The applied rhetoric in clarity and figurative language

Indeed, those who review many books authored on rhetoric find them distant from rhetoric, devoid of what develops literary taste, because they contain much verbal debate and sophistry, and they are far from clarifying the beauty and splendor in both poetry and prose, and guiding the reader to the secrets of rhetoric within them. If the authors of rhetoric had followed the approach of Al-Jahiz, Qudama, Ibn al-Mu'taz, Al-Jurjani, Abu Hilal Al-Askari, Ibn Rushiq, and others, the books on rhetoric would have served literature better than this effect. Some virtuous scholars and educators of this era have realized the poor approach taken by some latecomers in the sciences of rhetoric, so people have become reluctant to read and hesitant to study them. They produced books in which they passed over the shortcomings of rhetoric, so that they became accessible and easy to handle, after being difficult, and they yielded the best fruits. We followed their light and patterned ourselves after them in aiming at the core of literature, presenting beautiful types and refined arts from both poetry and prose across various fields of eloquence and figurative language, hoping they might spark the student's mind, elevate their speech, and enhance their taste. This change in approach and the student's need for a practical book that gathers and consolidates its chapters prompted us to prepare this work, so that understanding it becomes easier and passing the exam safely. We have clarified and explained the words and vocabulary that make difficult passages easier to understand, and provided brief translations of most of the notable figures mentioned in the book. To facilitate the student, we have included at the end of the book the answers to the exercises, so the key is in their hands if a door becomes blocked, and they can find the way if they stray from the correct path. We do not intend this work except for the sake of Allah, and to do some of what is required of us in serving the language and literature. We are not infallible from slip or immune from error, for only Allah has divine protection. "And my success is only by Allah; upon Him I rely and to Him I turn."