Intermediate
Linguistic Subtleties
Surah: Yusuf (82)
Rhetorical Ellipsis (Hadhf) — "Ask the City" and Its Types
وَٱسۡـَٔلِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةَ ٱلَّتِي كُنَّا فِيهَا وَٱلۡعِيرَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَقۡبَلۡنَا فِيهَا
— يوسف الآية 82
Definition:
Rhetorical Ellipsis (Hadhf) is the omission of a word or phrase with the context indicating what was omitted — more eloquent than explicit mention because it stimulates the mind and condenses meaning.
The Classic Example:
"Ask the city" (Yusuf 12:82) — meaning: ask the people of the city. The possessive (people of) was omitted since a city cannot be asked; the mind grasps the omission instantly.
Types of Omission:
Rhetorical Ellipsis (Hadhf) is the omission of a word or phrase with the context indicating what was omitted — more eloquent than explicit mention because it stimulates the mind and condenses meaning.
The Classic Example:
"Ask the city" (Yusuf 12:82) — meaning: ask the people of the city. The possessive (people of) was omitted since a city cannot be asked; the mind grasps the omission instantly.
Types of Omission:
- Omitted possessive (Mudaf): "Ask the city" → the people of the city.
- Omitted response: "And if only you could see when they are made to stand before the Fire" — the result clause omitted due to the gravity of the scene.
- Omitted conjunction component for brevity.
- Omitted full conditional or consequential clause.
Source: Al-Zarkashi, Al-Burhan (3/89); Al-Suyuti, Al-Itqan (2/159); Al-Jurjani, Dala'il al-Ijaz
Test Yourself
What is omitted in "Ask the city" and why was it omitted?
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