An Introduction to the Miraculous and Aesthetic Dimensions of the Qur'an's Rhythmic Order

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Abstract

One of the miraculous and aesthetic aspects of the Holy Qur'an is the language of the Qur'an and its various dimensions. Since the Exalted Allah has enshrouded the unseen and Qur'anic truths in "articulate speech" (bayān) and presented them all molded in language (lisān) to both the mystic and the commoner. It is upon the experts to research profoundly and insightfully in order to remove the barriers created between the Qur'an and the human beings and to prepare the ground for the embodiment of the fact: "This is an explanation for mankind", for the people. "Orderly Rhythm", as a miraculous feature of the Qur'an, has been among the issues that has directed people toward and drawn their attention to the astonishing orderliness of the Qur'an, beautifully displayed the profound and highly accurate relation between the meanings and the purpose of its verses and chapters, and made its words and speech so fluent and eloquent.
"Orderly Rhythm" is the specific rhythm created by the way the Qur'anic letters and words have been arranged together and heard when listening to the Qur'an. It is sometimes interpreted as the music of the verses and regarded by the Qur'anic scholars as among the verbal aesthetic dimensions of the Qur'an.
Paying attention to overall climate of the chapters and groups of verses, the way the letters are arranged in the verses, priority and posteriority of words, length of the verses, and their intervals are among the ways of recognizing the orderly rhythm of the Qur'an.
In this essay, the writer aims at examining the concept of orderly rhythm as one of the verbal beauties of the Qur'an and the relation of the Qur'anic words to the concept of the verses and chapters, as well as stressing the necessity of employing this artistic feature in instruction and memorization of the Qur'an.