Differences in Language

Author: Abu Hilal Al-Askari Al-Hasan bin Abdullah bin Sahl bin Saeed

Edited by: Jamal Abdul-Ghani Madghamish

This book explains the differences between meanings that are so close that distinguishing between them becomes difficult, such as knowledge and cognition, anger and wrath, error and mistake, perfection and completion, beauty and handsomeness, separation and distinction, cause and instrument, year and annus, time and duration, and similar examples.
▪︎The book discusses linguistic differences between words. How rich and magnificent and precise our Arabic language is! Here, the book shows you subtle and delicate differences between one word and another that you might think are similar, but the rule states (an increase in structure is an increase in meaning). So what about the differences in structure between these words? This will definitely lead to differences in meaning.
It's a very enjoyable book that will increase your pleasure in reading eloquent, ancient Arabic books. In fact, the first book where the difference between your previous and current reading will be clear is the Holy Quran. I have come across many examples in the book that made me realize the precision of this great Quran in choosing words and the mastery of its weaving and the quality in selecting one word over another.
If this book has a drawback, it is that it will make you meticulous in your reading and will make it difficult for you to enjoy a book, especially modern books where words have become merely a means of padding, nothing more. Your knowledge of the subtle differences between one word and another will make you greatly criticize an author for placing a word in an inappropriate context!
It must be noted that the attempt to clarify the difference between one word and another is based on the author Abu Hilal Al-Askari's own judgment, which means his human fallibility, meaning he is correct in some places and sometimes wrong in others. However, the times he failed to convince me were few, very limited, not to mention another merit that excuses him if he errs, which is his inclusion of other opinions from linguistic scholars, which made the book richer and more diverse.