The Authority of Quranic Narration in Formulating Syntactic Rules: An Analytical Study of the Unique Readings of Ibn ‘Āmir and Ḥamzah in (Kun Fayakūna) and (al-Arḥāmi)

Abstract

The relationship between the Quranic text and Arabic grammar has historically witnessed a tension between the "authority of narration" and the "dominance of grammatical rules,"particularly those established by the Basran school. This study addresses the problematic approach of faulting recurrent (Mutawātir) Quranic readings based on standard grammatical measurements. The research aims to establish the authority of the Quranic reading as a ruler over grammar, not a subject to it. By adopting an inductive-analytical methodology, the study examines two controversial unique readings (Infirādāt) among the Ten Readers: Ibn ‘Āmir’s reading of (Kun Fayakūna) in the subjunctive mood (Nasb), and Ḥamzah’s reading of (al-Arḥāmi) in the genitive case (Jarr). The study concludes that Ibn ‘Āmir’s reading is syntactically grounded in observing the "form of the imperative" and adds a semantic dimension of immediate causality that the indicative mood does not convey. Similarly, Ḥamzah’s reading validates the coordination on a genitive pronoun without repeating the preposition, a style supported by Arabic poetry and prose, adding a semantic layer of glorification or oath. The paper recommends restructuring grammatical rules to include these unique readings as standard foundations rather than exceptions or poetic necessities.