Dirasat Lughawiyya fi Ummahat Kutub al-Lugha
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- Dirasat Lughawiyya fi Ummahat Kutub al-Lugha
Dirasat Lughawiyya fi Ummahat Kutub al-Lugha (Linguistic Studies in the Major Reference Works of Language) is a modern Arabic philological study by Ibrahim Muhammad Abu Sikin that examines three foundational classical works of Arabic linguistics: Ahmad ibn Faris's al-Sahibi fi Fiqh al-Lugha, Ibn Jinni's al-Khasa'is, and Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Muzhir fi Ulum al-Lugha wa-Anwa'iha .
Purpose and Scope
Abu Sikin composed the work as a simplified, objective, and concise exploration of key philological and linguistic issues discussed in classical Arabic literature, aiming to contribute to the service of Arabic as the language of the Quran . The book addresses the historical background of Arabic linguistic inquiry, the origins and evolution of speech, dialectal variations, morphological and syntactic phenomena, and methods of academic research .
Contents and Structure
The book is arranged around an introductory historical overview followed by dedicated studies of the three classical texts :
- Introduction to Arabic Linguistic Studies: Traces the emergence, stages of development, sources, objectives, trends, and branchings of Arabic linguistic studies . It highlights the primary catalyst behind the codification of Arabic grammar and philology, namely the spread of solecism (dhyuʿ al-laḥn) after the early Islamic expansions and the concern to preserve the language of the Quran .
- Study of al-Sahibi: Discusses the background and contents of Ibn Faris's al-Sahibi, including why it received its title . It addresses classical theories on the origin of language, focusing on the arguments for divine revelation (tawqīf) through textual and rational proofs, Ibn Faris's stance on language development, and the newly introduced Islamic vocabulary (al-asbāb al-islāmiyya) . It also examines tribal dialectal traits such as al-wahm, al-wakm, al-faḥfaḥa, and al-istinṭāʾ, and analyzes the religious, economic, political, and linguistic factors that established the dialect of Quraysh as the standard vehicular language of the Arabs and the medium of the Quran .
- Study of al-Khasa'is: Opens with a biographical overview of Ibn Jinni, his lineage, upbringing, scholarly and literary standing, and authored works . It then explores Ibn Jinni's treatise on the origin of language—whether through inspiration (ilhām) or social convention (iṣṭilāḥ)—as well as the theory of the speech instinct (gharīzat al-kalām) . It compares Ibn Jinni and Ibn Faris on linguistic evolution, treats deviations from apparent forms in gender and number, masculine and feminine concord, Arabic syntactic structure (naẓm al-ʿArab), and concludes with a guide on correct linguistic usage (qul wa-lā taqul) .
- Study of al-Muzhir and Research Methods: Examines topics treated in al-Suyuti's al-Muzhir, including the criteria for identifying eloquent Arab speakers (maʿrifat al-faṣīḥ min al-ʿArab) and categories of speech in agreement and divergence . It concludes with an analysis of scientific research methodology, its foundational principles, and library classification systems such as the Dewey Decimal Classification (al-taṣnīf al-ʿashrī) .
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