منهج الإمام الدمياطي في علم القراءات من خلال كتابه إتحاف فضلاء البشر بالقراءات الأربعة عشر

Abstract

Studying scholarly works and compilations of Muslim specialists has always immensely facilitated the tracing of intellectual and scientific developments. It has also highlighted the contributions of compilers to the scientific life of their time and the subsequent epochs. The current research scrutinises the works of one of the most eminent scholars of the science of recitation (Ilm al-Qiraāt) the Imam Al-Dumiātī (d. 1117 AH). It attempts to investigate the scholar’s exertions and methodology in writing his popular book entitled Ithāf Fudalā al-Bashar bi al-Qiraāt al-Arba’at- ‘Ashar [Illuminating the Most Virtuous Men with the Fourteen Recitations] which is one of the Islamic scholarly treasures and an authority in the science of Qiraāt. This well-known book was compiled after Al-Imam Al-Dumiātī travelled extensively to several countries for learning and acquiring knowledge from prolific Muslim scholars. Throughout his compilation, al-Dumiātī demonstrated a substantial intellectual ability and strength in dealing with issues of disagreement. Therefore, this research attempts to address the question of methodology of al-Imam Al-Dumiātī in his compiled work, his biography, sources as well as his contributions to the science of recitation. To achieve the objectives of this study, the researcher followed historical, analytical, inductive, and statistical methods. This study has concluded that al-Imam Al-Dumiātī relied on a critical approach in analysing the issues of disagreement and assessing the reference books and compilations of recitations. It has also found that al-Imam Al-Dumiātī had distinguished and meticulous penmanship illustrated in his book Ithāf Fudalā al-Bashar bi al-Qiraāt al-Arba’at- ‘Ashar that encompassed all chapters of the science of recitations from the ensured lines of transmission and the four irregular recitations.