Analysis of Surah At-Takwir in Light of the Levels of Modern Linguistics

Abstract

Surah At-Takwir is a Meccan surah whose discourse focuses on major issues of faith, foremost among them the scenes of the Resurrection, revelation, and the message. Its verses address the events of the Hereafter through awe-inspiring, metaphysical portrayals that awaken human consciousness and warn of the signs of cosmic upheaval and the Day of Judgment. Based on a careful analytical reading of the surah's verses, this research seeks to uncover the various linguistic levels that constitute the expressive structure of the Quranic text, particularly the grammatical, morphological, lexical, semantic, and pragmatic levels, and the profound meanings they yield, revealing the horrors of the surrounding Day and its momentous transformations.

The surah highlights scenes of unprecedented cosmic change and links them to the human soul's reckoning for its past injustices and transgressions, in a clear manifestation of the principle of divine justice. As for the rhetorical level, it reached the pinnacle of Quranic eloquence through the use of the three branches of rhetoric: eloquence, figures of speech, and semantics, in depicting momentous events and affirming the truth of the divine message and the prophethood of the Messenger, while directing a rebuke to the deniers and disbelievers.

The analysis also revealed a precise phonetic harmony among the surah's vocabulary, manifested in the rhythmic coherence of its letters and the harmony of its verse endings. This creates a semantic effect that resonates with the profound Quranic objectives, particularly through the use of rhyme and alliteration, which lend the text a powerful aesthetic dimension. Thus, the linguistic levels of the surah integrate to form a harmonious, miraculous textual unity, affirming the power and sublimity of Quranic expression. This aligns with the Prophetic tradition that encourages reading this surah to vividly recall the scenes of the Day of Judgment as if they were unfolding before one's eyes. This concise style, with its simple words and condensed imagery, has contributed to bringing the image of the end of the world closer to people's minds, reflecting the depth of meaning, richness of significance, and eloquence of expression in the Holy Qur'an.