LessonsAl-Dhikr wa al-Hadhf: Rhetorical Purposes of Mention and OmissionQuiz

قَدْ طَلَبْنَا فَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَكَ فِي السُّؤْدَدِ وَالْمَجْدِ وَالْمَكَارِمِ مِثْلًا
We searched, but found none your equal in dignity, glory, and noble qualities.

The first verb ṭalabnā (“we sought”) leaves its object unspoken. The sense is that the speakers sought someone comparable to the addressee. Explicitly saying “we sought your equal” would entertain, however briefly, the prospect of another person matching him.

Politeness (adab) here avoids an unnecessarily explicit comparison that might diminish the addressee. The praise remains clear while a potentially indelicate expression is withheld.

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Omission 9: politeness and tact

Al-Dhikr wa al-Hadhf: Rhetorical Purposes of Mention and Omission

قَدْ طَلَبْنَا فَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَكَ فِي السُّؤْدَدِ وَالْمَجْدِ وَالْمَكَارِمِ مِثْلًا
We searched, but found none your equal in dignity, glory, and noble qualities.

The first verb ṭalabnā (“we sought”) leaves its object unspoken. The sense is that the speakers sought someone comparable to the addressee. Explicitly saying “we sought your equal” would entertain, however briefly, the prospect of another person matching him.

Politeness (adab) here avoids an unnecessarily explicit comparison that might diminish the addressee. The praise remains clear while a potentially indelicate expression is withheld.