Lesson 7: Particles [‫ احلروف‬-[A Comprehensive Review

Table 51A: Particles with Multiple Distinct Grammatical Roles [‫ما‬/‫[و‬

‫َو‬ Resumpti
ve
‫حرف‬ ﴿ َ ‫اس َمن َيقُو ُل آ َم َّنا ِبٱهَّلل ِ َو ِب ْٱل َي ْو ِم ٱآْل خ ِِر َو َما هُم ِبم ُْؤ ِمن‬
‫ِني‬ ِ ‫﴾ َوم َِن ال َّن‬
Particle ‫اإلسْ ِت ْئنافِيَّة‬ “And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day,"
but they are not believers .”(2:8)

Connecti ‫حرف‬ ﴿... َ ْ‫ت َو ٱأْل َر‬

‫ض‬ ِ ‫ َخ َل َق ٱل َّس َم َاوا‬...﴾
‫ْال َع ْطف‬
on
Particle “..He created the heavens and the earth..” (64:3).

Particle ‫واو‬ ﴿.. ‫ت‬ َ ‫ُت َوه َُو َكافِ ٌر َفأُو ٰ َلئ‬
ْ ‫ِك َح ِب َط‬ ْ ‫َو َمنْ َيرْ َتد ِْد ِم ْن ُك ْم َعنْ دِي ِن ِه َف َيم‬
‫أَعْ َمالُ ُه ْم‬..﴾
Ḥ āl
‫احالل‬
“…And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while
he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this
world and the Hereafter..”(2:217)

Particle of ‫واو ْال َق َسم‬

Oath ۚ ‫ُون ﴾ ﴿ ن‬
َ ‫طر‬ُ ْ‫َو ْٱل َق َلم َو َما َيس‬
ِ
“…And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will
be returned.”(68:1)

Particle of ‫الواو املَ ِعيَّة‬ َ ‫وح إِ ْذ َقا َل لِ َق ْو ِم ِه َيا َق ْو ِم إِن َك‬

‫ان َكب َُر‬
﴿ َ
ٍ ‫َوٱ ْت ُل َع َلي ِْه ْم َن َبأ ُن‬
“withness”
‫ت َفأَجْ ِمعُوا‬ُ ‫ت ٱهَّلل ِ َف َع َلى ٱهَّلل ِ َت َو َّك ْل‬
ِ ‫ِريي ِبآ َيا‬ ِ ‫َع َل ْي ُكم َّم َقامِي َو َت ْذك‬
ُ ‫أَمْ َر ُك ْم َو‬...﴾
‫ش َر َكا َء ُك ْم‬
‫َما‬
“And recite to them the news of Nū h, when he said to his people, "Oh my people, if
Relative ‫اِسْ م‬ my residence and my reminding of the signs of Allah has become burdensome
Pronoun ‫َم ْوصُول‬ upon you - then I have relied upon Allah. So resolve upon your plan with your
associates...”(10:71)

﴿... ُ ‫ َوإِنْ ُت ْب ُدوا َما فِي أَ ْنفُسِ ُك ْم أَ ْو ُت ْخفُوهُ ي َُحاسِ ْب ُك ْم ِب ِه ٱهَّلل‬...﴾

“...Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring
you to account for it...” (2:284).

Simple ‫حرف‬ ﴿ ‫ًًّيا‬ab‫ًًّيا َواَل َنصْ َرا ِن‬ab‫ان إِب َْراهِي ُم َيهُو ِد‬
َ ‫ َما َك‬...﴾
Negation
‫ال َّنفي‬ “Ibrā hīm was neither a Jew nor a Christian...” (3:67).

ْ َ ْ َ
‫َحرْ ف‬ ِ‫﴾ َوأصْ َحابُ ٱل َيمِنيِ َما أصْ َحابُ ٱل َيمِني‬
Interrogati
﴿
ve
Particle ‫اإلِسْ ِت ْفهام‬ “The companions of the right - what are the companions of the right?”
(56:27).

Conditio
nal
‫َحرْ ف‬ ﴿ َ َ‫صا َب َك ِمنْ َح َس َن ٍة َفم َِن ٱهَّلل ِ َو َما أ‬
ْ‫صا َب َك ِمنْ َس ِّي َئ ٍة َف ِمن‬ َ َ‫َما أ‬
‫ال َشرْ ط‬ ‫ َن ْفسِ َك‬...﴾
Particle
“What comes to you of good is from Allah , but what comes to you of evil, is
from yourself...” (4:79).

Verbal ‫ما َء‬ ﴿ ‫َوإِ َذا قِي َل َل ُه ْم آ ِم ُنوا َك َما آ َم َن ٱل َّناسُ َقالُوا أَ ُن ْؤمِنُ َك َما آ َم َن‬
ِ ْ‫ْال َمص‬
Noun ‫دَريَّة‬ ‫ٱل ُّس َف َها ُء‬...﴾
Particle
“And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say,
"Should we believe as the foolish have believed?"...” (2:13).
Mā - Time ‫ماء‬ [ ‫ت اح َل َّق‬ َ ‫] َسأ ْت َبع‬
َ ْ‫ُك َما ا َّت ِبع‬
Container َّ
‫الظرْ فِيَّة‬ “I will follow you as long as you follow the truth”

107
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

Table 51B: Particles with Multiple Distinct Grammatical Roles [‫ف‬/‫ل‬

َ ‫ا‬/‫[ما‬
Particle of ‫حرف‬
Redundancy
َّ
‫الزائِدَ ة‬ َ ‫ب ٱَلن َفضُّوا ِمنْ ﴿ َف ِب َما َرحْ َم ٍة م َِّن ٱهَّلل ِ ل‬
ۚ ‫ِنت‬ baًّ ‫نت َف‬
ِ ‫ًظا َغلِي َظ ْٱل َق ْل‬ َ ‫َو َل ْو ُك‬

‫َل ُه ْم‬
Simple ‫ َح ْول َِك‬...﴾
Negation
‫حرف‬ “So by mercy from Allah , [Oh Muḥ ammad], you were lenient with them.
‫ال َّنفي‬ And if you had been rude and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded
from about you....” (3:159).
﴿... َ ‫اي َفاَل َخ ْوفٌ َع َلي ِْه ْم َواَل ُه ْم َيحْ َز ُن‬
‫ون‬ َ َ‫﴾ َف َمنْ َت ِب َع هُد‬
“..whoever follows My guidance - there will be no fear concerning them,
nor will they grieve.” (2:38).

Categorical ّ‫ال ال ّنفي‬ ﴿ َ ‫ٱهَّلل ُ اَل إِ ٰ َل َه إِاَّل ه َُو َل َيجْ َم َع َّن ُك ْم إِ َل ٰى َي ْو ِم ْٱلقِ َيا َم ِة اَل َري‬...﴾
‫ْب فِي ِه‬
Negation
‫للجنس‬ “Allah - there is no deity except Him. He will surely assemble you for the
Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt...” (4:87).

Prohibition ‫حرف‬ ﴿... ‫ َواَل َت ْك ُتمُوا ٱل َّش َهادَ َة َو َمنْ َي ْك ُتمْ َها َفإِ َّن ُه آ ِث ٌم َق ْل ُب ُه‬...﴾
‫َج ْزم‬ “…And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it - his heart is
indeed sinful...” (2:283).

Connecting ‫حرف‬ [‫ُح َّم ٌد‬

َ ‫م‬ ‫]قا َم َز ْي ٌد ال‬
Particle
‫ْال َع ْطف‬ “Zaid stood not Muḥ ammad.”

﴿ ‫نز َل م َِن ٱل َّس َما ِء‬ َ ْ‫ٱلَّذِي َج َع َل َل ُك ُم ٱأْل َر‬

َ َ‫ض ف َِرا ًشا َوٱل َّس َما َء ِب َنا ًء َوأ‬
Resumpti
َ ‫َما ًء َفأ َ ْخ َر َج ۚ َفاَل َتجْ َعلُوا هَّلِل ِ أَندَا ًدا َوأَن ُت ْم َتعْ َلم‬
َّ ‫ُون ﴾ ِب ِه م َِن‬
ve
Particle ‫حرف‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫ٱلث َم َرا‬
‫اإلسْ ِت ْئنافِيَّة‬
‫ِر ْز ًقا لَّ ُك ْم‬
“[He] is the one who made for you the earth a bed and the sky a ceiling and
sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision
for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know. ” (2:22).

Connection ‫حرف‬ ﴿ ‫نز َل م َِن ٱل َّس َما ِء‬ َ ْ‫ٱلَّذِي َج َع َل َل ُك ُم ٱأْل َر‬
َ َ‫ض ف َِرا ًشا َوٱل َّس َما َء ِب َنا ًء َوأ‬
Particle
‫ْال َع ْطف‬
‫ت‬
ِ ‫ٱلث َم َرا‬ َ ‫َما ًء َفأ َ ْخ َر َج ۚ َفاَل َتجْ َعلُوا هَّلِل ِ أَندَا ًدا َوأَن ُت ْم َتعْ َلم‬
َّ ‫ُون ﴾ ِب ِه م َِن‬

]‫السَّماء‬ ‫ِر ْز ًقا لَّ ُك ْم [فاء املعطوف على م َِن‬

Particle of ‫فا ُء َر ِاب َط ٌة‬ ﴿... ُّ‫قُ ْل إِنْ ُكن ُت ْم ُتحِب‬
Response
 ‫ب‬
ِ ‫ل َِجوا‬
‫ون ٱهّلل َ َفٱ َّت ِبعُونِي يُحْ ِب ْب ُك ُم ٱهّلل ُ َو َي ْغفِرْ َل ُك ْم ُذ ُنو َب ُك ْم‬
َ ..﴾
‫ال َّشرط‬
“Say: "If you love Allah, then Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive
you your sins...” (3:31).

Ḥ arf Naṣb
(Causative Fā )
‫فاء‬ ﴿... ‫ُضاعِ َف ُه َل ُه َو َل ُه أَجْ ٌر‬ ً ْ‫َمنْ َذا ٱلَّذِي ُي ْق ِرضُ ٱهَّلل َ َقر‬
َ ‫ضا َح َس ًنا َفي‬
‫ال َّس َب ِبيَّة‬ ‫ َك ِرم ٌي‬..﴾
“Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan, so that He may double it
for him and his will be a rich reward?” (57:11)

‫َما‬

‫ال‬

‫ف‬
َ

[ ‫ُك‬ َ ْ‫] ِا ْق َر ِأ ْالقُر‬

َ ‫آن َفإِ َّن ُه َي ْن َفع‬
 ِ ْ‫فا ُء ال َّتع‬
‫ليل‬
līl‘Ta Ḥ arf“Read the Qur’ā n because it will benefit you.”

108
Lesson 7: Particles [‫ احلروف‬-[A Comprehensive Review

[ ْ‫ َمن‬/ِ‫ب‬/‫ح َّتى‬/
َ ‫ ]لَ ْو‬Roles Grammatical Distinct Multiple with Particles: 51C
ِ ‫ت ٱهَّلل‬ َ ْ‫اس َمنْ َي ْش ِري َن ْف َس ُه ٱ ْب ِت َغا َء َمر‬
ِ ‫ضا‬ ِ ‫ َوم َِن ٱل َّن‬...﴿‫اِسْ م َم ْوصُول‬...﴾
Table Pronoun

Relative
“And of the people is he who sells himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah...”
(2:207).

‫حرْ ف‬ ‫اس ِب َغي ِْر عِ ْل ٍم‬ ِ ‫﴾ َف َمنْ أَ ْظ َل ُم ِمم‬

َ ‫َّن ٱ ْف َت َر ٰى َع َلى ٱهَّلل ِ َك ِذبًا لِيُضِ َّل ٱل َّن‬
Interrogati
﴿
ve
Particle ‫اإلِسْ ِت ْفهام‬ “And of the people is he who sells himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah...”
(6:144).

Conditio
nal
‫َحرْ ف‬ ﴿... َ ‫اي َفاَل َخ ْوفٌ َع َلي ِْه ْم َواَل ُه ْم َيحْ َز ُن‬
‫ون‬ َ َ‫﴾ َف َمن َت ِب َع هُد‬
Particle ‫ال َشرْ ط‬ “…whoever follows My guidance - there will be no fear concerning them,
nor will they grieve.” (2:38).

﴿ ‫ِّك ا ْل َعظِ ِيم‬

َ ‫﴾ َف َسبِّحْ ِبٱسْ ِم َرب‬
Jarr Ḥ arf ‫حرف‬
“So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great..” (69:52)
‫َج ّر‬
Particle of
Redundancy
‫حرف‬ ﴿... َ ‫ْس ٱهَّلل ُ ِبأَعْ َل َم ِبٱل َّشاك ِِر‬
‫ين‬ َ ‫﴾ أَ َلي‬
َّ
‫الزئِدَ ة‬ “…Is not Allah most knowing of those who are grateful?.” (6:53)

Jarr Ḥ arf
﴿ ِ ‫ُث َّم َبدَ ا َل ُه ْم ِمنْ َبعْ ِد َما َرأَوُ ا ٱآْل َيا‬
ٍ‫ت َل َيسْ ُج ُن َّن ُه َح َّت ٰى حِني‬
﴾
‫إللنتهاء َو‬
‫الغاية‬ “Then it appeared to them after they had seen the signs that al-'Azīz
should surely imprison him for a time.” (12:35)

Ḥ arf Naṣb ‫إللنتهاء َو‬ ﴿ َ ‫ َلنْ َت َنالُوا ْٱل ِبرَّ َح َّت ٰى ُت ْن ِفقُوا ِممَّا ُت ِحب‬..﴾
‫ُّون‬
(Verbs)
‫الغاية‬ “Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend from that which
you love…” (3:92)

Connecti ‫حرف‬ ]‫نِها َي َت ُه‬ ‫ِتاب َح َّتى‬ ُ ‫[ َق َر ْأ‬

َ ‫ت الك‬
ng
‫ْال َع ْطف‬ “I read the book until its end.”
Particle53
﴿ ‫ِين ا َّت َبعُوا َل ْو أَنَّ َل َنا َكرَّ ًة َف َن َت َبرَّ أَ ِم ْن ُه ْم َك َما َت َبرَّ ءُوا‬
َ ‫َو َقا َل ٱلَّذ‬
‫ ِم َّنا‬..﴾
Particle of ‫حرف‬
Wishing ‫الت َم ِّني‬ “Those who followed will say, "If only we had another turn [at worldly
life] so we could disassociate ourselves from them as they have
disassociated themselves from us."…” (2:167)

Verbal ‫حرف‬
Noun
‫مصدريّة‬ ۚ﴿ َّ‫ت َح َّت ٰى ي ُْؤمِن‬ ِ ‫َواَل َتن ِكحُوا ْٱل ُم ْش ِر َكا‬
Particle
‫ َوأَل َ َم ٌة م ُّْؤ ِم َن ٌة َخ ْي ٌر مِّن ُّم ْش ِر َك ٍة َو َل ْو أَعْ َج َب ْت ُك ْم‬..﴾
 “And do not marry polytheistic women until they believe. And a believing
slave woman is better than a polytheist, even though she might please
you. …” (2:221)

ْ‫َمن‬

‫ب‬
ِ

‫َح َّتى‬

‫َل ْو‬
﴿... ‫ َو َل ْو َشا َء ٱهَّلل ُ َما ٱ ْق َت َتلُوا َو ٰ َلكِنَّ ٱهَّلل َ َي ْف َع ُل َما ي ُِري ُد‬..﴾ (2:253)

‫…“حرف ال َّشرط‬If Allah had willed, those [generations] succeeding

them would not Conditional Particle
have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them…”

53
Three different conditions need to be met for [‫[ َّى َتح‬to be a Connecting Particle. Since this specific type of [‫[ َّى َتح‬is not found in the Qur’ān, it is
out of scope for this book, and is not mentioned here. This is a topic in Advanced Grammar.

109
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

[‫لَ ْوال‬/‫لكِن‬/ْ‫ َبل‬/‫ ]ل‬Roles Grammatical Distinct Multiple with Particles: 51D

ِ ‫ت َما َشا َء ٱهَّلل ُ اَل قُوَّ َة إِاَّل ِبٱهَّلل‬

َ ‫ك قُ ْل‬ َ ‫﴿ َو َل ْواَل إِ ْذ د ََخ ْل‬
َ ‫ت َج َّن َت‬
Table warning ‫حرف ال َت ْنبيه‬..﴾
Particle of
 “And why did you, when you entered your garden, not say, 'What Allah
willed; there is no power except in Allah '?…” (18:39)
Particle of ‫التحضيض‬ ﴿... ‫ص َّد َق َوأَ ُكن م َِّن‬
َّ َ ‫ب َفأ‬
ٍ ‫َف َيقُو َل َربِّ َل ْواَل أَ َّخرْ َتنِي إِ َل ٰى أَ َج ٍل َق ِري‬
Encoura
ge ment ‫والعرض‬ َ‫﴾ ٱلصَّالِحِني‬
“… and he says, "My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I
would give charity and be among the righteous.” (63:10)

Conditio ‫حرف‬ ﴿... ‫ان إِاَّل َقلِياًل‬ َ ‫﴾ َو َل ْواَل َفضْ ُل ٱهَّلل ِ َع َل ْي ُك ْم َو َرحْ َم ُت ُه ٱَل َّت َبعْ ُت ُم ٱل َّشي‬
َ ‫ْط‬
nal
‫ال َّشرط‬ “…And if not for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would
Particle
have followed Satan, except for a few.” (4:83)

﴿ َ ‫ًًّيا َو ٰ َل ِكنْ َك‬ab‫ًًّيا َواَل َنصْ َرا ِن‬ab‫ان إِب َْراهِي ُم َيهُو ِد‬
‫ان َحنِي ًفا‬ َ ‫َما َك‬
Rebuttal
Particle
‫َحرف‬ ‫مُسْ لِمًا‬...﴾
a‫است ِْدراك‬ “Ibrā hīm was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining
toward truth, a Muslim...” (3:67)

Connecti
ng
‫حرف‬ ] ٌّ‫علِي‬
َ ْ‫[ما قام َز ْي ٌد َل ِكن‬
Particle ‫العطف‬ “Zaid did not stand but Alī stood.”

Ḥ arf Naṣb ‫حرف‬ ﴿ َ ‫ْس ِبي َس َفا َه ٌة َو ٰ َل ِك ِّني َرسُو ٌل ِمنْ َربِّ ْٱل َعا َلم‬
‫ِني‬ َ ‫﴾ َقا َل َيا َق ْو ِم َلي‬
‫نصب من‬ “He said, "Oh my people, there is not foolishness in me, but I am a
messenger from the Lord of the worlds.".” (7:67)
َّ‫ت إِن‬ َ
ِ ‫أخوا‬
Rebuttal
Particle ﴿... َ ‫ت ُم ْف َت ٍر َب ْل أَ ْك َث ُر ُه ْم اَل َيعْ َلم‬
‫ُون‬ َ ‫﴾ َقالُوا إِ َّن َما أَ ْن‬
“… they say, "You, are but an inventor [of lies]." But most of them do not
‫َحرف‬ know.” (16:101)
‫إعراض‬
Connecti
ng
‫حرف‬ ۚ ِ ‫يل ٱهَّلل‬ َ ‫َب ْل أَحْ َيا ٌء َو ٰ َلكِن اَّل َت ْش ُعر‬
ِ ‫ُون ﴾﴿ َواَل َتقُولُوا لِ َمن ُي ْق َت ُل فِي َس ِب‬
Particle ‫العطف‬ ٌ ‫أَمْ َو‬
‫ات‬
“And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, "They are
dead." Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not.” (2:154)
Particle of
Emphasis
‫الم ال َّت ْوكيد‬ ﴿ ‫ان َلفِي ُخسْ ٍر‬ َ ِ ‫﴾ إِنَّ ٱإْل‬
َ ‫نس‬
“Indeed, mankind is in loss.” (103:2)

Ḥ arf Jarr ‫إختِصاص َو‬ ْ

‫َت ْق ِويَّة‬ ۚ‫ض‬ ِ ‫َوإِ َلى ٱهَّلل ِ ُترْ َج ُع ٱأْل ُمُو ُر ﴾﴿ َوهَّلِل ِ َما فِي ٱل َّس َم َاوا‬
ِ ْ‫ت َو َما فِي ٱأْل َر‬
“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.
And to Allah will [all] matters be returned.” (3:109)

‫َل ْوال‬
‫َلكِن‬

‫َب ْل‬

‫ل‬

110
Lesson 7: Particles [‫ احلروف‬-[A Comprehensive Review

Table 51E: Particles with Multiple Distinct Grammatical Roles [‫نِإ‬/ْ‫[ل‬

Naṣb ‫الم ال َّتعْ ليل‬ ﴿ ‫ت َو ْٱل َح َيا َة لِ َي ْبلُ َو ُك ْم أَ ُّي ُك ْم أَحْ َسنُ َع َماًل‬
َ ‫ٱلَّذِي َخ َل َق ْٱل َم ْو‬... ﴾
Ḥ arf
“[He] who created death and life to test you which of you is best in
deeds...” (67:2)

Jazm ‫الم األمر‬ ﴿ َ ‫ُون إِ َلى ْٱل َخي ِْر َو َيأْ ُمر‬
‫ُون‬ َ ‫َو ْل َت ُكن مِّن ُك ْم أُم ٌَّة َي ْدع‬
Ḥ arf
‫ ِب ْٱل َمعْ رُوفِ َو َي ْن َه ْو َن َع ِن ْٱلمُن َك ِر‬... ﴾
“And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good,
enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong...” (3:104)

Particle of ‫الم الواقعة يف‬ ﴿ َ ‫اس َتأْ ُمر‬

‫ُون ِب ْال َمعْ رُوفِ َو َت ْن َه ْو َن‬ ْ ‫ُكن ُت ْم َخي َْر أ ُ َّم ٍة أ ُ ْخ ِر َج‬
ِ ‫ت لِل َّن‬
Response
‫جواب‬
﴾ ... ‫ان َخيْرً ا لَّهُم‬ ِ ‫َع ِن ْالمُن َك ِر ۚ َو َل ْو آ َم َن أَهْ ُل ْال ِك َتا‬
َ ‫ب َل َك‬

ِ ‫ون ِباهَّلل‬
َ ‫َو ُت ْؤ ِم ُن‬
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You
enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only
the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for
them....” (3:110)
 Lā m of ‫الم اجلحود‬ ﴿ ‫ِيه ْم‬ َ َ‫ان ٱهَّلل ُ لِي َُع ِّذ َب ُه ْم َوأ‬
ِ ‫نت ف‬ َ ‫ َو َما َك‬... ﴾
Negation
“But Allah would not punish them while you, [Oh Muḥ ammad], are among
them...” (8:33)

Ḥ arf Jazm
Conditio ‫حرف‬ ﴿... َ ‫ َفإِنْ َقا َتلُو ُك ْم َفٱ ْق ُتلُو ُه ْم َك ٰ َذل َِك َج َزا ُء ْٱل َكاف ِِر‬...﴾
‫ين‬
nal ‫ال َّشرط‬ “...But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the
Particle disbelievers.” (2:191).

Negation ‫حرف‬ ﴿... َ ‫ت َف َقا َل ٱلَّذ‬

‫ِين‬ ِ ‫نك إِ ْذ ِج ْئ َتهُم ِب ْٱل َب ِّي َنا‬ ُ ‫َوإِ ْذ َك َف ْف‬
َ ‫ت َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل َع‬
Particle
‫ال َّنفي‬
‫﴾ َك َفرُوا ِم ْن ُه ْم إِنْ ٰ َه َذا إِاَّل سِ حْ ٌر م ُِّبن ٌي‬
“…and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when
you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among
them said, "This is not but obvious magic."” (5:110).

Particle of ‫حرف‬ ﴿ ‫ان أَن ي ُْخ ِر َجا ُكم مِّنْ أَرْ ضِ ُكم‬ ِ َ‫ان ي ُِريد‬ ِ ‫ان َل َساح َِر‬ِ ‫َقالُوا إِنْ ٰ َه َذ‬
Emphasis
‫ال َتحْ قِيق‬
‫﴾ ِبسِ حْ ِر ِه َما َو َي ْذ َه َبا ِب َط ِري َق ِت ُك ُم ْٱلم ُْث َل ٰى‬
“They said, "Indeed, these are two magicians who want to drive you out of
your land with their magic and do away with your most exemplary way.”
(20:63).

‫ل‬ ْ‫إِن‬

Particle of
َ ُ‫امل‬
Diminution‫خ َّف َفة‬ ْ‫إِن‬
﴿ ‫ه َذا‬ َ ‫ص ِب َما أَ ْو َح ْي َنا إِ َلي‬
َ ٰ ‫ْك‬ َ ‫ْك أَحْ َس َن ْال َق‬
ِ ‫ص‬ َ ‫َنحْ نُ َنقُصُّ َع َلي‬
َ ‫نت مِن َق ْبلِ ِه َلم َِن ْال َغافِل‬
‫ِني‬ َ ‫آن َوإِنْ ُك‬ َ ْ‫﴾ ْالقُر‬
“We relate to you, the best of stories in what We have revealed to you
of this Qur’ā n although you were, before it, among the unaware.” (12:
3). Please note that the Lām following [ْ‫[ َنأ‬does not emphasize and is called [
‫قةِالفار الم‬.[

111
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

Table 51F: Particles with Multiple Distinct Grammatical Roles [ْ‫أن‬/ َّ‫[أن‬

‫َو َمنْ أَ ْظ َل ُم ِممَّنْ َم َن َع َم َسا ِجدَ ٱهَّلل ِ أَنْ ي ُْذ َك َر فِي َها‬
﴿
‫مصدريَّة‬
ِ ‫ٱسْ ُم ُه ﴾ حرف‬
 Naṣb Ḥ arf“And who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in
His mosques...” (2:214).
Particle of ‫حرف‬ ﴿ ‫آ ِم ُنوا ِبٱهَّلل ِ َو َجا ِه ُدوا َم َع َرسُولِ ِه ٱسْ َتأْ َذ َن َك‬ ْ‫ُورةٌ أَن‬
َ ‫تس‬ ْ ‫نز َل‬ُ
ِ ‫َوإِ َذا أ‬
Explanati
‫َت ْفشري‬ َّ ‫﴾ أُولُو‬
َ ‫ِم ْن ُه ْم َو َقالُوا َذرْ َنا َن ُكن م ََّع ْٱل َقاعِ د‬
‫ِين‬ ‫ٱلط ْو ِل‬
“And when a sū rah was revealed [enjoining them] to believe in Allah and
to fight with His Messenger, those of wealth among them asked your
permission [to stay back] and said, "Leave us to be with them who sit [at
home].” (9:86).

on
‫حرف‬ ﴿ ‫ِني‬ ِ ‫﴾ ٰ َذل َِك لِ َيعْ َل َم أَ ِّني َل ْم أَ ُخ ْن ُه ِب ْٱل َغ ْي‬
َ ‫ب َوأَنَّ هَّللا َ اَل َي ْهدِي َكيْدَ ْٱل َخا ِئن‬
‫ال َّت ْوكيد‬ “That is so al-'Azīz will know that I indeed did not betray him in [his]
absence and that Allah surely does not guide the plan of betrayers.”
(12:22)

Na

ṣb

Ḥa

rf

ْ‫أَن‬

َّ‫أَن‬Particle that to follow;

e.g. ‫ضمِري ال َّشأْن‬
َ
indicates a
statement,
to......
that.....
﴿... ‫إِ َّن ُه َمن َي َّت ِق َو َيصْ ِبرْ َفإِنَّ ٱهَّلل َ اَل يُضِ ي ُع‬
َ ‫﴾ أَجْ َر ْٱلمُحْ سِ ن‬
‫ِني‬ patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to
be lost the reward of those who do good.”
“…Indeed54it is he who fears Allah and is (2:214)

َّ
ِ ‫[ ْنأالش‬but also carries the function of emphasis [‫اّل ملرت اهلل كتاب لّللمفص اإلعراب‬.[
54
Here we see that the word [ُ‫[ َّه ِنإ‬acts as a [‫ريمَض‬

112
Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

We have already studied classes of nouns that always take the I‛rā b of Naṣb in Verbal and Nominal
Sentences. In Verbal Sentences, we have the direct object [ِ‫ولُعْ َفم‬ ‫[ هِب‬while in Nominal Sentences the [‫مْسِ ا‬
[of

Inna or its sisters. In this lesson, we will review other nouns that are fixed to the Naṣb state that have
distinct grammatical functions. Altogether, there are fifteen classes of nouns that are from the [a‫ صوبا ْت َنامل‬.[
The most important of these words along with pertinent Qur’ā nic examples are presented here. Some of
these Naṣb case nouns are essential to learn for accurate understanding of Qur’ā nic Arabic, even at a basic
level.

