Algerian Efforts in Editing Literary Manuscripts: Al‑Akhdari and Ben Badis as a Case Study

Abstract

Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, and may blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of God.
This study seeks to shed light on the efforts of Algerian scholars in the critical editing of literary heritage. Manuscripts in Algeria have appeared in diverse forms and genres, and literature has had an appreciable share of this manuscript legacy. As literature represents one of the core markers of Islamic civilizational identity, Algerian scholars distinguished themselves early on in writing in Arabic.
Among the foremost early figures with a substantial contribution to literary writing is the eminent scholar Al‑Akhdari, may God have mercy on him, who left behind a rich legacy in literature, especially in rhetoric.
Among the modern scholars stands the great Imam Abdelhamid Ben Badis, may God have mercy on him, whose name immediately comes to mind whenever serious, elevated literature is mentioned. He is regarded as the pioneer of the literary renaissance in Algeria.
Ben Badis stated on several occasions that one of the aims of founding the Association of Algerian Muslim Scholars was to restore the Arabic language to its rightful status, as it is the foundation of religion and a source of peoples’ happiness. He contributed to authorship and classification in Quranic exegesis and showed great concern for the lexical dimension in his interpretive work. The writings of both scholars initially appeared as manuscripts, which scholars later undertook to edit and publish in renewed and accessible form.
This paper will outline those efforts in the editing of their works, following a foundational approach to the science of manuscript editing. The main topics are organized as follows:
• Defining manuscripts and clarifying their importance
• Presenting the roles of Al‑Akhdari and Ben Badis in literary studies
• Reviewing the efforts of Algerian scholars in editing literary heritage