Basic
Antithetical Parallelism
Surah: Al-Zalzala (7)
Antithesis Between Two Sentences — Whoever Does an Atom of Good Sees It / Evil Sees It
فَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيۡرٗا يَرَهُۥ
— الزلزلة الآية 7
Difference between tibaq and muqabala:
Tibaq: between two words. Muqabala: between two or more sentences — each sentence against the opposite of the other.
The two verses:
"Whoever does an atom of good will see it. And whoever does an atom of evil will see it." (99:7-8)
The parallel structure:
Precision of the muqabala:
Tibaq: between two words. Muqabala: between two or more sentences — each sentence against the opposite of the other.
The two verses:
"Whoever does an atom of good will see it. And whoever does an atom of evil will see it." (99:7-8)
The parallel structure:
| Whoever does | = | Whoever does |
| an atom | = | an atom |
| good | vs. | evil |
| will see it | = | will see it |
Precision of the muqabala:
- Parallel repetition of "an atom" in both sentences levels the scale and highlights absolute justice
- "Will see it" repeated to affirm that seeing is inevitable in both cases — no difference in certainty
- The brevity of the two verses covering all good and all evil is among the most eloquent ijaz
Source: Al-Jurjani (p.138); Al-Zarkashi (3/441); Al-Maydani (2/287)
Test Yourself
What is the difference between tibaq and muqabala? Where does each appear in the Zalzala verses?
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