The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation has released several notable publications during its participation in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025. Among these is the book “Al-Ashbab wa Al-Nazair fi Al-Nahw” by Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (849 – 911 AH), which serves as an elite encyclopedic reference in grammar and morphology. In this work, Al-Suyuti applied the methodology of jurists in classifying linguistic issues and establishing rules, infusing comparative approaches into the field of grammar.
Al-Suyuti provides a thorough comparative analysis of linguistic topics using a unique approach to organizing and classifying grammatical rules. The book is divided into seven arts, covering grammatical rules and principles, branches arranged according to alphabetical order, as well as guidelines and exceptions, making it easier for learners to grasp complex grammatical concepts.
The author has successfully created a connection between grammatical traditions and encyclopedic knowledge, resulting in a work that harmonizes grammatical jurisprudence with comprehensive scholarly insight.
This edition (2025) is inspired by the Damascus edition released in 1986, edited by a distinguished group of Arabic language scholars, including Dr. Abd al-Ilah Nabhan, Dr. Ghazi Mukhtar Talimat, Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad Abdullah, and Dr. Ahmad Mukhtar Al-Sharif. A fifth volume with complete indexes has also been added to this unparalleled encyclopedic work. Jamal bin Huwaireb, the executive director of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, stated that “Al-Ashbab wa Al-Nazair fi Al-Nahw by Imam Al-Suyuti” revives one of the most important books in Arabic grammar.
He added, “Imam Al-Suyuti was an encyclopedic figure; his life was blessed by his contributions to history, jurisprudence, and language, having authored over a thousand books with a prolific daily writing output that surpassed many pages, as he dedicated his life to knowledge, immersed in reading, teaching, research, and writing.”
He noted that the process of editing and preparing the book’s index, which encompasses sections on poetry, literature, hadith, and grammar, took four years. He emphasized that the edition published by the foundation is luxurious and critically edited, produced to the highest standards. The scientific verification of the text was conducted utilizing valuable previous work from the Arabic Language Academy in Damascus to ensure word accuracy and achieve the highest levels of scholarly precision.
Furthermore, Syrian writer, novelist, and critic Taysir Khalaf remarked that the book is the crown of Arabic grammar, adding that its reprinting in a revised edition honors the legacy left by the esteemed scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti.