A Study of the Quranic Dictionary Nuqud al-Juman fi Uqud al-Tarjuman (Astan Quds Manuscript 609)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 PhD Student in Persian Language and Literature, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, University of Tehran. Tehran. Iran.

Abstract

The tradition of Qurʾānic lexicography in Persian represents a rich heritage that preserves both invaluable and largely unknown works. Nuqūd al-Jumān fī ʿUqūd al-Tarjumān, composed in the seventh/ thirteenth century, is a multi-dimensional Qurʾān-based lexicon that explains the vocabulary of the Qurʾān from Sūrat al-Ḥamd to Sūrat al-Nās, combining translation, exegetical notes, and grammatical analysis. This article offers, for the first time, a comprehensive introduction to and analysis of this work, based on its earliest extant manuscript (copied in 609/1212 and preserved in the library of Āstān-i Quds-i Raḍawī). After considering the probable identity of the author and the date of composition, the study examines the structure and methodology employed in the explanation of words. The main part of the article investigates the linguistic features of the manuscript on three levels: orthographic, lexical, and grammatical. The findings show that Nuqūd al-Jumān is a valuable source for historical linguistics, stylistics, and the cultural history of Islam in Iran. Its significance lies in the preservation of archaic Persian vocabulary and the reflection of Middle Period writing styles. Notably, the use of regional terminology (such as “kaboutar bana” for “warashan”, indicating the author’s cultural ties to Khurāsān) and particular phonological and orthographic features (such as the writing of dhāl muʿjam in words like paydā and huwaydā, reflecting their distinct pronunciation at the time) highlight the importance of this work as a primary source for understanding the development of the Persian language.

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References

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Persian Language and Literature

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 December 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 04 August 2025
  • Revise Date: 26 September 2025
  • Accept Date: 29 September 2025
  • Publish Date: 22 December 2025

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