A Very Concerned Reader: Footnote: Why we should consult Lisan al-'Arab dictionary by Ibn Manzur?

Submitted by dhimmi no more (United States), Apr 16, 2021 at 08:13

I'm sure the readers by now must be aware al-Tabari's Tafsir is really the foundation of what Muslims back then and now understand about what the author of the Qur'an is really saying.

As for the Arabic language classical dictionaries, there is a list that you will find in this link.

http://arabiclexicon.hawramani.com/

Notice that we are told that كتاب العين or Kitab al-'Ayn by خليل ابن احمد or Khalil ibn Ahmad was written in the 8th century AD and it is supposed to be the earliest dictionary of the Arabic language.

http://arabiclexicon.hawramani.com/al-khalil-b-ahmad-al-farahidi-kitab-al-ain/

Kitab al-'Ayn was lost in the 10th century or so we are told, until it was "rediscovered" by a Lebanese-Iraqi monk in the 1914.

Lisan al-'Arab is complete and extant and this is why it is the most reliable dictionary of Quranic as well as Classical and Middle Arabic. The main problem to a non Arabic speaking reader is not Ibn Manzur's use of the Arabic language. The main problem is we still do not have good and adequate technology to provide proper translation of such great work. And yes Ibn Mazur died in 1311 AD (I stand corrected here) and this is some 600-700 years after the death of Muhammad

http://arabiclexicon.hawramani.com/ibn-manzur-lisan-al-arab/

This is why Ibn Manzur's dictionary is my choice

Any reader who is interested in checking a good modern as well as links to Quranic Arabic and Classical Arabic and translations from Arabic to many languages, the online elmaany dictionary is good.

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