The Centrality of Grammar in the Organization of Literary Discourse According to Al-Jurjani

Abstract

This study aims to highlight the centrality of grammar in the theory of "nazm" (syntactic organization) as developed by Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjani, one of the most prominent figures in the Arabic linguistic and rhetorical tradition. The study demonstrates that al-Jurjani did not regard grammar merely as a set of rules governing linguistic correctness; rather, he considered it the foundational principle underlying the construction of eloquent literary discourse and the core of the organizational process through which rhetorical excellence is achieved. The study focuses on the role of grammar within the stages of discourse formation, particularly in the stage of syntactic linkage between words, where structural relations are determined according to contextual requirements, the conditions of the audience, and the speaker’s intentions. It also explains how al-Jurjani established "nazm" as a comprehensive theory grounded in the meanings and principles of grammar, applying it to the interpretation of Qur’anic discourse and the exploration of its miraculous nature, as well as to the production, analysis, and النقد of literary discourse. Al-Jurjani elevated grammar beyond the level of distinguishing correctness from error to uncovering subtle rhetorical and semantic nuances embedded in syntactic structures, thereby affirming grammar as the central pillar of his rhetorical theory.