I. Review of Nouns of the Raf‛ and Jarr Case [‫ [ورا ُترْ َجم[ & ]وعا ُت ْف َرم‬Before the actually
discussion of [a‫ صوبا ْت َنامل‬,[the table below has been presented to remind us of words

that are fixed to the I‛rā b of Raf‛ and Jarr. Table 53 on the next page reminds us of the various inflections on
the ends of nouns due to the various cases of Raf‛, Naṣb, or Jarr. These have been discussed in detail already

in Volume 1 with the exception of the Followers [‫ عِ وابَّالت‬,[which are discussed at the end of this

lesson.
Table 52: Noun Categories fixed to Raf‛ and Jarr
R

Doer of verb
‫لِفاع‬
a

‫نائِبُ ْالفاعِ ل‬
Doer Deputy

‫ُم ْب َتدَ أ‬
Subject

‫َخ َبر‬
Predicate

‫ان َو أَ َخ َواتِها‬
َ ‫َخ َبر َك‬
sisters its and Kā na of Predicate

‫ِاسْ ُم إِنَّ َو أَ َخواتِها‬

 sisters its and Inna of Subject

:Followers The
‫ال َّت ِاب ُع لِل َمرْ فُوع‬
[‫العطف‬/‫ال َت ْوكيد‬/‫ال َّنعت‬/‫]ال َبدَل‬
J

ْ ‫جا ُر َو‬
a

Construction Jarr of Noun ‫ال َمجْ رُور‬

r

lai’I Muḍ ā f ‫إلَيْه‬ a‫مُضاف‬

113
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

Table 53: Review of Inflections of Nouns Based on I‛rāb

] Jarr] ّ‫] َجر‬ Naṣb] ‫َنصْ ب‬ ‛ Raf] ‫رفع‬

َ] Noun of Type

Ḍ ammah Fatḥ ah Kasrah َ ‫ ] ُم ْف‬Singular

[‫رد‬

Kasrah Fatḥ ah Ḍ ammah Broken Plural

[‫ال َت ْكسري‬ ‫]مجع‬
[‫م َث َّنى‬
ُ ] Dual
Sound Masculine
Plural
[‫سالِم‬ ‫]مجع ُم َذ َّكر‬
Sound Feminine
Plural
[‫سالِم‬ ‫]مجع م َُؤ َّنث‬
Ḍ ammah Fatḥ ah Fatḥ ah
َ ْ‫ ]مُع‬Flexible
[ ‫رب‬

Fatḥ ah Fatḥ ah Ḍ ammah Partially Flexible

َ ‫ْال ُم ْن‬
[‫ص ِرف‬ ‫] َغ ْي ُر‬
no change no change no change Inflexible [‫[ ِي ْن َبم‬

Yā / ‫ي‬ Alif / ‫ا‬ Wā w / ‫و‬ The 5 Special

Nouns [‫أسْ ماء‬
َ ‫] ْال َخم‬
‫ْسة‬

II. Nouns of the NaṣbCase [‫[صوبا ْت َنامل‬

The [a‫[ صوبا ْت َنامل‬encompass fifteen classes of nouns, some that we have already studied in detail in Volume

َ َ‫أ‬
,[‫ ]املُنادي‬,[‫خواتِها‬ َ ‫ ] َخ َبر‬,[‫ ] َمفعول ِب ِه‬are already reviewed Those. Volume current this in and 1
‫كان َو‬ well

learn to important are nouns Naṣb of category This]. ‫َم َعه‬ ‫ ] َم ْفعُول‬and], ]‫[اسم إنَّ َو أَ َخواتِها‬, ]‫اِس ُم ال ال َّنف َّي ُة لل ِج ْنس‬
for appropriate understanding of the Qur’ā n and Classical Arabic. Most of these nouns are found in Verbal
Sentences and have a direct relation to the verb in some way.

114
Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

Table 54: Nouns of the Naṣb Case [‫[صوبا ْت َنامل‬

ِa‫ هِب فعولَم‬Direct Object of a verb.

َ َ‫أ‬
Sisters its or Kā na of Predicate The ‫خواتِها‬ َ ‫َخ َبر‬
‫كان َو‬

َ َ‫أ‬
.Sisters its or Inna of Subject The ‫خواتِها‬ ‫اسم إنَّ َو‬

‫ ناديُامل‬Someone who is addressed or called to by name with the particle [‫ اَي‬.[

This is the object of the Lā of categorical negation. It is indefinite and
‫سْ نِلل ُج َّةفيَّالن ا ُل سمِا‬
inflects a single Fatḥ ah at the end.

‫ ما َّنال ُز ْف َرظ‬Time Containers: Words that specify when an action is done.

‫ مكا ْنا ُل ْف َرظ‬Place Container: Words that specify where an action is done.
ْ ‫ َهل‬Word specifying the reason an action is done. It can be indefinite or definite It
ُ‫عول َفم‬
must be either a verbal noun or a Jarr Construction.

‫ َه َعم ولُعْ َفم‬Noun that accompanies an action or something that is “with” an action. This word
specifies [‫[ َّة ِي َعم‬or "with-ness".

‫ احالل‬A word that describes the state, condition, or way in which an action is done. It
is always found at the end of a sentence and it is always indefinite.

ْ A word that clarifies something that is uncertain or ambiguous in a sentence. Similar to a

‫ييز َمت‬
Ḥ ā l, it is found at the end of a sentence, and is always indefinite.

This. action an emphasizes which, sentence a ends that] ‫ ] َمصْ دَر‬noun verbal A
ْ ‫َم ْفعُول م‬
‫ُط َلق‬
Maṣdar should match the action that is being emphasized. It is found at the
end of a sentence.

‫ وبُصْ َنل ِم ُل عِ ابَّالت‬The Followers are nouns that follow other nouns in terms of I‛rā b. These are [
‫العطف‬/‫ال َت ْوكيد‬/‫ال َّنعت‬/‫ ]ال َبدَل‬:classes different four of
 115
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

[ ‫ ] َظرْ ف ْال َم َكان‬Containers Place and] ‫ ] َظرْ ف ْال َّزمان‬Containers Time. A

ُ ُ‫[ وف‬are also known as [ِ‫ولُعْ َفم‬
These nouns [a‫رظ‬ ‫ هِفي‬,[or the entity in which an action occurs, whether it is

place or time. These were briefly mentioned as particles in the preceding chapter since many like Place
ُ ُ‫[ وف‬can function as regular nouns in some instances
Containers act like Ḥ arf Jarr. Please note that some [a‫رظ‬

depending on the context. For example in the ā yah, the word [َ‫[ م َْوالي‬is a [a‫ ْف َرظ‬.[Others are found exclusively

َ [can act as [a‫[ ْف َرظ‬in definite, indefinite, and in

ُ ُ‫ وف‬,[and function only in this capacity. Words like [‫مْوي‬
as [a‫رظ‬

Possession Constructions. The criteria of any noun acting as a [a‫[ ْف َرظ‬is if an action occurs in a specific time

or place, and not simply that it is Naṣb. The most common [‫[ وفُرُظ‬are listed in Tables 55 and 56 on the

following two pages.

 Noun is not a [‫[ ْف َرظ‬ Noun is a [‫[ ْف َرظ‬

﴿ َ ‫َمنْ آ َم َن ِبٱهَّلل ِ َو ْٱل َي ْو ِم ٱآْل خ ِِر َو َع ِم َل‬

‫صالِحً ا‬ ﴿ ‫ِين َك َفرُوا ِمنْ دِي ِن ُك ْم َفاَل َت ْخ َش ْو ُه ْم‬ َ ‫ْٱل َي ْو َم َيئ‬
َ ‫ِس ٱلَّذ‬
‫﴾ َف َل ُه ْم أَجْ ُر ُه ْم عِ ْندَ َرب ِِّه ْم‬ ْ ‫﴾ َو‬
‫ٱخ َش ْو ِن‬
“…those who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did
righteousness will have their reward with their Lord...” “…This day those who disbelieve have despaired of your
(2:62). religion; so fear them not, but fear Me....” (5:3).

﴿... ِ ْ‫﴾ َو َل ُك ْم فِي ٱأْل َر‬

ٍ‫ض مُسْ َت َقرٌّ َو َم َتا ٌع إِ َل ٰى حِني‬ ﴿ ‫اب َل ْو أَنَّ لِي َكرَّ ًة‬ َ ‫أَ ْو َتقُو َل ح‬
َ ‫ِني َت َرى ْٱل َع َذ‬
“…and you will have upon the earth a place of
settlement and provision for a time...” (2:36).
َ ‫ون م َِن ْٱلمُحْ سِ ن‬
‫ِني‬ َ ‫﴾ َفأ َ ُك‬
“Or it (the soul) say when it sees the punishment, "If only I
had another turn so I could be among the doers of good.”
(39:58).

﴿ ‫َوأَن ِذرْ ُه ْم َي ْو َم ْٱل َحسْ َر ِة إِ ْذ قُضِ َي ٱأْل َمْ ُر َو ُه ْم فِي‬ ﴿ ُ ‫﴾ اَل ُي َكلِّ ُم ُه ُم ٱهَّلل ُ َواَل َي ْن‬
‫ظ ُر إِ َلي ِْه ْم َي ْو َم ْٱلقِ َيا َم ِة‬
َ ‫﴾ َغ ْف َل ٍة َو ُه ْم اَل ي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬
‫ون‬
“…and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the
“And warn them, of the Day of Regret, when the matter Day of Resurrection...” (3:77).
will be concluded; and [yet], they are in heedlessness,
and they do not believe.” (19:39).

116
Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

[ ‫ ] َظرْ ف ْال َّزمان‬Containers Time: 55 Table

‫ًوا‬abًّ ‫ُغ ُد‬ morning ﴿ ‫ًًّيا‬ab ِ‫ًوا َو َعش‬abًّ ‫ُون َع َل ْي َها ُغ ُد‬
َ ‫ٱل َّنا ُر يُعْ َرض‬... ﴾
‫ َغ ْد َو ًة‬/ “The Fire, they are exposed to it morning and evening...” (40:46).

َ /‫ضُحً ى‬
‫صبا‬
‫حً ا‬
/‫ُب ْك َر ًة‬ morning early ﴿ ‫لِّ ُت ْؤ ِم ُنوا ِبٱهَّلل ِ َو َرسُولِ ِه َو ُت َع ِّزرُوهُ َو ُت َو ِّقرُوهُ َو ُت َس ِّبحُوهُ ب ُْك َر ًة‬
‫﴾ َوأَصِ ياًل‬
‫َس َحرً ا‬
“That you may believe in Allah and His Messenger and honor him and
respect the Prophet and exalt Allah morning and afternoon.” (48:9).

‫َغ ًدا‬ tomorrow ﴿ ‫َّن ْٱل َك َّذابُ ٱأْل َشِ ُر‬ َ ‫﴾ َس َيعْ َلم‬
ِ ‫ُون َغ ًدا م‬
“They will know tomorrow who is the insolent liar.” (54:26).

‫أَصيا ًل‬ afternoon ﴿ ‫ِّك ب ُْك َر ًة َوأَصِ ياًل‬

َ ‫﴾ َو ْٱذ ُك ِر اسْ َم َرب‬
“And mention the name of your Lord morning and evening.” (76:25).

‫مساء‬/ً‫َليْال‬ night ‫ِني‬﴿ ِ ْ‫ت َوٱأْل َر‬

َ ‫ًًّيا َوح‬ab ِ‫ض َو َعش‬ ِ ‫َو َل ُه ْٱل َحمْ ُد فِي ٱل َّس َم َاوا‬
‫ًيا‬abًّ ‫عش‬/ً
َ َ ‫“ ﴾ ُت ْظ ِهر‬And to Him is [all] praise throughout the heavens and the
‫ُون‬
earth. And [exalted is He] at night and when you are at noon.” (30:18).
 ‫أَ َب ًدا‬ ever/always ﴿ ‫ش َهدَ ا َء‬ ُ ‫ت ُث َّم َل ْم َيأْ ُتوا ِبأَرْ َب َع ِة‬
ِ ‫ص َنا‬ َ ْ‫ُون ْٱلمُح‬
َ ‫ِين َيرْ م‬ َ ‫َوٱلَّذ‬
‫ِني َج ْلدَ ًة َواَل َت ْق َبلُوا َل ُه ْم َش َهادَ ًة أَ َب ًدا‬
َ ‫﴾ َفٱجْ لِ ُدو ُه ْم َث َمان‬
“And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four
witnesses - lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from them
testimony ever after....” (24:4).

ً‫يناِح‬ for a period/

a time َ ُ‫ َو ْٱلمُوف‬...﴿‫ين فِي ْٱل َبأْ َسا ِء َوٱلضَّرَّ ا ِء‬
ۚ ‫ون ِب َع ْه ِد ِه ْم إِ َذا‬ َ ‫َّاب ِر‬
ِ ‫َوٱلص‬
‫َعا َه ُدوا‬
ْ َ ‫ َوح‬... ﴾
ِ ‫ِني ْٱل َبأ‬
‫س‬
“…and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and at the time of
battle….”55 (2:177)

‫َي ْوما‬ tonight/today ﴿ ‫ت َق ْومِي َل ْياًل َو َن َهارً ا‬

ُ ‫﴾ َقا َل َربِّ إِ ِّني دَ َع ْو‬
‫ َنهارً ا‬/ً “And to Him is [all] praise throughout the heavens and the earth. And
[exalted is He] at night and when you are at noon.” (71:5).

55
Here in this section of Āyah al-Birr, the action that is occurring is “patience”. We see that the [‫[ ْفرَ ظ‬is actually a Muḍ ā f in the
Naṣb state. The action of patience is denoted by the [‫[ لِفاع اسم‬which points to the action being done even though there is no
.emphasis or] ‫]إ ْختِصاص‬ ِ ‫ ]الص‬word The]. ‫ ]فِعْ ل‬explicit
ِ to due Naṣb in is] ‫َّابرين‬

117
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

[ ‫ ] َظرْ ف ْال َم َكان‬Containers Place: 56 Table

َ ‫َخ ْل‬
‫ف‬ behind ﴿ ‫ون ِب ِه عِ ْلمًا‬
َ ‫ِيط‬ ِ ‫﴾ َيعْ َل ُم َما َبي َْن أَ ْيد‬
ُ ‫ِيه ْم َو َما َخ ْل َف ُه ْم َواَل ُيح‬
“Allah knows what is before them and what will be after them, but they
do not encompass it in knowledge.” (20:110).

َ‫را َءو‬ in front of ﴿ َ ‫َو َلمَّا َجا َء ُه ْم َرسُو ٌل مِّنْ عِ ن ِد ٱهَّلل ِ م‬

ٌ ‫ُص ِّد ٌق لِّ َما َم َع ُه ْم َن َب َذ َف ِر‬
‫يق‬
‫ُور ِه ْم َكأ َ َّن ُه ْم اَل‬ ُ
ِ ‫اب ٱهَّلل ِ َو َرا َء ظه‬
َ ‫اب ِك َت‬ َ ‫ِين أُو ُتوا ْٱل ِك َت‬
َ ‫م َِّن ٱلَّذ‬
َ ‫﴾ َيعْ َلم‬
‫ُون‬
“And when a messenger from Allah came to them confirming that which was
with them, a party of those who had been given the Scripture threw the
Scripture of Allah behind their backs as if they did not know.” (2:101).

َ ْ‫َتح‬
‫ت‬ under ﴿ َ َ‫ْن أ‬
ِّ‫ضاَّل َنا م َِن ْٱل ِجن‬ ِ ‫ِين َك َفرُوا َر َّب َنا أَ ِر َنا ٱللَّ َذي‬
َ ‫َو َقا َل ٱلَّذ‬
َ ‫ت أَ ْقدَ ا ِم َنا لِ َي ُكو َنا م َِن ٱأْل َسْ َفل‬
‫ِني‬ َ ْ‫نس َنجْ َع ْل ُه َما َتح‬ِ ِ ‫﴾ َوٱإْل‬
“And those who disbelieved will say, "Our Lord, show us those who misled
us of the jinn and men [so] we may put them under our feet that they will
be among the lowest.".” (41:29).
 ‫ َم َع‬/ َ‫عِ ْند‬ by/with ﴿... ‫ َواَل ُت َقا ِتلُو ُه ْم عِ ندَ ْٱل َمسْ ِج ِد ْٱل َح َر ِام َح َّت ٰى ُي َقا ِتلُو ُك ْم فِي ِه‬... ﴾
“…And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-Ḥ aram until they fight you there....”
(2:191).

‫ ُتجاه‬/‫ت ِْلقا َء‬ facing ﴿ ِ ‫َو َلمَّا َت َوجَّ َه ت ِْل َقا َء َم ْد َي َن َقا َل َع َس ٰى َربِّي أَن َي ْه ِد َينِي َس َوا َء ٱلس َِّب‬
‫يل‬
﴾
“And when he directed himself toward Madyan, he said, "Perhaps my Lord
will guide me to the sound way.".” (28:22).

‫هُناك‬/‫َث ََّم‬ there ﴿ َ ‫ْت َث َّم َرأَي‬

‫ْت َنعِيمًا َوم ُْل ًكا َك ِبريًا‬ َ ‫﴾ َوإِ َذا َرأَي‬
“And when you look there [in Paradise], you will see pleasure and great
dominion..” (76:20).

ٰ ‫ه‬
‫ههُنا‬/‫ُنا‬ here ﴿ ‫ْس َل ُه ْٱل َي ْو َم َها ُه َنا َحمِي ٌم‬
َ ‫﴾ َف َلي‬
“So there is not for him here this Day any devoted friend.” (69:35).

‫َح ْو َل‬ around ﴿ َ ‫﴾ َقا َل لِ َمنْ َح ْو َل ُه أَاَل َتسْ َت ِمع‬

‫ُون‬
“[Pharaoh] said to those around him, "Do you not hear?"” (26:25).

‫َبي َْن‬ between ﴿ ‫َواَل َتأْ ُكلُوا أَمْ َوا َل ُكم َب ْي َن ُكم ِب ْٱلبَاطِ ِل َو ُت ْدلُوا ِب َها إِ َلى ْٱل ُح َّك ِام‬
َ ‫اس ِبٱإْل ِ ْث ِم َوأَن ُت ْم َتعْ َلم‬
‫ُون‬ ِ ‫ال ٱل َّن‬ِ ‫﴾ لِ َتأْ ُكلُوا َف ِري ًقا مِّنْ أَمْ َو‬
“And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it to the rulers
in order that you consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin,
while you know [it is unlawful].” (2:188).

118
Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

ْ ‫[ َهل‬
B. The Reason for an Action [ُ‫عول َفم‬
ْ
Thus far we have already looked at two types of [‫ مفعول‬,[namely [ِ‫عول َفم‬ ْ ‫يهف‬
‫[ هِب‬and [ِ‫عول َفم‬ ِ .[Here we have
ْ
yet another, [ُ‫عول َفم‬ ‫ َهل‬.[This Naṣb noun details the reason for an action occurring. It is also called [ ‫ه ِْل َجأْ نِم‬
ْ [in grammar. It classically is a Maṣdar occurring at the end of a verbal sentence. It can occur
‫عول َفم‬ as a Jarr

ْ
Construction, but this is less common. Context is essential in recognizing [ُ‫عول َفم‬ ‫ َهل‬,[since it can be

lost in detail if grammar attention is not maintained.

ْ
The [ُ‫عول َفم‬ ‫[ َهل‬can occur in one of two forms:
1. Maṣdar specifying the reason for an action, whether definite or indefinite. 2.

Jarr Construction.

[ ‫ ] َم ْفعول َل ُه‬of Examples ānic’Qur

َ ‫ َو َمن َي ُك ِن ٱل َّشي‬.i﴿ ‫ون ِبٱهَّلل ِ َواَل‬
ۚ ‫ْطانُ َل ُه َق ِري ًنا َف َسا َء‬ ِ ‫ون أَمْ َوا َل ُه ْم ِر َئا َء ٱل َّن‬
َ ‫اس َواَل ي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬ َ ‫َوٱلَّذ‬
َ ُ‫ِين يُنفِق‬
‫﴾ ِب ْٱل َي ْو ِم ٱآْل خ ِِر َق ِري ًنا‬
 “And [also] those who spend of their wealth to be seen by the people and believe not in Allah nor in the Last
Day. And he to whom Shayṭā n is a companion - then evil is he as a companion.” (4:38)

﴿ ‫ار‬ َ َ‫ت ٱهَّلل ِ ُك ْفرً ا َوأَ َحلُّوا َق ْو َم ُه ْم د‬

ِ ‫ار ْٱل َب َو‬ َ ‫ ﴾ أَ َل ْم َت َر إِ َلى ٱلَّذ‬.ii
َ ‫ِين َب َّدلُوا ِنعْ َم‬
“Have you not considered those who exchanged the favor of Allah for disbelief and settled their people [in] the
home of ruin?.” (14:28).

﴿ َ ‫ًرا َو َعاَل ِن َي ًة َو َي ْد َرء‬abًّ ِ‫صاَل َة َوأَن َفقُوا ِممَّا َر َز ْق َنا ُه ْم س‬

‫ُون‬ َّ ‫ص َبرُوا ٱ ْبت َِغا َء َوجْ ِه َرب ِِّه ْم َوأَ َقامُوا ٱل‬ َ ‫َوٱلَّذ‬
َ ‫ِين‬
‫ ِب ْٱل َح َس َن ِة ٱل َّس ِّي َئ َة‬.iii ‫ار‬ َ ‫﴾ أُو ٰ َلئ‬
ِ ‫ِك َل ُه ْم ُع ْق َبى ٱل َّد‬
“And who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques...”
(13:22).
ِ ْ‫شاش اأْل َر‬ ْ
{ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ َو َل ْم َتدَ عْ ها َتأ ُك ُل مِن َخ‬، ‫ َف َل ْم ُت ْط ِعمْ ها‬، ‫ار فِي هِرَّ ٍة َر َب َط ْتها‬
َ ‫ت امْ َرأَةٌ ال َّن‬
ِ ‫ }دَ َخ َل‬.iv “ A
woman entered the Fire because of a cat which she had tied, neither giving it food nor setting it free to eat from
the vermin of the earth.” (Bukhā ri)56

.[‫ ]كِتاب َبدْ ء ْال َخ ْلق‬from 3165 #Ḥ adith, Bukhā ri Saḥ īḥ 56

119
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

[ ‫ ] َم ْفعُول َم َعه‬Action an Accompanying Noun. C

Another of the [‫[ ولُعْ َفم‬is [‫ولُعْ َفم‬ ‫ َه َعم‬,[which represents a noun that accompanies an action being performed.

It is actually the least common of the [‫ ولُعْ َفم‬,[but needs to be mentioned to complete the topic. This [‫َه َعم‬

‫ولُعْ َفم‬ [is typically associated with a [‫ و‬,[since it would be difficult to differentiate it from the other [‫ ولُعْ َفم‬.

[Let us look at a couple of simple examples that show how this is used.

َ ‫ْالك‬
“.book the with walked student The] “1. ]‫ِتاب‬ ‫َم َشى الطالِبُ َو‬

“.Khalid with came Zaid] “2. ]‫خالِ ًدا‬ ‫جا َء َز ْي ٌد َو‬

In the first example, the translation is not “The student walked and the book.” since that would not be

possible, nor logical. The key to properly understanding and translating the sentence is that the word [‫تابالك‬
ِ
[is Naṣb and is followed by a [‫ و‬.[It cannot be [‫[ وفُمعط‬following the [‫[ و‬since it cannot be another

Doer. Furthermore, it cannot be a direct object since the verb is intransitive. Even if the verb was transitive,

there is no Direct Object before the [‫ و‬.[It also cannot be a Ḥ āl (discussed later in this lesson)

which often is marked by a [‫ و‬.[Thus, in these two examples, there is no other possible translation. In both .

[‫امالعِ يَّة‬ ُ‫ ]الواو‬as acts] ‫ ]و‬the, sentences these

Sometimes, determining the [‫ولُعْ َفم‬ ‫[ َه َعم‬can be more ambiguous. In example (ii) and (iii), the highlighted
َ ‫[ ِنيا‬and [ْ‫[ ُم َكا َء َك ُرش‬act as direct objects due to the [‫[ و‬acting as a Connecting Particle [ ‫عطف‬
words [َa‫طيَّالش‬
‫ حرف‬.[ However, these two highlighted words also act as [‫[ َه َعم ولُعْ َفم‬with the [‫[ و‬functioning as [57[‫ َّة ِيامالع‬.
This is one of the inimitable characteristics of the Qur’ā n, that there can be different yet synergistic
meanings derived

from a single word, ā yah, or part of an ā yah.

[ ‫ ] َم ْفعول َم َع ُه‬of Examples ānic’Qur

﴿ ‫ِني‬ َّ ‫ان ۚ َو ُكاًّل آ َت ْي َنا ُح ْكمًا َوعِ ْلمًا ۚ َو َس َّخرْ َنا َم َع دَاوُ و َد ْٱل ِج َبا َل ُي َسبِّحْ َن َو‬
َ ‫ٱلطي َْر ۚ َو ُك َّنا َفاعِ ل‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َف َف َّه ْم َنا َها ُس َل ْي َم‬.i
“And We gave understanding of the case to Sulaymā n, and to each We gave judgment and knowledge. And We
subjected the mountains to glorify, along with Dawū d and with the birds. And We were doing [that]” (21:79).

