Unraveling the Linguistic Thought of ʿalī Ibn Ḥamzah Al-Kisāʾī: The Journey from Kufan Grammar to Qurʾānic Qirāʾāt

Abstract

This study examines the linguistic thought of ʿAlī ibn Ḥamzah al-Kisāʾī, a prominent figure of the Kufan school of grammar and one of the canonical imams of the mutawātir Qur’anic qirāʾāt, with the aim of reconstructing his conceptual and methodological approach to classical Arabic. The focus of the study lies in the interaction between the grammatical principles of the Kufan school developed by al-Kisāʾī and their application in the Qur’anic qirāʾāt, including phonological, syntactic, and morphological dimensions. Through an analysis of classical texts, grammatical manuscripts, and contemporary studies, this research finds that al-Kisāʾī’s approach emphasizes the use of spoken Arabic, tribal dialects, and authentic transmissions from Bedouin Arabs as foundational sources for the formulation of grammatical rules and variations in Qur’anic recitation. The study demonstrates that al-Kisāʾī’s intellectual contribution was not merely the systematic development of grammatical theory, but also the construction of an integrative model that bridges linguistics and qirāʾāt, which remains relevant for modern Arabic linguistic studies. In conclusion, the reconstruction of al-Kisāʾī’s thought provides new insights into the relationship between Kufan grammatical theory and the practice of qirāʾāt, while reaffirming his significant contribution to the Islamic linguistic tradition.