Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 18، number In Volume 7، October 2025 ، issue Number 113

Analysis and stylistic study of the manuscript of Ajaeb al-Qasas with a layered stylistic approach

Zakiyeh Dehnamaki , Mohammad Reza Yousefi (Author in Charge)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Layered stylistics is is a layer of applied stylistic methods that examines the text in five layers: phonetic, lexical, syntactic, rhetorical, and ideological. This type of stylistics, based on the foundations of traditional stylistics, pays attention to the content, ideas, perspective, and even the creative space of the work. In layered stylistics, the text is broken down into micro-layers, considering the situational context as the macro-layer, and the style is studied by examining the textual micro-layers and obtaining characteristic features. According to this approach ,Aja’ib al-Qasas, is analyzed in five layers: phonetic, lexical, syntactic, rhetorical, and ideological. By recognizing the prominent stylistic characteristics and their position, the relationship between the text and the content is understood.

METHODOLOGY: This research, using a descriptive-analytical method and using library resources, has attempted to examine the style of Aja’ib al-Qasas from the perspective of layered stylistics.

FINDINGS: Aja’ib al-Qasas is a work in the field of religious history written in the 10th century by Abdul Wahid Muhammad Mufti in the Indian subcontinent. The work, far from the usual formalities of Timurid prose, is known as an example of intermediate prose and the author has been trying to pay more attention to the expression of meaning than to rhetoric and to create original prose. For this reason, his prose is considered to be stable and significant compared to other written works in India during this period, especially in the subcontinent.

CONCLUSION: The result of studying this work from the perspective of layered stylistics shows that the author tends to use literary devices naturally to create the inner music of the text, and the frequency of phonetic changes, assonance, and repetition is higher. In the syntactic layer, the dominant syntactic structure is in accordance with the common structures of Persian grammar. Of course, sometimes the sentence order changes according to the author"s thought. In the rhetorical layer, tangible analogies, easy-to-find allusions, and assurances have added to the literary quality of the text. Literary devices serve to convey meaning and have not been used only for the sake of beautifying the text. In the lexical layer, considering the subject of the text, the author"s priority has been to convey concepts. The words maintain their main function and do not confuse the audience in understanding the meaning. In terms of ideological content, the intellectual system that governs most of the stories of the prophets in this work can be seen, which consists of describing the story of creation, love, religious law, reason, and moral principles

Keyword
Religious histories , layered stylistics , 10th century Indian Persian prose , Aja’ib al-Qasas

• Holy Qoran
• Abdolmotaleb, M. (1994). Rhetoric and Stylistics. Cairo: The Egyptian International Publishing Company.
• Arzhang, G. (2002). Modern Persian Grammar. Tehran: Qatreh Publishing.
• Ethe, H. (1958). History of Persian Literature. Translated by Rezazadeh Shafagh. Tehran: Translation and Publication Organization.
• Farshidvard, K. (2009). Comprehensive Modern Grammar (3rd ed.). Tehran: Sokhan.
• Fazl, S. (1998). The Science of Style: Its Principles and Applications. Cairo: Dar Al-Shorouk.
• Fotouhi, M. (2012). Stylistics of Theories, Approaches, and Methods. Tehran: Sokhan.
• Fowler, R. (2017). Linguistics and the Novel. Translated by Mohammad Ghaffari. Tehran: Ney Publishing.
• Gholamrezaei, M. (1998). Stylistics of Persian Poetry from Rudaki to Shamlu. Tehran: Jami.
• Haj Seyed Javadi, K. (2011). Encyclopedia of Persian Language and Literature in the Indian Subcontinent. Tehran: Iran Book and Literature House.
• Homayi, J. (2010). Rhetorical Arts and Literary Devices (1st ed.). Tehran: Ahura.
• Kazazi, M. J. (1991). Aesthetics of Persian Discourse (Vol. 1). Tehran: Markaz.
• Khatibi, H. (1987). The Art of Prose in Persian Literature. Tehran: Zavvar.
• Makaryk, I. R. (2011). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Literary Theory (4th ed.). Tehran: Agah.
• Modarresi, F. (2007). From Phoneme to Sentence: Dictionary of Linguistics and Grammar. Tehran: Chapar.
• Radfar, A. (1989). Rhetorical-Literary Dictionary. Tehran: Ettelaat.
• Safavi, K. (1981). An Introduction to Linguistics. Tehran: Translation and Publication Organization.
• Shafi’i Kadkani, M. (2012). The Music of Poetry (13th ed.). Tehran: Toos.
• Shamisa, S. (1994). General Stylistics (2nd ed.). Tehran: Ferdows.
• Shamisa, S. (2000). A New Look at Rhetoric (12th ed.). Tehran: Ferdows.
• Tajalli, J. (1992). Paronomasia in the Scope of Persian Literature. Tehran: Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies.
• Vahidian Kamyar, T. (2000). Rhythm and Rhyme in Persian Poetry. Tehran: University Publishing Center.
• Yousefi, M. (2023). Selected Prose Texts – Literary and Historical. Qom: University of Qom.
• Articles
• Marmazi, I. and Taheri, M. M. (2016). “A Study of Music in Mehdi Akhavan-Sales’s Poetry.” Poyesh dar Amoozesh-e Oloum-e Ensani, 2nd series, (4), pp. 17–34.
• Moghaddas, H. (2023). “Stylistic Analysis in Shahanshah Nameh.” Journal of Stylistics of Persian Poetry and Prose (Bahar-e Adab), 16(10), pp. 315–387.