Tadhkirat al-Arib fi Tafsir al-Gharib
- Author died
- 597 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah
Tadhkirat al-Arib fi Tafsir al-Gharib (A Reminder for the Discerning Regarding the Interpretation of Rare Expressions) is a dictionary of rare and obscure Quranic vocabulary (gharib al-Quran) composed by the Baghdad-based Hanbali scholar Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 AH / 1201 CE) .
Purpose and Scope
In his introduction to the treatise, Ibn al-Jawzi states that he composed the book as a reminder for people of understanding regarding obscure Quranic words and meanings whose comprehension proves subtle and elusive . He distinguishes the work from conventional dictionaries of Quranic gharib, explaining that earlier compositions generally confined themselves solely to rare wording (gharib al-lafz), whereas his treatise addresses both obscure expressions and complex meanings (gharib al-lafz wa-l-ma'na), incorporates soundly established points regarding abrogation (al-mansukh), and gathers supplementary exegetical benefits while adhering to extreme conciseness .
Structure and Method
The work is organized sequentially according to the standard order of the surahs of the Quran . Under each surah, Ibn al-Jawzi selects obscure terms and difficult phrasing, providing succinct definitions, contextual clarifications, and grammatical explanations . Throughout his concise glosses, he cites linguistic and exegetical authorities such as Ibn Qutaybah and al-Zajjaj .
Transmission and Editions
In his biographical catalog of Ibn al-Jawzi's works, Ibn Rajab records the book among his Quranic writings as a single volume (mujallad), alongside an even shorter treatise entitled Gharib al-Gharib . The book was also recorded by bibliographers such as Haji Khalifa under the title Tadhkirat al-Arib fi al-Tafsir .
The text was edited by Ali Husayn al-Bawwab and published in Riyadh by Maktabat al-Ma'arif in 1407 AH (1986 CE) .
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