LessonsʿIlm al-Badīʿ: Verbal Embellishments — Paronomasia, Rhymed Prose and Related FiguresQuiz

«مَا مَاتَ مِنْ كَرَمِ الزَّمَانِ فَإِنَّهُ يَحْيَا لَدَى يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ»
“What has died of the age’s generosity comes alive with Yaḥyā ibn ʿAbd Allāh.”

The first yaḥyā is an imperfect verb meaning “lives,” while the second is the proper name Yaḥyā. The audible form coincides but both the grammatical function and meaning differ.

The figure is more than matching final sounds: the entire word form participates. It also reinforces the claim that generosity lives again in the praised person.

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Yaḥyā as a proper name and a verb

ʿIlm al-Badīʿ: Verbal Embellishments — Paronomasia, Rhymed Prose and Related Figures

«مَا مَاتَ مِنْ كَرَمِ الزَّمَانِ فَإِنَّهُ يَحْيَا لَدَى يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ»
“What has died of the age’s generosity comes alive with Yaḥyā ibn ʿAbd Allāh.”

The first yaḥyā is an imperfect verb meaning “lives,” while the second is the proper name Yaḥyā. The audible form coincides but both the grammatical function and meaning differ.

The figure is more than matching final sounds: the entire word form participates. It also reinforces the claim that generosity lives again in the praised person.