Background and Purposes: In the Holy Quran, the conjunctive particle “thumma” is one of the most frequently employed conjunctions, yet it does not function merely as a grammatical device for linking sentences. Rather, it has been elevated to an expressive and artistic element capable of conveying the profound and multidimensional concepts of divine revelation. Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari, the renowned Mutazilite exegete and author of the rhetorically oriented commentary Al-Kashshaf an Haqaiq al-Tanzil, examined the various dimensions of this particle through a profound and analytical approach. His rhetorical perspective on the Quran, which established him as a pioneer in this field, led him to regard thumma not merely as a syntactic connector but as an artistic instrument in service of expressing divine knowledge.
Methodology: This study employs content analysis and a systematic review of al-Kashshaf to explore Zamakhshari's viewpoints, demonstrating that he categorizes the meanings of thumma within a coherent framework into two principal groups: “literal” (ḥaqiqi) and “metaphorical” (majazi).
Results and Discussion: An examination of the occurrences of thumma in al-Kashshaf demonstrates that al-Zamakhshari regards its primary meaning as succession accompanied by temporal delay (tarakhi zamani), whereby the conjunct follows the antecedent after an interval of time. In this sense, thumma functions to organize temporal relations between events and indicates their sequential and gradual occurrence, as can be clearly observed in certain Quranic verses describing the stages of creation and other progressive processes.
The significance of al-Zamakhshari’s analysis, however, lies in the fact that he does not confine the function of thumma to this temporal dimension. Rather, whenever temporal delay is incompatible with the apparent meaning of a verse or with its contextual implications, he interprets the particle in light of broader rhetorical and exegetical considerations.
A study of the verses in which al-Zamakhshari explicitly discusses the meaning of thumma reveals that he distinguishes between its literal and figurative usages on the basis of whether temporal delay can plausibly be intended. Accordingly, the figurative significations of thumma in al-Kashshaf may be classified into two broad categories. The first comprises usages based on semantic and hierarchical delay (tarakhi manawi wa rutbi), in which the notion of distance is transferred from the realm of time to that of meaning, rank, and value. Such usages include delay in state or condition, distinction, superiority, glorification, remoteness, distancing, and various forms of improbability (istibad). In these contexts, thumma may emphasize the superiority and nobility of the second element, its greater intensity and remarkable nature, or its distance from what would normally be expected.
The second category consists of usages grounded in contextual and argumentative functions, the most prominent of which are the removal of possible misconceptions and the indication of consequence or outcome. In such cases, thumma guides the reader’s understanding either by preventing an erroneous interpretation or by leading the audience from a premise to its logical conclusion. Thus, al-Zamakhshari does not regard the figurative significations of thumma as independent of its original meaning; rather, he considers them all to be manifestations of the transfer of the concept of tarakhi from the domain of temporal succession to the domains of meaning, rank, and rhetorical function. From the perspective of rhetorical function, al-Zamakhshari’s analysis demonstrates that thumma in the Quran serves as a device for emphasis, foregrounding, regulating the rhythm of discourse, and guiding the audience toward deeper reflection and a more comprehensive understanding of the layers of meaning embedded in the text. By creating deliberate and carefully structured pauses, this particle allows the reader or listener to fully absorb the meaning of the first statement before proceeding to the subsequent one, which often contains a more significant point or a decisive conclusion. This linguistic artistry contributes substantially to the conciseness, eloquence, and rhetorical inimitability (ijaz bayani) of the Quranic discourse.
Although some of al-Zamakhshari’s specific interpretations in this regard—particularly those that may have been influenced by his Mutazili theological orientation—remain open to discussion and critique, many of his insights and innovative considerations are highly valuable for uncovering the deeper semantic layers of the Quran and illuminating its artistic and rhetorical dimensions. More broadly, his analyses clearly demonstrate how even the smallest elements of Quranic language, including a seemingly simple conjunction such as thumma, can convey profound meanings and embody remarkably subtle rhetorical functions. His examination of this particle thus reveals the intricate relationship between linguistic form, contextual meaning, and rhetorical purpose in the Quranic text.
Conclusion: This perspective opens new horizons in the study of Quranic rhetoric and more precisely clarifies with greater precision the role of thumma as one of the key and active elements in the expressive system of revelation. It may therefore be concluded that thumma in the Holy Quran encompasses a spectrum of both literal and metaphorical meanings and significations, and that sustained attention to its rhetorical subtleties enables a more accurate understanding of the context and message of the verses. Through his exceptional rhetorical and linguistic precision, al-Zamakhshari has made a significant contribution to elucidating these layers of meaning.