Sharh Gharib Alfaz al-Mudawwana

Sharh Gharib Alfaz al-Mudawwana (Explanation of the Obscure Words of al-Mudawwana) is a legal-linguistic dictionary by the Maliki scholar al-Jubbi (d. c. 5th century AH / 11th century CE), dedicated to explaining the rare, obscure, and technical terminology (gharib) found in al-Mudawwana al-Durr al-Naqi fi Sharh …+1.

Overview and Author

The biographical details of the author, al-Jubbi, are largely unrecorded in classical biographical dictionaries Fiqh al-Nawazil. His work belongs to the genre of legal lexicography (gharib al-fiqh), which developed to assist jurists and students in deciphering archaic Arabic vocabulary, dialectal expressions, and specialized juristic terms utilized in foundational legal texts Masadir al-Fiqh al-Maliki.

Structure and Method

In his brief introduction, al-Jubbi states that he set out to clarify and explain what was difficult and obscure in the wording of al-Mudawwana Sharh Gharib Alfaz al-Mud…. Rather than following an alphabetical dictionary layout, he organized the text according to the thematic chapters (abwab) of al-Mudawwana—beginning with the chapter on ablution (Kitab al-Wudu'), so that readers could easily cross-reference terms while studying specific legal topics al-Durr al-Naqi fi Sharh …+1.

For each selected entry, al-Jubbi provides the linguistic definition, root derivation, precise vocalization of the letters, morphological patterns, and relevant anatomical or legal designations Sharh Gharib Alfaz al-Mud…+1. Where pertinent, he also notes variant dialectal forms, such as distinguished higher and lower linguistic registers, and occasionally illustrates meaning with Quranic citations Sharh Gharib Alfaz al-Mud…+1.

Reception and Publication

The work is regarded as an early reference within Maliki legal lexicography alongside other works on the vocabulary of foundational texts Masadir al-Fiqh al-Maliki. Though concise, it is valued for its rich compilation of expressions and terminology found throughout al-Mudawwana al-Durr al-Naqi fi Sharh ….

The text was edited by Muhammad Mahfuz and published in a single volume (140 pages) by Dar al-Gharb al-Islami in Beirut in 1402 AH / 1982 CE, followed by a second edition in 1425 AH / 2005 CE Fiqh al-Nawazil+1.