Language and Heresy in Ismaili Thought : The Kitab Al-zina of Abu Hatim Al-Razi

Abu Hatim al-Razi (d. 322/934) was the Ismaili author of Kitab al-zina, a unique glossary of Islamic words. This book explores his contributions and place in early Arabic linguistic and lexicographical thought and practice, and in Shi'i heresiographical writing. Machine Derived Contents Note: Table Of Contents -- Table Of Contents V -- Foreword Ix -- Acknowledgments Xv -- Abbreviations Xvii -- 1 Introduction 1 -- R?z?¿s Life 1 -- R?z?¿s Works 3 -- Kit?b Al-z?na 7 -- Published Editions 9 -- Studies Of Z?na 10 -- This Book 10 -- 2 R?z? The Lexicographer 13 -- Early Arabic Lexicography 13 -- Comparison Between R?z? And Ibn Al-anb?r? 16 -- R?z?¿s Predecessors 19 -- Al-farr?? 19 -- Ab? ?ubayda 21 -- Ab? ?ubayd 23 -- Ibn Qutayba 24 -- Tha?lab 28 -- Mubarrad 28 -- Ghiy?th 29 -- 3 Kit?b Al-z?na: Content 31 -- The Introduction 31 -- The Doctrine Of The Superiority Of Arabic: A Historical Context 34 -- Ishtiq?q 35 -- Foreign Vocabulary In The Qur??n 37 -- R?z? On Foreign Vocabulary In The Qur??n 40 -- The Excellence And Importance Of Poetry 41 -- The Prophet¿s Miracle 43 -- The Revival Of Poetry 45 -- Creation 50 -- Organization Of The Book 51 -- 4 The Entry On Kalima 57 -- R?z? On Kalima 57 --^ 5 R?z? The Etymologist: On The Origin Of Place Names 75 -- Prologue 75 -- Ishtiq?q 76 -- Ishtiq?q And Proper Nouns 79 -- Identity Of R?z?¿s And Ibn Al-anb?r?¿s Source 87 -- Adoption By Later Lexicographers 88 -- 6 R?z? The Grammarian 91 -- Concerning Terminology 91 -- The History Of Arabic Grammar 92 -- The Latter-day K?fans 94 -- Categories And Terminology 95 -- School Spirit Among The K?fans 98 -- Farr?? Vs. The Latter-day K?fans 101 -- Technical Terminology 105 -- Farr?? On The Badal 108 -- ?ib?ra 108 -- Tarjama 108 -- T?bi? (as Well As Yatba?, Etc.) 109 -- Takr?r 111 -- Radd (and Its Derivatives) 113 -- Tafs?r 114 -- Paraphrase 116 -- Tafs?r Among The Later K?fans 116 -- Badal 118 -- Tarjama/mutarjim 118 -- Badal 119 -- T?bi?/itb??, Etc. 119 -- Radd And Takr?r And Derivatives 120 -- Badal In Kit?b Al-z?na 121 -- 7 R?z? The Heresiographer 125 -- R?z?¿s Source Material 125 -- Heresiography As Propaganda 130 -- R?z?¿s Organization Of The Material 132 --^ R?z? On The Term Ahl Al-sunna Wa-l-jam??a 136 -- R?z?¿s Five Divisions 137 -- 1. Sh??a 138 -- 2. Murji?a 139 -- History Of Irj?? 139 -- R?z? On The Murji?a 141 -- 3. R?fi?a 144 -- 4. Qadariyya 146 -- 5. M?riqa 147 -- Conclusions 148 -- 8 Conclusion 151 -- Further Avenues 151 -- R?z? The Ism???l? 152 -- R?z?¿s Influence On Later Generations 158 -- Bibliography 161 -- Index 169. Jamal Ali. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 161-168) And Indexes. English And Arabic. The heretofore unpublished Kitab al-Zina, until now virtually unknown in Western scholarship, is a glossary of important Islamic terms by the 9th/10th-century Ismaili polymath Abu Hatim al-Razi. Some lament that Razi's historical approach to etymology failed to catch on and that had it done so, the face of Arabic dictionary writing might have been altered for the better. His organization of material was uniquely Ismaili, as he took pains to synthesize contradictory information into a harmonious whole. Though unlike any other work in its tradition, Zina was at the same time a product of its environment, and studying it brings new insights regarding intellectual trends and debates of the era. This book examines sections of Kitab al-Zina, each chosen for its contribution to our understanding of Razi's world. After introductory chapters on Razi and the intellectual milieu in which he lived, Chapter 4 examines Razi's entry on the word “kalima.” This entry illuminates the broader debate regarding the use and meanings of “kalima,” “kalim” and “kalam.” Chapter 5 covers Razi's creative views on the etymology of place names. Chapter 6 explores Razi's views on grammar, his place in the grammatical tradition, and his affiliation with the Kufan school. Chapter 7 discusses Zina's heresiographical section, which deals with the names of Islamic sects. This section reveals information about the term “Murji'a” which clarifies other previously problematic Shi'i texts. The conclusion shows how Razi expressed Ismaili doctrine subtly in a text that is preponderantly devoid of outright advocacy for the Ismaili cause. The book contains a foreword by Ismail Poonawala of the University of California, Los Angeles. Jamal Ali teaches Arabic at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a Ph.D. in Arabic from UCLA. His research interests include the history of Arabic linguistic and religious thought.

The heretofore unpublished Kitab al-Zina, virtually unknown in western scholarship, is a glossary of important Islamic terms by the 9th/10th-century Ismaili polymath Abu Hatim al-Razi. Some lament that Razi's historical approach to etymology failed to catch on and that had it done so, the face of Arabic dictionary writing might have been altered for the better. His organization of material was uniquely Ismaili as he took pains to synthesize contradictory information into a harmonious whole. This study examines sections of Razi's work with a view towards his contributions to the field of grammar and linguistics.

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABBREVIATIONS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. RĀZĪ THE LEXICOGRAPHER 3. KITĀB AL-ZĪNA: CONTENT 4. THE ENTRY ON KALIMA 5. RĀZĪ THE ETYMOLOGIST: ON THE ORIGIN OF PLACE NAMES 6. RĀZĪ THE GRAMMARIAN 7. RĀZĪ THE HERESIOGRAPHER 8. CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX OF QURʾĀNIC VERSES