al-Bahr al-Muhit (The Encompassing Ocean) by Muhammad b. Yusuf Abu Hayyan al-Andalusi (d. 745 AH / 1344 CE) is the preeminent work of linguistic and grammatical Quranic commentary in the Islamic tradition, spanning eight large volumes. Its objective is to subject the Quran to the most exhaustive Arabic grammatical, morphological, and rhetorical analysis ever attempted, drawing on Abu Hayyan's status as the foremost Arabic grammarian of his era. The manhaj is primarily tafsir lughawi (linguistic exegesis): every verse is analyzed in detail from the perspective of Arabic grammar and syntax, supplemented by discussion of qiraat readings and transmitted narrations. Abu Hayyan is notably polemical in his engagement with Zamakhshari and Baydawi, frequently criticizing their grammatical analyses from a position of grammarian's confidence. He was a Maliki Andalusian scholar who initially held Zahiri legal positions before settling broadly within the Shafii tradition. He is broadly Sunni. The work is an indispensable reference for scholars of Arabic linguistics and Quranic grammar, and a mandatory consultation for anyone engaged in the linguistic dimensions of Quranic study. More...