Kıraatlerin Şiirle İstişhâdı: Ebû Ali el-Fârisî’nin el-Hucce İsimli Eseri
The Poetic Justification of Qirāʾāt: Abū ʿAlī al-Fārisī’s Work al-Hujja

Summary/Abstract: This study systematically examines the method of substantiating variant Qur’anic readings (qirāʾāt) with Arabic poetry in the work al-Hujja fī ʿılal al-Qirāʾāt by Abū ʿAlī al-Fārisī, one of the prominent linguists of the Basran grammatical school. The main objective of the research is to demonstrate that Qur’anic qirāʾāt are not solely based on chains of transmission (riwāyah), but can also be grounded in the phonetic, morphological, and grammatical structure of the Arabic language, reflecting its natural usage. Within this context, the study analyzes poetic examples used for istishhād (citation as linguistic evidence) in relation to phonetic features such as the pronunciation of the glottal stop (hamzah), vowel lengthening and shortening (madd and qaṣr), pronominal usage, syntactic variation (ʾiʿrāb), verb patterns, and the so-called hāʾ al-sakt. This work emphasizes how Abū ʿAlī, with his linguistic background, bridges grammatical analysis with Qur’anic recitation, indicating that variant readings should be evaluated not only by their authenticity but also by their linguistic coherence and literary grounding. The methodology of the study is based on classical text analysis and contextual interpretation. Poetic verses cited by al-Fārisī are thematically classified, and each is examined in terms of its contribution to the phonological, morphological, or syntactic rationale of specific readings. The findings show that al-Fārisī did not regard poetry as mere ornamentation, but as linguistic documentation that reflects the rules and norms of Arabic. His approach establishes that qirāʾāt are not fixed oral traditions alone but are closely intertwined with dialectical variations, poetic structures, and the internal logic of the Arabic language. The study further demonstrates that poetry served not only to clarify obscure words but also to affirm the linguistic validity of certain phonetic or syntactic features found in the qirāʾāt tradition. This broader perspective contributes significantly to the field of qirāʾāt by presenting it as an interdisciplinary domain engaging with linguistics, literature, and semantics. In doing so, it calls attention to the aesthetic, rhythmic, and rhetorical dimensions of recitation as mirrored in classical Arabic poetry. UltimatelyIn conclusion, this research reinterprets the connection between qirāʾāt and Arabic poetry, proposing a renewed methodological approach to classical sources. It shows how istishhād—when applied systematically—can provide a comprehensive linguistic foundation for variant readings and enrich the contemporary understanding of Qur’anic recitation as a dynamic interplay between meaning, form, and oral tradition.

• Details
• Contents