Parenthetical sentence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Source: [1]
A parenthetical sentence in the Qur’an is a sentence that has no relationship with the preceding or following sentences such that if removed from a verse, the preceding and the following sentences would flow in harmony.
Examples:
In verse 33:33,
“And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore; and keep up prayer, and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Messenger.” And
“Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.”
The amazing thing is that the first sentence is a continuation of verse 32 (“O wives of the Prophet! you are not like any other of the women; If you will be on your guard, then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease yearn; and speak a good word.”) and if the second sentence is removed, the first sentence will also flow harmoniously with the sentence in the following verse (34):
“And keep to mind what is recited in your houses of the communications of Allah and the wisdom; surely Allah is Knower of subtleties, Aware.”
Therefore the second sentence is called a “parenthetical sentence” and the same is the case with the verse 3 in surah Maidah:
“Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled (animal) and that beaten to death, and that killed by a fall and that killed by being smitten with the horn, and that which wild beasts have eaten, except what you slaughter, and what is sacrificed on stones set up (for idols) and that you divide by the arrows; that is a transgression. This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion; but whoever is compelled by hunger, not inclining willfully to sin, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
In the above verse the sentences beginning from “This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion” and ending with “chosen for you Islam as a religion” are called “parenthetical sentences”.
