The Creation of the Heaven and the Earth in the Hebrew Tanakh and the Arabic Qur'an: A Comparative Rhetorical Study

Abstract

This article explores the rhetorical devices employed in two foundational religious texts: the Hebrew Tanakh and the Arabic Qur'an, to present God's creation of the Heaven and the Earth. Through a comparative analysis, it identifies both shared and distinct rhetorical strategies within each text. The study reveals that while the Tanakh and the Qur'an utilize many common rhetorical elements such as metaphor and enumeration, the extent and function of these tools differ significantly. The Tanakh often uses subject-based, generally simplistic rhetorical structure, whereas the Qur'an tends toward expansion and deepening to enhance expressive power and eloquence. Each text uses rhetorical devices in a distinctive way to present the issue of the creation of the Heaven and the Earth and several concepts associated with it, especially the greatness of the Creator and His abundant grace.