.[‫ ]شرح منظومة اللغة اإلعراب للمفصّل كتاب اهلل املر ّتل‬from) 71:10 (and) 68:19 (on Sections 57

120
Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

﴿ ‫ًًّيا‬ab‫ني ُث َّم َل ُنحْ ضِ َر َّن ُه ْم َح ْو َل َج َه َّن َم ِج ِث‬ ُ ْ‫ِّك َل َنح‬

َ ِ‫ش َر َّن ُه ْم َوال َّشيَاط‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َف َو َرب‬.ii
“So by your Lord, We will surely gather them with the devils; then We will bring them to be present around
Hell upon their knees.” (19:68)
﴿... ِ ‫ش َر َكا َء ُك ْم ُث َّم اَل َي ُكنْ أَمْ ُر ُك ْم َع َل ْي ُك ْم ُغم ًَّة ُث َّم ٱ ْقضُوا إِ َليَّ َواَل ُتنظِ ر‬
‫ُون‬ ُ ‫ ﴾ َفأَجْ ِمعُوا أَمْ َر ُك ْم َو‬.iii
“…So resolve upon your plan and [call upon] your associates. Then let not your plan be obscure to you. Then
carry it out upon me and do not give me respite..” (10:71).

[ ْ ‫ ] َم ْفعُول م‬Action the of Intensifier. D

‫ُط َلق‬
Another [‫[ ولُعْ َفم‬that is commonly used in the Qur’ā n is [‫ولُعْ َفم‬ ُ ‫ َق ْل‬.[This essentially is a Maṣdar that
a‫طم‬
intensifies or emphasizes an action. A [‫ولُعْ َفم‬ ُ ‫[ َق ْل‬can be used in a sentence if the following conditions are
‫طم‬
met:
ُ ‫[ َق ْل‬must be a verbal noun [Maṣdar], indefinite, Naṣb, and found at the end of a sentence.
1. [‫ ولُعْ َفم‬a‫طم‬
ُ ‫[ َق ْل‬must match the action, either in meaning, or matching the root of the verb Let us look at a
2. [‫ ولُعْ َفم‬a‫طم‬
couple of examples showing how [‫ولُعْ َفم‬ ُ ‫[ َق ْل‬is used:
a‫طم‬

﴿ ‫﴾ َوإِ َذا أَ َر ْد َنا أَن ُّن ْهل َِك َقرْ َي ًة أَ َمرْ َنا ُم ْت َرفِي َها َف َف َسقُوا فِي َها َف َح َّق َع َل ْي َها ْٱل َق ْو ُل َفدَ مَّرْ َنا َها َت ْدمِريًا‬
“And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so
the word comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction.”(17:16)

ِ ً‫[ ا‬follows the verb [‫ اَ ْنرَّ َمد‬,[which means to “destroy”. With closer
In the above ā yah, the verbal noun [‫ري ْمدَ ت‬

ِ ً‫[ ا‬is the exact Maṣdar of [َ‫ رَّ َمد‬.[Furthermore, this verbal noun is
inspection, we should realize that [‫ريمْ دَ ت‬

ِ ً‫[ ا‬is clearly a [‫ولُعْ َفم‬

indefinite and Naṣb and is at the end of a sentence. Thus, [ ‫ري ْمدَت‬ ُ ‫ َق ْل‬,[and functions in
‫طم‬
intensify the action of “destroying” in the ā yah.
“.sitting a with sat I] “‫قُعُو ًدا‬ ُ ْ‫] َج َلس‬
‫ت‬
In the above sentence, the word [‫[ اًو ُدعُق‬functions as a [‫ولُعْ َفم‬ ُ ‫ َق ْل‬.[This is because it is a Maṣdar, Naṣb,
a‫طم‬
indefinite, at the end of the sentence, and lastly also carries a similar meaning as the action of “sitting”.

‫ت َس ْب ًقا‬ ً ِ ‫ت َغرْ ًقا ۝ َوٱل َّناشِ َطا‬

﴿ ِ ‫َّاب َقا‬
ِ ‫ت َسبْحً ا ۝ َفٱلس‬ ِ ‫ت َن ْشطا ۝ َوٱلس‬
ِ ‫َّاب َحا‬ ِ ‫﴾ َوٱل َّن‬
ِ ‫از َعا‬
“By those who extract with violence, And those who remove with ease, And those who glide [as if] swimming, And
those who race each other racing”(79:1-4)

ْ ‫م‬
[‫ُطلَق‬ ‫ ] َم ْفعُول‬another demonstrates, sentence prior the to similar ﴿ ‫ت غَرْ ًقا‬ ِ ‫ ﴾ َوال َّن‬ā yah above The
ِ ‫از َعا‬
functionally similar (but dissimilar root) to the verb. The verbal noun [‫[ ْق َرغ‬has a similar meaning to the
verb [َ‫ع َزن‬
َ ,[which means to “pull out”. You will notice that in each of the above four ā yahs, there is no
explicit verb. However, the action or verb is implied through the Doer noun [ ‫ اِل لفاع اسم‬.[In all these ā yahs,
the action is being emphasized.

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Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

ْ ‫ ] َم ْفعُول م‬of Examples ānic’Qur

‫ُط َلق‬
[

﴿ ‫ِسابًا يَسِ ريًا‬

َ ‫اسبُ ح‬َ ‫ف ي َُح‬َ ‫ ﴾ َف َس ْو‬.i
“He will be judged with an easy account.” (84:8).

ۚ ‫ ﴾ َو َكلَّ َم ٱهَّلل ُ مُو َس ٰى َت ْكلِيمًا‬.ii﴿ ‫ك‬

َ ‫ك مِن َق ْب ُل َو ُر ُساًل لَّ ْم َن ْقصُصْ ُه ْم َع َل ْي‬ َ ‫َو ُر ُساًل َق ْد َق‬
َ ‫صصْ َنا ُه ْم َع َل ْي‬
“And [We sent] messengers about whom We have related to you before and messengers about whom We have
not related to you. And Allah spoke to Mū sa with [direct] speech.” (4:164)

iii. ۚۚ ‫ٱلز َكا َة َوأَطِ عْ َن ٱهَّلل َ َو َرسُو َل ُه ﴿ َو َقرْ َن فِي ُبيُو ِت ُكنَّ َواَل َت َبرَّ جْ َن َت َبرُّ َج ْٱل َجا ِهلِ َّي ِة ٱأْل ُو َل ٰى‬ َّ ‫َوأَقِم َْن ٱل‬
َ ‫صاَل َة َوآت‬
َّ ‫ِني‬
‫ت َوي َُطه َِّر ُك ْم َت ْط ِهريًا‬ ِ ‫س أَهْ َل ْٱل َب ْي‬َ ْ‫ِب َعن ُك ُم ٱلرِّ ج‬ َ ‫﴾ إِ َّن َما ي ُِري ُد ٱهَّلل ُ لِي ُْذه‬
“And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance.
And establish prayer and give Zakā t and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you
the impurity [of sin], Oh people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification..”
(33:33).

iv. ۚۚ ُ ‫ْن ْٱل َت َق َتا َوٱهَّلل‬

ِ ‫ان َل ُك ْم آ َي ٌة فِي فِ َئ َتي‬ َ ‫يل ٱهَّلل ِ َوأ ُ ْخ َر ٰى َكاف َِرةٌ َي َر ْو َنهُم م ِّْث َلي ِْه ْم َر ْأ‬
ِ ‫ي ْال َعي‬
َ ‫ْن ﴿ َق ْد َك‬ ِ ‫فِ َئ ٌة ُت َقا ِت ُل فِي َس ِب‬
‫﴾ ي َُؤ ِّي ُد ِب َنصْ ِر ِه َمن َي َشا ُء‬
“Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met - one fighting in the cause of Allah and
another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their number by [their] eyesight. But Allah supports with
His victory whom He wills...” (3:13).

E. Ḥ ā l: The State or Condition of an Action [‫[احالل‬

Understanding Ḥ ā l is essential in intermediate Arabic, as this principle is used commonly in the Qur’ā n and
beyond. Ḥ ā l refers to a word or word construction that describes the state, condition, or way in which an
action is done. Specifically, the Ḥ ā l functions in describing something definite. In a sentence, the Ḥ āl is not
necessary for a sentence to be complete. Let us look at the following sentence to see how Ḥ ā l works.

“.laughing came Zaid] “ً ‫ضاحِكا‬ ‫]جا َء َز ْي ٌد‬

In this sentence, we see that [‫[ ضاحكا‬is the Ḥ āl, which describes the definite word [ٌ‫ ْد َيز‬.[It describes an
 action (to come) with the occurrence of laughter. We see that the Ḥ ā l [‫[ ضاحكا‬is of course Naṣb, but also

indefinite and occurs at the end of the sentence. Identifying the proper context allows the student to
identify Ḥ ā l in a respective sentence when present.
1. For a Ḥāl to occur, the sentence must have three components:
i. The Ḥ āl [‫[ احالل‬itself is (1) a single noun in Naṣb or (2) a Word Construction.

ii. The definite thing that the Ḥ āl describes [‫ِبصاح‬ ‫ احال ُل‬.[

122
Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

iii. The action itself. The action can be as a verb [ ‫ ْلعِف‬,[but can also be incorporated into an “action .[

‫ ]اِسْ ُم املَ ْفعول‬or], ‫ ] َمصْ دَر‬,[‫ ]اِسْ ُم الفاعِ ل‬a like” word
2. The Ḥāl can occur in one of three different forms at the end of a sentence: i. A single word [
a‫ دَرْ فُم‬.[In this case, the Ḥ ā l is a word that describes, is indefinite, and in the Naṣb
case explicitly. Both sentences use Ḥ ā l (highlighted) to convey the same basic meaning. This
form is that present in the example we just discussed: [ً‫جاء‬ ‫كاِضاحٌ ْد َي َز‬.[
occurring] ‫فِعْ لِيَّة‬ ‫ ] ِج ْملَة‬Sentence Verbal a or] ‫ ] ُج ْملَة اِمسِ يَّة‬Sentence Nominal simple a as occur can Ḥ āl. ii
at the end of a sentence. This sentence acts as a single unit to describe the definite noun [ ‫احال ُل‬
‫[ ِبصاح‬doing the action and is implicitly Naṣb. The Ḥ ā l very frequently occurs as a

nominal sentences and is preceded by a [‫[ و‬called [‫الواو‬ ‫ َّةاحاللي‬.[Let us look at another example

to show this form: [ٌ‫اء‬a‫ج‬ َ ‫ض وُ َه وٌ ْد َي‬

‫ز‬a َ ‫اح‬aِ
َ ‫[ ”ك‬Zaid came [while he was] laughing.”. Here the

Nominal Sentence is [ٌ‫وُ ه‬ ‫كِضاح‬ [and is preceded by the [‫[ و‬of Ḥ āl. The [‫ِبصاح‬ ‫احال ُل‬ [is again

Zaid. An example of Ḥ āl using a Verbal Sentence is in the following example: [ُ‫جاء‬ ‫” َكحْ دَيٌ ْد َي َز‬

[Zaid came laughing.”. The verb has to be in the present tense [‫فعل‬ ‫[ )مضارع‬not past tense) to

act as a Ḥ ā l. But remember the action is not laughing but “came” as [َ‫ جاء‬.[Thus, in all the three

cases

discussed the definite thing described (Zaid) and the action (“came”) are the same. These three
Ḥ ā ls all occur in different forms but functionally are the same since all the sentences yield the
same basic meaning.
iii. The third form of a Ḥ ā l is as a Jarr Construction. Please note that the Jarr Construction is similar to
an Arabic sentence and is often termed [‫هْ ِبش‬ ‫ ْلة ُم ُج‬,[or a “Quasi-Sentence”. Here the Jarr
Construction functions in describing the definite [‫ِبصاح‬ ‫[ احال ُل‬at the end of a sentence. An
example of this is shown in the following where the Ḥ ā l is highlighted:
 [ ‫ب‬
ِ ‫السحا‬ َ ‫] َرأَي‬
َّ ‫ْت‬
َ ‫الطائ َِر َة ِبي َْن‬
Here, the action is “saw”, and the [‫ِبصاح‬ ‫[ احال ُل‬is the implied [َ‫[ ْتأن‬embedded within the verb.
since the person doing the action is “you” and not the bird.

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Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

[ ِّ ‫ال‬/‫ ]ال َّنعْ ت‬Describers versus Ḥāl. 3

‫ص َفة‬
We have just seen that both Jarr Constructions and Present Tense verbs [‫ْلعِف‬ a‫[ مضارع‬can act as Ḥ ā l in the
proper context. More specifically, they function in describing a definite word associated with an action. But
please note that both Jarr Constructions and Present Tense verbs can also function in describing an

indefinite noun. When this occurs, they are not Ḥ āls, but are Describers [‫ َةفِص‬/‫ ْت َعن‬.[You should recall that

this was briefly discussed in Volume 1 (Lesson 5, VI)). Let us revisit ā yah 12:36: “..The other said, "Indeed, I

َ َ‫أ‬
have seen myself carrying upon my head bread, from which the birds are eating…” ﴿...‫رانِي‬ ‫َو َقا َل ٱآْل َخ ُر إِ ِّني‬
َّ ‫أَحْ ِم ُل َف ْو َق َر ْأسِ ي ُخب ًْزا َتأْ ُك ُل‬... ﴾
‫ٱلط ْي ُر ِم ْن ُه‬
Here, we see that the highlighted Verbal Sentence is a Describer for the indefinite noun [‫ ز ْابُخ‬.[Describers
will be discussed in more detail in Lesson 9.
4. Qur’ānic Examples of Ḥāl [‫[احالل‬
﴿ َ ‫ ﴾ َوأ ُ ْلق َِي ٱلس ََّح َرةُ َسا ِجد‬.i
‫ِين‬
“And the magicians fell down in prostration” (7:120).

﴿ َ ‫ِين آ َم ُنوا ٱ َّتقُوا ٱهَّلل َ َح َّق ُت َقا ِت ِه َواَل َتمُو ُتنَّ إِاَّل َوأَن ُتم مُّسْ لِم‬
‫ُون‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َيا أَ ُّي َها ٱلَّذ‬.ii
“Oh you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims .” (3:102) ﴿

َ ْ‫ ﴾ َو َما َخ َل ْق َنا ٱل َّس َما َء َوٱأْل َر‬.iii

َ ‫ض َو َما َب ْي َن ُه َما اَل عِ ِب‬
‫ني‬
“And We did not create the heaven and earth and that between them in play..” (21:16)

﴿ َ ‫ِين إِ َذا ُذ ِّكرُوا ِب َها َخرُّ وا سُجَّ ًدا َو َس َّبحُوا ِب َحمْ ِد َرب ِِّه ْم َو ُه ْم اَل َيسْ َت ْك ِبر‬
‫ُون‬ َ ‫ ﴾ ۩ إِ َّن َما ي ُْؤمِنُ ِبآ َيا ِت َنا ٱلَّذ‬.iv
“Only those believe in Our verses who, when they are reminded by them, fall down in prostration and
exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord, and they are not arrogant.” (32:15).

﴿ ِ ‫ُون م َِن ٱأْل َجْ دَ ا‬

‫ث َكأ َ َّن ُه ْم َج َرا ٌد مُّن َتشِ ٌر‬ َ ‫ ﴾ ُخ َّش ًعا أَب‬.v
َ ‫ْصا ُر ُه ْم َي ْخ ُرج‬
“Their eyes humbled, they will emerge from the graves as if they were locusts spreading.” (54:7). ﴿...

‫ون‬ َ ‫صاَل َة َوأَ ْن ُت ْم ُس َك‬

َ ُ‫ار ٰى َح َّت ٰى َتعْ َلمُوا َما َتقُول‬ َّ ‫اَل َت ْق َربُوا ٱل‬... ﴾ .vi
“…Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying....” (4:43).

[ ‫ ]ال َّتمْ ِييز‬Clarifier. F

Clarifiers are nouns that further explain something that is vague or uncertain in a sentence. They
specifically clarify the essence of a thing, or relationship. A Clarifier is similar to a Ḥ āl in that is found at the
end of a proper sentence, and is indefinite Naṣb. However, it differs from Ḥ āl in that it is a material
substance or thing, while a Ḥ āl is an adjective. Clarifiers are also frequently used in sentences when
referring to numbers, weights, or measure.

124
Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

Let us look at the following examples to see how Clarifiers are utilized in Arabic sentences.

“.me than more is He] “‫ِمنِي‬ ‫∙ ]ه َُو أَ ْك َث ُر‬

In this complete sentence, we notice that a general statement is made, but much information is left out. We
do not know how “He is more than me”. Is he more than me in strength, knowledge, righteousness, good, or

evil? It is this vagueness, uncertainty, and/or ambiguity that [‫يز ْيمَّالت‬

ِ [clarifies. So if we know that “He is
more than me in strength, we state the following:

[ ‫∙ ]ه َُو أَ ْك َث ُر ِمنِي قُ َّو ًة‬

Another way that Clarifiers are used are in numbering of things. For example, let us look at the following
statement(s):

َ ‫َع َش‬
“.twelve saw I] “‫ر‬ َ‫ْت أَ َحد‬
ُ ‫∙ ] َرأَي‬

“.stars twelve saw I] “ً ‫َك ْو َكبا‬ ‫ْت أَ َحدَ َع َش َر‬

ُ ‫∙ ] َرأَي‬

In the first complete sentence, we notice that it is almost incomplete, because the detail is left out. But this

is clarified by the [‫يز ْيمَّالت‬

ِ [in bold. Note that it is Naṣb, indefinite, and is single (not plural). Numbers are
further discussed in Lesson 10. In the examples below, the highlighted Clarifier clarifies the underlined
sentence. We see that there are often multiple sentences on one given ā yah. In grammatically analyzing an
ā yah of the Qur’ā n, it is very helpful to identify embedded sentences.

Qur’ānic Examples of Clarifiers [‫يز ْيمَّالت‬

ِ [
﴿ َ ‫ِني َل ْي َل ًة ُث َّم ٱ َّت َخ ْذ ُت ُم ْٱل ِعجْ َل مِن َبعْ ِد ِه َوأَن ُت ْم َظالِم‬
‫ُون‬ َ ‫ُوس ٰى أَرْ َبع‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َوإِ ْذ َو‬.i
َ ‫اع ْد َنا م‬
“And [recall] when We made an appointment with Mū sa for forty nights. Then you took [for worship] the calf
after him, while you were wrongdoers.” (2:51).

﴿ ‫ِنك َمااًل َوأَ َع ُّز َن َفرً ا‬

َ ‫او ُرهُ أَ َنا أَ ْك َث ُر م‬ َ ‫ان َل ُه َث َم ٌر َف َقا َل ل‬
ِ ‫ِصاح ِِب ِه َوه َُو ي َُح‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َو َك‬.ii
“And he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, "I am greater than you in
wealth and mightier in [numbers of] men.” (18:34) 58
﴿ ‫ِين مِن َق ْبل ِِه ْم َو َكا ُنوا أَ َش َّد ِم ْن ُه ْم قُ َّو ًة‬
َ ‫ان َعاقِ َب ُة ٱلَّذ‬
َ ‫ْف َك‬
َ ‫نظرُوا َكي‬ ِ ْ‫ ﴾ أَ َو َل ْم يَسِ ريُوا فِي ٱأْل َر‬.iii
ُ ‫ض َف َي‬
“Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? And they
were greater than them in power…” (35:44)
58
Please note that [‫[ اًرَ َفنُّ َزعَ أ‬is connected to the preceding sentence by the Connector [‫ و‬.[Here the second Clarifier [‫اًرَ َفن‬
[clarifies .[ ‫]أَ َع ُّز‬

125
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

ٍ ‫ ﴾ ٰ َذل َِك َوعْ ٌد َغ ْي ُر َم ْك ُذو‬.iv﴿ ‫َّام‬

ۚ‫ب‬ َ
ٍ ‫ار ُك ْم َثاَل َث َة أي‬
ِ َ‫َف َع َقرُو َها َف َقا َل َت َم َّتعُوا فِي د‬
“But they hamstrung her, so he said, "Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. That is a promise not
to be denied.” (11:65).

ۚ ‫طواًل‬ َ ْ‫ك َلن َت ْخ ِر َق ٱأْل َر‬

ُ ‫ض َو َلن َت ْبلُ َغ ْٱل ِج َبا َل‬ ِ ْ‫ْش فِي ٱأْل َر‬
َ ‫ ﴾ إِ َّن‬.v﴿ ‫ض َم َرحً ا‬ ِ ‫َواَل َتم‬
“And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will
never reach the mountains in height.” (17:37).
﴿ ‫ب‬ َ ‫ُون َنعْ َج ًة َول َِي َنعْ َج ٌة َواحِدَ ةٌ َف َقا َل أَ ْكف ِْلنِي َها َو َع َّزنِي فِي ْٱلخ‬
ِ ‫ِطا‬ َ ‫ ﴾ إِنَّ ٰ َه َذا أَخِي َل ُه ِتسْ ٌع َو ِتسْ ع‬.vi
“Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he
overpowered me in speech.".” (38:23).59

G. The Vocative [‫[ناديُامل‬

The Vocative refers to a person being called or addressed. The Vocative is termed [‫ ِينا ُدم‬,[and is used to
call and address a specific person or group and draw their attention to something being said. The call or
address starts with the particle Yā , which is termed [‫وفُرُح‬ ‫ داءِّالن‬.[This is found frequently in the Qur’ā n to
address a specific group. The person(s) is addressed using the particle Yā . This particle Yā in reality is
equivalent to the verb [‫ ِيأناد‬,[or “I am calling…”. The person(s) being addressed is termed [‫ ِينا ُدم‬,[and is
ْ
typically Naṣb since it acts as the Direct object [ِ‫عول َفم‬
‫[ هِب‬of the implied verb [‫[ ِيأناد‬represented by Yā .
However, please note that this Yā does not carry any [‫[ َل َمع‬as per the grammarians.

Grammatical Rules of the Vocative [‫[ناديُامل‬

Let us look at the rules of Yā and [‫[ ِيأناد‬in sentences. The rules depend on the characteristics of the
addressee.
. 1. Based on the gender of the addressee, it is called by one of three particles based on the gender of
the addressee(s). The particle [‫[ ها ُّ َيأ‬is used to address a group.

i) Male or Female
= ‫اَي‬
= Male) ii ‫َيا أَيُّها‬
‫َيا أَ َّي ُتها‬
= Female) iii ﴿ ُ‫َيا أَ َّي ُت َها ٱل َّن ْفس‬
ْ ‫﴾ ْٱلم‬
‫ُط َم ِئ َّن ُة‬
“[To the righteous it will be said], "Oh reassured soul ”(89:27)

ِ [are contrasted with [‫ احالل‬.[In this ā yah, the word [ً‫[ حاَرَ م‬acts as a Ḥ ā l while [ً‫[ والُط‬acts
59
This is a good example where [‫يز ْيمَّالت‬
as a Clarifier. Superficially, both words appear similar and may be confused with one another.. However, they are
differentiated contextually. The Ḥ ā l is an adjective, and acts in describing an action, while the Clarifier acts in quantifying
measurement.

126
Lesson 8: Nouns in the Naṣb Case [‫[وبا ُتصْ َنامل‬

﴿ ‫ون‬ َ ‫﴾ َيا أَ ُّي َها ٱل َّناسُ ٱعْ ُب ُدوا َر َّب ُك ُم ٱلَّذِي َخ َل َق ُك ْم َوٱلَّذ‬
َ ُ‫ِين مِن َق ْبلِ ُك ْم َل َعلَّ ُك ْم َت َّتق‬
“Oh mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may
become righteous”(2:21)

2. The inflection of the last letter of the [‫[ ِينا ُدم‬is based on whether it is one of the
following:
(i) a definite name (Muḥ ammad, Ḥ asan).
(ii) a Muḍāf.
(iii) an unspecified addressee (believer, man, boy).
(iv) a specified addressee (believer, man, boy).
(a) If a definite name of a person is used (without any Muḍ ā f), then its inflection is a
single Ḍ ammah at the end. For example, let us look at the following part of Ḥ adīth
Jibrīl60:
{......‫ِسْ الم‬ ‫ يا م َُح َّم ُد أَ ْخ ِبرْ نِي َع ِن اإْل‬: ‫} َو قا َل‬

(b) If the [‫[ ِينا ُدم‬is a Muḍ ā f, or a name containing a Muḍ ā f is used, then there is a
Fatḥ ah inflected on the last letter of the Muḍ ā f. This is seen in the highlighted in the
following Ḥ adīth61.

‫ت َو َق َع َب ْينِي َو َب ْي َن ُه‬ْ ‫ َف َقا َل‬، " ‫ " أَي َْن َبعْ لُكِ ؟‬: ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم لِ َفاطِ َم َة‬َ ُّ‫ َقا َل ال َّن ِبي‬: ‫َقا َل‬
‫ًًّيا‬abِ‫ " أَ ْبصِ رْ لِي َعل‬: ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم ل َِرج ٍُل‬ َ ُّ‫ َف َقا َل ال َّن ِبي‬، ‫ُغاضبًا‬
َ ‫} َف َخ َر َج م‬... ، ‫َكال ٌم‬
‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َوالرِّ ي ُح‬ َ ُّ‫ َفأ َ َتاهُ ال َّن ِبي‬، ‫ ه َُو َذا فِي ْال َمسْ ِج ِد‬، ِ ‫ َيا َرسُو َل هَّللا‬: ‫ َف َقا َل‬، "
َّ‫ان أ َل َحب‬ َ ‫ َف َوهَّللا ِ إِنْ َك‬: ‫ َقا َل َس ْه ٌل‬، " ‫ب‬ ٍ ‫ " قُ ْم َيا أَ َبا { ُت َرا‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫اب‬ َ ‫َيسْ فِي َع َل ْي ِه ال ُّت َر‬
‫أَسْ َما ِئ ِه إِ َل ْي ِه‬
(c) If the [‫[ ِينا ُدم‬is general and not specified, and is not a definite name, then the

[‫[ ِينا ُدم‬carries Fatḥ ah with Tanwīn. For example, this can be a teacher speaking to

each of his students “Oh student, study hard!” [ ً‫اَي‬ ‫ ري ِا َثكْ سُرْ ُداً باِطال‬.[Or this can
be a
preacher admonishing each of his congregation “Oh believer, do not go near
ِّ ُ‫!“ ] َيا م ُْومِنا ً ال َت ْق َرب‬adultery
,name definite a not is and, specified is] ‫ ]مُنادِي‬the If]. ‫الزنا‬
then the [‫[ ِينا ُدم‬is inflected with a single Ḍ ammah at the end. For example, a
student .[‫علِّمْ نِي‬
َ ‫“ ] َيا ُم َعلِّ ُم‬me teach, teacher Oh “teacher a requesting

60
Saḥ īḥ al-Bukhā ri, Chapter on Imā n: ِ‫ميإْال ا َب ِتك‬
ِ ‫ ا َن‬Ḥ adith #50.
َّ ‫ ]تاريخ‬to according Ḥ asan as Classified, 5879 # Ḥ adith], ِّ‫ِلطبَرَ انِي‬
.[‫الطبَري‬ َّ ‫ ]املُعْ جَ ُم ْال َك ِبريُ ل‬from Taken 61
ِ
 127

[ ‫ ]ال َّت ِاب ُع لِل َم ْنصُوب‬Followers The. H Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

The Followers are nouns that follow other nouns in terms of I‛rā b. There are four categories of Followers
ِّ ‫ ]ال‬Describers discussed already have We]. ‫العطف‬/‫ال َت ْوكيد‬/‫ال َّنعت‬/‫]ال َبدَل‬
have and, 1 Volume from] ‫ص َفة‬
:exist that

studied Connecting Particles [‫وفُرُح‬ ‫[ ْف َطالع‬in this second Volume. Please refer to Lesson 9, the next chapter

where [‫[ عِ وابَّالت‬are discussed in detail.

