Tartib (Order)

One of the rhetorical techniques is Tartib (ordering), which in language means placing everything in its proper rank and position. In the terminology of rhetoric, it refers to presenting the attributes of something in the order of its natural creation or based on its occurrence in reality, without any extraneous attributes in between. For example:

“It is He who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot; then He brings you out as a child; then [develops you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity, then that you may become elders” (Quran 40:67).

In this verse, the creation of humans is described in its natural order.

“But they denied him and hamstrung her. So their Lord brought down upon them destruction for their sin and made it equal [upon all of them]” (Quran 91:14).

In this verse, the actions of the people of Thamud and their punishment are described in the order of their external occurrence.

[1] Al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran, vol. 3, p. 308; Muhit al-Muhit: A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Arabic Language, vol. 1, p. 322.