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Abstract

Language transcends being a mere assemblage of symbols; it constitutes the very soul of a civilization, and phonology represents its dynamic pulse. In the formative centuries of Islamic civilization, the city of Basra rose not only as a strategic frontier but as an epicenter of intellectual and linguistic innovation. The Basran school of grammar distinguished itself through rigorous analytical methodologies and an unwavering dedication to linguistic purity. It systematically codified the Arabic language, integrating theoretical precision with a robust oral tradition. Eminent scholars such as Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad—pioneer of Arabic prosody and compiler of the earliest Arabic lexicon—and his illustrious disciple Sibawayh, author of the foundational grammatical treatise Al-Kitab, epitomized this scientific endeavor.This article explores the Basran linguistic legacy through the lens of Tahdhib al-Lugha by Al-Azhari, a seminal lexicon that not only conserves lexical data but also encapsulates the phonetic and philological insights characteristic of the Basran tradition. The study is structured in two principal sections: the first offers a theoretical and historical contextualization of the Basran school and Al-Azhari’s lexicographical methodology; the second provides an analytical examination of pivotal phonological process—ibdāl (systematic phonetic substitution). By tracing this phenomena, the article reveals the Basran scholars’ meticulous attention to phonetic nuance as a mechanism for ensuring linguistic clarity, textual integrity, and aesthetic precision.