Simile as an Interpretive Mechanism A Study of the Commentaries on al-Mutanabbī’s Poetry until the End of the 5th Century AH

Abstract

Al-Mutanabbī’s poetry represents a unique phenomenon in the Arab poetic and critical tradition. His works have inspired numerous commentaries, rebuttals, and critical treatises—some supportive, others oppositional. Due to his status as one of the most distinguished poets of his era and Arab literary history as a whole, his poetry became central to many rhetorical and linguistic studies. His verses are frequently cited in works on Arabic eloquence, reflecting the deep rhetorical and structural richness of his texts. Hence, he is aptly described as “the one who filled the world and preoccupied the people.”Rather than addressing his poetry directly, this research focuses on the body of commentaries written on his work from its emergence up to the end of the 5th century AH. These commentaries form a range of interpretive readings that vary due to the layered structure of the poetic text. Meaning often does not lie at the surface level but requires deeper analysis and interpretation.Simile emerges as a central interpretive mechanism in these commentaries. It was not merely used to highlight aesthetic aspects of the text but served as a tool to uncover meanings embedded beneath rhetorical constructs. Commentators employed simile to reshape, redirect, and reconstruct poetic meaning, giving it an essential role in literary analysis.This study aims to reveal how simile enabled commentators to go beyond the surface of poetic expression and access its deeper semantic layers. The research traces instances where simile was used as a means of interpretation, showing how varying literary standards among commentators led to different readings. Simile, as such, stands out as a dynamic tool that bridges rhetorical artistry and critical understanding in classical Arabic poetry.