Basic
Antithesis
Surah: Al Imran (26)
Antithesis Between Two Words — "He Gives Life and Causes Death" and "You Honor and You Humiliate"
تُعِزُّ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَآءُ
— آل عمران الآية 26
Definition of Tibaq (antithesis):
Tibaq: combining a word and its opposite in speech. Positive tibaq: bringing opposites together without negation. Negative tibaq: through negation and affirmation.
The two Quranic examples:
1. "He gives life and causes death" — Al Imran: 156 (and other contexts): positive tibaq — life opposite death in two words.
2. "You honor whom You will and You humiliate whom You will" — Al Imran: 26: positive tibaq between honor and humiliation.
Rhetorical effect of tibaq:
Placing honor before humiliation despite the context affirming divine completeness — conveys that honor is the origin and goal while humiliation occurs but is not the intent.
Tibaq: combining a word and its opposite in speech. Positive tibaq: bringing opposites together without negation. Negative tibaq: through negation and affirmation.
The two Quranic examples:
1. "He gives life and causes death" — Al Imran: 156 (and other contexts): positive tibaq — life opposite death in two words.
2. "You honor whom You will and You humiliate whom You will" — Al Imran: 26: positive tibaq between honor and humiliation.
Rhetorical effect of tibaq:
- Highlights meaning through contrast: each opposite clarifies and affirms the other
- Gives speech a tight rhythm contributing to memorization and impact
- Conveys the comprehensiveness of divine power over both extremes — the One who gives life is the same who causes death, not two separate forces
Placing honor before humiliation despite the context affirming divine completeness — conveys that honor is the origin and goal while humiliation occurs but is not the intent.
Source: Al-Zarkashi (3/441); Al-Suyuti (3/253); Al-Jarim and Al-Amin (p.213)
Test Yourself
What is the difference between positive and negative tibaq? Give an example of each.
Show Answer