Review of Ibn- Hishām's Judgement about Abu Hayyan

Ibn- Hishām, in his book entitled Moqni Al-Labib, employs a procedure unprecedented in works before this book, e.g., his critique of the ideas by all syntactic schools. It is noteworthy that he does not confine his work to syntactic ideas; he also enquires into many rhetorical issues. He comments on the views of many experts on syntax and rhetoric, endorsing some of them, rejecting others. He is Particularly and unconventionally eritical of the syntactic and rhetorical ideas expressed by Abu Hayyan, accusing him of not Knowing anything of rhetoric. Abu Hayyan's rhetorical views on "metaphor", "tropes", and "hyperbole", as Found in his work entitled Al-Bahr Al-Muhit, rare not only at variance with Ibn- Hishām's judgement of him but also underscore the fact that Abu Hayyan was a master of rhetoric. This article is an appraisal of Ibn- Hishām's criticism of Abu Hayyan.