Word perfect: the historic Arabic dictionary that took six years and 700 scholars to complete

It took determination and dedication to overcome passionate differences of opinion, but the reward is a 127-volume lexicographical treasure

Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, directed the dictionary's creation. Wam / The National

It took about six years and more than 700 scholars, editors and Arabic language experts from across the Arab world to bring the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language to life.

The 127-volume dictionary documents the evolution of the Arabic language from its origins to the present day. The project faced numerous challenges, from differing perspectives among scholars to logistical and technical obstacles, but the dedication never wavered.

Mohammed Khalaf, a member of the board of trustees of Sharjah's Arabic Language Academy, recalls the early days of the project, when it was merely a vision.

“The project was a dream of Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, from the time I worked at Sharjah Television in 2006,” Mr Khalaf told The National. “He committed to covering all the expenses of the project.”

Those funds were used initially for the essential groundwork that laid the foundation for the enterprise.

Pan-Arab project

The dream of a dictionary was first thought of by King Fuad I of Egypt in 1932 when the Arabic Language Academy was set up, but work on the project hit several stumbling blocks until Sheikh Dr Sultan took up the mantle.

His initiative was first presented to the Union of Arabic Language Academies in Cairo in 2015, where it was adopted as a pan-Arab project. After that Sheikh Dr Sultan established an independent headquarters for the union in the Egyptian capital to support the effort. He also set up the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah in 2016, with the dictionary as one of its main objectives.

“The obstacles were numerous, I don’t want to go into too much detail but in a project as vast as this, disagreements were inevitable,” Mr Khalaf said. “Sheikh Dr Sultan overlooked all these disputes and urged us to begin the work.”

The plan was presented to the Sharjah Ruler by a team that included Mr Khalaf and Dr Mohammed Safi Al Mustghanmi, secretary general of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah.

“His Highness [Sheikh Dr Sultan] asked us how long the work would take and we said it would take nearly 15 years,” said Mr Khalaf. “The Ruler’s response was simple and decisive: 'Proceed with God’s blessing.'”

Mr Khalaf said Sheikh Dr Sultan was dedicated to overcoming all obstacles, especially those posed by linguistic academies insisting on particular methodologies.

“He would tell me: ‘Prepare yourself; tomorrow we’re going to Egypt,'” Mr Khalaf said. “There he would gather all those involved and resolve issues on the spot. We would fly to Egypt in the morning and return in the evening. This happened twice.”

In a speech addressing the 47th Union of Arab Scientific Language Academies in Algeria in 2017, Sheikh Dr Sultan spoke of his steadfast commitment to the creation of the dictionary and described the project as a lifelong dream. Highlighting his passion for Arabic, he described it as “the language of science, culture, arts and literature; the richest in vocabulary, heritage, style and eloquence”.

“We, in Sharjah, have established the Arabic Language Academy, which we have long looked forward to founding,” Sheikh Dr Sultan added. Its purpose was not merely to add another edifice but to actively support and enhance the collective efforts to safeguard the Arabic language, he said.

The Arabic dictionary took years of hard work to put together. Photo: Wam

Taking shape

Work began in early 2018, as teams were formed and an online platform developed. Initially about 200 people from various countries worked on verifying and editing.

“The platform was designed in Sharjah in collaboration with a major technology company,” Mr Khalaf said. “It allowed team members to upload their work, which would then pass through a chain of editors, proofreaders and experts, each contributing their part.”

They compiled words and traced their origins across a wide array of verified sources, including classical books, manuscripts and historical documents. Their task was also to ensure a thorough understanding of when, where, by whom and why each term was first used.

They also had to uncover all possible meanings of the words, as Arabic is a rich language where context can dramatically alter interpretation. By 2023, after nearly five years, 50 per cent of the dictionary’s content was ready and reviewed by the Sharjah Ruler.

New deadline

The surprise came later that year, however, when Sheikh Dr Sultan announced publicly that the entire dictionary would be completed in the following year.

