The impact of employing tribal languages in explaining linguistic issues in Al-Farra and Al-Akhfash’s books, The Meanings of the Qur’an

Abstract

Abstract

      This study demonstrates that both Al-Farra' and Al-Akhfash relied on the dialectal diversity of Arab tribes to interpret ambiguous and problematic Quranic vocabulary and analyze linguistic and semantic phenomena. They even went so far as to permit some anomalous readings based on the differences between the languages ​​of the Arabs and their tribes. It was found that Al-Farra' favored the Hijazi dialect and then the Tamim dialect, while Al-Akhfash favored the Tamim dialect over others. The study concluded that the two scholars' (Al-Farra' and Al-Akhfash's) reliance on tribal languages ​​to justify linguistic issues reflects the richness and flexibility of the Arabic language, as well as its ability to accommodate semantic and phonetic pluralism, indicating the depth and diversity of the Arabic linguistic heritage. It also revealed that Al-Farra' and Al-Akhfash relied on dialects—including rare and neglected ones—to clarify problematic vocabulary and guide Quranic readings. This demonstrates the breadth of the Kufi approach in relying on dialectal evidence, even those that deviate from common usage. This research also highlights the importance of dialectal diversity in the grammatical and linguistic foundations of Kufa scholars, as the difference was not evidence of anomaly, but rather a manifestation of the linguistic richness that contributed to the development of grammatical studies and the sciences of the Holy Qur’an.