An analysis of Zamakhsharī's al-Kashshāf in terms of iʿrāb al-Qurʾān (A case study on Sūrat al-Nisā)

This study aims to examine the science of iʿrāb—an essential method in understanding the linguistic structure of the Qur'ān—within the context of al-Zamakhsharī's renowned exegesis al-Kashshāf. The research focuses on al-Zamakhsharī's linguistic tafsīr methodology, analyzing his iʿrāb interpretations of verses from Sūrat al-Nisāʾ, and evaluating his commentary on the grammatical structures of the Qur'ānic text. These syntactic analyses are not limited to grammatical parsing alone; rather, the study also explores how these structures influence and reinforce meaning at the interpretive level. In this respect, the study seeks to demonstrate not only the functional role of iʿrāb in Qur'ānic exegesis, but also to offer a methodological framework for examining the relationship between language and interpretation. The thesis consists of an introduction and three main chapters. The first chapter analyzes the lexical and terminological meanings of the concepts iʿrāb and iʿrāb al-Qur'ān, as well as their historical background and relevant scholarly contributions in the field. The second chapter provides a brief overview of al-Zamakhsharī's life and his tafsīr al-Kashshāf. The third chapter discusses the context of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl) and general content of Sūrat al-Nisāʾ, followed by a detailed examination of al-Zamakhsharī's iʿrāb analyses of the sūrah. These analyses are evaluated not only in light of al-Zamakhsharī's perspective but also in comparison with the views of other grammarian exegetes. In doing so, the study highlights how various linguistic perspectives influence the grammatical interpretation of verses and the semantic variations that emerge as a result.