Manzumat al-Maqsur wal-Mamdud
- Author died
- 780 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Thaqāfah al-Dīniyyah
Manzumat al-Maqsur wal-Mamdud (The Didactic Poem on Shortened and Prolonged Nouns) is an Arabic linguistic poem composed by Ibn Jabir al-Andalusi (d. 780 AH / 1378 CE) to distinguish between shortened (maqsur) and lengthened (mamdud) nouns and delineate their semantic meanings .
Purpose and Composition
In his opening verses, Ibn Jabir emphasizes the importance of preserving the Arabic lexicon as the foundation for all sciences and the essential key to understanding the Quran . He critiques earlier works on shortened and prolonged nouns for leaving crucial matters unexplained and obscure . Specifically, he notes that while Ibn Durayd composed a poem on the subject, it contained only a scarce selection of words, and while Ibn Malik versified the topic, his poem followed a difficult and rugged path . Ibn Jabir intended his composition to provide a clear, comprehensive, and accessible alternative, establishing the rule that every word mentioned in the verse would be accompanied by its definition and explanation .
Structure and Content
The poem is structured systematically around the vowelling of the initial syllable (fathah, kasrah, or dammah) and whether shortening and lengthening alter the definition of the word . It is divided into two major divisions:
Sections with Differing Meanings
The first part covers words whose meanings differ depending on vowel shifts and whether they are shortened or lengthened:
- Words starting with fathah in both shortened and prolonged forms with different meanings .
- Words vocalized with fathah when shortened and kasrah when prolonged with different meanings .
- Words vocalized with kasrah when shortened and fathah when prolonged with different meanings .
- Words vocalized with kasrah in both shortened and prolonged forms with different meanings .
- Words vocalized with dammah when shortened and fathah when prolonged with different meanings .
- Words vocalized with fathah when shortened and dammah when prolonged with different meanings .
- Words vocalized with dammah in both shortened and prolonged forms with different meanings .
- Words vocalized with kasrah when shortened and dammah when prolonged with different meanings .
- Words vocalized with dammah when shortened and kasrah when prolonged with different meanings .
Sections with Identical Meanings
The second part categorizes words that retain the same definition across various vocalizations and forms:
- Words vocalized with fathah when shortened and kasrah when prolonged sharing the same meaning .
- Words vocalized with kasrah when shortened and fathah when prolonged sharing the same meaning .
- Words vocalized with kasrah when shortened and dammah when prolonged, or vice versa, sharing the same meaning .
- Words vocalized with dammah when shortened and fathah when prolonged sharing the same meaning .
- Words vocalized with fathah in both shortened and prolonged forms sharing the same meaning .
- Words vocalized with kasrah in both shortened and prolonged forms sharing the same meaning .
- Words vocalized with dammah in both shortened and prolonged forms sharing the same meaning .
Ibn Jabir concludes the work by asking the reader for fairness and tolerance regarding any poetic slips, noting that the verses were made to carry extensive lexical meanings beyond their compact wording, before ending with supplications and praise of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions .
Editions
The text was edited by Ali Husayn al-Bawwab and published by Maktabat al-Thaqafah al-Diniyyah in Cairo .
Answer updated