From Taṣḥīḥ to Taḥqīq: Toward a History of the Arabic Critical Edition

Abstract

AbstractThe article traces the transformations in Arabic editorial practices from the mid-19th century through the early decades of the 20th-century. Focusing on the publishing world of Cairo, the article examines some of the major political, cultural and technological conditions that shaped editorial choice and technique. The article explores continuities as well as ruptures with traditional Arabic-Islamic editorial practice, and assesses the impact of 19th-century European philological and historical scholarship. Particular attention is given to examining innovation in editorial practice, textual form, and modes of research over the course of a century.