Rhetorical Manifestations of Dialogic Verses in Surah Al-A raf (The Heights)

Surah Al-A’raf (The Heights) with 206 verses is considered as the second detailing Surah in the Holy Qur''an which is characterized by the most verses associated with dialogue، so that interlocutors and the subjects as well as the modes of dialogue are of variety in this Surah. In this article، after an introduction to the literal and idiomatic meanings of the term “mohavereh”، there are two sections on the examination of compositional and predicative modes. In each section، the rhetorical manifestations of the verses related to conversations are investigated to address what rhetorical topics in the dialogic verses in Surah Al-A’raf are the most frequently used. The author has tried to explain all the rhetorical manifestations used in these verses. By studying these verses، it was found that interlocutors mostly employ request compositional modes in the form of ordinance، forbiddance، interrogation، and calls which are mostly away from their original meanings and used for other meanings. Moreover، the predicative modes are of request and denial types. Other rhetorical devices used in these dialogues included metonymy، brevity، redundancy، iltefat، ghasr and uslub-al-hakim، antithesis، tabzil، elucidation after ambiguity، explanation after brevity، different reference types، elimination، use of verbal case and nominative statements، and advancing and delaying. Among the most important dialogues incorporated into Surah Al-A’raf are the ones between the prophets and their peoples which are examined to reveal the secrets of their rhetorical similarities. Using inductive as well as descriptive-analytical methods، the rhetorical manifestations of the dialogic verses of Surah Al-A’raf are dealt with in their order.