Suspension on the Impossible in the Qur’an: A Grammatical and Semantic Study

Abstract

This research investigates the grammatical and semantic phenomenon of ta‘liq bi-l-muhal ‘suspension on the impossible’ in the Quran by examining its various occurrences and contextual meanings. Adopting an analytical descriptive method, the study explores how this rhetorical and syntactic device functions within different Quranic expressions—specifically those involving the purposive particle (hatta), exception structures, and conditional clauses. The study is structured into an introduction, preface, three sections, and a conclusion. Its findings indicate that suspension through exception is the most prevalent form, followed by suspension with (hatta), while conditional constructions appear least frequently. Quranic commentators have paid notable attention to interpreting this phenomenon, emphasizing that its clarity and function depend heavily on syntactic and contextual relationships. Some exegetes have also extended the concept to include both rational and legal impossibilities. The research concludes that suspension on the impossible serves as an expressive and rhetorical means of emphasis and exaggeration, reinforcing the communicative and stylistic power of Quranic discourse.