In rebuilding the lost sources

It was not estimated for many sources to reach us; therefore, the researchers made several attempts to reconstruct it, relying on what was scattered in the works of later authors of quotations and citations taken from those sources. This study confirms that reconstructing lost sources does not mean merely collecting quotations and citations, and it demonstrates, through careful examination of three late sources, that these quotations may have been indirect, even if they appeared as direct transmission, and also highlights how transmitted texts can change from their original form in the sources, to an almost complete extent. The study concluded that if we want to reconstruct a lost source, we must carefully examine the sources that preserved quotations and citations from this source, and we must be diligent and patient in examining them, and we should pause thoroughly to consider the purpose behind them, the methodology they employ, and the terminology of the narration they use.