Abu Ja‘far al-Ru‘ynī al-Gharnaṭī, the First Author on Quranic Linguistic Triplets: A Study on the Features of Craftsmanship, Novelty, and Uniqueness

Abstract

This study explores an Andalusian breakthrough in Quranic parsing and the art of linguistic triplets by Abu Ja‘far al-Ru‘ynī (779.H) in his book: “Tuḥfah al-’Aqrān fi ma Quri’a bil-Tathlīth min Ḥurūf al-Qur’ān”.This book, the first of its kind on Quranic linguistic triplets, highlights the ingenuity of Maghribi scholars in authorship and innovative scientific inquiries, surpassing their predecessors in both form and content. Al-Ru‘ynī expanded the concept of triplets by incorporating various Quranic readings, both canonical and non-canonical. The study addresses two main questions: Was al-Ru‘ynī a pioneer in Islamic and linguistic knowledge through his book? And can the Quran have its own unique triplets similar to linguistic triplets? To answer these, a synthetic approach was adopted, combining historical, descriptive, and analytical methods. The historical method introduces al-Ru‘ynī, the descriptive method presents the book’s form and content, and the analytical method examines the novel aspects and scientific efforts in which al-Ru‘ynī discussed the views of previous linguists and exegetes. One of the most prominent results of this research is the praise of al-Ru‘ynī, his book, and his efforts in it.