The Doctrines of the Theologians on Majāz and Their Impact on Arabic Rhetoric and the Interpretation of the Divine Names and Attributes

Abstract

Scholars of kalām devoted considerable attention to the study of majāz (figurative expression) in their writings and debates. Indeed, they were at the forefront in employing it in its technical sense as the counterpart (qasīm) of literal meaning (ḥaqīqah). What prompted this profound engagement was their involvement in discussions of Qur’anic inimitability (iʿjāz) and in theological questions pertaining to creed and divine unity—particularly the investigations related to the Divine Names and Attributes, exalted and majestic, and their interpretation in the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The outcome of these extended debates and sustained dialectical exchanges was the emergence of various sects and doctrinal orientations that made a significant contribution to the theoretical foundations of Arabic rhetoric and eloquence. Through their analyses and evidentiary arguments, they enriched its disciplines and produced important works from which scholars of rhetoric and legal theory drew extensively.
In this research paper, we shall attempt to shed light on the principal views of theologians and their doctrinal positions regarding majāz, as well as their impact on interpreting the texts concerning the Divine Names and Attributes. This will be accomplished by selecting representative examples from among the many available, presenting them to researchers in a manner that clarifies the objective and fulfills the intended purpose.