Orientalists’ Efforts in Serving the Grammatical Heritage

Abstract

This research paper seeks to present the efforts of Orientalists in serving the Arabic language and reviving its heritage. God Almighty intended this language to strengthen its status, preserve its sacredness, and affirm its universality through the Holy Qur’an.

Non-Arab scholars devoted themselves to tracing its issues and exploring its hidden aspects, particularly Arabic grammar, which is the foundation and pinnacle of the Arabic language. It was therefore subjected to research and study, and many books were authored, published, and critically edited in this field.

However, as much as Orientalist studies benefited the grammatical heritage and enriched the Arabic library, some studies were not free from being fierce campaigns and successive attacks aimed at undermining the heritage and casting doubt on its authenticity. This was expressed through statements and claims made by these scholars, asserting that it had been influenced by Greek grammar in its classifications, methods of analogy, explanations, and other aspects.