Kura al-Naml
- Died
- 310 AH
- Born in
- -
Kura al-Naml (d. after 309 AH / 921 CE) was an Egyptian lexicographer and grammarian, best known for his early thematic lexicon al-Munjid fi al-Lugha.
Name and background
His full name was Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Hasan al-Hunai al-Azdi, and he is also recorded as Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Husayn al-Hunai al-Dawsi. His nisba al-Hunai traces his lineage to Hunaah (or Huna) ibn Malik al-Azdi of southern Arabia, and he was also known by the tribal nisba al-Dawsi. He was given the moniker Kura al-Naml (or simply Kura) due to his short stature, or a combination of shortness and physical plainness. He lived in Egypt during the third century AH, where he pursued his scholarly studies. Among his teachers was Abu Yusuf al-Isbahani.
Scholarly approach and standing
In grammatical theory, he combined the approaches of the Kufa and Basra traditions. Ibn al-Nadim classified him as a Kufan in doctrine who studied under Basran scholars, while al-Qifti observed that although he drew from both schools, he leaned more heavily toward the opinions of the Basrans. Al-Fayruzabadi praised him as an erudite authority deeply versed in grammar, lexicography, and rare linguistic usage. His writings enjoyed high demand among scholars in both Egypt and the Maghrib. In lexicography, his work al-Munjid fi al-Lugha was structured around six distinct chapters treating the parts of the body, categories of animals, birds, weaponry, the heavens, and the earth. He also authored the large-scale linguistic compendium al-Mundad.
Death
Biographical accounts place his death in early fourth-century AH Egypt, with the prevailing report indicating that he died after 309 AH (921 CE), based on autographs dated to that year. Other sources report that he died after 307 AH, and an entry in Uyun al-Tawarikh records his death in 310 AH.
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Munjid fi al-Lughah (The Helper in Lexicography) is an early Arabic dictionary dedicated to homonyms (al-mushtarak al-lafzi). It serves as a comprehensive lexicon specifically devoted to Arabic words that share identical forms while possessing multiple distinct meanings.
al-Muntakhab min Kalam al-Arab (also titled al-Muntakhab min Gharib Kalam al-Arab) is a classical Arabic thematic lexicon. It gathers distinct names and expressions applied to physical entities and accidental attributes, encompassing both animate and inanimate beings across different categories.