 128
Lesson 9: The Followers [‫ التوابع‬,[the Derived Nouns [‫ ّةاملشتق األمساء‬,[and the Verb [َّ‫[ َنظ‬

ْ ُ‫ ]اَ ُ أ َلسْ ما ُء امل‬Nouns Derived the], ‫وابع‬

,[‫ش َت َّقة‬ ِ ‫ ]اَل َّت‬Followers
The: 9 Lesson and the Verb [َّ‫[ ِنظ‬and its Sisters

[ ِ ‫ ]اَل َّت‬Followers The. I

‫وابع‬
The Followers are nouns that follow other nouns in terms of I‛rā b. They are from one of four Connecting
ِّ ‫ ]ال‬Describers The]. ‫املَعْ طوف‬/‫ال َت ْوكيد‬/‫ال َّنعت‬/‫ ]ال َبدَل‬:nouns of
by connected Nouns and] ‫ص َفة‬
categories
Particles [‫[ طو ْف َعم‬have already been discussed in these Two Volumes. In this lesson, the Followers are
discussed in more detail, since they are used commonly in Arabic.

[ ‫ال َّنعْ ت‬/‫ص َفة‬

ِّ ‫ ]ال‬Describers. A
The most common Describers are those that describe nouns which are identical in gender, plurality,
definiteness, and I‛rā b. One additional requirement that was not previously mentioned earlier, is that a
ُ ‫ َق ْت‬.[Words that are [ّa‫شم‬
Describer typically needs to be “Derived” or [ّa‫شم‬ ُ ‫[ َق ْت‬are derived from verbs and

ُ ‫[ َق ْت‬words are discussed in section II in this

describe or relate an action in a certain way. Categories of [ّa‫شم‬

lesson. Please note however that there can be situations in which a non-derived noun [‫[ دِجام‬can act as a

Describer.62 But for our purposes, these represent exceptions to the rule, and do not appear to occur in the
Qur’ā n.
Even though a Describer is typically a noun, words outside this scope can also function as Describers. We
briefly discussed in the prior lesson that Jarr Constructions can act as Describers. We also saw that Ḥ āls are
similar to Describers since they describe definite nouns. Ḥ ā ls can also come in the form of Sentences and
Jarr Constructions to describe definite nouns. In comparison, Describers can also come in the form of
Sentences and Jarr Constructions, but can only describe indefinite nouns. If it describes something definite,
then it is essentially a Ḥ āl. This rule becomes helpful when grammatically analyzing more complex and long
sentences (or ā yahs).

62
Dr. Mosā d, <http://dr.mosad.com/> and Reefnet.gov.sy <http://www.reefnet.gov.sy/education/kafaf/index.html>. An
example of a Describer with a non-derived noun acting as an adjective is in the following. [ ً‫[ داَأسً الُجَ ُر ْتيَأَر‬or “I saw a man lion
like”. Here the non-derived or [ ‫[ دِجام‬noun acts as a Describer contextually.

129
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic
Describers need to be from the following categories of Nouns:

[‫ ] ِاسْ ُم الفاعِ ل‬noun Doer) a

[‫م املفعول‬ ُ ْ‫ ] ِاس‬Noun Passive) b
َّ ‫ ] ِاسْ ُم‬container Place/Time) c
[‫الظرْ ف‬

[ ‫ص َفة ْال ُم َش َّب َهة‬ ِّ ‫ ]ال‬Adjective Derived) d

[‫م ال َّت ْفضِ يل‬ ُ ْ‫ ] ِاس‬Noun Derived Comparative) e
[‫ة املُبا َل َغة‬ ُ ‫ ]صِ َغ‬Noun Derived Intensive) f
[‫م ا َلة‬
‫ ] ِاسْ ُ آَْل‬action an of Instrument) g
h) Sentence (Verbal/Nominal) [‫[مل ُةج‬
[‫اجملرور‬ ‫ ]جا ّر و‬Construction Jarr) i
j) Non-Derived Noun [‫[ )دِجام‬See footnote62)

[ ‫ ] ْال َمعْ طوف‬Nouns Connecting. B

In Lesson 7, we covered the Connecting Particles. These particles allow I‛rā b to be transferred from other
nouns that precede them. The nouns that follow, or “copy” that preceding nouns are termed [‫ط َعم‬ ْ ُ‫وف‬.[

[ ‫ ]ال َبدَل‬Replacers. C
One important Follower that we have not discussed yet is what we call a Replacer [‫ لَدَالب‬.[Functionally,

these words replace another word [ُ‫لَ ْد ُبم‬ ‫[ هْ نِم‬for rhetorical effect and/or for clarification. Please note these

are grammatically different than Describers, which they may be confused with. This is because Replacers
sometimes match the word they are replacing in the same four characteristics that Describers match.
However, we will see how Replacers are contextually different than Describers, and that they usually not . [

‫]مُش َت ّق‬

A Replacer is essentially a noun that replaces another noun , either in an equal portion, a part, or in a
certain quality, or aspect. Let us look at the following sentences which highlight how Replacers work in
sentences.
ْ
.today us helped Yū suf of Son, Zaid] 1. ]‫ال َي ْو َم‬
‫صرْ نا‬َ ‫ُف َن‬ َ ‫َز ْي ٌد أَبُو يُوس‬
.Madīnah-Al, city blessed a from am I] 2. ]‫ُبار َك ٍة ام َلدِي َن ِة‬ َ
ِ ‫أنا م َِن َمدِي َن ٍة م‬

130
Lesson 9: The Followers [‫ التوابع‬,[the Derived Nouns [‫ ّةاملشتق األمساء‬,[and the Verb [َّ‫[ َنظ‬

In the first example, [َ‫وُ َبأ‬ a‫[ فُو ُسي‬refers to Zaid not as an adjective, but as something else that Zaid is. We see
that [َ‫[ فُوسُي وُ َبأ‬matches [ٌ‫[ ْد َيز‬but contextually does not fit as a Describer. In the second sentence, the [
‫ ]املَدِي َن ِة‬word63 replaces [ٍ‫ َةينِدَ م‬.[Please note that even though [ِ‫[ َةي ِندَامل‬is definite, it replaces the indefinite [
‫ َةي ِندَم‬.[
Also without knowing about Replacers, the sentence would not make sense grammatically because of . [
‫]املَدِي َن ِة‬
Replacers can be subdivided into four categories based on the comparison between the [‫[ لَدَالب‬and the
.underlined is] ‫ِم ْن ُه‬ ‫ ] ُمبْدَ ل‬the while highlighted is Replacer the, below examples the In]. ‫] ُم ْبدَل ِم ْن ُه‬

َّ ‫ال‬
[‫شيْ ء‬ ‫ ] َبدَ ُل ال َّشيْ ِء مِن‬Replacement Total/Equal. 1
﴿ َ ْ‫ِين أَ ْن َعم‬
‫ت َع َلي ِْه ْم‬ َ ‫اط ْٱلمُسْ َتقِي َم ۝ صِ َر‬
َ ‫اط ٱلَّذ‬ َ ‫ٱهْ ِد َنا ٱلص َِّر‬... ﴾
“Guide us to the straight path - The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor…” (1:6-7)

َ
Here [َ‫اط ِرص‬ ‫[ ين َِّذٱ َل‬replaces [َ‫ ا َطرِّ ٱلص‬,[both being Naṣb. The total or whole entity is
replaced.

ِّ ‫ْال ُك‬
[‫ل‬ ِ ْ‫ ] َبدَ ُل ْال َبع‬Replacement Partial. 2
‫ض م َِن‬
} ِ ‫ َش َهادَ ِة أَنْ اَل إِ َل َه إِاَّل هَّللا ُ َوأَنَّ م َُح َّم ًدا َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬، ‫س‬ٍ ْ‫ ُبن َِي اإْل ِسْ اَل ُم َع َلى َخم‬،
‫ان‬
َ ‫ض‬َ ‫ص ْو ِم َر َم‬ َ ‫ َو‬، ‫ َو ْال َح ِّج‬، ‫الز َكا ِة‬ َّ ‫ َوإِي َتا ِء‬، ‫صاَل ِة‬
َّ ‫{ َوإِ َق ِام ال‬
“Islā m is built on five (pillars): testifying that there is no god except Allah,
and that Muḥ ammad is the messenger of Allah, and performing the prayer,
and giving the Zakā t, and the Ḥ ajj, and the fasting of Ramaḍ ā n.” (Bukhā ri)64

In this Ḥ adīth, we find five Replacers, each replacing one part of the [ُ‫لَ ْد ُبم‬‫[ هْ نِم‬which is
the word [ٍ‫ سْ َمخ‬.[Please note that all the Replacers follow the Jarr I‛rā b of [ٍ‫ سْ َمخ‬.[

ْ
[‫شتِمال‬ ‫ ] َبدَ ُل اإْل‬Replacement Abstract. 3
[ ‫] يُعْ ِج ُبنِي َز ْي ٌد عِ ْل ُم ُه‬
“Zaid, amazes me, his knowledge.”

ٍ ‫ ﴾ ﴿ َيسْ أَلُو َن َك َع ِن ٱل َّشه ِْر ْٱل َح َر ِام قِ َت‬...‫ي‬

ۚ ‫ال فِي ِه‬ ٌ ‫قُ ْل قِ َتا ٌل فِي ِه َك ِبر‬
“They ask you about the sacred month, fighting therein.
Say, "Fighting in it is great [sin]…”(2:216)

63
Here, [ِ‫[ ةَينِدَ امل‬Al-Madīnah refers of course to the Blessed City of the Prophet, and is not “the city”. In Arabic, the definite article
“Al” when referring to proper names has no “the”. For example the words [‫ ]ا َّسبَالع‬,[‫ ]ة َِرالقاه‬,[‫ عِ ا َّفالش‬,[and [‫[ خاريُالب‬all refer to proper
names or places.
64
Saḥ īḥ Bukhā ri, Ḥ adith #8 from [‫تابك‬
ِ ‫اإلميان‬.[

131
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

ُ [replaces the word [ٌ‫ ْد َيز‬.[Here, the word

In the first example of the “Abstract” Replacer, the word [ُ‫ه ْملِع‬
“his knowledge” replaces “Zaid” in an abstract sense, not in terms of matter or substance. Similarly, in the
example of the Qur’ā nic ā yah, the word [ٍ‫[ الَ ِتق‬or “fighting” is used to replace “the month”. Again the
relationship between the words is abstract, as generally “fighting” has no relationship with “month”.
[‫ل ال َغلَط‬
ُ َ‫ ] َبد‬error an of Replacement. 4
This is not used in the Qur’ā n but is used to correct an errant statement regarding something. This
is used instead of mentioning “rather”, and directly stating the correct word after the incorrect
word. In the following sentence, the only possible correct meaning comes from the last word
.Replacer a being in] ً‫ُحمَّدا‬
َ ‫]م‬
“.Muḥ ammad, Zaid saw I] “ً‫ُحمَّدا‬
َ ‫م‬ ُ ‫] َرأَي‬
ً‫ْت َزيْدا‬
Qur’ānic and Ḥadīth Examples of Replacers [‫َلدَ الب‬ [

﴿ ‫ازا ۝ َحدَ ائ َِق َوأَعْ َنابًا‬ َ ‫ ﴾ إِنَّ ل ِْل ُم َّتق‬.i

ً ‫ِني َم َف‬
“Surely for those who have Taqwa is success, Gardens and vineyards.” (78: 31-32)

ۚ ‫اع إِ َل ْي ِه َس ِبياًل‬ ِ ‫ َوهَّلِل ِ َع َلى ال َّن‬.﴾ .iiۚ ‫ات َّم َقا ُم إِب َْراهِي َم‬
ِ ‫اس ِح ُّج ْٱل َب ْي‬
َ ‫ت َم ِن اسْ َت َط‬ ٌ ‫ان آ ِم ًنا ﴿فِي ِه آ َي‬
ٌ ‫ات َب ِّي َن‬ َ ‫دَخ َل ُه َك‬
َ ‫َو َمن‬
“In it are clear signs [such as] the standing place of Ibrā hīm. And whoever enters it shall be safe. And to
Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way….” (3:97)

} ‫اغ َك َق ْب َل‬
َ ‫ناك َق ْب َل َف َق ِر َك َو َف َر‬ َ ‫ِك َو صِ حَّ َت َك َق ْب َل َس َقم‬
َ ِ‫ِك َو غ‬ ٍ ْ‫ا ِْغ َت ِن ْم َخمْ سا ً َق ْب َل َخم‬
َ ‫س َشبا َب َك َق ْب َل َه َرم‬
ُ .iii ‫ِك‬
‫ش ْغل َِك‬ َ ‫{ َو َحيا َت َك َق ْب َل َم ْوت‬
“Take advantage of five (things) before five (things); your youth before your old age, and your health before
your sickness, and your wealth before your poverty, and your free time before your occupation, and your
life before your death.” (Baihaqhi) 65

} َ ‫ َح َّد َث َنا أَبُو َخالِ ٍد َيعْ نِي ُس َل ْي َم‬، ُّ‫ْن ُن َمي ٍْر ْال َهمْ دَ انِي‬
)‫ان ب َْن‬ ِ ‫حديث مرفوع( َح َّد َث َنا م َُح َّم ُد بْنُ َع ْب ِد هَّللا ِ ب‬
َ ‫ َحي‬.iv ‫صلَّى‬
‫َّان‬ َ ِّ‫ َع ِن ال َّن ِبي‬، ‫ْن ُع َم َر‬ ِ ‫ َع ِن اب‬، ‫ْن ُع َبيْدَ َة‬ ِ ‫ َعنْ َسعْ ِد ب‬، ِّ‫ َعنْ أَ ِبي َمالِكٍ اأ َل ْش َجعِي‬، ‫اأ َلحْ َم َر‬
َّ ‫ َوإِي َتا ِء‬، ‫صاَل ِة‬
، ‫الز َكا ِة‬ َّ ‫ َوإِ َق ِام ال‬، ُ ‫ َعلَى أَنْ ي َُوحَّ َد هَّللا‬، ‫ " ُبن َِي اإلِسْ اَل ُم َعلَى َخ ْم َس ٍة‬: ‫{ َقا َل‬، ‫هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬
، ‫ َو ْال َح ِّج‬، ‫ان‬
َ ‫ض‬َ ‫ ال صِ َي ِام َر َم‬: ‫ان ؟ َقا َل‬
َ ‫ض‬َ ‫ َوصِ َي ِام َر َم‬، ‫ ْال َح ِّج‬: ‫ َف َقا َل َر ُج ٌل‬، " ‫ َو ْال َح ِّج‬، ‫ان‬ َ ‫ض‬ َ ‫َوصِ َي ِام َر َم‬
‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬
َ ِ ‫ُول هَّللا‬
ِ ‫ َه َك َذا َسمِعْ ُت ُه مِنْ َرس‬.
“Narrated to us by Muḥ ammad son of Abdullah, son of Numair Al-Ḥ amdā ni, narrated to us by Abu Khā lid Ya’ni
Sulaymā n, son of Hayyā n al Aḥ mar, from Abi Mā lik al-Ashkha’ī, from Sa’d son of Ubaidah, Upon Ibn U‛mar, from the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, He said: Islā m is built on five (pillars): that Allah is One, and
performing the prayer, and giving the Zakā t, and the fasting of Ramaḍ ā n, and the Ḥ ajj, then
a man said: the Ḥ ajj, and the Fasting of Ramaḍ ā n, like this I heard it from the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah are upon him.” (Muslim)66

[‫ ]إسناده ضعيف وحيسن إذا توبع‬Ḥ asan is Ḥ adith]. ‫ ]شعب اإلميان للبيهقي‬in 9575 # Ḥ adith 65
66
Sā hih Muslim, Ḥ adith #22; in [‫تابك‬
ِ ‫اإلميان‬.[

132
Lesson 9: The Followers [‫ التوابع‬,[the Derived Nouns [‫ ّةاملشتق األمساء‬,[and the Verb [َّ‫[ َنظ‬

v. ۚ﴿ ‫س ٱلَّتِي َحرَّ َم ٱهَّلل ُ إِاَّل ِب ْٱل َح ِّق َواَل‬

َ ‫ون ٱل َّن ْف‬ َ ‫ُون َم َع ٱهَّلل ِ إِ ٰ َلهًا‬
َ ُ‫آخ َر َواَل َي ْق ُتل‬ َ ‫َوٱلَّذ‬
َ ‫ِين اَل َي ْدع‬

‫ف َل ُه ٱ ْل َع َذابُ َي ْو َم ْٱلقِ َيا َم ِة َو َي ْخلُ ْد فِي ِه ُم َها ًنا‬

ْ ‫اع‬ َ ‫ون َو َمن َي ْف َع ْل ٰ َذل َِك َي ْل َق أَ َثامًا ۝ ي‬
َ ‫ُض‬ َ ‫َي ْز ُن‬
﴾
 “And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right,
and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. Multiplied for him
is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated”. (25:68-69)

﴿ َ ‫ُون ۝ أَ َم َّد ُكم ِبأ َ ْن َع ٍام َو َبن‬

‫ِني‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َوٱ َّتقُوا ٱلَّذِي أَ َم َّد ُكم ِب َما َتعْ َلم‬.vi
“In it are clear signs [such as] the standing place of Ibrā hīm. And whoever enters it shall be safe. And to Allah from
the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way….” (3:97)

The following examples of Replacers have been extracted from the Qur’ā n and Ḥ adīth. In example (i) [ ‫َب َد ُل‬
ً ‫ ] َم َف‬word the replaces] ‫ ] َحدَائ َِق‬word the,
‫ ]ال َّشيْ ِء مِن ال َّشيْ ء‬the represents and], ‫ازا‬
page preceding the on67.

The word [‫[ اًا َب ْن َعأ‬follows the Replacer functionally, but is more specifically a [a‫[ طو ْف َعم‬because of the [‫ و‬.[In

example (ii), the Replacer [ْ‫[ َنم‬is from the [ِّ‫لَ َدب‬ ‫ لُ ْكا َل ن ِِم ضْ َعبْا ُل‬,[since it represents a part from the whole. In
the Ḥ adīth example (iii), the Replacers again represent parts from the whole. You see that each have the . [
‫ ] ُمبْدَ ل ِم ْن ُه‬the], ً ‫ ] َخمْسا‬as rā b‛I same
In example (iv), the entire Ḥ adīth has been quoted with Isnā d68 to show that within any given Isnā d,
Replacers are usually seen. If you focus on the Isnā d in brackets you will find many different Replacers.
word the], ِ ‫ ] َح َّد َث َنا م َُح َّم ُد بْنُ َع ْب ِد هَّللا ِ ب‬in example For. rā b‛I the with nouns at looking is key The
ُّ‫ْن ُن َمي ٍْر ْال َهمْدَانِي‬
son of Abdullah, is replacer of the name Muḥ ammad. The word [ٍ‫ْنب‬ ‫[ رْ َيم ُِن‬is Replacer for Abdullah, not
Muḥ ammad, since it is Jarr like Abdullah. The word [ُّ‫[ ِيا َن ْد َمهْال‬is replacer for Muḥ ammad since it is Raf‛, not

َ ‫ ]األَ ْش‬name the],

[ ِّ‫جعِي‬ ِّ‫ ] َعنْ أَ ِبي َمالِكٍ األَ ْش َجعِي‬In. Jarr70 is a replacer for Abi Mā lik, both being Jarr.
Examples (v) and (vi) show that Replacers can sometimes occur with verbs and sentences, even though
they typically are used for nouns.71 Please note that in (v), [َ‫[ ْقلَي‬the verb in Jazm and response statement is

the [ُ‫لَ ْد ُبم‬

‫[ هْ نِم‬for the Replacer [ْ‫ضي‬ َ ‫ َف‬,[which follows it in I‛rā b and as a [‫ ْطرَّ الشُ وا َبج‬.[In (vi), the
ُ ‫اع‬
sentence .sentence underlined the for Replacer a is] ‫ِني‬ aَ ‫]أَ َم َّد ُكم ِبأ َ ْن َع ٍام َو َبن‬

[‫ ]اإلعراب للمفصّل كتاب اهلل املر ّتل‬67

68
Ḥ adith is composed of two things: Matn [‫[ )ن َتم‬text) and Isnā d [‫ نادْ سِ إ‬.[Isnā d (or Sanad) is the chronological transmission of
narrators of the respective Ḥ adith of a specific Matn.
70
The word [ِّ‫[ ِيعَ جْ َشاأل‬carries the definite article, is a title or Kunya (nickname) given for the narrator Abu Malik, in this case.
71
Section on [‫[ البدل‬from website on Arabic grammar <http://www.reefnet.gov.sy/education/kafaf/Bohoth>.

133
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

[ ِ ‫ ]ال َّت ْوكيد لِل َّت‬Emphasis of Nouns. D

‫وابع‬
These nouns are similar in function to the Particles of Tawkīd, which also cause emphasis. Essentially,
these nouns repeat something being stated, either literally, or in meaning. The act of repetition functions in
emphasis. For example, in the following sentences, the highlighted nouns function in emphasis by literal : [
‫د الَّ ْفظِ ي‬aُ ‫ ]ال َّت ْوكِي‬repetition

َ
‫ ] ! جا َء َز ْي ٌد‬.i
! Zaid, came Zaid] “‫ز ْي ٌد‬

!begun has prayer The! begun has prayer The] ‫ت الصَّال ُة‬ ِ ‫ت الصَّال ُة ! َق ْد قا َم‬
ِ ‫ ] ! َق ْد قا َم‬.ii Another example
of [‫يد ِْكوَّ الت‬ ‫[ ِي ْظ َّفا ُل‬is found in Qur’ā nic example (iii) in Sū rah Sharḥ on the end of this page.

