Antithetical pairs the book in of poems of the Battle of Siffin by Nasr ibn Muzahim al-Manqari (d.212AH)

The early Islamic era witnessed significant political, social, and religious upheavals, primarily driven by the profound transformation brought about by the emergence of Islam, followed by major shifts, civil strife (fitna), wars, and political ambitions. These factors led to the fragmentation of society into conflicting factions. Such conflicts reached their peak during the era of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), particularly after the assassination of Uthman ibn Affan and the subsequent turmoil that threatened the foundations of the nation and the religion, most notably the Battle of Siffin. The book Waq'at Siffin (The Battle of Siffin) by Nasr ibn Muzahim al-Minqari is considered a premier document of these conflicts. Within this work, binary oppositions serve to highlight the state of fragmentation and the intense collision between the two sides. Each party sought to establish its legitimacy to rule and emphasize its own virtues, while simultaneously denying them to the opponent and attributing the opposite vices to them. This mechanism served as a means to reveal intellectual visions and political stances. Furthermore, it aimed to sway the recipient through poetic argumentation and persuasion, by shocking the reader, disrupting their horizons of expectation, and utilizing textual gaps that compelled the recipient to seek resolutions for these clashing opposites. The study consists of an introduction, a preface, three chapters, a conclusion, a bibliography, and an abstract in English. The preface defines binary oppositions in both classical and modern critical studies. Chapter One, titled "Patterns of Binary Oppositions in the Poetry of Waq'at Siffin by Nasr ibn Muzahim al-Minqari," is divided into two sections: the first examines dominant binaries, while the second covers secondary binaries. Chapter Two, titled "Binary Oppositions in Poetic Genres," explores the presence of these binaries in the first section (Pride and Enthusiasm/Valor), the second section (Panegyric and Satire), and the third section (a collection of other poetic genres). Chapter Three, titled "Expressive Styles in Binary Oppositions," includes two sections: the first addresses linguistic styles in these binaries, and the second addresses their imagery and figurative styles.