The use of the term 'arbitrariness' in grammatical critique by Ibn Hisham in 'Mughni al-Labib': An analytical study

Abstract

This research examines the term "At-Ta'assuf" (Arbitrariness / Strained Interpretation), which is one of the numerous terms employed by Ibn Hisham in his renowned book, Mughni al-Labib 'an Kutub al-A'arib. The term was utilized to critique or weaken the grammatical and linguistic views adopted by certain grammarians and commentators regarding interpretation and hermeneutics, ellipsis and underlying estimation, or meaning and syntax within specific Quranic and linguistic texts for a particular cause. The significance of this study lies in compiling all occurrences of the term "At-Ta'assuf" within the aforementioned text, as well as establishing a precise conceptual definition for both the term itself and its application. Through textual induction, the study reveals that Ibn Hisham utilized this term fourteen times in his work. Furthermore, its critical implication signified an absolute objection to the grammatical views of some scholars, or the rejection of their arguments as weak interpretations that should not be sustained. The study outlines the specific domains where this term was applied, namely: interpretation, underlying estimation, syntax, and grammatical preference (Tarjih), while evaluating the issues wherein Ibn Hisham’s judgments were accurate versus those where they were not. Given the nature of the study, the research is structured into an introduction, a preliminary overview, three main chapters, a conclusion, and a list of primary sources and references.