Rhythm in Modern Arab Criticism

Abstract

Rhythm remains one of the most complex and elusive terms to define, persisting through both ancient and modern eras without a clear consensus. The concept has often been enshrouded in ambiguity across numerous studies, spanning both theoretical and practical applications. This study delves into the significance of rhythm as perceived by contemporary Arab critics, who have pinpointed the deficiencies within the science of prosody—particularly its failure to unravel the musical intricacies embedded in poetry. These critics argue that such shortcomings reflect deeper issues within the musical framework of ancient poetry, rendering traditional concepts of meter and rhyme as obsolete. According, rhythm became based on three levels: quantity, stress, and intonation.