(أساليب الطلب ودلالتها في نونية أبي البقاء الرُّندي) دراسة وتحليل (Request Styles and Their Significance in the Nuniyya of Abu al-Baqa' al-Rundi) - A Study and Analysis – Section Articles

Abstract

The art of elegy (Ritha') is one of the ancient literary genres through which poets have long expressed their overwhelming emotions toward the departed, commemorating their virtues and legacies. This genre has produced many magnificent poems that vividly capture these sentiments. Falling under this umbrella is the "Elegy of Cities and Kingdoms" (Ritha' al-Mudun wa al-Buldan), a form for which Andalusian literature is particularly renowned, especially in its laments for fallen cities.

The most prominent work documenting this genre is the Nuniyya of Abu al-Baqa' al-Rundi, an elegy for Al-Andalus. This poem reached the pinnacle of stirring passions, evoking deep emotions, and demonstrating creative poetic structure and eloquent craftsmanship. The poet poured into it his soul’s turmoil regarding the vicissitudes of time and the extinction of past civilizations, employing these themes to mourn a beloved homeland that he witnessed fluctuating between days of prosperity and days of tragic decline due to internal strife.

This study focuses on a notable stylistic feature of the poem: the frequent use of Arabic "Request Styles" (Asalib al-Talab—such as imperatives, interrogatives, etc.). These styles carry specific semantic significances shaped by the poetic context. This research seeks to answer: What was the poet's intent behind these styles? Which "request style" is most prevalent in the poem? And is there a direct correlation between the poet's intense emotions and these specific linguistic choices?

The research comprises:

• Introduction: On the art of elegy (The Elegy of Cities).


• Section I: An introduction to the poet and his Nuniyya.


• Section II: Defining "Request Styles" and their semantic implications.


• Section III: Analyzing the instances of "Request Styles" in the Nuniyya and their significance.


• Conclusion: Summarizing the most prominent findings of the study.