“We were all taken by surprise and, two or three days following the announcement, we met with His Highness, asking how we could complete in one year what was supposed to take another five,” said Mr Khalaf. “He simply said: 'Do whatever you need, I am ready to support you, but the project must be finished within a year.'”

Immediately, a recruitment drive increased the number of team members to 780, Mr Khalaf said, while the platform was upgraded and internet speed improved, all at significant expense. “I am not authorised to disclose the exact cost but I can say that millions were spent,” he said.

Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, fast-tracked the dictionary's deadline to ensure its completion. Photo: Wam

Immense workload

Dr Al Mustghanmi, who is also executive director of the dictionary, said the workload was immense. “The project involved dozens of teams from over 20 linguistic and academic institutions from various Arab countries,” he said.

Describing the level of accuracy, the time required for the work and the extensive efforts it entailed, he provided a telling example. “Consider the root word 'daraba', which has over 130 meanings that needed to be revised, checked and verified,” Dr Al Mustghanmi said. “This simple word can mean to hit or strike, signify travelling or setting out on a journey, refer to coining or minting currency and can also mean to give or set an example.”

“In mathematics, it denotes multiplication, like multiplying five by three. This is one example to demonstrate the nature of the work and how intense it was.”

Mohammed Al Saudi, general co-ordinator of the Jordanian team and a university professor, highlighted some of the challenges they had faced. “In the beginning, reviewing or proofreading a single root word could take six days,” he said. “After enhancing the platform and increasing the number of teams, we reduced this to four or five hours.”

His team of professors and enthusiasts consisted of 20 to 25 members, with the group then divided into smaller units, each headed by an expert. “Word roots were assigned from Sharjah and editors worked meticulously to trace them across different eras, from pre-Islamic times to the present,” Mr Al Saudi said.

Once complete, the work was reviewed by experts, then sent to the academy headquarters in each country for further evaluation. The finalised entries were then transmitted electronically to Sharjah for another round of proofreading before going to the scientific council in Cairo for final approval.

“There were also committees in Cairo and Sharjah dedicated to verifying entries related to Semitic languages that share similarities with Arabic, such as Hebrew and Aramaic,” Mr Al Saudi said.

The dictionary was published in several stages. Printing and binding were handled by Al Qasimi Publications, all funded by the Sharjah Ruler.

When the first volumes were published, Sheikh Dr Sultan said: “What was once a dream and seemed far-fetched 80 years ago has now become a reality. All this is by the grace of God. Praise be to Him for His guidance.”

What next?

Dr Firas Habbal, president of the Emirates Centre for Researchers and Studies, said the GPT Dictionary will help energise younger learners. Photo: Salam Al Amir

A project called GPT Dictionary, launched in October, will now convert the 127-volume work into an app that will allow users to explore more than 20 million Arabic words using written, audio and visual commands.

Development will be jointly carried out by the Emirates Centre for Researchers and Studies, and Sharjah’s Arabic Language Academy. It is expected to take at least four years to complete.

“By using advanced technologies like AI, we aim to create an educational experience that engages young learners,” said Dr Firas Habbal, president of the centre.

Educators are optimistic about the project's potential. Ziad Shatat, director of the continuous improvement department at Sharjah Private Education Authority, said: “The dictionary will provide educators with tools to better prepare their lessons and make Arabic more appealing to students, fostering a deeper appreciation for the language.”

Miral Elbanna, a grade 4 student at the International School of Choueifat in Sharjah, said she finds learning Arabic much harder than English, even though it is her mother tongue.

“It feels strange that we learn an Arabic language different from the one we speak at home,” she said. “In English, it’s the same, which makes us feel more comfortable using it. I think teachers could make Arabic more relevant by connecting what is learnt in class to how it is used in daily life.”

Last month, Sharjah made Arabic the primary language in all of its government-run nurseries to protect its use. It is hoped projects such as the GPT Dictionary will help this cause.