Methods of definition in (Tuhfat al-Ihdha’ fi al-Farq bayn al-Dhad and al-Dha’) by Jamal al-Din ibn Malik, who died in 672 AH, a descriptive and analytical study

Abstract

This research seeks to delve into one of the lexical dilemmas in our Arabic language, namely the dilemma of definition in (Tuhfat al-Ihdha' fi al-Farq bayna al-Dhad wa al-Dha' by Ibn Malik (d. 672 AH). This book, which its author composed as a commentary on his poem, includes guidelines for distinguishing between words containing the letter Ḍād and those containing the letter Ḍād, while also clarifying the irregular and non-conforming words, supporting his discussion with examples for each.

In this endeavor and the way he presented his material, he became a specialized linguistic dictionary that included many words and their meanings. This is what motivated us to explain the methods of definition that he relied on in this book, comparing it with the methods of definition that lexicographers used in their linguistic dictionaries. After extensive reading and diligent analysis, we were able to limit the methods of definition in this book, which are: explanation by similarity, explanation by difference, explanation by definition, explanation by semantic relationships (synonymy, verbal homonym, and antonym), explanation by contexts (linguistic, causal (explanatory), metaphorical, and social), explanation by linguistic evidence (the Holy Qur’an, the Noble Prophetic Hadith, poetry, and proverbs), explanation by (and it is known), explanation by reference, and explanation by description). In this study, we relied on the first edition of (Tuhfat al-Ihdha' fi al-Farq bayna al-Dhad wa al-Dha'), edited by Professor Dr. Taha Mohsen and published in 2016. We followed a descriptive-analytical approach, and the research concluded that Ibn Malik, in this book on the difference between the letters Dad and Dha', explained the meanings of many words, following the definition methods mentioned above, following the example of lexicographers in interpreting words. Explanation by synonymy had the greatest share in this research, while definition by antonymy had the least share; its explanations did not exceed the fingers of one hand. As for the remaining definitions, the ratios between them are almost close in this book, with the exception of the definition (wa-huwa ma'ruf) and what is included within it, as the percentage of reliance on it to interpret meanings was high  .