An early copy of Ibn Masud's seminal Arabic morphology

Ibn Mas'ud, Ahmad Ibn 'Ali. Marah al-arwah [The Soul's Place of Rest].

€ 5.500,00

A beautiful and early copy of the seminal treatise on Arabic morphology by the highly influential - if largely obscure - grammarian of the Baghdad school, Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn Mas'ud. There are no documents relating to Ibn Mas'ud's life, but his references to previous works and the approximate dating of the first known commentary by Hasan Pasha ibn Ala'addin al-Aswad an-Niksari (d. 1424) around 1400 CE suggest that Ibn Mas'ud had been active in the second half of the 14th century.

The "Marah al-arwah" is a stringent systematization of the few earlier morphologies of the Baghdad school, most importantly the 13th century "Kitab al-Izzi" by 'Izz al-Din al-Zanjani. The fact that Ibn Mas'ud's treatise is present in several compilations of Arabic morphologies and was subjected to countless commentaries and publications over the centuries points to the great success of his educational approach.

The poetic title of the grammar is based on Mas'ud's conviction, stated in the introduction, that "morphology is the mother and syntax the father of science". While those who comprehend morphology will be able to ground their souls and "become stronger in the sciences", those "who are devoid of it go astray in the traditions". The text is divided into seven chapters according to morphological classes, starting with a section "about the class of the strong verb".