al-Sihah Taj al-Lugha wa Sihah al-Arabiyya

Taj al-Lugha wa-Sihah al-Arabiyya (The crown of language and the authentic speech of Arabic), widely known simply as al-Sihah, is an Arabic dictionary compiled by Abu Nasr al-Jawhari (d. 393 AH / 1003 CE) Iktifa al-Qanu bima huwa …+1.

Background and Purpose

In his introduction, al-Jawhari states that he compiled the dictionary to record what he established as authentic (sahih) Arabic vocabulary, after acquiring linguistic knowledge in Iraq through narration and critical understanding, as well as direct verbal study among Bedouin Arabs in the tribal lands of Rabi'a and Mudar Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1. Al-Suyuti observed that earlier lexicographers did not restrict themselves exclusively to authentic vocabulary, making al-Jawhari the first to limit his work strictly to verified lexical items, from which the book derived its name Kashf al-Zunun an Asami a…+1.

Linguists noted that the title al-Sihah is vocalized either with a kasra on the initial letter (Sihah, the plural of sahih) or with a fatha (Sahah, an adjective synonymous with sahih) al-Bahth al-Lughawi inda …+1.

Structure and Method

The work introduced a dictionary structure based on the standard alphabetical arrangement rather than the phonetic and anagram systems of earlier lexicons Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1. Al-Jawhari organized the dictionary around the final radical letter of each root—a framework commonly referred to as the rhyme (qafiya) arrangement Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1.

The text is divided into 28 main chapters (abwab, sing. bab), one for each letter of the alphabet, representing the final consonant of the root Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1. Each chapter is subdivided into 28 sections (fusul, sing. fasl) corresponding to the first letter of the root in alphabetical order, followed by internal alphabetical sequencing of the subsequent letters Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1.

Composition and Textual History

Al-Jawhari composed the work in Nishapur for the scholar and preacher Abu Mansur Abd al-Rahim (also recorded as Abd al-Rahman) al-Bayshaki Mujaz Dairat al-Maarif al…+1. According to biographical accounts, al-Jawhari taught or dictated the text directly only up to the chapter of the letter dad (bab al-dad) before his death, which occurred after he fell from the roof of his house or the Old Mosque in Nishapur during a mental disturbance in an attempt to fly al-Jasus ala al-Qamus+1.

The remainder of the work remained in unrevised draft form (musawwada), which was fair-copied (bayyadahu) after his death by his student Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Salih al-Warraq Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1. Classical critics frequently attributed discrepancies, misreadings (tashif), and slips in the post-dad portions of the dictionary to this editorial circumstance al-Jasus ala al-Qamus+1.

Reception and Scholarly Impact

Al-Sihah achieved widespread circulation and became the primary Arabic reference dictionary for several centuries until the appearance of al-Fayruzabadi's al-Qamus al-Muhit Mujaz Dairat al-Maarif al…+1. When copies reached Egypt through Ibn al-Qatta (d. 515 AH), scholars praised its clarity and accessibility al-Bahth al-Lughawi inda …+1. Al-Khatib al-Tibrizi praised its organization and definitions of difficult vocabulary, stating that its few errors were excusable given the massive labor involved al-Bulgha ila Usul al-Lug…+1.

Numerous scholars produced commentaries, supplements, and critical treatises on the work:

• Ibn Barri wrote al-Tanbih wa-l-Idah amma Waqa'a min al-Wahm fi Kitab al-Sihah (popularly known as Hawashi Ibn Barri), documenting perceived errors up to the letter sin, which was later completed by Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Batti Falak al-Qamus+1.
• Al-Saghani authored al-Takmila wa-l-Dhayl wa-l-Sila, supplementing words and usages omitted by al-Jawhari in an even larger volume Falak al-Qamus.
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd al-Aziz authored al-Wishah wa-Tathqif al-Rimah fi Radd Tawhim al-Sihah in defense of al-Jawhari's text Iktifa al-Qanu bima huwa ….
• Portions were versified by Zayn al-Din al-Maghribi, and the lexicon was translated into Turkish and Persian Mujaz Dairat al-Maarif al….

Editions

Al-Sihah was printed in Tabriz in 1270 AH (1854 CE) Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…. It was published in Bulaq in two volumes in 1282 AH and again in 1292 AH under the supervision of Nasr al-Hurini, with al-Wishah printed in the margins Iktifa al-Qanu bima huwa …. A critical edition prepared by Ahmad Abd al-Ghafur Attar was published in Cairo in 1376 AH (1956 CE) al-Bahth al-Lughawi inda …+1.