The phenomenon of eloquence in the Qur'an: Analyzing the art of badi' from the perspective of spiritual embellishments

The aim of our study is to examine the impact of the art of bedî' on understanding the Qur'an by analyzing its verses. The Qur'an, considered one of the most perfect examples of the Arabic language, is undoubtedly a divine message in which many examples of the art of bedi' manifest in terms of meâning. The study consists of an introduction and three chapters. In the introduction, the influence of the rhetorical arts mentioned in the Qur'an on the development of Arabic literature and the art of bedi' are discussed, and the subject, scope, purpose, and method of the research are addressed. In the first chapter, we highlight how unique the Qur'an is in terms of language and literature. We emphasize the inimitable, unique, and unparalleled nature of the Qur'an as demonstrated in various literary works. We define the term "fasâhat," which was used synonymously with eloquence, clarity, and purity in the early periods, both lexically and terminologically, providing examples for clârification. We also provide information on the definition, historical development, and main branches of rhetoric (belâgat), which is known to have gained independence the latest among the sciences related to the Arabic language and literature. We briefly discuss the main branches of rhetoric: meânings (meânî), clarity (beyân), and embellishment (bedî'). In the second chapter, we cover the historical development of the science of bedi'. We note that the first person to write an independent book on this science and define its subjects was İbnu'l-Mu'taz (d. 296/909), with his work "Kitabu'l-Bedî'." Contributions of other rhetoricians and their works are also briefly mentioned. In the third chapter, bedî' xplain the rhetorical devices known as muhassinât-ı ma'neviyye in the science of bedi' in detail, generally providing examples from the Qur'an. This study aims to reveal the impact of the art of bedî' on understanding the Qur'an by examining its applications in the verses. In the conclusion section, the relationship between rhetoric (balaghah) and the Qur'an is discussed, and brief information about muhassinât-ı ma'neviyye (semantic embellishments) is provided, summarizing the topic. At the end of the study, there is an "appendices" section. This section includes tables of semantic embellishments such as tibaq (antithesis), muqabalah (counterpoint), mushakala (similitude), tanasub (proportion), tashabuh al-atraaf (similarity of endings), irsad (guidance), aks and tabdil (inversion and substitution), tawriya (double entendre), jam' (accumulation), mubalagha (exaggeration), laff wa nashr (enfoldment and deployment), istidrak (corrective addition), ta'kid al-dham (emphatic censure), and tajahul al-ârif (feigned ignorance). These 14 arts are types of semantic arts that are subdivided into various categories. Keywords: Arabic, The Holy Qur'an, rhetoric, embellishment (or the art of bedî'), verse of the Qur'an, semantic embellishments