The narrator has already seen a frail, travel-worn preacher surrounded by an attentive crowd. The address reveals how his voice holds attention: compact, linked phrases paint images and press difficult questions in quick succession.
This passage adds no new event about the preacher’s personal history. Its interest lies in the literary force of his speech. The contrast between an unimpressive outward appearance and a formidable command of language deepens the narrative scene.
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The Ṣanʿāʾ Maqāmah: Guidance, Mortality, and Evasive Responses
The narrator has already seen a frail, travel-worn preacher surrounded by an attentive crowd. The address reveals how his voice holds attention: compact, linked phrases paint images and press difficult questions in quick succession.
This passage adds no new event about the preacher’s personal history. Its interest lies in the literary force of his speech. The contrast between an unimpressive outward appearance and a formidable command of language deepens the narrative scene.