The Problem of Altered Poetic Citations in Al-Kitab of Sibawayh: A Review of Al-Farazdaq's Poetic Verses

This study discusses the reliability of citations and quotations from Arabic poetry which are used in Al-Kitab of Sibawayh (d. 796/H.180). The study focuses on grammarian?s role in modification and perversion poetic citations from its authentic versions for supporting their views and constructing rules. The study?which adopted the descriptive approach?verifies poetic citations of Al-Kitab. The selected data consists of four verses of the Umayyad poet Al-Farazdaq (d.732/H.114). The study follows an exhaustive survey via Arabic sources and mainly the poet?s sources. It compares and contrasts the true versions of the verses that are presented in his poems collection (divan) to the alternated versions as presented in Al-Kitab. The study shows, with pieces of evidences and proofs, that poetic citations of Al-Kitab of Sibawayh are not reliable enough, as they substitute the native, Arabic utterances for grammarians? alternate version that serve their turn. The study recommends excluding those altered poetic verses from the grammatical works, as they do not represent the language system of Arabic native speakers.