarkashi (3/359); Al-Jarim & Al-Amin (p.285)
Test Yourself
What is the difference between tibaq and muqabala? What is the rhetorical effect of "gives life and causes death"?
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