Ibn Duraid Al-Azdi: al-Sabbaq in the Sequence of Cultural Time

Abstract

This article examines Ibn Durayd al-Azdi as a major figure in Arabic linguistic and literary heritage, situating his contribution within a broader cultural continuum that links language, identity, knowledge, and civilizational memory. The author highlights Ibn Durayd’s role in collecting linguistic origins, developing etymological inquiry, and producing works that reflect wide engagement with Arabic language, literature, and names. The article also discusses the relation between speech and written expression, orality and documentation, showing how Ibn Durayd transformed linguistic material into cultural knowledge that extends beyond lexicography to questions of belonging, identity, and human communication. It concludes that Ibn Durayd’s significance lies not only in his status as a classical philologist, but also in his role as an Arab scholar who helped preserve Arabic and expand its cultural horizon.