Grammatical Preference (Tarjīḥ) According to Jalāl al-Dīn al-Ḥulawāʾī (d. 838 AH) in His Commentary on al-Ḥājib’s al-Kāfiyah A Critical Study

Abstract

This study examines Grammatical Preference (Tarjīḥ) in Jalāl al-Dīn al-Ḥulawāʾī’s (d. 838 AH) Sharḥ al-Kāfiyah al-Ḥājibiyyah: A Critical Study. It aims to identify al-Ḥulawāʾī’s approach to grammatical preference, highlight the features of his grammatical thought, and evaluate his preferred opinions in light of the principles and evidence of Arabic grammar. The study adopts the descriptive-analytical approach by surveying the instances of grammatical preference in his commentary, analyzing them, discussing them, and assessing their validity.

The study is divided into two sections. The first examines grammatical preference based on the established evidences of Arabic grammar, while the second investigates grammatical preference based on grammatical craftsmanship (ṣināʿah naḥwiyyah).

The study concludes that al-Ḥulawāʾī adopted a grammatical methodology founded on critical examination and comparison among different grammatical opinions. He did not merely transmit the views of earlier grammarians; rather, he preferred those supported by stronger evidence, reflecting an independent scholarly approach in a number of issues. The study also demonstrates that the evidences of Arabic grammar and grammatical craftsmanship constituted the two principal foundations upon which he based his grammatical preferences