The integration of knowledge between the efforts of Quranic commentators and lexicographers Through Quranic evidence for the historical dictionary of the Arabic language

Abstract

This research aims to highlight the efforts of the Union of Arab Scientific Language Academies in Cairo and the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah in preserving and utilizing authentic Quranic evidences that form the foundation of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language for tracing the historical development of Arabic vocabulary. It also provides a concise overview of the applied program that enabled the compilation of 127 volumes of the dictionary by leveraging advanced technology. One of the core hypotheses of the study is that the semantic documentation of the dictionary entries related to the root under investigation was based on Quranic evidence, alongside other lexical and usage-based attestations. The study follows a descriptive methodology and is structured around four main axes, followed by a conclusion and a list of references. The first axis introduces the fundamentals of the research. The second axis presents a theoretical framework, detailing the modern efforts of the Union of Arab Scientific Academies to produce the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language and the scientific methodology underpinning it. The third axis explores the interaxis between the exegetical efforts to interpret the meanings of Quranic vocabulary and the attention given by lexicographers to those same meanings, identifying areas of convergence. The fourth axis investigates the Quranic evidences cited in the historical dictionary for the root (وعد - waʿada, "to promise"), which includes seventeen Quranic citations out of ninety-six dictionary entries related to this root. This axis also examines the evolution of the meanings of these words from the pre-Islamic era to the modern era, emphasizing the semantic development of the vocabulary.The conclusion summarizes the key findings and offers recommendations. Among the most significant findings is that the morphological forms derived from the root (وعد) appeared 17 times in the research sample. The most frequently occurring form was the nominal (مَوْعِد - mawʿid, “appointed time”), followed by the verbal form (واعَدَ - wāʿada, “he promised/made an appointment”). The research also demonstrated that the Quranic citations used as examples reflect a clear epistemological integration between the exegetical efforts and the historical dictionary in elucidating the semantic dimensions of these morphological forms. Exegetes emphasized the synergistic role of morphological structures and syntactic context in conveying the divine message to the recipients.