There are other nouns that function in repetition, functionally [‫ي ِد ْك َّوالت‬ a‫ ِي َو ْن َعمْ ال‬,[not literally, and are in the
َ ‫ أَب‬/ ‫ أَ ْك َت ُع‬/ ‫ أَجْ َم ُع‬/ ‫ ُك ُّل‬/ ُ‫ اَ ْل َعيْن‬/‫ ]اَل َّن ْفس‬:are and Followers of category
used are bold in are that nouns The ]. ‫ْص ُع‬
more frequently. An example of emphasis through functional repetition is seen in the following examples:

.them of all, class the to came students The] ‫ُکلُّهُم‬ ‫ُون إِىل ْال َفصْ ِل‬ َّ ‫ ]جا َء‬.iii
َ ‫الطالِب‬
.myself that did I] ‫َن ْفسي‬ ‫ت ٰذل َِك‬
ُ ‫ ] َف َع ْل‬.iv

.(iii (of exception with below shown are] ‫ْال َمعْ َن ِوي‬ ‫ ]ال َّت ْوكِيد‬of examples Other

[ ِ ‫ ]ال َّت ْوكيد لِل َّت‬Emphasis of Nouns of Examples ānic’Qur

‫وابع‬

﴿ َ ‫اس أَجْ َمع‬

‫ِني‬ َ ‫ِين َك َفرُوا َو َما ُتوا َو ُه ْم ُك َّفا ٌر أُو ٰ َلئ‬
ِ ‫ِك َع َلي ِْه ْم َلعْ َن ُة ٱهَّلل ِ َو ْٱل َماَل ِئ َك ِة َوٱل َّن‬ َ ‫ ﴾ إِنَّ ٱلَّذ‬.i
“Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allah and
of the angels and the people, all together.” (2:161)

﴿ َ ‫ ﴾ َف َس َجدَ ا ْل َماَل ِئ َك ُة ُكلُّ ُه ْم أَجْ َمع‬.ii

‫ُون‬
“So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely.” (15:30)

﴿ ‫ ﴾ َفإِنَّ َم َع ْٱلعُسْ ِر يُسْ رً ا ۝ إِنَّ َم َع ْٱلعُسْ ِر يُسْ رً ا‬.iii

“Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allah and
of the angels and the people, all together.” (94:5-6)

﴿ ‫ُك ْٱل َج َّن َة‬ َ َ‫ ﴾ َوقُ ْل َنا َيا آدَ ُم ٱسْ ُكنْ أ‬.iv
َ ‫نت َو َز ْوج‬
“And We said, "Oh Ā dam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise...” (2:35)

134
Lesson 9: The Followers [‫ التوابع‬,[the Derived Nouns [‫ ّةاملشتق األمساء‬,[and the Verb [َّ‫[ َنظ‬

[ ‫ ]اَأ َلسْ ما ُء املُ ْش َت َّق ُة‬Nouns Derived. II

ُ ‫[ َق ْت‬are “Derived” nouns in that they in one way or another relate to an
These nouns termed [ّa‫شم‬

action. They all are thus “action nouns”. The one major category of words that harbor the meaning of a

verb that are excluded from [ُ ‫ماءْسأاَل‬

َ ُ ‫[ َّة َق ْت‬are Maṣdars. This is because they are functionally
‫ل‬aُ ‫شام‬
infinitive
 verbs. The table details the different types of Derived Nouns. Altogether, there are eight classes of . [ ‫اِسْ م‬
َّ ‫ اِسْ م‬/ ‫ اِسْ م ْال َم ْفعول‬/ ‫ ]الفاعِ ل‬:depth in
a‫الظرْ ف‬
discussed already have we which of three,
nouns

[ ‫ ]اَأ َلسْ ما ُء املُ ْش َت َّق ُة‬Nouns Derived: 57 Table

‫يغة املعىن اسم ُم ْش َت ّق‬

َ ِ‫ص‬

‫اِل لفا ُع مْ سِ ا‬ Indicates the person or being from which

an action emanates from
‫فاعِ ٌل‬

‫ِاسْ ُم ام َل ْفعُول‬ occurs action an which on entity ‫َم ْفعو ٌل‬

The

َّ ‫ِاسْ ُم‬
‫الظرْ ف‬ Derived noun that indicates the time or ‫َم ْف ِع ٌل‬
place of an action; this is identical to [
a‫[ مكا ْنا ُل ْف َرظ‬
‫َم ْف َع ٌل‬
and [‫ز ظرف‬ ُ ‫ ما َّنال‬.[It typically has two
scales:

‫ص َفة ْال ُم َش َّب َهة‬

ِّ ‫ال‬ Adjective Derived /ٌ‫ َفعُول‬/ٌ‫فُعال‬/ٌ‫ َفعْ ل‬/ٌ‫أَ ْف َعل‬/ ُ‫ َفعْ الن‬/ٌ‫َف َعل‬
‫َفعِي ٌل‬
‫ِاسْ ُم ال َّت ْفضِ يل‬ Noun Derived Comparative ‫فُعْ َلى‬
‫أَ ْف َع ُل‬
‫صِ َغ ُة املُبا َل َغة‬ Noun Derived Intensive ‫ فُعُّول‬/ ‫ َفعُو ٌل‬/ٌ‫ ِم ْفعال‬/ٌ‫َفعَّال‬
‫ ُف َع َل ٌة‬/ٌ‫ فِعِّيل‬/ٌ‫َف ِعل‬

‫ِاسْ ُم اآَْل َلة‬ .action an of Instrument ‫ ِم ْفعا ٌل‬/ٌ‫ ِم ْف َعل‬/‫ِم ْف َع َل ٌة‬

135
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

[ ‫ص َفة ْال ُم َش َّب َهة‬

ِّ ‫ ]ال‬Adjective Derived The. A
This category represents words which essentially pure adjectives in meaning, and are derived from
intransitive verbs. The [‫َة ِّفالص‬ ُ ‫[ َة َّه َب‬is different from the Doer noun [‫[ الفاع ُل مْسِ ا‬in that it is more
‫شمْ ال‬

permanent, and is a fixed attribute.72 There are several stem patterns of [‫َة ِّفالص‬ ُ ‫ َة َّه َب‬,[the most common
‫ش ْمال‬

is the stem [ٌ‫ يل َِعف‬.[There is a loose relationship between the specific stems and the specific verbs that they

are

derived from, but this will not be covered.73 Please also note that some of the stem patterns of the Derived
Adjectives are the same which many verbal nouns have, but these are not synonymous. 74
 َ ‫ْال ُم َش َّب‬
[ ‫هة‬ ‫ص َفة‬
ِّ ‫ ]ال‬Adjective Derived The: 58A Table

Stem ‫ثالِم‬ Qur’ānic Examples75

‫َعلي ٌم‬ ﴿ ‫﴾ َفاَل َتقُ ْل َل ُه َما أُفٍّ َواَل َت ْن َهرْ ُه َما َوقُ ْل َل ُه َما َق ْواًل َك ِرميًا‬
‫َفعِي ٌل‬ “Surely for those who have Taqwa is success, Gardens and vineyards.” (17:23)

﴿... ‫ضا َح َس ًنا أَل ُ َك ِّف َرنَّ َع ْن ُك ْم َس ِّي َئا ِت ُك ْم‬

ً ْ‫ َوأَ ْق َرضْ ُت ُم هَّللا َ َقر‬...﴾
ٌ ‫َو َس‬
‫ط‬ “…and loan Allah a goodly loan, I will surely remove from you your misdeeds…” (5:12)
‫َف َع ٌل‬
‫َعجُو‬ ﴿... ‫ض ٍة َو َس َقا ُه ْم َر ُّب ُه ْم َش َرابًا َطهُورً ا‬ ِ ‫﴾ َو ُحلُّوا أَ َس‬
َّ ِ‫او َر مِن ف‬
‫ٌز‬ “…And they will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a
‫َفعو ٌل‬ purifying drink.” (76:21)

ُ
‫شجا‬ ﴿ ‫ات َسا ِئ ٌغ َش َرا ُب ُه َو ٰ َه َذا م ِْل ٌح أ ُ َجا ٌج‬
ٌ ‫ان ٰ َه َذا َع ْذبٌ فُ َر‬
ِ ‫ َو َما َيسْ َت ِوي ْٱل َبحْ َر‬... ﴾
‫ٌع‬ “And not alike are the two bodies of water. One is fresh and sweet, palatable for drinking,
‫فُعا ٌل‬ and one is salty and bitter....” (35:12)

‫أَسْ َو ٌد‬ ﴿ َ ‫﴾ ٱلَّذِي َج َع َل َل ُكم م َِّن ٱل َّش َج ِر ٱأْل َ ْخ‬

َ ‫ض ِر َنارً ا َفإِ َذا أَن ُتم ِّم ْن ُه ُتوقِ ُد‬
‫ون‬
‫أَ ْف َع ٌل‬ “[It is] He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and then from it you ignite.” (36:80)

ُ‫َكسْ الن‬ ۚ ‫ان أَسِ ًفا‬

َ ‫ ﴾﴿ َف َر َج َع مُو َس ٰى إِ َل ٰى َق ْو ِم ِه غَضْ َب‬...‫َقا َل َيا َق ْو ِم أَ َل ْم َيع ِْد ُك ْم َر ُّب ُك ْم َوعْ ًدا َح َس ًنا‬
ُ‫َفعْ الن‬ “So Mū sa returned to his people, angry and grieved. He said, "Oh my people, did your Lord
not make you a good promise?...” (20:86)

72
Arabic Tutor, Volume 4, pg. 362.
73
Please refer to the comprehensive Grammar website of <www.drmosad.com> on section of [‫شمْ ال َة ِّفالص‬ ُ ‫[ َة َّه َب‬for further details
on these patterns and their relationships.
74
The Derived Adjectives can be found on the pattern of [‫[ ْلعَ ف‬or [‫ ْلعُف‬,[but verbal nouns often take these two patterns. This does
not mean that the classes of words are interchangeable; they are not. In fact, finding a verbal noun with a shared patte rn is the
more common scenario since every verb technically has a verbal noun that comes with it.
75
Many of the examples of the Derived Adjectives were obtained from <www.drmosad.com> on section of [‫شمْ ال َة ِّفالص‬
ُ ‫ َة َّه َب‬.[

136
Lesson 9: The Followers [‫ التوابع‬,[the Derived Nouns [‫ ّةاملشتق األمساء‬,[and the Verb [َّ‫[ َنظ‬

َ ‫ْال ُم َش َّب‬
[ ‫هة‬ ‫ص َفة‬
ِّ ‫ ]ال‬Adjective Derived The: 58B Table
Stem ‫ثالِم‬ Qur’ānic Examples75

‫أَشِ ٌر‬ ﴿ ‫َّن ْٱل َك َّذابُ ٱأْل َشِ ُر‬ َ ‫﴾ َس َيعْ َلم‬
ِ ‫ُون َغ ًدا م‬
‫َف ِع ٌل‬ “They will know tomorrow who is the insolent liar.” (54:26)
 ْ‫صع‬
َ ﴿ ‫ِين‬
َ ‫ٱلزا ِهد‬ ٍ ‫﴾ َو َش َر ْوهُ ِب َث َم ٍن َب ْخ‬
َّ ‫س دَ َرا ِه َم َمعْ ُدودَ ٍة َو َكا ُنوا فِي ِه م َِن‬
ٌ‫ب‬ “And they sold him for a reduced price - a few dirhams - and they were, concerning him, of
‫َفعْ ٌل‬ those content with little..” (12:20)

‫ُن ْكر‬ ﴿... ‫ت َش ْي ًئا ُّن ْكرً ا‬ َ ‫﴾ َقا َل أَ َق َت ْل‬

ٍ ‫ت َن ْف ًسا َز ِكي ًَّة ِب َغي ِْر َن ْف‬
َ ‫س لَّ َق ْد ِج ْئ‬
‫فُعْ ٌل‬ “…[Mū sa] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than a soul? You have certainly done a
deplorable thing."” (18:74)

ٌ ‫فُر‬
‫ُط‬
‫فُ ُع ٌل‬ ۚ ‫ْن إِحْ َسا ًنا َو ِبذِي ْٱلقُرْ َب ٰى َو ْٱل َي َتا َم ٰى َو ْٱل َم َساكِنيِ﴿ َوٱعْ ُب ُدوا ٱهَّلل َ َواَل ُت ْش ِر ُكوا‬
ِ ‫َو ِب ْٱل َوالِ َدي‬
‫ِب ِه َش ْي ًئا‬
ْ ‫يل َو َما َم َل َك‬
‫ت‬ ِ ‫ْن ٱلس َِّب‬ ِ ‫ب ِب ْٱل َجن‬
ِ ‫ب َوٱب‬ ِ ‫ب َوٱلصَّا ِح‬ ِ ‫ار ْٱل ُج ُن‬
ِ ‫ار ذِي ْٱلقُرْ َب ٰى َو ْٱل َج‬
ِ ‫َو ْٱل َج‬
‫أَ ْي َما ُن ُك ْم‬...﴾
“Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives,
orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your
side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess...” (4:36)

ْ‫ضِ ع‬ ﴿ ِ ‫﴾ َقالُوا َر َّب َنا َمن َق َّد َم َل َنا ٰ َه َذا َف ِز ْدهُ َع َذابًا ضِ عْ ًفا فِي ال َّن‬
‫ار‬
ٌ‫ف‬ “They will say, "Our Lord, whoever brought this upon us - increase for him double
punishment in the Fire.".” (38:61)
‫فِعْ ٌل‬

[ ‫ ] ِاسْ ُم ال َّت ْفضِ يل‬Noun Derived Comparative The. B

This category indicates an excess of a certain quality in one thing comparison to another thing. The scale of
[ُ‫[ لَعْ َفأ‬is used with these nouns and does not take Tanwīn (it is partially flexible). However, the

ُ ‫[ يلِضْ َّف‬can vary depending on gender and/or plurality. The Comparative noun is used
conjugation of [‫الت مْ سِ ا‬
in two instances when comparing two things, either with the particle [ْ‫ ِنم‬,[or in a Possession Construction .
[‫]إِضا َفة‬

The rules for conjugation of [‫مْ سِ ا‬ ُ ‫[ يلِضْ َّف‬are as follows:

‫الت‬
1. If the particle [ْ‫[ ِنم‬is used to denote the comparison, then [ُ‫[ لَعْ َفأ‬is always used despite gender or
plurality.
2. In an [a‫[ َةضافِإ‬with the [‫مْسِ ا‬ ُ ‫[ يلِضْ َّف‬is a Muḍ ā f, then either [ُ‫[ لَعْ َفأ‬can be used or its conjugated noun
‫الت‬
form based on Table 59.
3. If (1) and (2) do not apply, then the [‫مْسِ ا‬ ُ ‫[ يلِضْ َّف‬is conjugated based on its gender and plurality.
‫الت‬

75
Many of the examples of the Derived Adjectives were obtained from <www.drmosad.com> on section of [‫شمْ ال َة ِّفالص‬
ُ ‫ َة َّه َب‬.[

137
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic
 For example, when making a statement about Zaid having more knowledge than the people, two different
types of sentences can be used:
ِ ‫ال َّن‬
“.people the than knowledgeable more is Aḥ med] “‫اس‬ ‫ ]أَحْ َم ُد أَعْ َل ُم م َِن‬.i
ِ ‫ ]أَحْ َم ُد أَعْ َل ُم ال َّن‬.ii
“.people the of knowledgeable most the is Aḥ med] “‫اس‬
If a general statement is to be made about Aḥ med and knowledge, then the following can be
stated: .“learned most the, Aḥ med] “‫ ]أَحْ َم ُد اأ َلعْ َل ُم‬.iii

Look at the following examples of how the [‫مْسِ ا‬ ُ ‫[ يلِضْ َّف‬can be conjugated.
‫الت‬
َ ‫َ ْك َبر‬
“messengers greatest The]“‫ُون‬ ‫]الرُّ ُس ُل اأْل‬/[‫كاب ُر‬َ
ِ ‫]الرُّ ُس ُل اأْل‬/[‫ ]الرُّ ُس ُل ال ُكب َْرى‬.iv
“.town the of) women (righteous most two The] “‫ال َقرْ َي ِة‬ ْ ‫ ]ص ُْل َحيا‬.v
“.city the of knowledgeable most the are women These ] “‫ال َمدِي َن ِة‬ ْ ‫يات‬ُ ‫ ] ٰهؤُ ال ِء ال ِّنسا ُء ع ُْل َم‬.vi
[ ‫ ] ِاسْ ُم ال َّت ْفضِ يل‬of Conjugation: 59 Table

‫ُم ْف َرد ُم َث َّنى َجمع‬

َ ُ‫ أَ ْف َعل‬/ُ‫الن أَفاعِ ل‬
‫ون‬ ِ ‫أَ ْف َع ُل أَ ْف َع‬ ‫املُ َذ َّك‬
‫ر‬
ٌ ‫ فُعْ َل‬a/‫يان فُ َع ٌل‬
‫يات‬ َ ‫ أَ ْك َبر‬/ُ‫كابر‬
ِ ‫ُون فُعْ لي فُعْ َل‬ ِ َ‫ران أ‬
ِ ‫أَ ْك َب ُر أَ ْك َب‬ ‫املِثل‬

‫املُ َؤ َّن‬
‫ث‬

‫ ُك َب ٌر‬/‫يات‬
ٌ ‫يان ُكب َْر‬
ِ ‫ُكب َْري ُكب َْر‬ ‫املِثل‬

[ ‫ ] ِاسْ ُم ال َّت ْفضِ يل‬of Examples ānic’Qur

﴿ ِ ‫ ﴾ َل َق ْد َرأَ ٰى ِمنْ آ َيا‬.i
‫ت َر ِّب ِه ْٱل ُكب َْر ٰى‬
“He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord..” (53:18)

ٰ
َ ‫ُون إِاَّل ِبأَنفُسِ ِه ْم َو َما َي ْش ُعر‬
ۚ ‫ُون‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َو َما َي ْم ُكر‬.ii﴿ ‫ك َج َع ْل َنا فِي ُك ِّل َقرْ َي ٍة أَ َك ِاب َر مُجْ ِرمِي َها لِ َي ْم ُكرُوا فِي َها‬
َ ِ‫َو َك َذل‬
“And thus We have placed within every city the greatest of its criminals to conspire therein. But they conspire
not except against themselves, and they perceive not..” (6:123)

ۚ َ ‫ك َف َقالُوا أَ ِر َنا ٱهَّلل‬ ٰ

َ ِ‫ َف َق ْد َسأَلُوا مُو َس ٰى أَ ْك َب َر مِن َذل‬.iii﴿ ‫ب أَن ُت َن ِّز َل َع َلي ِْه ْم ِك َتابًا م َِّن‬
ِ ‫ك أَهْ ُل ْٱل ِك َتا‬
َ ُ‫َيسْ أَل‬

ُ ‫﴾ ٱل َّس َما ِء َجه َْر ًة َفأ َ َخ َذ ْت ُه ُم ٱلصَّاعِ َق ُة ِب‬

‫ظ ْلم ِِه ْم‬
“The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. But they had asked of
Mū sa [even] greater than that and said, "Show us Allah outright,"...” (4:153)
 138
Lesson 9: The Followers [‫ التوابع‬,[the Derived Nouns [‫ ّةاملشتق األمساء‬,[and the Verb [َّ‫[ َنظ‬

﴿... ٍ ‫ض َواَل أَصْ َغ ُر مِن ٰ َذل َِك َواَل أَ ْك َب ُر إِاَّل فِي ِك َتا‬
‫ب‬ ِ ْ‫ت َواَل فِي ٱأْل َر‬
ِ ‫اَل َيعْ ُزبُ َع ْن ُه م ِْث َقا ُل َذرَّ ٍة فِي ٱل َّس َم َاوا‬
ٍ‫ ﴾ م ُِّبني‬.iv “…Not absent from Him is an atom's weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is]
smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register.” (34:3)

﴿ َ ‫صاَل ِة ْٱلوُ سْ َط ٰى َوقُومُوا هَّلِل ِ َقا ِنت‬

‫ِني‬ ِ ‫ص َل َوا‬
َّ ‫ت َوٱل‬ ُ ‫ ﴾ َحاف‬.v
َّ ‫ِظوا َع َلى ٱل‬
“Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly
obedient.” (2:238)

ۚ ‫ب مِّنْ عِ ن ِد ِه أَ ْو‬
ٍ ‫ َو َنحْ نُ َن َت َربَّصُ ِب ُك ْم أَن يُصِ ي َب ُك ُم ٱهَّلل ُ ِب َع َذا‬.vi﴿ ۚ ‫ْن‬
ِ ‫ُون ِب َنا إِاَّل إِحْ دَى ْٱلحُسْ َن َيي‬
َ ‫قُ ْل َه ْل َت َر َّبص‬

‫ُون ﴾ ِبأ َ ْيدِي َنا‬

َ ‫َف َت َر َّبصُوا إِ َّنا َم َع ُكم ُّم َت َر ِّبص‬
“Say, "Do you await for us except one of the two best things while we await for you that Allah will afflict you
with punishment from Himself or at our hands? So wait; indeed we, along with you, are waiting. .” (9:52)

[ ‫ ]صِ َغ ُة املُبا َل َغة‬Noun Derived Intensive The. C

This derivative called [‫َةغِ ص‬ ‫[ َة َغبااُل م ُل‬indicates excess, or intensive meaning of an action. Here, the excess
meaning is limited to itself without taking others into consideration unlike [‫الت مْسِ ا‬ ُ ‫ يلِضْ َّف‬.[
[‫املُبالَ َغة‬ ‫ ]صِ َغ ُة‬Noun Derived Intensive: 60 Table

Stem ] ‫صِ َغ ُة‬ Examples ānic’Qur

‫]املُبالَ َغة‬

ٌ‫َك َّذاب‬ ﴿ ُ ‫﴾ َفقُ ْل‬

َ ‫ت ٱسْ َت ْغ ِفرُوا َر َّب ُك ْم إِ َّن ُه َك‬
‫ان َغ َّفارً ا‬
‫َفعَّا ٌل‬ “And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver.” (71: 10)

﴿ ‫﴾ يُرْ سِ ِل ٱل َّس َما َء َع َل ْي ُكم م ِّْد َرارً ا‬

‫م ِْدرا ٌر‬ “He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers” (71: 11)
‫ِم ْفعا ٌل‬
‫َغفُو ٌر‬ ﴿ ‫ف أَسْ َت ْغفِ ُر َل ُك ْم َربِّي إِ َّن ُه ه َُو ْٱل َغفُو ُر ٱلرَّ حِي ُم‬
َ ‫﴾ َقا َل َس ْو‬
‫َفعُو ٌل‬ “And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness.” (12:98)

ٌ‫قُدُّوس‬ ﴿ ُ ِ‫ه َُو ٱهَّلل ُ ٱلَّذِي اَل إِ ٰ َل َه إِاَّل ه َُو ْٱل َمل‬... ﴾
ُ‫ك ْٱلقُ ُّدوس‬
‫فُعُّو ٌل‬ “He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure...” (59:23)

ٌ‫ُه َم َزة‬ ﴿ ‫﴾ َو ْي ٌل لِّ ُك ِّل ُه َم َز ٍة لُّ َم َز ٍة‬

‫فُ َع َل ٌة‬ “He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure...” (104:1)

ٌ ‫صِ ِّد‬
‫يق‬ ﴿ ٌ‫ان َيأْ ُكلُهُنَّ َس ْب ٌع عِ َجاف‬
ٍ ‫ت سِ َم‬ ٍ ‫يق أَ ْف ِت َنا فِي َسب ِْع َب َق َرا‬ ِّ ‫يُوسُفُ أَ ُّي َها ٱل‬
ُ ‫ص ِّد‬
‫فِعِّي ٌل‬ ٍ ‫ت ُخضْ ٍر َوأ ُ َخ َر َي ِاب َسا‬
‫ت‬ ٍ ‫ َو َسب ِْع سُن ُباَل‬... ﴾
“[He said], "Yū suf, Oh man of truth, explain to us about seven fat cows eaten by seven
[that were] lean, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry...” (12:46)
 ‫ِمسْ كِن ٌي‬ ٰ
‫ِم ْفعي ٌل‬ ﴾...ۚۚ ‫يل‬
ِ ‫ِني َوٱب َْن ٱلس َِّب‬ ِ ‫ون َوجْ َه ٱهَّلل ِ ﴿ َفآ‬
َ ‫ت َذا ْٱلقُرْ َب ٰى َح َّق ُه َو ْٱل ِمسْ ك‬ َ ‫ك َخ ْي ٌر لِّلَّذ‬
َ ‫ِين ي ُِري ُد‬ َ ِ‫َذل‬
“So give the relative his right, as well as the needy and the traveler. That is best for those who
desire the countenance of Allah ...” (30:38)

139
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

[ ‫ ] ِاسْ ُم اآَْل َلة‬Action an of Instrument. D

This derived noun is the instrument or vehicle that allows for an action to occur. For example, something
ْ ,[which is a “key”.
that allows for the action of “opening” is called [‫تاخفِم‬
ْ ] ,[‫ َةلَعْ فِ ٌم‬,[and [ٌ‫ لَعْ فِم‬,[each of which begins with a [ِ‫[ م‬followed by Sukū n.
It has three scales [ٌ‫عالفِم‬

[ ‫ ] ِاسْ ُم اآَْل َلة‬of ānicExamples’Qur

ۚ ‫ َوأَ َخ ْذ َنا ِم ْنهُم مِّي َثا ًقا‬.i﴿ ‫ْن‬ َ ‫َوإِ ْذ أَ َخ ْذ َنا م َِن ٱل َّن ِبي‬
َ ‫ِّني مِي َثا َق ُه ْم َومِن‬
ٍ ‫ك َومِن ُّن‬
ِ ‫وح َوإِب َْراهِي َم َومُو َس ٰى َوعِ ي َسى ٱب‬

ً ‫﴾ َمرْ َيم َغل‬

‫ِيظا‬ َ
“And remember, when We took from the prophets their covenant and from you and from Nū ḥ and Ibrā hīm
ْ [
and Mū sa and Īsa, the son of Maryam; and We took from them a solemn covenant..” (33:7) [ ٌ‫عالفِم‬

ۚ ‫ان‬
َ ‫ِيز‬ ُ ‫َقا َل َيا َق ْو ِم ٱعْ ُب ُدوا ٱهَّلل َ َما َل ُكم مِّنْ إِ ٰ َل ٍه َغ ْي ُرهُ ﴿ َوإِ َل ٰى َم ْد َي َن أَ َخا ُه ْم‬
َ ‫ َواَل َتنقُصُوا ْٱل ِم ْك َيا َل َو ْٱلم‬.. ﴾ .iiۚ‫ش َع ْيبًا‬
“And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "Oh my people, worship Allah; you have no deity
ْ [
other than Him. And do not decrease from the measure and the scale….” (11:84) [ ٌ‫عالفِم‬

﴿ ِ ْ‫ت َوٱأْل َر‬

‫ض‬ ِ ‫اث ٱل َّس َم َاوا‬ ِ ‫ َو َما َل ُك ْم أَاَّل ُتنفِقُوا فِي َس ِب‬... ﴾ .iii
ُ ‫يل ٱهَّلل ِ َوهَّلِل ِ مِر َي‬
“And why do you not spend in the cause of Allah while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the
ْ [
earth?...” (57:10) [ٌ‫عالفِم‬

[ ‫ ] َظنَّ َو أَ َخوا ُتها‬Objects Direct Two taking Verbs. III

ْ
These verbs take two direct objects [‫عوال َفم‬ ‫ هِب‬.[The sequence of the two direct objects is important in
obtaining the right meaning. The meaning of [َّ‫[ َنظ‬is think something is so and so. Most of these verbs are
similar to [َّ‫[ َنظ‬in meaning in this way. We have already studied some of these verbs, however the context
was from the use of a single direct object (e.g. َ‫ ِملَع‬/‫َج َو‬
َ ‫د‬/‫ لَ َع َج‬.(But depending on how these verbs are used, it
َ ‫هاُوا َت‬.[
can take on a function similar to [َّ‫ َنظ‬.[These verbs that act like [َّ‫[ َنظ‬are termed its sisters [‫خأ‬
Let us look at a couple of examples to see how two Direct Objects can be used in a Verbal Sentence. The
sentence “Zaid saw the man as knowledgeable” can be written as follows: [‫ر ْد َيز َىأَر‬
ٌ ‫ ماِالَ َع لُجَّ ال‬.[ ً However,
َ‫ ماِا َل ٌع ْد َيز َىأَر‬,[because the meaning would be distorted, and so would its
it cannot be written as [‫ً لُجَّ الر‬
syntax (Zaid thought a knowledgeable person as the man). In the correct sentence, the word [َ‫[ لُجَّ الر‬is the
ْ ‫ لَّ َو ِأ هِب‬.[The second Direct Object is [ً‫[ ماِعال‬and is termed [‫عول َفم‬
first Direct Object termed [‫عول َفم‬ ْ ‫ثاين هِب‬ِ
َ ْ
.[These [ِ‫[ هِب عولفم‬are related in that the second direct object is providing some information about the first
Direct Object.76
76
The first Direct object acts as the subject [‫ أَدَ ْتبُم‬,[while the second Direct object is the predicate [‫ رَ بَخ‬.[Thus the order of the two
direct objects is integral to preserving this relationship.

