Lexical Substitution in Quranic Readings (Qirā’āt)

Abstract

This study investigates and analyzes the issue of lexical substitution in the sources of variant Quranic readings (Qirā’āt), focusing exclusively on the disputed expressions (Aḥruf). The research employs a descriptive and statistical methodology, drawing on four primary sources: books of Tafsir (exegesis), Maʿānī al-Qurʾān (meanings of the Quran), Qirā’āt (readings), and Nahw (grammar). The research aims, on one hand, to establish a lexical corpus based on the number of substituted expressions (Aḥruf) in these variant readings. On the other hand, it seeks to provide a concise assessment of their transmission, the nature of the substitution—whether semantic or phonetic—and their morphological classification within the parts of speech.

The study's library research resulted in a lexical corpus of 370 variant readings different from the canonical reading of Hafs, with 288 substitutions (Aḥruf) being semantic and 82 phonetic. All these substitutions (Aḥruf) have historical validity in usage but were later abandoned in the context of recitation and worship. However, they remain a fertile lexical resource beneficial to linguists, jurists, and educators, each within their respective fields.