LessonsFronting the Musnad Ilayh: Prominence, Restriction and ReinforcementQuiz

وَالَّذِي حَارَتِ الْبَرِيَّةُ فِيهِ
حَيَوَانٌ مُسْتَحْدَثٌ مِنْ جَمَادِ
The being at which creation was perplexed is a living creature newly brought forth from lifeless matter.

The first hemistich offers an extended subject, «that which puzzled creation», but leaves the predicate pending. The hearer asks what it could be. The second hemistich provides the awaited characterization.

Its rhetorical function is heightened expectation before the predicate. Possible interpretive nuances of the poetic subject do not displace this structural lesson.

Opening interactive controls...

Anticipation in the original poetic example

Fronting the Musnad Ilayh: Prominence, Restriction and Reinforcement

وَالَّذِي حَارَتِ الْبَرِيَّةُ فِيهِ
حَيَوَانٌ مُسْتَحْدَثٌ مِنْ جَمَادِ
The being at which creation was perplexed is a living creature newly brought forth from lifeless matter.

The first hemistich offers an extended subject, «that which puzzled creation», but leaves the predicate pending. The hearer asks what it could be. The second hemistich provides the awaited characterization.

Its rhetorical function is heightened expectation before the predicate. Possible interpretive nuances of the poetic subject do not displace this structural lesson.