Ibn al-Jawzi
Funun al-Afnan fi Uyun Ulum al-Quran
- Author died
- 597 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Bashā'ir
Funun al-Afnan fi Uyun Ulum al-Quran (lit. 'The Branches of Arts Regarding the Essentials of the Sciences of the Quran') is a 6th-century AH treatise on Quranic sciences by the Hanbali scholar Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 AH / 1201 CE) .
Title and Composition
The book is recorded under the title Funun al-Afnan fi Uyun Ulum al-Quran, as well as variant designations including Funun al-Afnan fi Aja'ib Ulum al-Quran and Funun al-Afnan fi Ulum al-Quran . In the author's preface, Ibn al-Jawzi states that after writing his work on hadith sciences titled al-Talqih, he considered composing a book on the wonders and sciences of the Quran to be even more fitting, prompting him to compile this work .
Classical bibliographical records, such as those of Ibn Rajab and Ibn al-Mubarrad, list the work as occupying a single volume . Ibn al-Jawzi also authored a single-part abridgment of the work titled Ward al-Aghsan fi Funun al-Afnan, also known as Mukhtasar Funun al-Afnan . In another related short treatise, Tadhkirat al-Muntabih fi Uyun al-Mushtabih, the author refers back to Funun al-Afnan for those seeking an expanded treatment of analogous Quranic verses (al-mutashabih) .
Content and Method
The work addresses various subjects related to the disciplines of the Quran, including the classification of verses and chapters into Meccan and Medinan, and discussions of similar and variant phrases across the text . It opens with an extensive theological chapter establishing that the Quran is the uncreated speech of God, in which the author cites transmissions through chains of narration from the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, and successive generations of scholars categorized by their respective cities, including Medina, Mecca, Kufa, and Basra .
Scholarly Standing and Editions
Scholars of Quranic studies regard Funun al-Afnan as one of the significant early independent multi-topic works written in the discipline of Quranic sciences during the 6th century AH, preceding later comprehensive encyclopedic compilations such as Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi's al-Burhan fi Ulum al-Quran and Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Quran .
The text has been published in modern printings under various editorial efforts:
- An edition edited by Ahmad al-Sharqawi, published in Casablanca in 1970 .
- An edition edited by Abd al-Fattah Ashur based on two manuscript copies, published in Cairo in 1407 AH under the title Aja'ib Ulum al-Quran .
- An edition edited by Hasan Diya al-Din Itr based on six manuscript witnesses, published by Dar al-Basha'ir al-Islamiyyah in Beirut (first edition, 1408 AH / 1987 CE) .
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