Umdat al-Huffaz fi Tafsir Ashraf al-Alfaz
- Author died
- 756 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah
Umdat al-Huffaz fi Tafsir Ashraf al-Alfaz (The Pillar of the Memorizers in the Exegesis of the Most Noble of Words) is a comprehensive dictionary of obscure Quranic vocabulary (gharib al-Quran) by the grammarian and exegete al-Samin al-Halabi (d. 756 AH / 1355 CE) .
Composition and Scope
The work is considered one of the final compositions written by al-Samin al-Halabi, as he cross-references most of his other major writings within its text, including his Quranic commentary al-Bahr al-Zakhir, his legal work al-Qawl al-Wajiz fi Ahkam al-Kitab al-Aziz, and grammatical discussions related to al-Durr al-Masun . The book was noted by later bibliographers, such as Ibn al-Hanbali in his commentary on al-Shifa, and recorded by Hajji Khalifa in Kashf al-Zunun .
Structure, Method, and Sources
In his approach to gharib al-Quran, al-Samin al-Halabi followed the alphabetical arrangement of roots rather than the sequential order of surahs found in earlier works like those of Abu Ubaydah and Ibn Qutaybah .
The primary source and foundation of the dictionary is al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran by al-Raghib al-Isfahani . Al-Samin al-Halabi relied on al-Raghib's work almost completely, adopting its structure and incorporating nearly every entry from it while supplementing it with his own linguistic notes and commentaries .
Editions and Reception
Umdat al-Huffaz has been published in several modern editions:
- An edition prepared by Mahmud Muhammad al-Sayyid al-Dughaym (published by Dar al-Sayyid in Istanbul, 1407 AH) .
- A four-volume edition edited by Muhammad al-Tunaji (published by Alam al-Kutub in Beirut, 1414 AH / 1993 CE) . Despite the editor's efforts and the inclusion of extensive indices, this edition drew criticism from researchers for numerous reading and vocalization errors that obscured the intended meaning of certain passages .
- An edition edited by Muhammad Basil Uyun al-Sud (published by Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah in Beirut, 1417 AH / 1996 CE) .
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