LessonsPurposes of Tashbih: Possibility, State, Degree, Reinforcement, Beautification, Disparagement and InversionQuiz

كَأَنَّكَ شَمْسٌ وَالْمُلُوكُ كَوَاكِبٌ إِذَا طَلَعْتَ لَمْ يَبْدُ مِنْهُنَّ كَوْكَبُ
You are like the sun, and the other kings are stars: when you rise, not one of their stars remains visible.

Instead of merely saying that the praised ruler is very great, the poet constructs an intelligible scene: the sun rises, lesser lights disappear from view, and the leading ruler similarly overshadows other rulers.

Purpose: description of the subject's state, namely the ruler's comparative position among other kings.

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Source illustration: the sun and other rulers

Purposes of Tashbih: Possibility, State, Degree, Reinforcement, Beautification, Disparagement and Inversion

كَأَنَّكَ شَمْسٌ وَالْمُلُوكُ كَوَاكِبٌ إِذَا طَلَعْتَ لَمْ يَبْدُ مِنْهُنَّ كَوْكَبُ
You are like the sun, and the other kings are stars: when you rise, not one of their stars remains visible.

Instead of merely saying that the praised ruler is very great, the poet constructs an intelligible scene: the sun rises, lesser lights disappear from view, and the leading ruler similarly overshadows other rulers.

Purpose: description of the subject's state, namely the ruler's comparative position among other kings.