(A-1:) THE RHETORICAL STYLES OF BAYAN IN “NAWABIGHIL - KALIM” BY SHEIKH AL-ZAMAKHSHARĪ

اللمسات البيانية في كتاب "نوابغ الكلم" للشيخ الزمخشري

Abstract

Nawābigh al-Kalim is a distinctive and exceptional literary work by Al-Zamakhsharī (Abū al-Qāsim Maḥmūd ibn ʿUmar, d. 538 AH), a prominent scholar of rhetoric, exegesis, and linguistics. The book comprises a collection of brief yet profound maxims that reflect a high level of rhetorical artistry and moral insight. This study explores the rhetorical features of the book, focusing on the use of simile, metaphor, metonymy, and other figurative expressions. It highlights how al-Zamakhsharī achieves depth of meaning, clarity, and elegance through brevity and precise language. Despite the work’s literary value, it has received limited attention in terms of rhetorical analysis. The central questions addressed include:

• How does al-Zamakhsharī employ rhetorical devices to enhance meaning and intensify expression?
• What rhetorical strategies shape the structure of his concise sayings?
• And how do these features impact the reader in terms of persuasion and aesthetic experience?

The research is based on the 1930 edition printed by al-Mashhad al-Ḥusaynī, which is the most commonly circulated version in West Africa. Methodologically, the research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and inductive methods, the study analyzes selected examples to reveal the rhetorical richness that make Nawābigh al-Kalim a valuable yet underexplored book