Arabic: Al-Istifham, At-Tamanni, An-Nidaa'

• The text explores the various purposes and forms of "Al-Istifham" (the Interrogative) in Arabic, "At-Tamanni" (Wishing), and "An-Nidaa'" (Calling)

Al-Istifham (The Interrogative) and Its Purposes

• It is originally used to seek knowledge of something unknown.
• It can deviate from its original meaning to serve various rhetorical purposes.
• Purposes can include amazement, negation, affirmation, pride, disparagement, reproach, disapproval, incitement/arousal, hope, sorrow, and distancing.
• Amazement: Expressing surprise or wonder
  • A poet questions a complaining person without illness about how they will manage when truly ill.
• Negation: Implying a negative statement through a question
  • A verse questions if there is any creator other than Allah who provides for people from the sky and earth, implying that there is none.
• Affirmation: Seeking confirmation of something already known or established
  • A verse asks if Allah isn't sufficient for His servant, implying that He is indeed sufficient.
• Pride: Expressing self-importance and boasting
• A poet laments being lost by others, questioning what great warrior they have lost for times of war and defending honor.
• Disparagement: Belittling or mocking something
• A poet tells someone threatening him to stop because their threat is as harmless as the buzzing of flies.
• Reproach: Expressing disapproval or criticism
• A poet questions how long the disagreement between parties will last and what the great commotion is about.
• Disapproval: Expressing strong objection or condemnation
• A verse questions how people can be turned away from Allah when He is clearly evident.
• Incitement/Arousal: Stimulating interest or desire
• The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asks if he should guide them to something that, if done, will make them love each other.
• Hope: Expressing a wish or desire
• A verse expresses the hope of having intercessors to intercede for them.
• Sorrow: Expressing grief or regret
• A poet expresses sorrow for a loved one, lamenting their fate of spending their days and nights in a grave.
• Distancing: Expressing disbelief or impossibility
• A verse questions how Allah can have a son when He has no consort.

At-Tamanni (Wishing)

• It involves desiring something that is either impossible to achieve or difficult to achieve.
• Tools for expressing wishes are either original or non-original
  • Original: "Laita" (if only)
  • Laita can sometimes be used for rhetorical purposes like remorse.
    • A poet expresses a wish for youth to return so they could inform it of what old age has done.
  • Non-Original: "Hal," "Law," "Asa" (هل - لو - عسى)

An-Nidaa' (Calling) and Its Purposes

• It involves requesting the attention or presence of the person being addressed.
• Tools for calling vary depending on whether the person being addressed is near or far.
• Near: "Al-Hamza," "Ay" ( الهمزة - أي)
• Far:"Aya," "Haya" ( أيا - هيا)
• Both Near and Far: "Ya" (يا)
• Purposes can includes alert, magnification, regret and praying.
• Alert: Drawing someone's attention to something
• A poet addresses someone accumulating wealth for others, questioning for whom they gather it when they will die.
• Magnification: Emphasizing the importance or greatness of someone or something
• A poet praises Egypt, exclaiming that it will never vanish and the Nile will continue to flow within it smoothly.
• Regret: Expressing sorrow or remorse
• A verse express the regret of not having done good deeds in this life
• Praying: Seeking blessing, grace, or assistance from a higher power.
• A verse says "My Lord, support me because they have denied me."

Non-Imperative Inshā’i Style

• The text identifies rhetorical styles beyond direct requests and commands.
• Al-Qasam (The Oath): Involves using words such as "Wallahi," "Billahi," "Tallahi," "La'amri," and "Wa Rabbi al-Ka'ba" to emphasize a statement.
• A poet uses "La'amruka" (By your life) to express uncertainty about who will die
• At-Ta'ajjub (Exclamation/Surprise): Can be either Qiyasi (standard) or Sama'i (heard/traditional).
• Qiyasi: Follows a specific grammatical pattern
• A poet reflects on how many brothers one has when they are counted but how few there are in times of adversity.
• A poet praises people whose actions match their words and how wonderful it is when actions and words do not contradict.
• Sama'i: Does not follow a specific pattern but is recognized through usage.
• A poet exlaims "For God forsake, You have defeated my happiness, and you defeated me until my life abandoned me"