Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition

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Rad̲j̲az
(3,918 words)

(a.) indicates an Arab metre. The proper meaning of the word is “tremor, spasm, convulsion (as may occur in the behind of a camel when it wants to rise)”. It is not clear how this word became a technical term in prosody. The other etymological meaning of rad̲j̲az “thunder, rumble, making a noise”, may perhaps be taken into consideration. In that case, there might be an allusion to the iambic, monotonous and pounding rhythm of these poems (cf. ka-mā samiʿta rad̲j̲aza l-ṣawāʿiḳī , Abū Nuwās, ed. E. Wagner, ii, 299; for the etymology, see also T. Fahd, La divination arabe, Leiden 1966, 153-8). …

Cite this page
Ullmann, M. and Heinrichs, W.P., “Rad̲j̲az”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Consulted online on 28 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_0899>
First published online: 2012
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004161214, 1960-2007



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