140
Lesson 9: The Followers [‫ التوابع‬,[the Derived Nouns [‫ ّةاملشتق األمساء‬,[and the Verb [َّ‫[ َنظ‬

[ ‫ ] َظنَّ َو أَ َخوا ُتها‬:61 Table

َّ‫ َنظ‬to think/suppose, or have ‫ أ َىر‬to see (introspective)

suspicion

‫ َعلِ َم‬consider/think to know to

َ‫ ا َلخ‬to imagine َ‫ دَ َجو‬to find (to have an opinion of)

think/claim to
adopt/take to َ‫ِا َّت َخد‬
‫َز َع َم‬
transfer/put to ‫ل‬
َ ‫َج َع‬

Qur’ānic Examples of Verbs with Two Direct Objects

﴿ َ ْ‫ٱلَّذِي َج َع َل َل ُك ُم ٱأْل َر‬... ﴾ .i

‫ض ف َِرا ًشا َوٱل َّس َما َء ِب َنا ًء‬
“[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling….” (2:22)

﴿... ‫ُوس ٰى َمسْ حُورً ا‬ ُ َ ‫ ﴾ َفاسْ أ َ ْل َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل إِ ْذ َجا َء ُه ْم َف َقا َل َل ُه فِرْ َع ْونُ إِ ِّني أَل‬.ii
َ ‫ظ ُّن َك َيا م‬
“So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely.” (17:101)

َ ‫ ﴾ إِ َّن َما ي َُؤ ِّخ ُر ُه ْم لِ َي ْو ٍم َت ْش َخصُ فِي ِه ٱأْل َ ْب‬.iii﴿ ‫ُون‬

ۚ ‫صا ُر‬ َّ ‫َواَل َتحْ َس َبنَّ ٱهَّلل َ َغافِاًل َعمَّا َيعْ َم ُل‬
َ ‫ٱلظالِم‬
“And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes
will stare.” (14:42)

َ ‫ ﴾ أَ َي ْب َت ُغ‬.iv﴿ ‫ِني‬
ۚ ‫ون عِ ن َد ُه ُم ْٱلع َِّز َة َفإِنَّ ْٱلع َِّز َة هَّلِل ِ َجمِي ًعا‬ ِ ‫ين أَ ْولِ َيا َء مِن ُد‬
َ ‫ون ْٱلم ُْؤ ِمن‬ َ ‫ِين َي َّتخ ُِذ‬
َ ‫ون ْٱل َكاف ِِر‬ َ ‫ٱلَّذ‬
“Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor? But indeed,
honor belongs to Allah entirely.” (4:139)

ۚ ‫ َب ْل ه َُو َما ٱسْ َتعْ َج ْل ُتم ِب ِه‬... ﴾ .v﴿ ‫ارضٌ مُّمْ طِ ُر َنا‬ َ َ
ِ ‫ضا مُّسْ َت ْق ِب َل أ ْو ِد َيت ِِه ْم َقالُوا ٰ َه َذا َع‬ ِ ‫َف َلمَّا َرأ ْوهُ َع‬
ً ‫ار‬
“And when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, "This is a cloud bringing us rain!"
Rather, it is that for which you were impatient...” (46:24)
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Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

142
[‫ ]اَأْل َعْ داد‬Numbers: 10 Lesson
 [
‫ ]اَأْل َعْ داد‬Numbers: 10 Lesson
Introductionto Numbers
Numbers often can be very challenging to students learning Arabic, since their rules are rather complex. In
fact, the subject is often mentioned last in many grammar textbooks for this very reason. Similar to English,
Arabic numerals run from left to right. Unlike English however, compound numbers greater than ten are
written with the “tens” number after the “one’s” number in Arabic. 77 So, the number “sixty-three” would be
written as [‫َةال َثث‬ َ ‫[ و ُّنت‬in Arabic. There are other seemingly “unconventional” rules
ُ‫ِس و‬
that numbers have in Arabic that are discussed here. In terms of notation, the thing that is numbered in
َ ‫ و ُد ْد‬,[while the number itself is termed [‫ َددَع‬.[Table 62 should be used as reference
Arabic is termed the [‫عم‬
for numbers one through thirty. Numbers greater than 30 until 99 follow the same format in numbering as
do the numbers 21 through 99. With numbering, keep in mind the grammatical characteristics of the
َ ‫ و ُد ْد‬,[since they vary.
number [‫[ دَدَع‬and the thing being numbered [‫عم‬

Table 62: Arabic Numbers Table (#1-30)

Female / Male Female / Male Female/ Male

َ ‫وا ِح ٌد َو عِ ْشر‬
‫ إِحْ دَ ى َو‬/‫ُون‬ ١٢ ‫إِحْ دَ ي‬/‫أَ َحدَ َع َش َر‬ ٢ ‫واحِدَ ة‬/‫واحِد‬ ٢
َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ‫َع َش َرة‬ ٢

ِ ‫ ا ِْث‬/‫ُون‬
‫نان َو‬ ِ ‫ا ِْث َن‬
َ ‫تان َو عِ ْشر‬ ١١ ‫ا ِْث َنتا‬/‫ا ِْثنا َع َش َر‬ ٢ ١
َ ‫عِ ْش‬
‫رون‬ ‫َع َش َرة‬ ١ ‫ا ِْث َنثان‬/‫ا ِْثنان‬
ٌ ‫ َث‬/ ‫ُون‬
‫الث َو‬ َ ‫َثال َث ٌة َوعِ ْشر‬ ١٢ َ ‫ َث‬/‫َثال َث َة َع َش َر‬
‫الث‬ ٢ ‫ َثال َثة‬/‫الث‬
َ ‫َث‬ ٢
َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ‫َع َش َر َة‬ ٢

‫أَرْ َب ٌع َو‬/‫ُون‬
َ ‫أَرْ َب َع ٌة َو عِ ْشر‬ ١٢ ‫أَرْ َب َع‬/ ‫أَرْ َبع َة َع َش َر‬ ٢ ٢
َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ‫َع َش َر َة‬ ٢ ‫أَرْ َب َعة‬/‫أَرْ َبع‬

‫خمْ سٌ َو‬/ َ ‫َخمْ َس ٌة َو عِ ْشر‬

َ ‫ُون‬ ١٢ ‫خمْ َس َة‬/
َ ‫َخمْ َس َة َع َش َر‬ ٢ ٢
َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ‫َع َش َر َة‬ ٢ َ
‫خمْ َسة‬/‫س‬ ْ‫َخم‬

‫ت َو‬ َ ‫سِ َّت ٌة َو عِ ْشر‬

ُّ ِ‫س‬/‫ُون‬ ١٢ َّ ِ‫س‬/‫سِ َّت َة َع َش َر‬
‫ت‬ ٢ ‫سِ َّتة‬/‫ت‬
َّ ِ‫س‬ ٢
َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ‫َع َش َر َة‬ ٢

‫س ْب ٌع َو‬/ َ ‫َسب َْع ٌة َو عِ ْشر‬

َ ‫ُون‬ ١٢ َ ‫َسب َْع َة َع َش َر‬
‫سب َْع‬/ ٢ ‫سب َْعة‬/‫ْع‬
َ ‫َسب‬ ٢
َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ‫َع َش َر َة‬ ٢

‫مان َو‬ َ ‫َثما َن ٌة َو عِ ْشر‬

ٍ ‫ َث‬/‫ُون‬ ١٢ ‫ َثمان َِي‬/‫َثما ِن َي َة َع َش َر‬ ٢ ‫ َثما ِن َية‬/‫َثمان‬ ٢
َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ‫َع َش َر َة‬ ٢

َ ‫ِتسْ َع ٌة َو عِ ْشر‬
‫ ِتسْ ٌع َو‬/‫ُون‬ ١٢ ‫ ِتسْ َع‬/‫ِتسْ َع َة َع َش َر‬ ٢ ‫ ِتسْ َعة‬/‫ِتسْ ع‬ ٢
َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ‫َع َش َر َة‬ ٢

‫ون‬ ُ ‫َث‬
َ ‫الث‬ ٢٣ َ ‫عِ ْشر‬
‫ُون‬ ١ ‫َع ْشر‬ ٢٣
٣ ‫ع ْش َرة‬/َ
َ
77
For the above example "63", the “ten’s number” is “sixty". The “one's number” is placed directly after the “ten’s number”. In
Arabic this convention is reversed.

143
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

I. Numbers 1-10 [١١ - ١ ]

A. Dual Numbers
Dual numbers or things that are dual [‫[ َّى َن ُثم‬typically take the endings of [ِ‫[ ان‬or [ِ‫[ ْني‬depending on I‛rā b.
Dual words usually are not associated with a number because the dual ending is itself sufficient. However,
َ ‫[ و ُد ْد‬need to match.
in some cases, when it is used (emphasis, etc.) the gender of the number and [‫عم‬

B. Rules for Numbers 3 to 10

For numbers 3 through 10, the rules can get a bit tricky. Please note the following rules carefully: 1.
The number will be the opposite gender of the [‫عم‬ َ ‫[ و ُد ْد‬in single form. That means that a
feminine nouns such as “eye” , “sun”, or “girl” will take a male [‫ َددَع‬.[On the other hand, a

masculine noun such as “book”, “boy”, or “door” would take the female [‫ َددَع‬.[This does
not
occur for numbers 1, 2, 11, 12, 20, 30, 40, etc.
َ ‫[ و ُد ْد‬will be plural pattern.
2. The [‫عم‬
َ ‫[و ُد ْد‬takes the form of a MuḍāfIlay in its plural form, while the number is the
3. The [‫عم‬
Muḍāf.
4. TheNumber by default is in the Raf‛ state ( unless there is a reason for it not to be).

Some examples that can be extracted from the above rules are the following. If we, want to translate “six
books”, we say [ٍ‫َّة ِتس‬ ُ ‫ ُب ُت‬.[The word “book” is masculine, and takes a feminine number [ُ‫ َّة ِتس‬.[Please note
‫ك‬

that just because the plural for [‫تابك‬

ِ [is a “feminine” broken plural”, [‫تابك‬
ِ [still takes a feminine number.
Contrast this with “seven female cows” [ٍ‫عْ َبس‬ ُ‫ را َت َقب‬.[Here the male [‫[ َددَع‬is used which is [ُ‫ عْ َبس‬.[Other

following the consult Please]. ‫أَ ْوال ٍد‬ ‫“ ] َسب َْع ُة‬boys seven “and] ‫َّام‬ َ َ
ٍ ‫“ ]أرْ َب َع ُة أي‬days four “are examples pertinent
Qur’ā nic examples that further illustrate this point. In examples (ii), (iii), (iv), the [‫عم‬ ْ [are considered
َ ‫دود‬

feminine since their respective number [‫[ دَدَع‬is masculine. In example (v), the singular for [‫[ يالَل‬is [‫[ َة ْل َيل‬

which is feminine and therefore takes a masculine [‫ َددَع‬.[In the same example, the singular for [‫[ أيام‬is [‫[م َْوي‬

which takes a feminine number.

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[‫ ]اَأْل َعْ داد‬Numbers: 10 Lesson

C. Qur’ā nic Examples of Numbers [2-10]

i. ۚ﴿ ُ ‫َت َكلِ َم‬

‫ات‬ ِ ْ‫َو َل ْو أَ َّن َما فِي ٱأْل َر‬
ْ ‫ض مِن َش َج َر ٍة أَقْاَل ٌم َو ْٱل َبحْ ُر َي ُم ُّدهُ مِن َبعْ ِد ِه َس ْب َع ُة أَ ْبح ٍُر مَّا َنفِد‬

‫﴾ ٱهَّلل ِ إِنَّ ٱهَّلل َ َع ِزي ٌز َحكِي ٌم‬

“And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more]
seas, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise..” (31:27)

﴿ َ ُ‫صد ُّت ْم َف َذرُوهُ فِي سُن ُبلِ ِه إِاَّل َقلِياًل ِّممَّا َتأْ ُكل‬
‫ون‬ َ ‫ِني دَ أَبًا َف َما َح‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َقا َل َت ْز َرع‬.ii
َ ‫ُون َسب َْع سِ ن‬
“[Yū suf] said, "You will plant for seven years consecutively; and what you harvest leave in its spikes, except a
little from which you will eat.” (12:47)

iii. ۚۚ ‫ضا َء ِمنْ َغي ِْر سُو ٍَء‬َ ‫ك َت ْخرُجْ َب ْي‬ َ ‫ت إِ َل ٰى ِفرْ َع ْو َن َو َق ْو ِم ِه ﴿ َوأَ ْد ِخ ْل َي َد‬
َ ‫ك فِي َجي ِْب‬ ٍ ‫فِي ِتسْ ِع آ َيا‬
َ ‫﴾ إِ َّن ُه ْم َكا ُنوا َق ْومًا َفاسِ ق‬
‫ِني‬
“And put your hand into the opening of your garment [at the breast]; it will come out white without disease.
[These are] among the nine signs [you will take] to Pharaoh and his people. Indeed, they have been a people
defiantly disobedient.".” (27:12)

﴿ ٍ ‫ث َمرَّ ا‬
‫ت‬ َ ‫ت أَ ْي َما ُن ُك ْم َوٱلَّذ‬
َ ‫ِين َل ْم َي ْبلُ ُغوا ْٱل ُحلُ َم مِن ُك ْم َثاَل‬ َ ‫ِين آ َم ُنوا لِ َيسْ َتأْذِن ُك ُم ٱلَّذ‬
ْ ‫ِين َم َل َك‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َيا أَ ُّي َها ٱلَّذ‬.iv
“Oh you who have believed, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not [yet] reached
puberty among you ask permission of you [before entering] at three times...” (24:58)

﴿ ِ ‫صرْ َع ٰى َكأ َ َّن ُه ْم أَعْ َجا ُز َن ْخ ٍل َخ‬

‫او َي ٍة‬ َ ‫َّام ُحسُومًا َف َت َرى ْٱل َق ْو َم فِي َها‬ َ
ٍ ‫ال َو َث َما ِن َي َة أي‬
ٍ ‫ ﴾ َس َّخ َر َها َع َلي ِْه ْم َسب َْع َل َي‬.v
“Which Allah imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so you would see the people
therein fallen as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees.” (69:7)

ۚ ‫ِني‬ َ ‫ون ٱهَّلل ِ إِن ُكن ُت ْم‬

َ ‫صا ِدق‬ ٍ ‫ ﴾ قُ ْل َفأْ ُتوا ِب َع ْش ِر س َُو ٍر م ِّْثلِ ِه ُم ْف َت َر َيا‬.vi﴿ ُ‫ون ٱ ْف َت َراه‬
ِ ‫ت َو ْٱدعُوا َم ِن ٱسْ َت َطعْ ُتم مِّن ُد‬ َ ُ‫أَ ْم َيقُول‬
“Or do they say, "He invented it"? Say, "Then bring ten Sū rahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for
assistance] whomever you can besides Allah , if you should be truthful.".” (11:13)

II. Numbers 11-20 [٠١ - ١١ ]

A. Rules for numbering 11-12
َ ‫ و ُد ْد‬,[numbered “11” or “12” is singular.
The rules for numbering differ from numbering “1-10”. The [‫عم‬

َ ‫[ و ُد ْد‬is Naṣb because it functions as a Clarifier [‫يز ْي َمت‬

Furthermore the [‫عم‬ ِ ) [and not part of Iḍ ā fa like
numbers 3-10). For example, “eleven stars” is written as [‫َحأ‬
َ‫د‬ َ ‫اً َب ْك َو‬
‫ك َر َش َع‬ ,[with the noun acting as a

Clarifier.
 145
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

,[‫مْرأَ ًة‬
َ ِ‫إ‬ ‫ ]ا ِْث َن َتيْ َع َش َر َة‬as written is” women twelve “term The]. ً ‫ ]إِحْ دَى َع َش َر َة ِب ْنتا‬as written is” girls eleven

“term The while “twelve men” is written as [ً‫ناْ ِثا‬ ‫ الُ َج َر َر َشع‬.[Altogether the rules for numbering 11-12 are

َ ‫[ و ُد ْد‬is single78 and Naṣb.

the following: 1. The [‫عم‬

2. The number (1st and 2nd) completely agreeswith the [‫[ و ُد ْد َعم‬in gender.

3. The numbers themselves are in Naṣb.

B. Rules for Numbering 13-19

َ ‫[ و ُد ْد‬similar to “11” and “12” acts as a Clarifier and is Naṣb and is also
When numbering “13-19”, the [‫عم‬

َ ‫[ و ُد ْد‬is of the opposite gender (like “3-10”). For example, the

singular. However, the number used for the [‫عم‬

notice will You]. ً ‫ِب ْنتا‬ َ ‫ ] َث‬is” girls thirteen “while], ‫ ] َس ْب َع َة َع َش َر َرجُا ًل‬as written is” men seventeen
‫الث َع َش َر َة‬
“term

that the “one’s number” takes the opposite gender similar to numbering that occurs with the “one’s number

َ ‫ و ُد ْد‬.[The rules for “13-19” are the following:

in “3-10”. The “ten’s number” takes the same gender as the [‫عم‬

1. The [‫[ و ُد ْد َعم‬is singular and Naṣb.

2. The first number (one’s number) is of the opposite gender of the [‫[ )و ُد ْد َعم‬like
numbers 3-10) unlike the “ten’s number” which corresponds to the gender.
3. The numbers are in the Naṣbstate.

C. Qur’ā nic and Ḥ adīth Examples of Numbers [11-20]

﴿ ‫اق َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل َو َب َع ْث َنا ِم ْن ُه ُم ْٱث َنيْ َع َش َر َنقِيبًا‬

َ ‫و َل َق ْد أَ َخ َذ ٱهَّلل ُ مِي َث‬...
َ ﴾ .i
“And Allah had already taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We delegated from among them
twelve leaders...” (5:12)

﴿ َ ‫س َو ْٱل َق َم َر َرأَ ْي ُت ُه ْم لِي َسا ِجد‬

‫ِين‬ َ ْ‫ْت أَ َحدَ َع َش َر َك ْو َكبًا َوٱل َّشم‬ ِ ‫ ﴾ إِ ْذ َقا َل يُوسُفُ أِل َ ِبي ِه َيا أَ َب‬.ii
ُ ‫ت إِ ِّني َرأَي‬
“[Mention] when Yū suf said to his father, "Oh my father, indeed I have seen eleven stars and the sun and the
moon; I saw them prostrating to me.” (12:4)

broken a is word highlighted The ﴿. 160:7(, ﴾ ...‫َاطا أ ُ َممًا‬

ً ‫( َو َق َّطعْ َنا ُه ُم ْاث َن َتيْ عَ ْشرَ َة أَسْ ب‬in example For. however this to exceptions are There 78
.[‫ ] َسبْط‬for plural

146
[‫ ]اَأْل َعْ داد‬Numbers: 10 Lesson
 }ُ‫ إِ ْذ َجا َء َر ُج ٌل َي ْنتِف‬، ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬ ِ ‫ َب ْي َن َما َنحْ نُ عِ ْندَ َرس‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫َعنْ أَ ِبي ه َُري َْر َة‬
َ ِ ‫ُول هَّللا‬
‫ َو َي ْدعُو‬، ُ‫ َش َع َره‬.iii ‫ َو َق َع َع َلى‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، " ‫ " َما َل َك‬: ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬ َ ِ ‫َو ْي َل ُه ! َف َقا َل َل ُه َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬
، " ‫ْن‬ ِ ‫ْن ُم َت َت ِاب َعي‬
ِ ‫ص ْم َشه َْري‬ ُ " : ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫ اَل أَ ِج ُد َها‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، " ‫ " أَعْ ت ِْق َر َق َب ًة‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫ان‬ َ ‫ض‬َ ‫امْ َرأَ ِت ِه فِي َر َم‬
َ ‫ " أَ ْط ِع ْم سِ ِّت‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫ اَل أَسْ َتطِ ي ُع‬: ‫َقا َل‬
‫ني‬
‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم ِب َع َر ٍق فِي ِه َخمْ َس َة َع َش َر‬ َ ِ ‫ َفأُت َِي َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫ اَل أَ ِج ُد‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، " ‫ِمسْ كِي ًنا‬
‫ َما َبي َْن‬، ِ ‫ َيا َرسُو َل هَّللا‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، " ‫ني ِمسْ كِي ًنا‬ َ ‫ " ُخ ْذ َه َذا َفأ َ ْط ِعمْ ُه َع ْن َك سِ ِّت‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫صا ًعا ِمنْ َتمْ ٍر‬ َ
‫ت َوعِ َيالُ َك‬ َ ‫ " ُك ْل ُه أَ ْن‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫ت أَ ْف َق ُر ِم َّنا‬
ٍ ‫" اَل َب َت ْي َها أَهْ ُل َب ْي‬...{
“While we were sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger , a man approached and said: "Oh

Messenger of Allah! I'm ruined!" The Prophet said: "What is the matter?" He said: "I had sexual relations with
my wife while observing the Ramaḍ ā n fast." Allah's Messenger then asked him: "Can you find a slave whom you
can free?" He said no. "Then, are you able to fast for two consecutive months?" He said I am not able. "Then, do
you have the wherewithal to feed 60 poor people?" He said no. Then, a large basket with 15 measures of dates
was brought to him. He said "Take this and from it feed 60 poor people. "The man then asked: "Oh Messenger of
Allah, there is no household in town poorer than my own. He said “Feed you and your family”..” (Musnad Imā m
Aḥ med)79

ُ ُّ
} ‫ ٍة‬a‫ ِّل َر ْك َع‬a‫ فِي ُك‬، ‫ْن‬ ِ ‫ْن اأْل و َل َيي‬ِ ‫رَّ ْك َع َتي‬a‫ر فِي ال‬aِْ ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم " َيقُو ُم فِي الظه‬ َ ِ ‫ان َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬َ ‫َك‬
َ ‫ َو َك‬، ‫س َع ْش َر َة آ َي ًة‬ ُ
‫ َق ْد َر ق َِرا َء ِة‬.iv ‫ان‬ َ ْ‫ْن فِي ُك ِّل َر ْك َع ٍة َق ْد َر ق َِرا َء ِة َخم‬ِ ‫ َوفِي اأْل ْخ َر َيي‬، ‫ِني آ َي ًة‬
َ ‫َثاَل ث‬
ً a‫ َر َة آ َي‬a ‫س َع ْش‬ ُ
‫ َوفِي‬، ‫ة‬a َ ْ‫ فِي ُك ِّل َر ْك َع ٍة َق ْد َر ق َِرا َء ِة َخم‬، ‫ْن‬ ِ ‫ْن اأْل و َل َتي‬
ِ ‫َيقُو ُم فِي ْال َعصْ ِر فِي الرَّ ْك َع َتي‬
ُ
‫ْن َق ْد َر ِنصْ فِ َذل َِك‬ ِ ‫{اأْل ْخ َر َتي‬
“The Messenger of Allah was standing in the Ẓ uhr prayer in the first two Rakā ts, in every Rakā t being

the sum of 3o ā yahs recited, and in the two later (Rakā ts), in each Rakā t being the sum of 15 ā yahs recited, and
while standing in Aʻsr in the first two Rakā ts, each Rakā t being the sum of 15 ā yahs recited, and in the last two
(Rakā ts), the sum of half of that”. (Musnad Imā m Aḥ med)80

} ِ ‫ُصلِّي َر ْك َع َتي‬
‫ْن‬ َ ُّ‫ { أَ َقا َم ال َّن ِبي‬.v
َ ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم ِب َم َّك َة ِتسْ َع َة َع َش َر َي ْومًا ي‬
“The Prophet stayed in Makkah for 19 days during which he prayed two Rakā ts in each prayer.”. (Saḥ īḥ
81
Bukhā ri)

} ‫ أَ ْش َه ُد‬، ‫ اأْل َ َذانُ هَّللا ُ أَ ْك َب ُر هَّللا ُ أَ ْك َب ُر‬، ‫ َواإْل ِ َقا َم َة َسب َْع َع ْش َر َة َكلِ َم ًة‬، ‫ان ِتسْ َع َع ْش َر َة َكلِ َم ًة‬
َ ‫َعلَّ َم ُه اأْل َ َذ‬
‫ أَنْ اَل إِ َل َه إِاَّل‬.vi ‫ أَ ْش َه ُد أَنَّ م َُح َّم ًدا‬، ِ ‫ أَ ْش َه ُد أَنَّ م َُح َّم ًدا َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬، ُ ‫ أَ ْش َه ُد أَنْ اَل إِ َل َه إِاَّل هَّللا‬، ُ ‫هَّللا‬
، ِ ‫ أَ ْش َه ُد أَنَّ م َُح َّم ًدا َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬، ُ ‫ أَ ْش َه ُد أَنْ اَل إِ َل َه إِاَّل هَّللا‬، ُ ‫ أَ ْش َه ُد أَنْ اَل إِ َل َه إِاَّل هَّللا‬، ِ ‫َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬
‫ َحيَّ َع َلى ْال َفاَل ِح َحيَّ َع َلى‬، ‫صاَل ِة‬ َّ ‫صاَل ِة َحيَّ َع َلى ال‬ َّ ‫ َحيَّ َع َلى ال‬، ِ ‫أَ ْش َه ُد أَنَّ م َُح َّم ًدا َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬
ُ ‫ اَل إِ َل َه إِاَّل هَّللا‬، ‫ هَّللا ُ أَ ْك َب ُر هَّللا ُ أَ ْك َب ُر‬، ‫ ْال َفاَل ِح‬...{
“He taught him the Adhā n in 19 words and the Iqā mah in 17 words. The Adhā n is “Allah is great, Allah is great,
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, I bear witness that Muḥ ammad is
the messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muḥ ammad is the messenger of
79
Musnad of Imā m Aḥ med, Ḥ adith # 6770, Ḥ adith Ḥ asan [‫للبيهقي الكربى السنن‬.[
80
Musnad of Imā m Aḥ med, Ḥ adith # 11590, Ḥ adith Ḥ asan [‫للطحاوي اآلثار معاين شرح‬.[

ِ َ‫ ] ِك َتاب ْال َمغ‬in 3987 # Ḥ adith, Bukhā ri Saḥ īḥ

.[‫ازي‬ 81

147
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic
 Allah, Come to the prayer, Come to the prayer, Come to success, Come to success, Allah is great, Allah is great...”
(Musnad Imā m Aḥ med)82

III. Numbering 21-99 [٩٩ - ٠١]

َ ‫[ و ُد ْد‬is Naṣb and
Numbering “21 – 99” is similar to numbering “13-20” with subtle differences. The [‫عم‬

َ ‫ و ُد ْد‬.[However, the
singular. The first number (one’s number) again takes the opposite gender as the [‫عم‬

number [‫[ دَدَع‬differs in that it is Raf‛ by default and that the “one’s number” and the “ten’s number” are

َ ‫ر‬/
separated by a [‫ و‬.[Furthermore, the “ten’s number” is always masculine unlike the word “ten” [a‫شع‬ َ ‫ َة َر َش َع‬,[

that can be either female or male. For example, the term “twenty-five men” is written as are” 99-21 “for
rules The]. ‫طالِ َب ًة‬ َ ‫ْس ٌة َو عِ ْش‬
َ ‫ ] َخمْ سٌ َو عِ ْش‬is” students female five-twenty “while] ‫رون َرجُا ًل‬
‫رون‬ َ ‫] َخم‬

the following:

1. There is a "‫ " و‬which separates between the two numbers (one’s and ten’s place). .(

‫ ) َتمْ ييز‬Naṣb is and single is] ‫ ] َمعْ ُدود‬The. 2

3. The first number (one’s number)has the opposite gender of the [‫ و ُد ْد َعم‬,[and is Raf‛

by default. The second number (ten’s number) is always masculine without a Tā

Marbūṭa.
Qur’ānic and Ḥadīth Examples of Numbers [21-99]

