On Wednesday morning, September 2, 2026, a PhD dissertation was discussed at the Department of Arabic Language, College of Arts, University of Basrah, entitled “The Methodologies of Qur’anic Grammarians in the Modern Era.”

The dissertation, submitted by researcher Fatima Jaafar Saeed, aims to examine the compositional methodologies adopted in books on the grammatical analysis (I‘rab) of the Holy Qur’an in the modern era. It also explores the reasons behind the extensive scholarly writing in this field, its academic value, and the methodologies through which these works differ despite sharing common features. The study further investigates whether books on Qur’anic grammatical analysis follow a single methodology and whether the similarity of their subject matter and the scholarly tools employed in analyzing the Qur’anic text diminishes the value of producing such works.

The dissertation consists of an introduction, a conclusion, and three chapters preceded by a preliminary section. The first chapter, entitled “Methodologies of Writing Books on the Grammatical Analysis of the Holy Qur’an in the Modern Era,” examines the various approaches adopted in these works. The second chapter, entitled “Evidence of Grammatical Analysis and Sources of Knowledge among Qur’anic Grammarians in the Modern Era,” addresses the evidence and sources used by scholars. The third chapter, entitled “Methodologies of Qur’anic Grammarians in the Grammatical Analysis of the Text,” focuses on their approaches to analyzing the Qur’anic text.

After examining books on the grammatical analysis of the Holy Qur’an in the modern era, the dissertation concluded that these works employ diverse methodologies shaped by different scholarly perspectives in approaching the Qur’anic text and by the various forms of knowledge used in presenting their analyses.

This diversity is not merely an apparent difference in methodology; rather, it reflects differing views among authors regarding the purpose of their works. Some pursued an enrichment-oriented approach, relying on comprehensive collection and investigation, incorporating linguistic sciences and Qur’anic exegesis, expanding their discussion of grammatical disagreements and scholarly opinions, and supporting their analyses with textual evidence. Others adopted an educational approach, focusing on simplification and limiting their works primarily to grammatical analysis in order to achieve conciseness and facilitate understanding for readers.