MAHMUD AZ-ZAMAKHSHARI'S "AL-JIBAL VAL-AMKINA VAL- MIYAH" Its Role in Language, Toponymy, and Cultural Heritage

Аннотация

This article is dedicated to the work "Al-Jibal val-Amkina val- Miyāh" by the great scholar, prominent linguist, and exegete, Mahmud ibn Umar az-Zamakshari. It discusses the history of the work's creation, its earliest manuscript copies, and the contributions of the Dutch orientalist who prepared its Latin-Arabic academic edition. The article extensively explores the work's significance in the fields of linguistics, culture, toponymy, and lexicography, highlighting its importance as an invaluable source in the history of Arabic philology. Keywords: Mahmud az-Zamakshari, Al-Jibal val-Amkina val-Miyāh, manuscript, Latin-Arabic edition, orientalism, linguistics, toponymy, lexicography, cultural heritage. The great scholar, holder of the titles "Ustazul-arab val-ajam" (Master of Arabs and foreigners), "Fakhri Khorezm" (Pride of Khorezm), and "Jorulloh," Mahmud az-Zamakshari is considered a major literary critic, linguist, pedagogue, and poet of his time. He authored over 50 works on logic, grammar, religion, lexicography, literature, literary criticism, pedagogy, history, and geography. Imam az-Zamakshari is one of the greatest scholars to have emerged from Central Asia. He spread his knowledge through his books and students, and many of his works have survived to our time [3]. While many of Zamakhshari's works are dedicated to Arabic language and grammar, he was not limited to just literature. He also left behind a literary work that combines geography and language: his book "Kitabul- Al- Amkina val- Miyah" (هايملاو ةنكملأاو لابجلا باتك), or "Mountains, Places, and Waters." This book provides valuable information about geographical locations in the Arab world. The exact date it was written is unknown, but some sources suggest it was composed in the latter years of his life, in the first half of the 12th century. This information is based on scholarly research and notes in manuscripts, as Zamakhshari himself did not specify a date in the work. "Al-Jibal val-Amkinah val-Miyah" is considered one of the most important geographical books. 110 DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE International scientific-online conference The main content of the book is its utility in understanding the mountains, places, plains, valleys, and waters of the Arabian Peninsula. The book covers topics related to mountains, valleys, and water, and it serves as a critical reference for researchers in geography, language, and culture. His book, "Al- Jibal val-Amkina val-Miyah," is famous and contains nearly three thousand place names. Most of the sources that mention these places have now been lost [2]. In addition to place descriptions, Zamakhshari also included many poems that mentioned and identified these locations. The author structured his book alphabetically. He starts with places beginning with the letter "Alif" and then moves on to places starting with "Ba," arranging the names of locations in and around the city of Mecca first. Indeed, this book is one of the most important available to us, as it contains essential knowledge for anyone who wants to learn about these places. It is also an indispensable resource for understanding the nature of these lands because it contains information about the country's geography, its places, waters, and mountains. The lexical analysis of geographical terms is highly relevant today for several reasons. This research contributes significantly not only to linguistics but also to the fields of history, geography, and cultural studies. "Al-Jibal val-Amkina val-Miyah" has been studied by many Arab and non- Arab researchers. The famous book by Zamakhshari was first published in 1855 by the Dutch orientalist Salverda de Grave. It was later published in 1968 in Najaf, based on another manuscript with additions to the first edition. In the same year (1968), it was studied by Dr. Ibrahim al-Samarrai in Baghdad and published with new additions not included in the previous two editions. It's important to note that this book is not the same as the one by Nasr al-Iskandariy (d. 561 AH), which was published by Fuad Sezgin in 1990 and titled "Al-Amkina val-Miyah val-Jibal." Al-Iskandariy's book contains 2,938 translations, of which 2,317 are topics related to his book "Al-Mu'talif val-Muxtalif" (The Consonant and the Dissonant) [4]. The importance of Zamakhshari's work is defined by several aspects. This work holds a unique place in his scientific legacy, as he is typically known for his works in religious, literary, and linguistic fields. This work was written in Mecca during his time there, based on information from Amir Abul Hasan Ali ibn Hamza ibn Vahhas as-Sulaymoniy as well as his own personal observations. The book provides valuable information about geographical locations, mountains, rivers, and wells in the Hijaz (modern-day Saudi Arabia). The work also garnered great interest among Western scholars. Notably, in 1855, the Dutch orientalist Salverda de Grave thoroughly 111 DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS I