جوانب بلاغية في تفسير الخطيب الشربيني "السراج المنير في الإعانة على معرفة بعض معاني كلام ربنا الحكيم الخبير"

RHETORICAL ASPECTS IN AL-KHATIB AL-SHARBEENI’S TAFSIR "AL-SIRAJ AL-MUNIR FI AL-I‘ANAH ‘ALA MA‘RIFAH BA‘D MA‘ANI KALAM RABBINA AL-HAKIM AL-KHABIR"

Abstract

The rhetorical approach constitutes one of the central dimensions of Qur’anic inimitability (iʿjāz). This study examines manifestations of Qur’anic eloquence in Al-Sirāj al-Munīr, the Qur’anic exegesis of Al-Khatib Al-Sharbeeni, a prominent scholar of the Shāfiʿī school. The research seeks to answer the main question: To what extent does rhetorical analysis shape Al-Sharbeeni’s exegetical methodology? Adopting descriptive and analytical methods, the study traces rhetorical phenomena in the text and evaluates their interpretive and aesthetic functions. The findings reveal three principal results: first, despite his primary identity as a jurist, Al-Sharbeeni demonstrates a sustained engagement with rhetoric as a tool for uncovering Qur’anic inimitability; second, his exegetical style closely aligns with guidance-oriented exegesis (tafsīr hidā’ī), characterized by clarity, conciseness, and semantic depth; third, his rhetorical interpretations occasionally reflect Ashʿarī theological commitments, which may influence contextual coherence. The study also highlights his deliberate rejection of the term sajʿ (rhymed prose), favoring fāṣilah to preserve the Qur’an’s stylistic distinctiveness. It is recommended that a concise, pedagogically oriented edition of Al-Sirāj al-Munīr be produced in line with the tafsīr hidā’ī model and that its rhetorical dimensions be further explored due to their significant linguistic and interpretive value.

Conflict of Interest:

The author(s) declare that there are no competing or potential conflicts of interest regarding the research, authorship, and publication of this article.

Participant Consent:

Not applicable. This study does not involve human participants.

Data Fabrication/Falsification Statement:

The author(s) declare that no data have been fabricated, falsified, or manipulated in this study.

Copyright:

Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Sultan Abdullah Al-Azmi