Selected Figurative Styles from Surah Ar-Rahman

Abstract

Surah Ar-Rahman has been described as ‘the Bride of the Qur’an’, and indeed it is filled with aspects of beauty that confirm its worthiness of this title. It opens by mentioning the greatest blessings, foremost among which is the blessing of the teaching of the Qur’an, the creation of humankind and their preparation to receive revelation and act upon it. It also presents manifestations of divine power in the universe, and depicts the horrors and scenes of the Day of Judgement, alongside what has been prepared for the believers in Paradise, whilst containing praise of the Almighty and a declaration of His greatness. This surah features various manifestations of rhetorical miracles, including the technique of anticipation and delay, with the semantic subtleties it carries that deepen the meaning.