Allusion in Arabic Rhetoric
-A Different Assessment-
In this study, we will discuss the use of allusion in the Arabic language.
Our book consists of an introduction and three parts. In the introduction,
we touched upon the literature on the subject, importance, scope
and method of the research and the place of our study in this literature.
In the first part, we included the conceptual framework. In the second
part, we included and evaluated the views of rhetoric scholars, who
have been cornerstones since the early period, on allusion. In the third
part, we concluded our study by examining the most common examples
and verses in the books of rhetoric in the light of the conclusion we
reached.
As it is known, rhetoric, which is the science that deals with the methods
and principles of speaking properly and appropriately, consists of
the sciences of meânî, bayan and badi. The science of rhetoric, which
means expressing the words spoken in different ways in terms of clarity
and ambiguity according to time and place, consists of simile, metaphor
and allusion. More precisely, all other issues are evaluated under one
of these headings.
Allusion is defined as a word that is intended to have a metaphorical
meaning, although it is possible to have a literal meaning as a term. It
is difficult, and in some cases impossible, to consider many examples
mentioned in classical rhetoric sources as allusion within the framework
of this definition. Moreover, considering the function of allusion
in rhetoric, it is not appropriate to include some examples in this category.
This determination of ours is also valid for many verses of the Quran
that are given as examples of metaphor in rhetoric sources. There
is no possibility of literal meaning in these examples. When these are
said, a direct metaphorical meaning comes to mind. As is known, when
the representative metaphor becomes widespread, it becomes known
as a parable and no changes can be made to it. It is not appropriate to
name such examples as allusions, especially after defining the allusion
and determining that “both meanings are possible in allusion.” Thereix
fore, it would be more appropriate to name them not as allusion, but
as “allegory metaphor”. Examples that have become very common can
also be named with a term similar to “parable.” We can evaluate some
examples under any other heading of rhetoric, such as representation
of simile, metaphor, representative metaphor, tahyil, metonymy, and
tawriyya.
Key words: Allusion; Literal-Metaphor; Necessary-Requiring; Hint;
Sakkâkî-Qazwinî