A Study of the Rhythm Originating from the Phonetic Properties of Letters in Surah al-ʿAlaq

The Qurʾān has a natural rhythm that results from its phonetic properties, morphological transformations, and the order of phonemes in the phonetic chain of its words and phrases. This rhythm has a close connection with the content of the verses. As one of the effective factors in the formation of rhythm, phonetic properties are rooted in the structure of the text rather than the structure of content, yet in addition to having a deep effect on the unconscious mind of the audience through a complex and mysterious process, they bring about inculcation of meaning in the mind of the listener. As the effectiveness of the phonetic properties is mostly observed in vocal articulations, the impact of phonetic properties on the rhythm should be investigated by the help of auditory phonetics which studies phonemes and sounds of a language in the aural domain.
The present paper aims to study the role of phonetic properties in the creation of rhythm and the enhancement of meaning in the blessed Surah al-ʿAlaq. The findings of our study demonstrate that the rhythm originating from the phonetic properties of this Surah most beautifully transmits its invigorating contents to the minds of the people and its lifesaving message to the souls of its audience.