﴿ ‫ب‬ َ ‫ُون َنعْ َج ًة َول َِي َنعْ َج ٌة َواحِدَ ةٌ َف َقا َل أَ ْكف ِْلنِي َها َو َع َّزنِي فِي ْٱلخ‬
ِ ‫ِطا‬ َ ‫ ﴾ إِنَّ ٰ َه َذا أَخِي َل ُه ِتسْ ٌع َو ِتسْ ع‬.i
“Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he
overpowered me in speech.” (38:23)

ii. ﴿ۚ ‫أَ َب ًدا‬

‫ِني َج ْل َد ًة َواَل َت ْق َبلُوا َل ُه ْم َش َها َد ًة‬ ُ ‫ت ُث َّم َل ْم َيأْ ُتوا ِبأَرْ َب َع ِة‬
َ ‫ش َهدَا َء َفٱجْ لِ ُدو ُه ْم َث َمان‬ َ ْ‫ُون ْٱلمُح‬
ِ ‫ص َنا‬ َ ‫َوٱلَّذ‬
َ ‫ِين َيرْ م‬
َ ‫ِك ُه ُم ْٱل َفاسِ ُق‬
‫ون‬ َ ‫﴾ َوأُو ٰ َلئ‬
And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses - lash them with eighty lashes
and do not accept from them testimony ever after. And those are the defiantly disobedient.” (24:4)

82
Musnad of Imā m Aḥ med, Ḥ adith # 15079, Ḥ adith Ḥ asan.

148
[‫ ]اَأْل َعْ داد‬Numbers: 10 Lesson

} ، ‫ين ضِ عْ ًفا‬ َ ‫صاَل ِت ِه فِي َب ْي ِت ِه َوفِي سُو ِق ِه َخمْ ًسا َوعِ ْش ِر‬ َ ‫ضعَّفُ َع َلى‬ َ ‫اع ِة ُت‬َ ‫صاَل ُة الرَّ ج ُِل فِي ْال َج َم‬
َ
‫ َو َذل َِك أَ َّن ُه إِ َذا‬.iii ‫ َل ْم‬، ُ‫صاَل ة‬
َّ ‫ ُث َّم َخ َر َج إِ َلى ْال َمسْ ِج ِد اَل ي ُْخ ِر ُج ُه إِاَّل ال‬، ‫َت َوضَّأ َ َفأَحْ َس َن ْالوُ ضُو َء‬
 ‫صلِّي‬ َّ ‫ت َل ُه ِب َها دَ َر َج ٌة َوح‬
َ ‫ َفإِ َذا‬، ‫ُط َع ْن ُه ِب َها َخطِ ي َئ ٌة‬
َ ‫صلَّى َل ْم َت َز ِل ْال َماَل ِئ َك ُة ُت‬ ْ ‫ط َخ ْط َو ًة إِاَّل ُرف َِع‬
ُ ‫َي ْخ‬
‫صاَل ٍة َما ا ْن َت َظ َر‬َ ‫ َواَل َي َزا ُل أَ َح ُد ُك ْم فِي‬، ‫ص ِّل َع َل ْي ِه اللَّ ُه َّم ارْ َحمْ ُه‬
َ ‫ اللَّ ُه َّم‬، ُ‫ُصاَّل ه‬
َ ‫َع َل ْي ِه َما دَ ا َم فِي م‬
‫صاَل َة‬ َّ ‫{ " ال‬
“The reward of the prayer offered by a person in congregation is twenty five times greater than that of the
prayer offered in one’s house or in the market (alone). And this is because if he performs ablution and does it
perfectly and then proceeds to the mosque with the sole intention of praying, He does not take a step without
being raised a degree and having one of his sins erased. When he prays, as long as he does not lose his ablution,
the angels keep on praying [for him] 'Oh Allah, bless him. Oh Allah, have mercy upon him.' And he is considered
in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer.”(Saḥ īḥ Bukhā ri)83

} َّ‫ َوإِن‬، ٌ‫ت ِفرْ َق ٌة َواحِدَ ة‬ ْ ‫ص‬ َ ‫ َو َخ َل‬، ‫ُون ِفرْ َق ًة‬
َ ‫ت َس ْبع‬ ْ ‫ َف َه َل َك‬، ‫ِني ِفرْ َق ًة‬َ ‫ت إِحْ دَ ى َو َس ْبع‬ ْ ‫إِنَّ َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل َت َفرَّ َق‬
‫ أ ُ َّمتِي‬.iv ، " ‫ َو َت ْخلُصُ فِرْ َق ٌة‬، ‫ْعون فِرْ َق ًة‬
َ ‫ك إِحْ دَ ى َو َسب‬ ُ ِ‫ َت ْهل‬، ‫ِني فِرْ َق ًة‬
َ ‫ْن َو َس ْبع‬ِ ‫َس َت ْف َت ِر ُق َع َلى ْاث َن َتي‬
َ ‫ " ْال َج َم‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ‫ َمنْ ت ِْل َك ْال ِفرْ َق ُة ؟‬، ِ ‫ َيا َرسُو َل هَّللا‬: ‫{ " َقالُوا‬
َ ‫ ْال َج َم‬، ‫اع ُة‬
‫اع ُة‬
“Indeed, the Children of Israel were divided into 71 sects, and 70 sects perished, and one sect was saved, and
indeed, my Ummah will divide into 72 sects, 71 sects will perish, and one sect will be saved. They said, Oh
Messenger of Allah, who of these is the sect (saved). He said: the mainstream group, the mainstream group.”
(Musnad Imā m Aḥ med)84

} ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه‬ َ ِ ‫ َف َقا َل َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬، ‫ِيث‬ َ ‫ َف َذ َك َر ْال َحد‬, " ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬ َ ِ ‫ُول هَّللا‬ِ ‫ازي َرس‬ ِ ‫َه ِذ ِه َم َغ‬
‫ َو َسلَّ َم‬.v ‫ َقا َل َع ْب ُد‬: ‫ َقا َل َنافِ ٌع‬، ‫ُوسى‬ َ ‫ م‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، " ‫ًقا‬abًّ ‫ " َه ْل َو َج ْد ُت ْم َما َو َعدَ ُك ْم َر ُّب ُك ْم َح‬: ‫ِيه ْم‬ ِ ‫َوه َُو ي ُْلق‬
‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه‬َ ِ ‫ َقا َل َرسُو ُل هَّللا‬، ‫ َيا َرسُو َل هَّللا ِ ُت َنادِي َنا ًسا أَمْ َوا ًتا‬: ‫ َقا َل َناسٌ ِمنْ أَصْ َح ِاب ِه‬: ِ ‫هَّللا‬
‫ْش‬ ٍ ‫ " َف َجمِي ُع َمنْ َش ِهدَ َب ْدرً ا ِمنْ قُ َري‬: ِ ‫ َقا َل أَبُو َعبْد هَّللا‬، " ‫ت ِم ْن ُه ْم‬ ُ ‫ " َما أَ ْن ُت ْم ِبأَسْ َم َع لِ َما قُ ْل‬: ‫َو َسلَّ َم‬
ُّ ‫ َقا َل‬: ‫ َيقُو ُل‬، ‫الز َبي ِْر‬
: ‫الز َب ْي ُر‬ ُّ ُ‫ان عُرْ َوةُ بْن‬ َ ‫ َو َك‬, ‫ون َر ُجاًل‬ َ ‫ب َل ُه ِب َس ْه ِم ِه أَ َح ٌد َو َث َما ُن‬ َ ‫ِممَّنْ ض ُِر‬
‫ت ُس ْه َما ُن ُه ْم َف َكا ُنوا مِا َئ ًة َوهَّللا ُ أَعْ َل ُم‬ْ ‫{قُسِ َم‬
“These were the battles of Allah's Apostle (which he fought), and while mentioning (the Badr battle) he said,
"While the corpses of the pagans were being thrown into the well, Allah's Apostle said (to them), 'Have you
found what your Lord promised true?" 'Abdullah said, "Some of the Prophet's companions said, "Oh Allah's
Apostle! You are addressing dead people.' Allah's Apostle replied, 'You do not hear what I am saying, better
than they.' The total number of Muslim fighters from Quraish who fought in the battle of Badr and were given
their share of the booty, were 81 men." Az-Zubair said, "When their shares were distributed, their number was
100 men. But Allah knows it better."”. (Saḥ īḥ Bukhā ri)85

83
Saḥ īḥ Bukhā ri, Ḥ adith # 615 in in [‫ األذان كتاب‬.[
84
Musnad of Imā m Aḥ med, Ḥ adith # 12243, Ḥ adith Ḥ asan [‫للطرباين الكبري املعجم‬.[

ِ َ‫ ] ِك َتاب ْال َمغ‬in 3802 # Ḥ adith, Bukhā ri Saḥ īḥ

.[‫ازي‬ 85

149
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

IV. Numbering 100 and greater [≥١١١]

Numbers “100 – 999” similar to numbering “3-10” are part of a Iḍ ā fa Construction. From this, the [‫عم‬ ْ [ is
َ ‫دود‬
the Muḍ ā f Ilay, Jarr, and is singular. The number for “hundred” is [‫[ َةئِم‬or [‫[ َة ْئاِم‬and acts as a Muḍ ā f when

something is numbered “hundred”. For example, “a hundred men” is written as [ٍ‫َة ِئم‬ ‫[ لُ َج ُر‬whereas “a .[ ‫ِم َئ ُة‬

‫امْرأَ ٍة‬
َ ] is” women hundred

Please note that similar to numbers “21-99”, the second number “100” or [‫[ َةئِم‬does not change in its

gender and remains [‫ َةئِم‬.[In these cases when plural hundred are used, [‫[ َةئِم‬acts as a Muḍ ā f Ilay since the

entire number complex is essentially an Iḍ ā fa Construction. For example, “three hundred girls” is written

is] ‫ ] ِم َئة‬before number the that notice will You]. ‫َولَ ٍد‬ ‫ ]أَرْ َب ُع ِم َئ ِة‬is” boys hundred four “while], ‫ت‬ ُ ‫ ] َث‬as
ٍ ‫الث ِم َئ ِة ِب ْن‬

male despite gender. Please also note that the number preceding [‫[ َةئِم‬often gets joined directly to number

preceding it: for example, three hundred becomes [ٍ‫ َة ِئمُال َثث‬.[

A. Convention(s) for Writing Complex Numbers 100 and greater [≥ ١١١] When writing
long numbers are written in “hundreds”, then there are two conventions that can be used. The first and
more commonly used convention is to write the “hundred’s” first and then state the numbers that follow.

For example, “365” is written as [َ‫َة ِئمُال َثث‬ َ ‫ و ُّنت‬.[After stating the hundred’s
ٍ‫ِس وٌ سْ َم َخ و‬

number, we would then write as per following rules studied: (1) write the one’s place, then (2) the ten’s
place. In the above example, the one’s number (5) follows “300”. After that, we write the ten’s place (60).

When numbering things with complex numbering, please note that the [‫عم‬
َ ْ‫[ دود‬is Naṣb (it is a Clarifier).

Please also note that the gender of the “one’s number” will be opposite of the [‫عم‬
َ ْ‫ دود‬.[This is similar to what
we have studied thus far. If there is no “one’s number”, then gender can be ignored since the ten’s place is
written without the feminine Tā Marbū ṭa. Let us look at the following examples for complex numbering: [

‫ين َس َن ًة‬ ُ ‫“ = ] َث‬years 365. “1

َ ‫الث ِم َئ ٍة و َخمْ سٌ و عِ ْش ِر‬

[ ً ‫مسون َيوما‬
َ ‫المث ِا َئ ٍة َوأَرْ َب َع ٌة َو َخ‬
ُ ‫“ = ] َث‬days 354. “2

150
[‫ ]اَأْل َعْ داد‬Numbers: 10 Lesson

[ ‫ون َليا ًل‬ ُِ ‫“ = ] َث‬nights 365. “3

َ ‫المث َئ ٍة َو َخمْ سٌ و سِ ُّت‬

[ ‫الثون ِرسا َل ًة‬ ِ ‫“ = ] ِتسْ ُع مِا َئ ٍة َو ْاث‬letters 932. “4

َ ‫نان َو َث‬

Regarding I‛rā b, Please also remember that the number as a whole (except the ‫عم‬ ْ (acts as one unit. So,
َ ‫دود‬
if the number is a direct object, then the words that can inflect, are inflected to the appropriate I‛rā b. Let us
look at the following examples to illustrate this point.

[ ً ‫ين َي ْوما‬ ُ ‫ ]ال َّس َن ُة َث‬.days 365 is year The. 5

َ ‫الث ِم َئ ٍة و َخمْ سٌ و عِ ْش ِر‬

[ ً ‫مسني َيوما‬
َ ‫ِتاب يف َثالم ِث ِا َئ ٍة َوأَرْ َب َع ٍة َو َخ‬
َ ‫مْت ْالك‬
ُ ‫ ] َخ َت‬.days 354 in book the finished I. 6

[ َ ‫ت ِتسْ َع مِا َئ ٍة َو ْاثننيِ َو َثالث‬

‫ِني ِرسا َل ًة‬ ْ َ‫ ] َق َرأ‬.letters 932 read She. 7

The less common second convention is to write the entire number backwards until the last (and ,example
ُ ‫َث‬
Another]. ‫الث ِم َئ ٍة‬ َ ‫ ] َخمْ سٌ َو َخمْ س‬as written is” 355, “example For. mentioned is number) largest
‫ُون َو‬

ٍ ِ‫طال‬
a as Jarr is] a‫ ]معدود‬the that note also Please]. ‫ب‬ َ ‫ ]ثال َت ٌة َو َخ ْمس‬as written is” students male
‫ُون و َس ْب ُع ِم َئ ِة‬
753“ Muḍ ā f Ilay.

B. Rules for Numbering 100 and greater [≥ ١١١]

1. The [‫[ معدود‬is Muḍ ā f Ilay, single, and Jarr if the number is a single hundred or a multiple of

hundred without any other numbers.

2. When “hundred’s” are used, the written number preceding the [‫[ َةئِم‬is male; the attached

preceding number is either attached directly with [‫[ َةئِم‬or it is not.

3. When the hundred’s number has ten’s and one’s, then the hundred’s place is written first,
followed by the one’s place, and then finally the ten’s place. In this case, the [a‫[ معدود‬is Naṣb,

since it is a Clarifier.

C. Qur’ā nic and Ḥ adīth Examples of Numbers 100 and greater [≥ ١١١]

﴿ ْ ‫ِني َو‬
‫ٱزدَ ا ُدوا ِتسْ ًعا‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َو َل ِب ُثوا فِي َك ْهف ِِه ْم َثاَل‬.i
َ ‫ث مِا َئ ٍة سِ ن‬
“And they remained in their cave for three hundred years and exceeded by nine.” (18:25)

151
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

} ‫ِين َج َاو ُزوا َم َع ُه‬ َ ‫وت الَّذ‬ َ ُ‫ب َطال‬ ِ ‫ ِب ِع َّد ِة أَصْ َحا‬, ‫ث مِا َئ ٍة َو ِبضْ َع َة َع َش َر‬ َ ‫ث أَنَّ أَصْ َح‬
ُ ‫اب َب ْد ٍر َثاَل‬ ُ ‫ُك َّنا َن َت َح َّد‬
‫ ال َّن َه َر‬, .ii ٌ‫{ َو َما َج َاو َز َم َع ُه إِاَّل م ُْؤ ِمن‬
“We had been informed that the Companions of Badr, were over 310, that of the number of the Companions of
Ṭ ā lū t’s who crossed the river with him, and none crossed the river with him but a believer….”(Saḥ īḥ Bukhā ri)86

} ‫ َف َج َع َل‬، ‫ب‬ ٍ ‫ص‬ ُ ‫ون َو َثاَل‬

ُ ‫ث مِا َئ ِة ُن‬ َ ‫ت سِ ُّت‬ ِ ‫ َو َح ْو َل ْال َب ْي‬، ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َم َّك َة َي ْو َم ْال َف ْت ِح‬
َ ُّ‫دَ َخ َل ال َّن ِبي‬
‫ َي ْط ُع ُن َها‬.iii ‫ئ ْالبَاطِ ُل‬ُ ‫ َجا َء ْال َح ُّق َو َما ُي ْب ِد‬، ‫ " َجا َء ْال َح ُّق َو َز َه َق ْالبَاطِ ُل‬: ‫ َو َيقُو ُل‬، ‫ِبعُو ٍد فِي َي ِد ِه‬
‫{ َو َما ُيعِي ُد‬
“When the Prophet entered Makkah on the day of the Conquest, there were 360 idols around the Kaʻba. The
Prophet started striking them with a stick he had in his hand and was saying, "Truth has come and Falsehood
 will neither start nor will it reappear.” (Saḥ īḥ Bukhā ri)87

} ‫ ُك ُّل َح َس َن ٍة ِب َع ْش ِر أَمْ َثالِ َها إِ َلى‬, ‫ َوأَ َنا أَجْ ِزي ِب ِه‬, ‫ص َيا ُم لِي‬
ِّ ‫ َفال‬, ‫َي َذ ُر َط َعا َم ُه َو َش َرا َب ُه َو َشه َْو َت ُه ِمنْ أَجْ لِي‬
‫ َسب ِْع مِا َئ ِة‬.iv ‫ َوأَ َنا أَجْ ِزي ِب ِه‬، ‫ َفه َُو لِي‬, ‫ص َيا َم‬ ِّ ‫ إِاَّل ال‬, ‫ف‬
ٍ ْ‫{ ضِ ع‬
“He leaves his food, his drink and his desires because of Me, then the Fasting is for Me. I will reward for it. All of
the good deeds are ten times like it (in reward) up to 700 times, except Fasting. And it is with me. And I will
reward for it”. (Musnad Imā m Aḥ med)88

V. Numbering 1000 and greater [≥ ١١١١]

In classical Arabic, “thousand” or [‫ ْفأل‬/‫[ آالف‬is the largest number that can be used. Recently, the word [‫يو ْنلِم‬
,[or “million” has been added to Modern Arabic. Numbering convention using “thousand” is similar to
that of “hundred” with the exception that the number associated directly before the “thousand” is female.
Also, the plural of “thousand” [‫[ آالف‬is used as a Muḍ ā f Ilay when “thousands” are being described.

The [‫عم‬ ْ [is again singular Jarr because it is a Muḍ ā f Ilay.

َ ‫دود‬
For example “1000 girls” is written as [ٍ‫ْفأل‬ ُ‫ ْتنِب‬,[while “1000 boys” is written as [ٍ‫ ” َدلَوُ ْفأل‬.[3000 men” is
َ ِ‫ ] َخ ْم َس ُة آالف‬is” women 5000 “whereas] ‫ ] َثال َث ُة آالفِ َرج ٍُل‬as
directly number the that note Please]. ‫امْرأ ٍة‬

written preceding the [‫[ آالف‬is feminine regardless of the gender of the [‫عم‬ ْ .[
َ ‫دود‬
When numbers are alone written, two conventions that can be used like for the “hundreds”. The first
convention is to state the “thousand’s” first and then state the “hundred’s” and what follows after that. The

[‫عم‬ ْ [is a Clarifier in Naṣb. Let us look at the following examples:

َ ‫دود‬

ِ َ‫ ] ِك َتاب ْال َمغ‬in 3690 # Ḥ adith, Bukhā ri Saḥ īḥ

.[‫ازي‬ 86

ِ َ‫ ] ِك َتاب ْال َمغ‬in 4036 # Ḥ adith, Bukhā ri Saḥ īḥ

.[‫ازي‬ 87
88
Musnad Imā m Aḥ med, Ḥ adith # 10467, Ḥ adith Ḥ asan.

152
[‫ ]اَأْل َعْ داد‬Numbers: 10 Lesson

[ َ ‫الث ِم َئ ِة َو أَرْ َب ٌع َو سِ َُّت‬

‫ون‬ ُ ‫ ]أَلِفٌ َو َث‬as written is” 364,1. “1

[ َ ‫الث ِم َئ ِة َو أَرْ َب ٌع َو سِ َُّت‬

‫ون‬ ُ ‫ف َو َث‬
ٍ ‫ ] َثال َث ُة آال‬as written is” 364,3. “2

.[‫س َن ًة‬
َ َ ‫الث ِم َئ ِة َو أَرْ َب ٌع َو سِ َُّت‬
‫ون‬ ُ ‫ ]ألِفٌ َو َث‬as written is” years 364,1. “3

The second convention as stated previously is less commonly used. Here, the number is written . [ ‫أرْ َب ٌع َو‬
ُ ‫ون َو َث‬
‫الث ِم َئ ِة َو ْألف‬ َ ‫ ]سِ ُّت‬as written is” 364,1, “example For. number) largest and (last the until
backwards

Muḍ ā f a is] a‫ ] َمعْ دود‬the where], ‫س َن ٍة‬

َ ُ ‫ون َو َث‬
ُ‫الث ِم َئ ِة َو ْألف‬ َ ‫ ]أرْ َب ٌع َو سِ ُّت‬as written is” years 364,1, “example another In
Ilay. Altogether, when long or complicated numbering is used, Arabic numerals are more commonly
utilized than the long written form of course. These rules that are being presented here are so that a
thorough review of this complicated topic can be completed.

Rules for Numbering 1000 and greater [≥ ١١١١]

1. The [a‫[ معدود‬is Muḍ ā f Ilay, single, and Jarr if the number is a single thousand or a multiple of
thousand without any other numbers.
2. When “thousand(s)” are used, the written number preceding the [‫ ْفأل‬/‫[ آالف‬is female. When
“thousands” are being written, then [‫[ آالف‬is used.

3. When the thousand’s number has hundred’s, ten’s and one’s, then the thousand’s place is written
first, followed by the one’s place, then the ten’s place, and lastly, the hundred’s place. In this situation of a
“thousand’s” number with other place numbers, the [‫[ معدود‬is Naṣb (Clarifier). Qur’ānic and Ḥadīth Examples

of Numbers 1000 and greater [≥ ١١١١]

﴿ ‫ِني‬
َ ‫ُنزل‬ ٍ ‫ِني أَ َلن َي ْكفِ َي ُك ْم أَن ُي ِم َّد ُك ْم َر ُّب ُكم ِب َثاَل َث ِة آاَل‬
َ ‫ف م َِّن ْٱل َماَل ِئ َك ِة م‬ َ ‫ ﴾ إِ ْذ َتقُو ُل ل ِْلم ُْؤ ِمن‬.i
“[Remember] when you said to the believers, "Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you
with three thousand angels sent down?” (3:124)

﴿ َ ‫ني أَ ْل‬
‫ف َس َن ٍة‬ َ ‫ ﴾ َتعْ ُر ُج ْٱل َماَل ِئ َك ُة َوٱلرُّ و ُح إِ َل ْي ِه فِي َي ْو ٍم َك‬.ii
َ ِ‫ان ِم ْقدَ ا ُرهُ َخمْ س‬
“The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.” (70:4)
} َ ‫ َف َذ َك َر ْال َحد‬، ‫صلَّى هَّللا ُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َوه َُو فِي ْال َمسْ ِج ِد‬
، ‫ِيث‬ َ ِ ‫ُول هَّللا‬
ِ ‫ت َع َلى َرس‬ ُ ‫ دَ َخ ْل‬، ‫ َقا َل‬، ٍّ‫َعنْ أَ ِبي َذر‬
‫ إِ َلى‬.iii ‫ُون‬َ ‫ مِا َئ ُة أَ ْلفِ َن ِبيٍّ َوأَرْ َب َع ٌة َوعِ ْشر‬: ‫ُّون ؟ َقا َل‬ َ ‫ " َيا َرسُو َل هَّللا ِ ! َك ِم ال َّن ِبي‬: ‫ت‬ ُ ‫ َفقُ ْل‬: ‫ َقا َل‬، ْ‫أَن‬
‫ َو َثال َث َة َع َش َر‬، ‫الث مِا َئ ٍة‬
ُ ‫ َث‬: ‫ون ِم ْن ُه ْم ؟ َقا َل‬ َ ُ‫ َك ِم ْالمُرْ َسل‬: ‫ت‬ ُ ‫ قُ ْل‬، ٍّ‫ف َن ِبي‬ َ ‫ " أَ ْل‬...{
“Narrated by Abi Dharr, he said, I entered upon the Messenger of Allah in the mosque, and he

mentioned the Ḥ adīth. To that, he said, I said: Oh Messenger of Allah!, How many Prophets were there?

