Explaining iʽrāb and Analysing Text: On madḥ and taṭāwul in Early Arabic Grammar

The linguistic explanation of Qur’ānic passages has occupied many grammarians and commentators. This article presents the representation of explanations of what is known as naṣb ʿalā l-madḥ in some of the most important exegetical and grammatical works to try to establish the trends of change in the explanatory techniques. The two main starting points are the Maʿānī l-Qurʾān of al-Farrāʾ and Sībawayhi’s Kitāb and changes are examined in relation to them. The main Qurʾānic passage the explanations of which are examined is Q. 2:177, while parallel passages are Q. 4:162 and Q. 111:4.