What does Al-mubaal-ghaa mean?

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Discover the meaning of the term Al-mubaal-ghaa (مُبَالغَة) in Islamic vocabulary.

Definition Al-mubaal-ghaa

Al-mubaal-ghaa according to Dustur al-'Ulama (Al-Ahmadnagari)

In a thing, it is to increase it in quality rather than in quantity, unlike multiplication which is an increase in a thing with respect to quantity. Thus, there is a difference between them like the difference between a foot and a cubit. It becomes clear from this, according to the morphological scholars, that the form taf'il may sometimes denote exaggeration, as in sarraha and 'allama, and sometimes multiplication, as in harraka and tawwafa. In the art of rhetoric (badi'), exaggeration is of two types: acceptable and rejected. It is unconditionally to claim for an attribute that it has reached an impossible or highly improbable limit in intensity or weakness, and this is only claimed so that one does not think that this attribute is infinite in intensity and weakness. Exaggeration is restricted to tabligh (reaching), ighraq (overstating), and ghuluw (extravagance), because if what is claimed is possible by reason and custom, it is tabligh. If it is possible by reason but not by custom, it is ighraq. And if it is not possible by reason or custom, it is ghuluw. Tabligh and ighraq are acceptable unconditionally, while most of ghuluw is rejected and some is acceptable. The details are in the books of rhetoric.

Al-mubaal-ghaa according to Maqalid al-'Ulum (As-Suyuti)

It is to claim that an attribute has reached an impossible or highly improbable degree in intensity or weakness, so that it is not thought to be infinite in it.

Related terms: Al-mubaal-ghaa