Rhetorical and Lexical Manifestations of the Radīf in the Qasidas of Saif Farghānī

Abstract

Since the radīf is one of the most important elements influencing the creation of marginal, external, and internal poetic music, and plays a significant role in completing the meaning of the verse as well as in the cohesion and interweaving of the poem, appearing in diverse forms, the present study aims to examine the manner of the original rhetorical and lexical manifestations of the radīf and their frequency in the qasidas of Saif Farghānī, who demonstrates an exceptional skill in employing difficult and varied radīfs. It also seeks to clarify how these stylistic manifestations are realized through the medium of the radīf. This study adopts a descriptive–analytical method and, based on library research and note-taking, analyzes the lexical and rhetorical manifestations of the radīf in Saif’s qasidas. The analyses indicate that most of Saif’s qasidas are muraddaf (i.e., they contain a radīf), and that, from a rhetorical perspective, the artistic use of the radīf prominently appears within the framework of numerous literary devices. From a lexical perspective as well, a diversity of complex radīf types—verbal, nominal, infinitive, pronominal, and others—can be observed. Its presence in the poetry has created a very strong connection and a remarkably powerful effect between the poet and the audience. The findings show that out of a total of 115 qasidas by Saif, 88 qasidas—representing 76 percent of his qasidas—are muraddaf. Of these, 39 qasidas, from a lexical standpoint, employ verbal radīfs, and 22 qasidas contain nominal radīfs. Pronominal, adjectival, infinitive, and other types of radīf also have a striking presence, which are subsequently presented in tabular form. From a rhetorical perspective, various manifestations of phonetic and semantic figures of badīʿ, as well as figures of bayān and even maʿānī, such as rhetorical question, simile, personification, metaphor, metonymy, paronomasia, and others, can be observed.