Abstract
In this study, the art of aqs al-zaher, which can be defined as “a word meaning something other than its apparent/visible meaning” has been discussed. From the earliest times, the way this art was handled in rhetoric books, and the areas it was used have been examined by scholars. The words used in this art are not very clear, and understanding this figure of speech is related to the literary taste and intelligence level of the orator and the audience. This art has been associated with hyperbole, allusion, and metaphor by some rhetoric scholars. This literary art was used in Arabic poetry in almost all periods, especially in the pre-Islam period. In our study, the opinions of important rhetoric scholars such as Ibn Rashiq, Ibn al-Athir and Ibn Abî al-Isba’ about this art were given and a general evaluation was made over them. In addition, the subject is enriched by giving examples from classical Arabic poetry. In our study, the views of the rhetoricians who dealt with this art starting from the first periods are mentioned. As an example, Ibn Rashiq examined this literary art under the title of “bab nafy al-shay bi îjabih” and associated it with hyperbole. According to him, when we look at a sentence formed with this art, although it may ostensibly positive, the esoteric/real meaning of the sentence is negative. According to Ibn al-Athir, who first used the term of aqs al-zaher and discussed it under a separate title, although this art is seemingly the negation of the modifier of the defined, it is the negation of the defined itself. According to him, this art is not used much in the Arabic language because if there is no evidence other than the meaning indicated by the word, one may not understand what is being said. Unless this is the case, the purpose of the speaker cannot be understood. Therefore, Ibn al-Athir said that there must be evidence for the implied meaning in order to understand this art. In addition, Ibn al-Athir finds the frequent usage of this art pompous as the words used in this art are not very clear in meaning. Rhetoric scholars after Ibn Rashiq and Ibn al-Athir followed these two names and gave similar definitions and examples. In this context, the views of some important linguists such as Ibn Hegga al-Hamawi, al-Suyuti, al-Rafi, and Ibn Ashur are also included in our study. Ibn Rashiq evaluated aqs al-zaher with hyperbole, and Ibn Abî al-Isba’ with metaphor. In addition to this, Ibn Ashur dealt with this art in relation to allusion. Regarding this situation, we can say that allusion and metaphor are similar to each other in terms of expressing something other than the literal meaning of the word. However, while, in metaphor, there is evidence of meaning that will prevent the real meaning of the word from being understood, such evidence is not in question in allusion. Therefore, when viewed from this point of view, aqs al-zaher can be evaluated under the title of allusion. However, if we consider that allusion is a metaphor in one aspect, this art can also be regarded under the broader umbrella of metaphor. As a result, although rhetoric scholars have discussed this art under different titles, they generally say the same things in terms of the meaning it expresses and give similar examples. Linguists such as Ibn Rashiq, Ibn Abî al-Isba’, and al-Hamawi use the term “nafy al-shay bi îjabih” for this art. Ibn al-Athir, on the other hand, refers to this art as “aqs al-zaher”. Ibn Ma‘soom said in his work Anvar al-Rabi‘ that some language scholars also named it as “nafy al-shay bi nafy lazeemih”. Of these, the term “nafy al-shay bi îjabih” is the most widely used one. As with many of the other rhetoric arts, we often come across examples of aqs al-zaher in the Qur'an. In this sense, in our study, some verses in the Qur'an, in which this art is used, were determined, and the opinions of some commentators and rhetoricians were conveyed.