Sibawayh's Opinions on the Nominative Case in Al-Mahdawi's Book of Al-Tahseel

Abstract

This study aimed to examine al-Mahdawī’s stance on Sibawayh’s views regarding nominative constructions, as presented in his book al-Taḥṣīl li-Fawāʾid Kitāb al-Taḥṣīl, by tracing Sibawayh’s opinions cited therein, analyzing al-Mahdawī’s selections, and identifying his method of presentation, discussion, and evaluation. The study adopted a descriptive approach, collecting the relevant issues and verifying them through reference to Sibawayh’s original Kitāb, while also assessing the accuracy of al-Mahdawī’s transmission, the validity of his analogical reasoning, and his overall engagement with Sibawayh’s text in terms of explanation, reliance, inference, and preference. The findings indicate that al-Mahdawī generally agrees with Sibawayh in most cases and diverges only in a limited number of instances; he also tends to prioritize his own opinion when multiple views are available and relies significantly on al-Naḥḥās’s Iʿrāb al-Qurʾān as a key source influencing his positions. The study concludes by recommending further research into al-Mahdawī’s stance on the views of other major grammarians, particularly al-Farrāʾ and Abū ʿAlī al-Fārisī, due to their notable impact on his scholarly orientation and grammatical preferences.