URDU - Mithl and Tamthīl: A Research Review of Their Lexical Foundation, Terminological Context, and Qur'anic Usage

مِثْل و تمثیل: لغوی اساس، اصطلاحی تناظر اور قرآنی استعمال کا تحقیقی جائزہ

Abstract

This study examines the linguistic and rhetorical relationship between the Arabic terms mithl and mathal in classical Arabic scholarship and Qurʾānic discourse. Both originate from the triliteral root (m-th-l), reflecting the core idea of resemblance and a shared semantic foundation. However, their usage differs according to context and rhetorical purpose. While mithl primarily conveys equality, similarity, or direct correspondence, mathal functions more broadly to express description, condition, parable, exemplification, and figurative representation. Drawing on classical lexicographical and rhetorical sources, the study argues that these distinctions result from contextual application and the historical development of terminology rather than semantic contradiction. An analysis of Qurʾānic usage demonstrates that meaning is determined by context, with mathal serving as a powerful rhetorical device for symbolic and didactic expression, whereas mithl consistently denotes equivalence or parity. The study concludes that the two terms share a common semantic origin but differ in rhetorical scope and function, representing contextual differentiation within an underlying semantic unity rather than genuine opposition.