Universal maxims in the grammar of the Arabic language: A case study of Ibn Malik's Alfiyyah

One of the greatest blessings Allah (swt) has bestowed on human beings is undoubtedly language. Language is a unique source and tool for people to understand each other and to convey their thoughts in the most beautiful and correct way. In order to transfer the existing thoughts correctly, to analyse and synthesise the transferred thoughts correctly, it is inevitable to be familiar with the language itself. Every society has established language rules in order to transfer their linguistic culture and heritage to the next generations in a correct way. In order for the Qur'an, which is the most important heritage for Muslims, and the hadiths of the Prophet (s.a.s.) to be understood correctly, not to be distorted, and to be transmitted to the next generations in a preserved form, the grammar of the Arabic language was established by scholars. The grammar of the Arabic language began with the universal rules inspired by the aphorisms of the Prophet (s.a.s.) known as "Jawāmiʿ al-kalim". The universal rules, which are inclusive, clear, succinct and facilitating, have played a role in the disagreement of language schools on many issues. The universal rules enable the person who deals with grammar to filter the evidence. In fact, some of these principles are sometimes shown as proofs of the sciences of nahw and sarf. In many of the works on the methodology of grammar, scientific khilafah, and the science of grammar, the importance of the universal rules is emphasised under special headings or by pointing to them. One of the scholars who achieved this best is Ibn Mâlik, who did not imitate the previous linguistic schools and adopted the path of "taqrīr and tahqīq". The fact that he applies these universal principles in his al-Alfiyya and sometimes points to them makes it more important. Although there have been more than one study and work in this regard, the fact that most of them are narrow in terms of subject matter and not explained with examples is one of the factors that influenced me to conduct a thesis on the mentioned subject. The aim of this thesis is to better understand the work of al-Alfiyya, which is so important and so influential. In this context, many classical works, theses and articles, especially al-Alfiyya, have been researched in detail and textual analysis method has been used in the study.