Different spelling of صلوة in different tribes, discuss tribe-wise in pre islamic arabic

 Different spelling of صلوة in different tribes, discuss tribe-wise in pre islamic arabic

Excellent — you're asking for tribe-wise differences in the spelling and pronunciation of the word "ṣalāt" (صلوة) in pre-Islamic Arabic.

This is a linguistic and historical topic, so let’s go through it tribe by tribe, based on what is known from classical Arabic dialectology, pre-Islamic poetry, inscriptions, and early Qur'anic recitation (Ahruf and Qirāʾāt).

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🌴 Pre-Islamic Arabic Tribes and Variants of "Ṣalāt" (صلوة)

Modern standard: صلاة (ṣalāt)
Early orthography: صلوة
Root: ص ل و / ص ل ي — both were used across dialects
Meaning: ritual worship, devotion

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1. Quraysh (قريش) – Meccan Arabic

• Status: Dialect of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and central to Qur’anic standardization.

• Spelling: Likely صلوة in early script.

• Pronunciation: ṣalāt — with tāʾ marbūṭah.

• Notes:

  • Quraysh adopted a refined pronunciation, avoiding unusual or rare dialect forms.

  • Their version became dominant in Uthmānic codices.

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2. Hudhayl (هذيل)

• Region: Western Arabia, near Mecca.

• Spelling: صلوة or possibly صلات.

• Pronunciation: Most likely ṣalāt, similar to Quraysh.

• Notes:

  • Known for poetic richness.

  • Their dialect preserved classical grammar closely.

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3. Tamīm (تميم)

• Region: Najd (Central Arabia).

• Spelling: Likely صلوة or possibly صلاة (with alif to indicate long ā).

• Pronunciation: ṣalāt, conservative in vowels.

• Notes:

  • Very conservative and grammatically "pure" dialect.

  • Often used in classical Arabic grammar references.

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4. Himyar (حِمْيَر) – Southern Arabia / Yemen

• Spelling: Often صلاه (ṣalāh), using هاء instead of تاء التأنيث.

• Pronunciation: ṣalāh — ending in /h/ instead of /t/.

• Notes:

  • Himyaritic Arabic often replaces tāʾ marbūṭah (ة) with hāʾ (ه) — common in South Arabian dialects.

  • Quran acknowledges this: some readings reflect such forms in speech.

• Example: Many Himyarites would say:

  الصلاه عماد الدين instead of الصلاة.

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5. Azd (الأزد) – Southern/Western Arabia

• Spelling: Possibly صلوه, صلاه, or صلوة.

• Pronunciation: Likely influenced by Himyar — may use ṣalāh.

• Notes:

  • Often grouped with southern dialects.

  • May blur feminine endings.

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6. Thaqīf (ثقيف)

• Region: Ṭāʾif, near Mecca.

• Spelling: Probably صلوة or صلاة.

• Pronunciation: ṣalāt, but slight variation in vowel length possible.

• Notes:

  • Close to Quraysh in geography, so minimal variation.

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7. Tayy (طيء)

• Region: Northern/Central Arabia.

• Spelling: Possibly صلوة, but some evidence for صلي endings (ṣalī).

• Pronunciation: May diphthongize final vowels or vary vowel length.

• Notes:

  • Known for poetic and expressive dialectal flexibility.

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8. Kinānah (كنانة)

• Near Mecca — close to Quraysh.

• Spelling: صلوة almost certainly.

• Pronunciation: ṣalāt, with little deviation.

• Notes:

  • Helped shape Quraysh norms.

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📜 Summary Table

Tribe	Spelling (Pre-Islamic)	Pronunciation	Notes
Quraysh	صلوة	ṣalāt	Standardized in Qur'an
Hudhayl	صلوة / صلات	ṣalāt	Classical poetry dialect
Tamīm	صلوة / صلاة	ṣalāt	Grammatically conservative
Himyar	صلاه	ṣalāh	Replaced tāʾ marbūṭah with hāʾ
Azd	صلوه / صلاه	ṣalāh	Southern Arabian influence
Thaqīf	صلوة / صلاة	ṣalāt	Close to Quraysh
Tayy	صلوة / صلي	ṣalāt / ṣalī	Some vowel flexibility
Kinānah	صلوة	ṣalāt	Similar to Quraysh

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🧠 Key Takeaways

• "Ṣalāt" was widely known but spelled differently across regions due to:

  • Early Arabic script limitations.

  • Tribal dialect variations.

  • Influence of older South Arabian languages (like Sabaic, Himyaritic).

• The Qur’an preserves the early spelling (صلوة) but ensures standardized pronunciation through Qirāʾāt.