al-Tahrir al-Adabi
- Author died
- 1431 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Obeikan
al-Tahrir al-Adabi (full title: al-Tahrir al-Adabi: Dirasat Nazariyyah wa-Namadhij Tatbiqiyyah, "Literary Composition: Theoretical Studies and Applied Models") is a textbook on Arabic writing and composition by Husayn Ali Muhammad (d. 1431 AH / 2010 CE), designed to combine theoretical rules with applied models for university students and general writers.
Composition and Purpose
The book was conceived to support the teaching of literary composition (al-tahrir al-adabi), an academic subject introduced across Arab universities to address shortcomings in students' linguistic and literary training and to foster proper writing skills. Observing a scarcity of comprehensive instructional works covering the field, the author drew on his teaching and practical literary experience to assemble a guide that defines the parameters of the discipline, focuses on modern composition genres, and offers a concise review of practical grammatical and stylistic rules.
The idea for the work was proposed and supported by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Rabi, a faculty member at the College of Arabic Language and Vice-President of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research. The preface to the first edition was completed in Riyadh on 4 Ramadan 1416 AH (24 January 1996 CE).
Structure and Contents
The work is organized into two main parts alongside introductory and concluding matter:
- Part One: Sound Writing (al-Qism al-Awwal: al-Kitabah al-Sahihah): Covers the basics of expression and academic writing across seven chapters: writing between classical and modern times, the word, the paragraph, how to read a literary text, how to compose a topic, how to write a summary, and how to prepare a research paper.
- Part Two: Genres of Writing (al-Qism al-Thani: Anwa' al-Kitabah): Focuses on practical and creative genres across seven chapters: the report, the review or evaluation, the letter, the essay (al-maqalah), the short story, drama (al-masrahiyyah), and the lecture.
The volume concludes with a bibliography of sources and a listing of the author's publications.
Editions
The author completed the preface to the second edition in Riyadh on 19 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1420 AH (25 February 2000 CE). While retaining the original structure of the first edition, the author supplemented this edition with three additional applied texts: an essay by Abd al-Aziz al-Rifa'i in the chapter on essays, a short story by Mahmud Taymur in the chapter on narrative, and a one-act play by Ali Muhammad al-Gharib in the chapter on drama.
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