Nāsıh Al-Dın Ibn Al-Dahhān and his place in syntax

This study focuses on Nāsīh al-Dīn Ibn al-Dahhān (d. 569/1174), an Arab linguist from Baghdad who lived in the 6th (12th) century, and his position in the field of syntax (Nahw). Ibn al-Dahhān, widely recognized as one of the leading authorities in Arabic language and literature during his time, dedicated the majority of his scholarly works to these areas. He also engaged with Islamic sciences such as tafsir (exegesis), hadith, and fiqh (jurisprudence). Ibn al-Dahhān distinguished himself particularly through his profound expertise in syntax, earning him the honorary title of "the Sibawayh of his time" which is attributed only to distinguished linguists. In his views on syntax, Ibn al-Dahhān predominantly adhered to the Basran grammatical school, maintaining a critical stance toward the Kufan school except for a few rare issues. Not only did he transmit syntactical issues, but he also scrutinized their justifications in depth, adopting a comparative approach to evaluate the opinions of previous grammarians. This analytical and disputative perspective led him to introduce his own unique views and interpretations, thus making significant contributions to the classical tradition of syntax. In this regard, Ibn al-Dahhān's linguistic approach and methodology hold a prominent place in the history of Arabic grammar, offering valuable insights. However despite his expertise and contributions to the field of grammar, Ibn al-Dahhān has not received sufficient recognition in the academic literature of our Turkey, nor has his position within Arabic grammar been comprehensively studied. In this study, the author's life, scholarly personality, and works are examined, while his methodological approach to grammar and his views in this field are analyzed. Accordingly, the aim of our research is to present Ibn al-Dahhān's place in the discipline of grammar comprehensively, by addressing him from a broader perspective with respect to his methodology and views.