Rhetorical Imagery in the Qur'an: A Comparative Isti'ārah Study of Al-Zamakhshari and Al-Zuhaili
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61987/jsse.v4i1.2923Keywords:
Isti’arah, Surah Al-Taubah, Tafsir Al-Kasyaf, Tafsir Al-MunirAbstract
This study aims to examine the use of isti’arah (metaphor) in Surah Al-Taubah through a comparative analysis of Tafsir Al-Kasyaf by Al-Zamakhsyari and Tafsir Al-Munir by Wahbah Al-Zuhaili. The study focuses on identifying the types of isti’arah, examining their semantic implications, and comparing the interpretive approaches employed by both mufassir. This research adopts a qualitative descriptive-analytic design using library research. Data were collected from the two tafsir works as primary sources and supported by classical and contemporary literature on Arabic rhetoric balaghah. Data were analyzed through content analysis and comparative analysis. The findings reveal 19 verses containing isti’arah in Surah Al-Taubah, classified into three types: tasrihiyyah, taba’iyyah, and lathaiful isti’arah. The analysis of QS. Al-Taubah: 5 and 32 indicates that Al-Zamakhsyari emphasizes historical-linguistic interpretation and lexical comparison, whereas Al-Zuhaili provides a more systematic explanation with greater attention to contemporary relevance. The findings imply that integrating both approaches strengthens comparative Qur'anic interpretation and provides a more comprehensive understanding of the Qur'an's linguistic and rhetorical dimensions.
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