Sharjah, March 27 /WAM/ His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, launched this evening the second phase of the Encyclopedia of Rhetorical Interpretation and the Encyclopedia of the Qalun Recitation from Nafi', the first encyclopedia of methods for individual recitations.

This came during His Highness's attendance at the annual ceremony for the graduation of the fourth batch of reciters licensed by the Holy Quran Complex in Sharjah, numbering 249 licensees, held at the University City Hall in Sharjah.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah was gracious enough to sign the first copy of the volumes of the second phase of the Encyclopedia of Rhetorical Interpretation, comprising 16 volumes, covering parts of the second quarter of the Holy Quran, bringing the total number of volumes of the encyclopedia in its two phases to 25 volumes. His Highness also signed the first copy of the volumes of the Encyclopedia of the Qalun Recitation from Nafi', the first encyclopedia of methods for individual recitations, consisting of 10 volumes, in addition to the Holy Quran with a marginal commentary on the Qalun Recitation from Nafi' al-Madani.

The Encyclopedia of Rhetorical Interpretation is unique and unprecedented in the field of rhetorical interpretation literature, as it provides a comprehensive interpretation of the Holy Quran. It explains the meanings of words by offering a precise and concise linguistic explanation of terms, referencing major linguistic dictionaries, books on obscure Quranic words, and exegeses. It clarifies the overall meaning of verses in simple, accessible language while ensuring good phrasing, strength, and coherence, with moderate explanation—neither tediously lengthy nor excessively brief—and pays attention to good organization and quality of presentation.

The encyclopedia also addresses the occasion of the surah's revelation in relation to what precedes and follows it, and the occasion of the verse in relation to what precedes it, highlighting the connections and relationships between them, as well as the subtleties and nuances. It sheds light on linguistic and rhetorical clarification by examining the impact of linguistic styles on meanings, such as highlighting the role of indefiniteness and definiteness in general, observing the meanings conveyed by conjunction and disjunction, demonstrating the suitability of brevity, equality, or amplification for the intended meaning, clarifying the harmony between word and meaning, the wisdom behind using plural, singular, and dual forms, masculine and feminine, the implications of nominal and verbal sentences in discourse, and other topics of the exquisite science of meanings that are among the most important means of revealing the aesthetics of the Quranic text and the precision of its verse arrangement.

The encyclopedia also examines the types of verbal and moral rhetorical embellishments that adorn the Quranic text, such as the proportionality of pauses, the beauty of antithesis, similarity of endpoints, the magnificence of the style of gradation in ordering meanings, and other features that abound in the verbal fabric of the Holy Quran.

The encyclopedia also highlights the semantic differences between Quranic words, touches on verbal similarity, mentioning the interpretations and occasions therein, and points to the guidance of the verses and the messages and signals embedded in their rhetoric. The encyclopedia is based on authoritative exegetical, linguistic, and rhetorical sources.

The Encyclopedia of Methods for Individual Recitations is distinguished by its comprehensive coverage and complete verification of every detail related to the Quranic recitation. It deals with the 'farsh' words (variant readings), their enumeration, evidence, guidance, and performance notes. It also enumerates the principles such as prolongations, plural meems, and others, regardless of how often they recur, as a reminder and convenience for the student, with mention of evidence, guidance, and performance notes. The encyclopedia is also adorned and unique in mentioning the Uthmanic script and Quranic diacritical marks for Quranic words in agreement and disagreement, and it eases the burden on reciters of searching in authoritative books on stopping and starting, by mentioning every permissible stop pointed out by a scholar.

The Encyclopedia of Methods for Individual Recitations did not neglect to mention the Quranic verse endings (fawasil) for the recitation, due to the scarcity of reciters who address this art. It mentions the evidence and guidance for each disputed verse ending. The final gem in the necklace of this encyclopedia's features is the chapter of 'Qur'anic Subtleties,' which is the essence of the thoughts and experiences of the esteemed reciters over many years of teaching and spreading the Quran in its various recitations.

The encyclopedia contains the views of all schools of recitation without giving preference, leaving the field open for the reciter and his student to choose, aiming for the encyclopedia to be suitable for the entire Muslim community without excluding any school of recitation.

The encyclopedia is also distinguished by issuing a special Quran for each recitation, containing a summary of what is mentioned in the encyclopedia, written and diacritically marked in accordance with the Quranic recitation, accompanied by an audio recording of the differences in the recitation in all its aspects, via a QR code, to preserve the correct audio transmission of the words of the Holy Quran, carried out by sheikhs known for their beautiful recitation, as well as mastery, verification, and precision.

The ceremony began with a recitation of clear verses from the Wise Remembrance. Subsequently, the reciter Uthman Hassan Yusuf granted his student, Haj Murad Muhammadov, a student of the Holy Quran Complex in Sharjah, a Quranic license (ijaza). With the license he obtained from the complex, Muhammadov then licensed his student, Muhammad Bashir, from the Russian Federation, in a scene depicting the fruit of the fruit, and the succession of completions (khatmas) and licenses and their spread, embodying the complex's mission to consolidate and transmit Arab and Islamic identity to all countries of the world.

Dr. Khalifa Musbeh Al Tunaiji, Head of the Holy Quran Complex in Sharjah, delivered a speech in which he expressed his great gratitude and immense appreciation to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for his unlimited support for serving the Holy Quran and its people in general, and for the Holy Quran Complex and its scientific and research projects in particular, until it became a global specialized scientific beacon.

Al Tunaiji said: 'The Holy Quran Complex has achieved qualitative achievements, with the Sharjah International Electronic Quranic Recitation Circle covering 170 countries around the world. The number of completed recitations (khatmas) reached 1,246 by the end of 2023, including both individual and collective recitations, which were received by graduates under the supervision of an elite group of competent reciters. The number of students benefiting from the complex's programs reached 768 students, and the total number of Quranic licenses granted to students who passed the test to obtain the chain of transmission (sanad) reached 1,210 licenses.'

He added: 'Today we celebrate the graduation of the fourth batch of licensees, numbering 249 licensees who came from various continents of the world. Congratulations to them on this high status and divine selection.'

Regarding the scientific studies and research carried out by the complex, Al Tunaiji said: 'The complex pays great attention to scientific studies and research related to the Holy Quran and its sciences. It has released the second phase of the Encyclopedia of Rhetorical Interpretation, which focused on the rhetoric of the Holy Quran in detail, using a unique methodology that employs rhetorical purposes to serve the Quranic text. Forty scholars contributed to it, and 14 parts of the Quran were completed, totaling 25 volumes as of March 2024. The number of rhetorical entries in it exceeds 56,000, with the expected total number of volumes by the end of the project reaching 50. Additionally, there is the project of Methods of Individual Recitations, which is characterized by comprehensiveness and detailed coverage of the science of recitations in all its branches and disciplines, expected to reach about 150 volumes. The Encyclopedia of Qalun Recitation from Nafi' has been completed, comprising 10 volumes, in addition to a Quran with commentary on the recitation and a Quran of Qalun from Nafi' with Eastern diacritical marks for individual recitation, which is the first publication of the Methods of Individual Recitations; 27 scholars contributed to it.'