The Zunbūriyya issue between Sibawayh and al-Kisāʾī

Abstract

The Zunbūriyya issue represents one of the most prominent grammatical controversies in the history of Arabic linguistics and serves as a clear reflection of the methodological differences between the Basran and Kufan grammatical schools. This study examines the historical and linguistic background of this dispute through an analytical reading of the famous debate between Sibawayh، the leading figure of the Basran school، and al-Kisāʾī، the prominent representative of the Kufan school. The research focuses on the grammatical analysis of the controversial construction involving the sudden idhā (إذا الفجائية) and the syntactic status of the predicate sawāʾ (سواء)، highlighting the theoretical foundations upon which each scholar based his argument.

By adopting a descriptive–analytical approach، the study revisits classical grammatical sources and evaluates the reported outcome of the debate in light of established principles of Arabic grammar، Qurʾānic usage، and authentic Arabic poetic evidence. The findings suggest that the prevailing judgment in favor of al-Kisāʾī was not purely linguistic، but was influenced by social and contextual factors، whereas Sibawayh’s position remains more consistent with the grammatical system of Classical Arabic. This research underscores the importance of critically reassessing classical grammatical controversies and contributes to a deeper understanding of the intellectual dynamics that shaped early Arabic grammatical theory.