The Role of Exegetes and Linguists in Laying the Foundations for Linguistic Criticism and Developing It: The Pillars of Its Emergence and The Horizons of Its Universality

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the pioneering role of commentators and those engaged in the study of the miraculous nature of the Quran and of Quranic sciences in general. In establishing a linguistic theory in the Arab-Islamic heritage, tremendous and diverse efforts began in the third century and became firmly established thereafter. Its main goal was to serve the Holy Quran, convey it to people, clarify its meanings, and strengthen understanding and interpretation in a way that preserves the nation's identity and protects its faith from currents of deviation, doubt, and biased interpretation, this resulted in pioneering theoretical and applied efforts in dealing with the Arabic language, through studies in grammar, rhetoric, and linguistic criticism, achieved through two levels of looking at the language. The first level is the level of direct standard language or the level of the base and origin. The second level is the level of aesthetic language, or the second indirect language, or the level of branch and deviation. From both levels, one can glean the features of a linguistic theory in the Arab-Islamic heritage, as reflected in the efforts of Qur'an scholars and interpreters, characterised by a degree of flexibility and adaptability to change, and open to absorbing possible human interpretations and contributions.