Fākihat al Khiwān fī nadhm a‘lā durar al bayān

“Fākihat al Khiwān fī nadhm a‘lā durar al bayan”  -The Fruit of the Banquet in the Poetic Composition of the Finest Pearls of Expression by the Eminent Scholar and Investigator Sheikh Muhammad Habibullah Al-Shinqiti (1295-1363 AH)

Authenticated and Annotated by: Bashar Awad Ma'roof

In 2014, the Royal Hashemite Documentation Center in Jordan published the book "Fruit of the Banquet in the Poetic Composition of the Finest Pearls of Expression" by the renowned scholar and Authenticator Sheikh Muhammad Habibullah Al-Shinqiti (1295-1363 AH), authenticated and annotated by Dr. Bashar Awad Ma'roof. The book addresses the principles of Arabic rhetoric, including metaphor, implication, simile, and is considered a treasure trove of knowledge for researchers and those interested in the Arabic language, making it an important reference in the Arabic library.

The book's author, Sheikh Muhammad Habibullah Al-Shinqiti, and his brother Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khidr, had close ties with the Hashemite family, particularly with King Abdullah I, the founder of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khidr was one of the eight people who formed the first cabinet in the history of the Emirate in 1921 and held the position of Chief Judge.

Sheikh Muhammad Al-Amin, the son of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khidr, was a prominent figure in Jordan, serving as Minister of Education and Chief Judge, and was a member of the Regency Council and an ambassador.

Despite Sheikh Muhammad Habibullah Al-Shinqiti's passing in Cairo, he maintained strong ties with Jordan, particularly with King Abdullah I. He wrote the book "Kifayat al-Talib fi Manaqib Ali bin Abi Talib" in 1353 AH at the behest of King Abdullah I. This book was also dedicated to King Abdullah I's sons, King Talal and Prince Nayef.

Due to the book's significance, Prince Ali bin Nayef expressed interest in republishing it under the auspices of the Royal Hashemite Documentation Center in Jordan. The book's foreword, written by Dr. Bashar Awad Ma'roof, provides an extensive biography of Sheikh Muhammad Habibullah Al-Shinqiti.

Sheikh Muhammad Habibullah Al-Shinqiti was born in 1295 AH in Takbete, Shinqit, northern Mauritania. He excelled in Maliki jurisprudence and studied in Marrakech and Fes before migrating to Medina and then to Mecca, where he taught in the Holy Mosque. Later, he moved to Cairo in 1344 AH to teach Hadith at Al-Azhar University and Al-Hussein Mosque. He had hoped to return to Medina to pass away and be buried there.
His book, "Fruit of the Banquet in the Poetic Composition of the Finest Pearls of Expression," divides into three parts and chapters, dealing with different aspects of Arabic rhetoric such as metaphor and simile.

The book begins with an introduction and then delves into the ten principles of Arabic rhetoric, followed by a discussion on metaphor in its various forms.

The book discusses non-representational metaphors in five chapters, as follows:

1. On the division of metaphor into: explicit, implicit, and imaginative.
2. Explaining the doctrines in the implicit metaphor, followed by a continuation section.
3. Explaining the doctrines in the context of the implicit metaphor.
4. On dividing metaphor into primary and secondary.
5. On dividing metaphor in general, in terms of what is incidental to it, into: refined, unadorned, and absolute.

The third section is titled: On the compound metaphor, a discussion on representational metaphor, followed by a conclusion on the importance of practicing metaphor and its names, explaining its extremes, and the like.

The book then moves to a section titled: On the importance of practicing metaphor, stating that jurists use it for all figurative language, and clarifies that metaphor and figurative language are present in the Quran, and the like. This is followed by a chapter explaining the difference between metaphor and lying by context, and between it and simile by mentioning both elements in it, and the like. Then a chapter titled on the definition of the context of metaphor, its types, and explaining the meaning of the relationship, whether it's for it or for the sent metaphor, and the like. Then a chapter on the ranks of types of figurative language in beauty, followed by a chapter on the beautifiers of metaphor, followed by a chapter titled: On explaining the figurative language by addition or omission, and the change of inflection because of them.

The book then moves to its second section, titled: On simile, explaining its pillars, types, aspects, area of study, the definition of implication in general, mentioning the implication of inclusion and commitment mentioned in the art of rhetoric, then the pillars of simile and related matters, and dividing the simile considering the mention or omission of its pillars into: weak, strong, and intermediate. It is followed by dividing the elements of the simile into: sensory, intellectual, and mixed, then dividing the simile considering its elements into four sections with specification or generalization in the singular or their difference, then moving to dividing the simile considering the multiplicity of its elements into four sections; defining the aspect of resemblance and dividing it into external or non-external to the reality of the elements, and dividing the aspect of the simile into three general sections and seven detailed, and dividing the simile considering its aspect into representational and others, and dividing the simile considering its aspect also into general and detailed, followed by dividing the simile considering its aspect into common close and strange far, then dividing the simile considering its delivery into affirmed and sent, and mentioning the eloquent simile in the affirmed section, followed by dividing the simile considering the purpose from it into accepted and rejected, then it addresses the purpose of the simile, which relates to the likened in the majority, and some of it relates to the likened with, and mentioning what relates to the likened with from the purposes of the simile, which are two types, then concluding the second section of the book with a title "In explaining that the origin of metaphor: explicit and implicit simile"; as they are derived from it even though they are prioritized over it, and it is postponed from them for the purpose of detailing its many branches and significant benefits.

Then the third and final section of the book, titled; On the allusion and its types; its examples and beautifiers and the purposes it serves, and therein is the difference in the eloquence of types of allusion, making what is valid after it two allusions and what is attached to it, then dividing allusion according to Al-Sakkaki into: hinting, symbolizing, indicating, gesturing, and insinuating, then moving to the definition of verbal insinuation along with its definition by the source meaning, then beginning with a chapter titled: On what beautifies the allusion and the sent metaphor, followed by a chapter on the purposes of the allusion.

And the book concludes with a conclusion, we ask God Almighty for its goodness; commendations of the senior scholars of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif for this poetic compilation named "The Fruit of the Platter in Weaving the Highest Gems of the Art of Rhetoric."

The publications from the Hashemite Documentation Center are not translated into English. Institutions and publishing houses interested in publishing a translated version should contact the center at the following email address: Info@rhdc.jo. This offers an opportunity for broader access to these valuable historical resources for non-Arabic speaking audiences and researchers.