The Baghdad School: Between Denial and Recognition

Abstract

This study explores the contributions of Baghdad grammarians to grammatical studies in the context of the Basran and Kufan schools’ influence in Baghdad. Three distinct groups of scholars emerged: one aligned with Basran grammar, another with Kufan, and a third that blended both, forming new theories and a unique grammatical tradition. The existence of this so-called "Baghdad School of Grammar" has been a subject of debate among researchers—some deny its existence, while others acknowledge and affirm it. The researcher reviews contemporary perspectives on this issue, structuring the discussion into an introduction, a preface that clarifies the concept of a "grammatical school," and three main sections. The first section details how grammatical knowledge was transmitted to Baghdad. The second examines modern scholars' opinions on the grammatical studies conducted there. The third analyzes the methodologies and contributions of Baghdad grammarians. The study concludes that the term "grammatical doctrine" was favored by earlier scholars, while "grammatical school" is a more modern term, with both expressions being largely interchangeable, though "school" is more widely used today. Furthermore, the study highlights the significant impact of Baghdad grammarians' extensive writings on syntax and morphology, which have enriched grammatical and morphological scholarship.