«وَاكْتَحَلْنَا السُّهَادَ»
And we applied sleeplessness as if it were kohl.
The verb iktaḥala normally means applying kohl to the eyes. Suhād means insomnia or wakefulness. Replacing the expected cosmetic with sleeplessness presents distress through a vivid sensory substitution.
Two words evoke a long anxious night. The clause should not be read as a report about actual eye treatment: its power lies in its metaphorical use.
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The Dīnārī Maqāmah: From Hunger to a Dinar’s Praise
«وَاكْتَحَلْنَا السُّهَادَ»
And we applied sleeplessness as if it were kohl.
The verb iktaḥala normally means applying kohl to the eyes. Suhād means insomnia or wakefulness. Replacing the expected cosmetic with sleeplessness presents distress through a vivid sensory substitution.
Two words evoke a long anxious night. The clause should not be read as a report about actual eye treatment: its power lies in its metaphorical use.