Munasabah dan Retorika Semit pada Surah Al-Lail (Studi Perbandingan)

The existence of the Qur'an today is not only a focus of attention for Muslims but also for Western academics who contribute significantly to Qur'anic studies. The arrangement of verses and surahs in the Qur'an, along with their coherence, has long been a subject of intense debate among contemporary Orientalists, who argue that the verses appear unrelated and lack coherence. One of the Orientalists with such views is Richard Bell, who wrote a book commenting on the connections between verses and surahs in the Qur'an. To counter this perspective, this article employs a qualitative approach, utilizing library research and comparative study methods to analyze the data comprehensively. The findings from this study reveal that Surah al-Lail exhibits coherence between its verses, as demonstrated through the application of the theories of Munasabah and Semitic Rhetoric. These two theories, while distinct, offer complementary insights; Munasabah emphasizes the interconnection of verse arrangements within a surah, whereas Semitic Rhetoric focuses on the structural, compositional, and organizational aspects of the verses. The comparative analysis between these theories highlights their differences and similarities, ultimately reinforcing the opposing argument. By providing evidence of the internal coherence and deliberate arrangement of the verses in Surah al-Lail, this research supports the integrity of the Qur'anic text and challenges the doubts raised by Bell and other Orientalists regarding the order and authenticity of the Qur'an's verses. This research contributes to the field by presenting evidence of the internal coherence and intentional arrangement of the verses in Surah al-Lail. In doing so, it upholds the integrity of the Qur'anic text and directly addresses and counters the doubts raised by Bell and other Orientalists regarding the order and authenticity of the Qur'anic verses. This contribution not only reinforces the coherence of the Qur'anic structure but also challenges external critiques, affirming the deliberate and organized nature of the Qur'an’s composition.