The concluding discussion recognizes that calling a passage ījāz or iṭnāb may be a relative judgment: it compares the expression with another way of achieving an equivalent purpose. Word count alone cannot settle the issue.
A shorter statement may omit a restriction necessary for the full intended meaning; a longer statement may add independent value. A valid comparison therefore begins with the actual purpose and semantic scope of both formulations, not a mechanical count of words.
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Iʿtirāḍ and the Relative Measure of Ījāz and Iṭnāb — Concluding Volume 1
The concluding discussion recognizes that calling a passage ījāz or iṭnāb may be a relative judgment: it compares the expression with another way of achieving an equivalent purpose. Word count alone cannot settle the issue.
A shorter statement may omit a restriction necessary for the full intended meaning; a longer statement may add independent value. A valid comparison therefore begins with the actual purpose and semantic scope of both formulations, not a mechanical count of words.