Ali al-Tantawi
Fikr wa Mabahith
- Author died
- 1420 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat Al-Manarah lil-Nashr wa-al-Tawzi'
Fikr wa Mabahith (Thoughts and Investigations) is a collection of literary, linguistic, and cultural essays by the Syrian scholar, judge, and writer Ali al-Tantawi (1327–1420 AH / 1909–1999 CE), first published in 1960 CE.
Background and Publication
The material in Fikr wa Mabahith stems primarily from articles and treatises that al-Tantawi composed and published across various periodicals and newspapers during the earlier phases of his literary career, notably during the 1930s, such as the Damascus newspaper Fatā al-ʿArab. Approximately half of the volume’s contents date to the period between 1931 and 1939 CE.
The work was first issued as an independent book in 1960 CE. A second edition was published in 1408 AH / 1988 CE by Maktabat al-Manarah in Mecca.
Contents and Themes
The book gathers critical essays, cultural observations, and scholarly discussions addressing several central themes:
- Defense of the Arabic Language: A major portion of the book focuses on safeguarding the Classical Arabic language. Al-Tantawi laments the widespread emergence of grammatical solecisms (laḥn) among contemporary politicians, lawyers, teachers, and writers, contrasting the enduring structural precision of Arabic with modern European languages. He vehemently opposes calls to adopt colloquial vernaculars (al-ʿāmmiyyah) in literature, criticizes the affected use of foreign loanwords from English and French, and advocates preserving Arabic as an essential pillar of identity and Islamic civilization.
- Literary Figures and Heritage: The author highlights eminent 19th- and 20th-century Arabic literary figures and linguists—such as Mustafa Sadiq al-Rafi'i, Muhammad Mahmud al-Shanqiti, Hamza Fathullah, and Isa al-Nashashibi—holding up their mastery of classical texts and lexicographical scholarship as benchmarks against contemporary decline.
- Social and Intellectual Critique: The book also includes critical essays on contemporary education, social practices, and intellectual culture, framed within al-Tantawi's broader commitment to cultural revitalization and Islamic social reform.
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