Phonetic Directions in the Text of al Shatibiyya: Reviewing and Analysis

Abstract

 This research examines the phonetic issues addressed in al-Shāṭibiyya, where al-Shāṭibī theorized aspects of Arabic phonological structure within the framework of Qur’anic recitation. The study clarifies the linguistic principles and standards on which he relied and compares his treatment of these issues with their corresponding discussions in Abū ʿAmr al-Dānī’s al-Taysīr fī al-Qirāʾāt al-Sabʿ, highlighting areas of supplementation and critique. A descriptive-analytical methodology is employed to analyze the variations among Qur’anic readers, the interpretations of grammarians and commentators, and the ways linguistic disagreement was used to justify and establish the accepted readings.

The findings show that al-Shāṭibī possessed extensive linguistic competence—particularly in phonetics—demonstrated through his systematic use of authoritative linguistic sources. His approach in al-Shāṭibiyya reflects a coherent methodological structure that integrates phonetic analysis with the authentication of Qur’anic recitation. The study also identifies clear patterns of phonetic direction in the poem, underscoring his deliberate and reasoned treatment of sound structure.

The research recommends further analytical studies of al-Shāṭibī’s linguistic methodology—especially in phonetics—as a rich model that bridges classical linguistic scholarship and the scientific study of Qur’anic readings, and encourages broader engagement with early sources to deepen understanding of phonological theory in the Arabic tradition.