Principles of Linguistic Evidence in Al-Ashmuni’s Morphological Preferences in His Book Tawdih al-Tawdih

This study investigates the principles of linguistic evidence underlying Al-Ashmuni’s morphological preferences in Tawdih al-Tawdih, examining how he evaluates competing morphological interpretations and establishes their validity. Through an analysis of his preferences, the study identifies four principal sources of reasoning: sama' (attested linguistic usage), qiyas (analogy), ijma' (consensus), and istishab (presumption of continuity). The findings demonstrate that Al-Ashmuni employs these principles selectively according to the nature of each morphological issue, with attested usage occupying the highest position in his evidentiary hierarchy. His authoritative sources include the Quran and its Readings, Prophetic Hadith, and classical Arabic poetry and prose. While he accepts poetry from the recognized period of linguistic authority, he uses later poetry for illustration rather than as independent evidence. His approach to analogy is similarly systematic, requiring established linguistic patterns and treating deviations from regular usage as irregular. Furthermore, he distinguishes between the consensus of Arab speakers, grounded in attested usage, and the theoretical consensus of grammarians based on analogical principles. The study highlights the methodological rigor of Al-Ashmuni’s morphological reasoning and the relationship between transmitted evidence and grammatical interpretation.