al-Durr al-Nathir wa al-Adhb al-Namir
- Author died
- 705 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Funun lil-Tiba'ah wal-Nashr
al-Durr al-Nathir wa al-Adhb al-Namir (The Scattered Pearls and the Pure Sweet Spring) is a specialized treatise on Quranic readings (qira'at) by the Andalusian scholar Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahid ibn Muhammad ibn Abi al-Saddad al-Malaqi (d. 705 AH / 1305 CE), composed as an extensive commentary on Abu Amr al-Dani's (d. 444 AH / 1053 CE) foundational manual al-Taysir fi al-Qira'at al-Sab'.
Scope and Purpose
The work's full title is recorded as al-Durr al-Nathir wa al-Adhb al-Namir fi Sharh Mushkilat wa Hal Muqfalat Ishtamala Alayha Kitab al-Taysir (and in related phrasing, fi Sharh Mushkilat wa Qayd Muhmalat wa Hall Mu'dilat Ishtamala Alayha Kitab al-Taysir). Rather than providing a continuous, line-by-line exposition of al-Taysir, al-Malaqi focused on resolving ambiguities, clarifying intricate formulations, identifying omitted qualifications, and untangling complex phonetic and transmission problems within al-Dani's text, deliberately bypassing passages that were already self-evident.
Methodology and Sources
Al-Malaqi structured his explanations around comparative analysis, examining points of agreement and divergence between al-Taysir and other leading Andalusian manuals of Quranic recitation, most notably al-Tabsirah by Makki ibn Abi Talib and al-Kafi by Ibn Shurayh. To substantiate his readings, linguistic justifications, and transmission variants, he drew upon several key authorities and texts, including:
- Al-Dani's other major works, such as Jami' al-Bayan fi al-Qira'at al-Sab' and al-Tahbir.
- Ibn al-Badhidh's al-Iqna' fi al-Qira'at al-Sab'.
- Foundational grammatical works, including Sibawayh's al-Kitab and al-Akhfash al-Awsat's Ma'ani al-Qur'an.
Al-Malaqi opens chapters with introductory sections on principles and foundational rules before addressing the specific terminology of al-Taysir, providing detailed linguistic analyses (ta'lil) and transmission pathways.
Reception and Publication
The commentary was received with high regard among specialists in Quranic recitation. The leading reading authority Ibn al-Jazari (d. 833 AH / 1429 CE) praised the work, stating: "Al-Malaqi commented upon the book al-Taysir with a fine commentary in which he was instructive and proficient."
The text was edited and studied by Ahmad Abd Allah Ahmad al-Muqri' al-Shinqiti as a doctoral dissertation at the Islamic University of Madinah, and was published in Mecca by Dar al-Thiqah in 1411 AH.
Answer updated