In lam yatakhaddad, lam puts the imperfect into the jussive and negates the event in past time. By contrast, kaʾanna al-shamsa alqat ridāʾahā creates a complete imaginative simile: the sun does not literally throw a cloak; the act stands for the spread of radiance.
Earlier verses focused on lips, teeth, gums, and smile. Now the whole face is described. This transition from particular features to the entire face gives the portrait a coherent progression.
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Ṭarafah ibn al-ʿAbd: Ruins, Ships, Gazelle, and Beauty (Verses 1–10)
In lam yatakhaddad, lam puts the imperfect into the jussive and negates the event in past time. By contrast, kaʾanna al-shamsa alqat ridāʾahā creates a complete imaginative simile: the sun does not literally throw a cloak; the act stands for the spread of radiance.
Earlier verses focused on lips, teeth, gums, and smile. Now the whole face is described. This transition from particular features to the entire face gives the portrait a coherent progression.