4to. 655 pp., [4 errata], small cut to lower margins of first 4 pages without any loss to text / 586 pp., [2 errata] / 632 pp., [2 errata] / 448 pp., [4 errata] / 566 pp., / 430 pp., [2 errata] / 438 pp., [1 errata] / 414 pp., [1 errata, page repaired] / 424 pp., [2 errata] / 470 pp., [1 errata], Arabic lithographed text within borders, later roan-backed cloth binding, gilt-lettered spines, with variable browning, some spotting and other marks, rubbing and wear, al-Matba'ah al-Khayriyah, Cairo, first edition, 1306 AH [1888/89 CE].

Synopsis

Muhammd Murtada al-Zubaidi’s (1732-1790), ‘Sharh Taj al-Arus’ is the second most frequently cited dictionary of Classical Arabic (after Lisān al-ʿArab by Ibn Manẓūr). It contains an extensive monumental commentary on the famous work, ‘Qamus al-Muhit’ of al-Fairuzabadi. The largest and the best of the dictionary of the Arabic language; the traditional lexicographers of the Arabic language say that the Taj has 120,000 entries and the Lisan al Arab of Ibn Manzur 80,000.
It was completed by ca. 1768 C.E as a compilation from the best and most copious of the preceding Arabic lexicons and other lexicological works. It was derived using Lisan al-Arab and more than 100 other works. Lane said in his Arabic-English Lexicon, “I found, from the portion before me, that it would of itself alone suffice to supply the means of comprising an Arabic Lexicon far more accurate and perspicuous, and incomparably more copious, than any hitherto published in Europe.”