دِيوَانٌ

, an arabicized word, (AO, M, Msb, &c.,) from the Pers. [دِيوَانْ]; (AO, M, &c.;) [though some hold it to be of Arabic origin:] J says, (TA,) it is originally دِوَّانٌ, but ى is substituted for one of the و s ; as is shown by its plural, (S, Msb,) which is دَوَاوِينُ; (S, M, Msb, K;) for if the ى were radical, they would say دَيَاوِينُ; (S;) but according to IDrd and IJ, (IB, TA,) it has this latter plural also: (M, IB, K, TA:) Sb says that the و in دِيوَانٌ, though after ى, is not changed into ى, as it is in سَيِّدٌ, because the ى in the former word is not inherent; that word being of the measure فِعَّالٌ, from دَوَّنْتَ; (M;) [i. e.] it is from دَوَّنَ الكُتُبَ meaning “ he collected the writings; ” as is shown by their saying ↓ دُوَيْوِينٌ, (M,) which is the diminutive: (Msb:) ISk says that ديوان is with kesr only [to the د]; (M;) but one says ↓ دَيْوَانٌ also, (K,) which is mentioned by Ks, as postclassical, and by Sb; like بَيْطَارٌ: (M:) the meaning is A دَفْتَر [or register]: (Shifá el-Ghaleel, TA:) or a collection of written leaves or papers [forming a book, generally for registration]: (ISk, M, Mgh, * K:) or a register of accounts; an accountbook: (Msb:) and a register of soldiers and pensioners [and others]: (IAth, K:) the first who instituted, or appointed, or arranged, such a book, (Mgh, Msb, K,) among the Arabs, (Msb,) for the prefects, or administrators, (Mgh, Msb,) and the Kádees, (Mgh,) is said to have been 'Omar: (Mgh, Msb, K: *) according to El-Máwardee, it is a register of what concerns the rights, or dues, of the state, relating to the acts of the government, and the finances, and the military and other administrators thereof: (TA:) then any book was thus called: and especially the poetry of some particular poet: so that this meaning became [conventionally regarded as] a proper signification thereof; (Shifá el-Ghaleel, TA;) i. e. a collection of poetry [of a particular poet]. (TA.) [Hence,] one says, فُلَانٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدِّيوَانِ, meaning Such a one is of those whose names are written in the register. (Mgh.) [Also Such a one is of the keepers of the register; or, is of the registrars. (And sometimes it has another meaning, which see below.) And hence the saying] الشِّعْرُ دِيوَانُ العَرَبِ (assumed tropical:) [Poetry is the register of the Arabs]: because they used to refer to it on their differing in opinion respecting genealogies and wars or fights and the appointing of stipends or allowances from the government-treasury, like as the people of the ديوان [properly so called] refer to their ديوان in a case that is doubtful to them; or because it was the depository of their sciences, and the preserver of their rules of discipline, and the mine of their histories. (Har p. 263.)

Afterwards, also, it was applied to signify An account, or a reckoning. (Msb, TA.)

And Writers [of accounts or reckonings]. (TA.)

And A place of account or reckoning, (Msb, TA,) and of writers [of accounts or reckonings] (TA.)

[Also A council, court, or tribunal: see دَسْتٌ. Hence أَهْلُ الدِّيوَانِ sometimes means The people of the council, court, or tribunal.

And also, in the present day, A long seat, formed of a mattress laid against the side of a room, upon the floor or upon a raised structure or frame, with cushions to lean against; or two or more of such mattresses &c. similarly placed.]