153
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

He said: 100,000 Prophets, and 1,024 Prophets. I said, How many Messengers were from them? He said,
323…”(Musnad Imā m Aḥ med)89
} َ ِ‫ض ُل مِنْ أَ ْلف‬
‫ إِاَّل ْال َمسْ ِجدَ ْال َح َرا َم‬، ُ‫صاَل ٍة فِي َما سِ َواه‬ َ ‫صاَل ةٌ فِي َمسْ ِجدِي َه َذا أَ ْف‬
َ { .iv
“The prayer in this Masjid of mine is greater in bounty by a thousand times than one besides it, except
Masjid Al-Ḥ aram.” (Saḥ īḥ Muslim)90

Table 63: Summary of Rules for Numbering

Number ‫َعدَد معدود‬

1-2 ∙ Singular ∙ Describer of [a‫[معدود‬
∙ same gender [as #]

3 - 10 ∙ Plural ∙ Muḍāf
∙ opposite gender [as #] ∙ opposite gender
∙ Jarr (MuḍāfIlay)
 11 - 19 ∙ Singular ∙ Compound numbers are
∙ opposite gender not separated with Wāw
∙ typically Naṣb
∙ Naṣb[‫[متييز‬

20 - 99 ∙ Singular ∙ Compound numbers

∙ Naṣb[‫[متييز‬ separated by Wāw
∙ If Compound number, one’s number is
opposite gender

100 - 1000 ∙ Singular Muḍāf is] ‫ ِم َئة‬/‫∙ ]مِا َئة‬

∙ Muḍāfif
∙ One of two conventions used for
(1) no one’s/ten’s place
compound #’s,
number(s), or
(2) if 2nd convention used (1) 1st: numbered in reverse manner
with smallest digit 1st
for compound #’s
(2) 2nd: Hundred’s place numbered
∙ Naṣbif first, then one’s place, then ten’s place
1st convention used ∙ Compound #’s separated by Wāw
for compound #’s, ∙ one’s# is opposite gender

>1000 ∙ Singular Muḍāf is] ‫آالف‬/‫∙ ] ْألف‬

∙ Muḍāfif
∙ One of two conventions used for
(1) no one’s/ten’s place
compound #’s,
number (s)
(1) 1st: numbered in reverse manner with
(2) if 2nd convention used smallest digit 1st.
for compound #’s (2) 2nd: thousand’s place numbered first,
∙ Naṣbif then one’s place, then ten’s place, and then
1st convention used for hundred’s place.
compound #’s, ∙ Compound #’s separated by Wāw
∙ one’s # is opposite gender

89
Musnad Imā m Aḥ med, Ḥ adith # 16281, Ḥ adith Ḥ asan.
90
Saḥ īḥ Muslim, Ḥ adith # 2477 in [ّ‫ جَ احل ا َب ِتك‬.[

154
[‫ ]اَأْل َعْ داد‬Numbers: 10 Lesson

[ َ ‫العدَ ُد‬
ُّ‫الوصْ فِي‬ َ ] Numbers Ordinal. VI
The Ordinal Numbers are being detailed here. These words are flexible [‫[ َبرْ عُم‬like other nouns and

adapt to gender with a Tā Marbū ṭa if needed. They are based on the root of their original number on the
pattern of [‫[ لِفاع‬with the exception of [‫لَّ َوأ‬.[

[ َ ‫العدَ ُد‬
ُّ‫الوصْ فِي‬ َ ] Numbers Ordinal: 64 Table

ٌ ‫أَ َّو‬
first ‫ل‬ َ ‫َع َش‬
eleventh ‫ر‬ ‫حادي‬

ٍ ‫َّثان‬
second ‫ثان‬/‫ِي‬ َ ‫َع َش‬
twelfth ‫ر‬ ‫ثانِي‬
 ٌ ‫ّثال‬
third ‫ِث‬ َ ‫َع َش‬
thirteenth ‫ر‬ ‫ثالث‬

ٌ ‫راب‬
fourth ‫ع‬ ِ َ ‫َع َش‬
fourteenth ‫ر‬ ‫رابع‬
ِ
fifth ٌ‫خا ِمس‬ َ ‫َع َش‬
fifteenth ‫ر‬ ‫خامِس‬

sixth ٌ‫سا ِدس‬ َ ‫َع َش‬

sixteenth ‫ر‬ ‫سادِس‬
seventh ‫ساب ٌع‬
ِ َ ‫َع َش‬
seventeenth ‫ر‬ ‫سابع‬
ِ
eighth ٌ‫ثا ِمن‬ َ ‫َع َش‬
eighteenth ‫ر‬ ‫ثامِن‬
ninth ‫تاسِ ٌع‬ َ ‫َع َش‬
nineteenth ‫ر‬ ‫تاسِ ع‬
ٌ ِ‫عاش‬
tenth ‫ر‬ ْ ِ‫ع‬
twentieth ‫شرون‬ ‫حادي‬

Qur’ānic Examples

َ ُ‫ َوإِن لَّ ْم َين َتهُوا َعمَّا َيقُول‬.i﴿ ‫ِث َثاَل َث ٍة ۚ َو َما ِمنْ إِ ٰ َل ٍه إِاَّل إِ ٰ َل ٌه‬
ۚ َّ‫ون َل َي َمسَّن‬ ُ ‫ِين َقالُوا إِنَّ ٱهَّلل َ َثال‬
َ ‫لَّ َق ْد َك َف َر ٱلَّذ‬

‫ِين َك َفرُوا ِم ْن ُه ْم َع َذابٌ أَلِي ٌم‬

َ ‫﴾ َوا ِح ٌد ٱلَّذ‬
“And We certainly know that among you are those that are denies”(5:73)

ِ ‫أَ َل ْم َت َر أَنَّ ٱهَّلل َ َيعْ َل ُم َما فِي ٱل َّس َم َاوا‬

ۚ ‫ َما َي ُكونُ مِن َّنجْ َو ٰى َثاَل َث ٍة إِاَّل ه َُو َر ِاب ُع ُه ْم َواَل َخمْ َس ٍة‬.ii﴿. ‫ت َو َما فِي‬
ٰ
‫ك َواَل أَ ْك َث َر إِاَّل ه َُو َم َع ُه ْم‬ ِ ْ‫ٱأْل َر‬
َ ِ‫ض ۚ ۚ ُث َّم ُي َن ِّب ُئهُم ِب َما َع ِملُوا َي ْو َم ْٱلقِ َيا َم ِة إِاَّل ه َُو َسا ِد ُس ُه ْم َواَل أَ ْد َن ٰى مِن َذل‬

‫﴾ أَي َْن َما َكا ُنوا إِنَّ ٱهَّلل َ ِب ُك ِّل َشيْ ٍَء َعلِي ٌم‬
“Have you not considered that Allah knows what is in the heavens and what is on the earth? There is in no
private conversation three but that He is the fourth of them, nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them -
and no less than that and no more except that He is with them [in knowledge] wherever they are. Then He will
inform them of what they did, on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allah is, of all things, Knowing..”(4:12)

155

[ ُّ‫العدَ ُد ال َكسْ ِري‬

َ ] Fractions. VII Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

Fractions are also based on the root number on the pattern of [‫[ لُعُف‬or [‫ ْلعُف‬.[
Table 65: Fractions

half ‫ِنصْ ف‬
 third ‫ُثلُث‬

fourth ‫ربْع‬
ُ
ُ
fifth ‫خمُس‬

sixth ‫س ُدس‬
ُ
seventh ‫سُبع‬

eighth ‫ثمُن‬
ُ

ninth ‫ُتعْ س‬

ُ ‫ُع‬
tenth ‫شر‬

Qur’ānic Examples

ۚ َّ‫ك أَ ْز َوا ُج ُك ْم إِن لَّ ْم َي ُكن لَّهُن‬

َ ‫ َو َل ُك ْم ِنصْ فُ َما َت َر‬.﴿ ‫ان َلهُنَّ َو َل ٌد َف َل ُك ُم ٱلرُّ ُب ُع ِممَّا َت َر ْك َن‬
َ ‫مِن َبعْ ِد َوصِ َّي ٍۚة َفإِن َك‬

ُّ َّ‫ان َل ُك ْم َو َل ٌد َف َلهُن‬
‫ٱلثمُنُ ِممَّا َت َر ْك ُتم ۚ َو َلهُنَّ الرُّ ُب ُع ِممَّا َت َر ْك ُت ْم إِن لَّ ْم َي ُكن لَّ ُك ْم َو َل ٌد‬ َ ‫َو َل ٌد ۚ مِّن َبعْ ِدۚ َفإِن َك‬

ٌ ‫ث َكاَل َل ًة أَ ِو ٱ ْم َرأَةٌ َو َل ُه أَ ٌخ أَ ْو أ ُ ْخ‬

ُ‫ت َفلِ ُك ِّل َوا ِح ٍد ِّم ْن ُه َما ٱل ُّس ُدس‬ ُ ‫ُور‬ ٍ ‫ني ِب َها أَ ْو دَ ي‬
َ ‫ْن ۚ َوإِن َك‬
َ ‫ان َر ُج ٌل ي‬ َ ِ‫يُوص‬

ٍ ‫ُون ِب َها أَ ْو َدي‬

‫ْن‬ َ ‫َفإِن َكا ُنوا َوصِ َّي ٍة ُتوص‬

ٰ
ُّ ‫ش َر َكا ُء فِي‬
ِ ُ‫ٱلثل‬
ۚ‫ث‬ َ ِ‫ضارٍّ أَ ْك َث َر مِن َذل‬
ُ ‫ك َف ُه ْم‬ ٍ ‫ص ٰى ِب َها أَ ْو دَ ي‬
َ ‫ْن َغي َْر ُم‬ َ ‫َوٱهَّلل ُ َعلِي ٌم َحلِي ٌم ۚ﴾ َوصِ ي ًَّة م َِّن ٱهَّلل ِ ۚ مِن َبعْ ِد َوصِ َّي ٍة يُو‬
“And for you is half of what your wives leave if they have no child. But if they have a child, for you is one fourth of what
they leave, after any bequest they made or debt. And for the wives is one fourth if you leave no child. But if you leave a
child, then for them is an eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you made or debt. And if a man or woman leaves
neither ascendants nor descendants but has a brother or a sister, then for each one of them is a sixth. But if they are
more than two, they share a third, after any bequest which was made or debt, as long as there is no detriment. [This is]
an ordinance from Allah, and Allah is Knowing and Forbearing.”(4:12)

156
Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs
 Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ānic Āyahs
I. Arabic Sentences: Revisited
At this point, the student should be proficient in translating basic Nominal and Verbal Sentences
accurately. This should be the case even if there is unfamiliar vocabulary. If there is unfamiliar vocabulary,
then a dictionary should be utilized to translate the respective noun or verb, and then an appropriate
translation be ascribed. In Volume 1, a methodology of analyzing both Nominal and Verbal Sentences was
introduced. That methodology will again be revisited here, and be more polished. In general, it represents a
stepwise and methodical analysis of Qur’ā nic Ā yahs, so that an correct translation be derived.
Qur’ā nic ā yahs often have several embedded sentences within. In order to derive an accurate meaning, it is
important to recognize these embedded sentences. There are many instances in the Qur’ā n where there are
nuances, idioms, and complex grammatical structures, where an accurate meaning cannot be determined
from the Qur’ā nic Grammar that has been studied. In these cases, we have to refer to a higher
level reference or resource. In the last three chapters presented in this volume, we will cover more
advanced material. From this, the student will be better equipped to study the Qur’ā n in more depth than
the intermediate level.

II. Review of I‛rāb of Verbs

Table 66: Verbs Categorized by I‛rāb
Raf‛ Naṣb Jazm ‫مبين‬

‫الفعل امالضي الفعل املضارع الفعل‬

‫املضارع الفعل املضارع‬
َ ‫كان َو أَ َخواتِها‬
‫كان َو‬ َ ‫كان َو أَ َخواتِها‬
َ ‫الفعل األمر‬

‫ليس‬
َ
َّ ‫أَ ْفعا ُل ْال َم ْدح َو‬
‫الذ ِم‬ ِ
‫الفعل ال َت َعجُّ ب‬

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Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

III. Review of I‛rāb of Nouns

At this stage, it is vital that the student recognize the I‛rā b of words, nouns and verbs in a typical ā yah.
Furthermore, they should be able to determine the word’s respective grammatical function. The table
below summarizes the various noun categories whose I‛rā b is fixed.

Table 67: Nouns Categorized by I‛rāb

 Raf‛ Naṣb Jarr

‫ُم ْب َتدَأ‬ ‫َمفعول ِب ِه‬ aٌ

‫ُضاف إِليه‬
‫م‬

‫َخ َبر‬ ‫كان َو أَ َخواتِها‬

َ ‫َخ َبر‬ a‫جا ّر َو ْال َمجْ رور‬
[‫مجلة‬/‫شبه مجلة‬
‫مفرد‬/‫مجلةامسيّة‬/‫]فعليّة‬
‫َخ َبر إنَّ َو أَ َخواتِها‬ ‫اسم إنَّ َو أَ َخواتِها‬

‫الفاعِ ل للفعل‬ ُ‫ َظرْ ف‬/ ‫الزمان‬

َّ ُ‫َظرْ ف‬
‫ْالمكان‬
[‫فِيه‬ ‫]مفعول‬
‫نا ْئبُ الفاعِ ل‬ ‫احالل‬
‫كان َو أَ َخواتِها‬
َ ‫اِس ُم‬ ‫َتمْ ييز‬
ْ ‫َم ْفعُول م‬
‫ُط َلق‬
‫مفعول أِل جْ لِ ِه‬/ُ‫َم ْفعول َله‬
‫َم ْفعُول َم َعه‬
‫املُنادي‬
‫اِس ُم ال ال َّنف َّي ُة لل ِج ْنس‬

‫املُسْ َتث َنى‬

ِّ ‫ال‬/‫ص َفة ال َّنعت‬
‫ص َفة‬ ِّ ‫ال‬/‫ص َفة ال َّنعت‬
ِّ ‫ال‬/‫ال َّنعت‬
‫ال َبدَل ال َبدَل ال َبدَل‬
a‫املعطوف املعطوف املعطوف‬

‫ال َّت ْوكيد ال َّت ْوكيد ال َّت ْوكيد‬

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Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs

IV. Merging of Word Constructions

In Volume 1, we discussed various Word Constructions, such as Iḍ ā fa Constructions, Jarr Constructions,
Possession Constructions, etc. While analyzing a respective Arabic sentence (or ā yah), these need to be
identified, since these constructions act like a single word or grammatical unit and simplify sentence
analysis. This is especially helpful when looking at long and complex sentences. One important thing to note
regarding constructions is that they can be merged together to form a single Word Construction. This was
 mentioned briefly in Lesson 7 in Volume 1, but not further elaborated on due to the topic being
introductory. Here, we will give additional examples of merging of Word Constructions.
When Word Constructions are merged, they should be merged from the end (from distant left). Please note
that these constructions are often merged into one large Jarr Construction. Again, the main utility in doing
this is not to complicate matters, but to simply grammatical analysis.

A. Jarr Constructions and Linking

Please remember that in Verbal Sentences with intransitive Verbs [‫الفعل‬ ‫ مِااللز‬,[a Ḥ arf Jarr is used with

another noun to function like a Direct Object that we termed an Indirect Object. Here, the Indirect Object is

essentially a Jarr Construction that is linked [‫[ ِّقلَ َع ُتم‬to the respective verb. Similar to verbal sentences, Jarr

Constructions are often linked to certain words in Nominal Sentences. This linking of Jarr Constructions

occurs when the [‫[ َر َبخ‬is an “action noun” or a word which carries a verbal meaning. This includes nouns

َ ِ‫فاع‬
within verb a of meaning a carry words these because is This ]. ‫ظرف‬/‫ل‬ ‫اسم‬/‫اسم مفعول‬/‫اسم َت ْفضِ يل‬/‫ ] َمصْ دَر‬like

it. In a sentence, this word acts like a verb and thus connects with a Jarr Construction similar to what
occurs in a Verbal Sentence. For example, let us look at the following Ḥ adīth with a Nominal Sentence: {
91
{ ْ ‫كم‬
ِّ‫ َمرْ ضاةٌ لِلرَّ ب‬، ‫ِط َه َرةٌ ل ِْل َف ِم‬ ُ ‫السِّوا‬

Here, the predicate [ِ‫َة َرهْ طِ م‬ ‫[ َم ْفل ٌل‬contains a Jarr Construction. This Jarr Construction links to [ ٌ‫[ َة َرهْ طِ م‬which

is a verbal noun, not an omitted word [‫ نِكائ‬.[The phrase [ِّ‫ضا ْة َرم‬ ‫بَّلل ٌر‬ [functions as a second predicate.

Here, the same situation occurs where the Jarr Construction connects to the Verbal Noun [ِّ‫َّلرل‬
ِ ‫ ب‬.[If the
Subject

.[‫ِيث ال َّسيِّدَ ِة عَ ا ِئ َش َة رَ ضِ يَ هَّللا ُ عَ ْنهَا‬

ُ ‫ حَ د‬/ ‫ ]مُسْ َن ُد ْالعَ َشرَ ِة ْال ُم َب َّش ِرينَ ِب ْالجَ َّن ِة‬in 651,23 #Ḥ adith, Aḥ mad Imā m Musnad 91

159
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

were indefinite, then the Jarr Construction would actually function like a describer as discussed in the
beginning of Lesson 9.

In Nominal Sentences, the Jarr Construction (prepositional phrase) is often linked [‫[ ِّقلَ َع ُتم‬to an omitted

word termed [‫[ ْنكائ‬or [‫ و ُدجْ َوم‬.[In Verbal sentences, the Ḥ arf Jarr (as part of an Indirect Object) is linked to

its corresponding intransitive verb [‫فعل‬ ‫ مِالز‬.[In most cases in basic grammatical analysis, this will not be
necessary in deriving a basic meaning of the ā yah in question. However, when consulting advanced
grammar textbooks or Grammatical Tafsīrs, this information is often given. Please note the concept of
linking of Jarr Constructions can become pretty advanced, and usually is supplementary information.

B. Connecting Particles [‫[العطف حروف‬

Connecting Particles can also connect words or Word Constructions together to form a single construction.
The construction itself can act as a single grammatical unit such as a direct object, part of a Jarr
Construction, etc. Please note that Jarr Construction can play additional roles in grammatical analysis.

V. Pauses and Breaks within Qur’ānic Āyahs

Within the Muṣḥ af itself, there are additional diacritical marks to prevent the reciter from reciting
improperly, which can cause a change in meaning. An improper pause, or continuation can be enough to

distort the meaning. For example, it would be improper to pause at a [‫ و‬,[which is [‫الواو‬ ‫ احالل‬,[because it is

inseparable grammatically to that which it is connected with. If during recitation, the reciter pauses at that [

‫ و‬,[it should be repeated completely, so as not to cause an incorrect meaning. In this regard, it is helpful for

the student to acquaint themselves with recitation of one of the prominent reciters 92. Specifically, it is
useful to pay attention to where the reciter pauses, and where the reciter repeats certain words. Often, the
repetition is done to preserve the meaning of the respective ā yah, than to repeat for purpose of
emphasizing of beautification of the recitation itself. Altogether, these diacritical marks are helpful in
analyzing Qur’ā nic ā yahs where we can ascribe permitted stops as the end of a “sentence” for our purposes.

92
Alḥ amdulillah, there are many known reciters that the student can pick from, but we recommend listening to the recitation of
Sheikh Abdullah Basfar. The recitations of Sheikh Muḥ ammad Khalil al-Ḥ usary, Sheikh Mishā ry Alfā sy, and Ṣalā h Bukhatīr are
also excellent among others. One nice website to access the recitations is <www.versebyversequran.com>.

160
Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs

Table 68: Diacritical Marks in the Muṣḥaf93

Pause Mark Pause Type Description

Compulsory It is compulsory to pause.

‫ال‬ Not permissible It is not permissible to pause.

Continuation To pause is allowed, although to continue

preferred is preferred.

Pause preferred To continue is allowed, although to pause

is preferred.
 ‫ج‬ Permissible It is equally permissible to pause or to continue.

pause required at This symbol is found twice in a respective

one only ā yah, when present. The reciter may pause at
one of these points, but not on both.

Prostration recommended At this point, it is recommended to

make prostration

۞ Mark of Ḥ izb A Ḥ izb is equal to half a Juz’. There are 60 Ḥ izb

in the Qur’ā n. This mark denotes a quarter of a
Ḥ izb.

‫۝‬ Mark at the end of an ā yah The number of the ā yah of the respective Sū rah
is inscribed within this symbol.

VI. Embedded Sentences within Qur’ānic Āyahs

We have already looked at many ā yahs from the Qur’ā n, many of which are long. Within a long ā yah (or
Arabic sentence), there are often one or more additional sentences embedded within. The diacritical marks
which we examined help us to divide a respective ā yah into “sentences” for the purpose of grammatical
analysis. Sometimes, these embedded sentences can themselves be specific grammatical units such as
َ ] predicates], ‫ِب ِه‬
before in step important an, Thus. etc], ‫خ َبر‬ ‫ ] َم ْفعُول‬objects direct], ‫ ]صِ َفة‬describers

grammatical analysis after analyzing words and Word Constructions would be to identify embedded
sentences.

93
Table adapted from website Qur’ā nic Corpus <corpus.quran.com/documentation/>.

161
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

VII. Methodology of Grammatical Breakdown of Qur’ānic Āyahs

The methodology of Qur’ā nic analysis from Volume 1 is used by some teachers of Classical Arabic today 94,
and is very useful for Arabic students who do not speak the language. Adhering to this stepwise
methodology will Inshā Allah allow us to obtain an accurate meaning of the entire sentence, or in our case,
the entire ā yah. We will examine this methodology, as well apply it with some Qur’ā nic examples. One
additional caveat to note here is that we strongly discourage the student from using a translation during
this analysis, as it will defeat the purpose. The Qur’ā nic translation should be used only until the end of the
analysis to check for accuracy, etc.
The 4 – Step Method in Analyzing a Qur’ānic Āyah/ Sentence
A. Step 1 – Word Analysis
Each word needs to be identified as either as a Noun, Verb, or Particle. Subsequently, the specific word
needs to be fully analyzed grammatically. Please note that the ultimate end is to identify the proper I‛rā b 1.

If the word is a noun [‫مْسِ ا‬,[then identify its I‛rāb [‫رج‬/

َ ّ‫نصب‬/‫[ ف َعر‬by first analyzing the following: [
‫ ُم َذ َّكر‬/‫ ]مُؤ َّنث‬Gender. i
[‫واحد‬/‫م َث َّنى‬
ُ /‫ ] َجمْ ع‬Number. ii
َ ‫ َنك‬/‫عرفة‬
[‫ِرة‬ ِ ‫ ] َم‬Definiteness. iii
[a‫رب‬ ِ ُ‫امل‬
َ ْ‫مُع‬/‫نصرف‬ ُ‫غري‬/‫ ] َمبْين‬Flexibility. iv
Remember to identify the meaning of the word, (Hans Wehr dictionary, etc.)

2. If the word is a verb [‫ ْلعِف‬,[identify its I‛rāb[‫رج‬/

َ ّ‫نصب‬/‫[ ف َعر‬by first analyzing the
following: i. Determine the Verb Family (I, II, III, etc.)
ii. Determine its conjugation (gender, number, and person) or the pronoun of its

conjugation [ُ‫وُ ه‬/َ‫ ْت َنأ‬/‫ح َن‬

َ ‫ ْن‬.[Also, note if the verb is in the passive tense or command tense.

iii. If present tense, Determine its I‛rā b [‫ ْم َزج‬/‫نصب‬/‫[ف َعر‬

iv. Determine its meaning if not know, (Hans Wehr Dictionary, etc.).

94
Please note that the Sunnipath Online Academy (now Qibla Institute for the Islā mic Sciences) had formerly used this
methodology to teach Arabic. The prolific website Qur’ā nic Corpus also uses a somewhat similar scheme in using diagrams to
bring various words of ā yah subsections together. Please see <http://corpus.quran.com/documentation/dependencygraph.jsp>.

162
Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs

3. If the word is a particle [‫ ْف َرح‬,[identify the type, whether it affects I‛rā b :

i. If it affects I‛rā b:
a) Acts on Nouns: Ḥ arf Jarr or Ḥ arf Naṣb [‫نِإ‬ َ
َّ‫أخوات و‬ُ ‫[ها‬

b) Acts on Verbs: Ḥ arf Naṣb or Ḥ arf Jazm

ii. If it does not affect I‛rā b, determine its type
‫( حرف عطف‬a
‫( حرف نفي‬b
‫( حرف استفهام‬c
d) Other miscellaneous types

B. Step 2 – Identifying and Merging Word Constructions

In this two Volume Series, we have discussed Word Constructions thoroughly, perhaps more so than other
Grammar textbooks. This is because their complete understanding and utilization often simplifies

grammatical analysis of Arabic sentences. Please note that the Particle Inna [‫إن‬ ‫ أ َ َّو‬a‫[ هاُوا َت َخ‬will be
considered

as part of a Nominal Sentence, and is not included here.

1. Identify and underline any Word Construction [‫[ َّب َكرُم‬
(‫إليه‬ ‫مُضاف‬/‫ )مُضاف‬Constructions Possession/Iḍ ā fa. i
(a‫ َموصوف‬/‫ )صِ َفة‬Constructions Describing. ii

(‫إِليه‬ ‫اإلشارة و َم ْشهور‬

َ ‫ )اِسم‬constructions Pointing. iii
(‫اجملرور‬ ‫ )جار و‬Constructions Jarr. iv
2. Identify Relative Pronouns [‫اسم‬ a‫[ املوصول‬and its Connected Sentence [‫ [املوصو ُل َةلِص‬Please
remember the [‫َةلِص‬ ‫ل‬aُ ‫[ املوصو‬describes a definite noun preceding the relative pronoun. The [‫دِعائ‬
[connects back to the noun described, which may be omitted if it is a direct object.

i. Relative pronouns include [‫ ذيّال‬/ ‫ ذي ّنال‬/ ‫ َن َم‬/ْ‫ ما‬.[These relative pronouns are important
since they point to an embedded sentence afterward.
ii. The [‫ل َةلِص‬ ْ
aُ ‫صول َوام‬ [typically is a sentence, such as Nominal or Verbal. However, it can
sometimes be a Jarr Construction or another construction.

163
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

3. Merging of different Constructions [‫يب ْك َرت‬

ِ [
.[‫الفاعِ ل‬/‫به‬ َ ‫ ]مُب َت‬unit grammatical single a as acts Construction Each. i
‫مفععل‬/‫خ َبر‬/‫دأ‬

ii. Different Adjacent Overlapping Constructions need to be merged into a single Construction. ◦
Usually Constructions are merged in a Jarr Construction
◦ It is easiest to merge from the left to right direction.
iii. Join Constructions through Connecting Particles [‫العطف حروف‬.[
ْ ُ‫[ وف‬can be merged with words that are following in terms of
◦ Those words that are [‫ط َعم‬
I‛rā b.

C. Step 3: Identifying Sentences within aQur’ā nic Ᾱ yah

1. First Identify Verbal Sentences
Please note that Verbal Sentences can themselves act as the following categories of words
َ
.[‫خ َبر‬/‫ت‬ ْ‫ َنع‬/‫]حال‬
i. Identify the Doer.
 a) Is it mentioned explicitly? If not, then the Doer is implied.
b) If the verb is passive, there is no Doer (but Deputy Doer explicit
or implied).
ii. Is the Direct Object or Indirect Object present?
Remember if there is an indirect object, it links directly to the verb.

iii. Examine the nouns in Naṣb [a‫[ وبا ُتصْ َنم‬at the end of Verbal Sentences.

a) Often, these nouns in Naṣb are the following types of nouns

can words these,However. others among] ‫حال‬/ُ‫له‬ ‫مفعول‬/‫ َم ْفعول م ُْطلَق‬/ a‫ظروف‬/‫] َتمْييز‬

only be identified as such contextually from the Verbal Sentence in question.

b) Every noun in the Verbal Sentence needs to be ascribed a Grammatical
Function, whether it is a Replacer [‫ لَدَب‬,[Describer, etc.

2. Identify Nominal Sentences

i. Keep in mind that you need to determine the implied “is”in most basic nominal
sentences.
ii. The Predicate can take the form of a single word/word construction or it can also be

another sentence (verbal/nominal), or a Jarr Construction [‫شبه‬ ‫مجلة‬.[

164
Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs

iii. Every noun in the Nominal Sentence needs to be accounted for, and needs to be ascribed a
Grammatical Function, whether it is a Replacer [‫ لَدَب‬,[Describer, Ḥ āl, etc.
3. Merge Embedded Sentences
i. Please note that a respective ā yah can contain one or more embedded sentences. If Step 3
was followed correctly, then most embedded sentences should already have been
merged.
ii. Please note that Embedded Sentences can be of the following:
a) Quotation [‫ ول ُ َقم‬.[Often this sentence would act as a Direct Object.
[a‫املَ ْوصُول‬ ‫( ]صِ لَ ُة‬b
c) Predicate of a Nominal Sentence
d) Ḥ ā l
e) Describer (of an indefinite word)

D. Step 4: Translation
i. Attempt to bring together the different sentence(s) and Word Constructions to obtain an appropriate
meaning.
ii. Practicing this thorough methodology repeated will Inshā Allah allow the student to correctly translate
the Qur’ā n, Ḥ adīths, or other Islāmic literature. Translating the Qur’ā n should without question
deserve our best and sincere effort.
iii. Please note that analysis of some ā yahs require advanced knowledge of Grammar that we have not yet
 studied. In this case, it is essential to refer to Classical Tafsīrs available (preferably in Arabic) to gain
an accurate meaning. It is for this reason that we have presented a quick synopsis of Balā gha, many

additional Qur’ā nic Literary gems, and other aspects from the topic of [‫عإ‬ ْ
َ ‫جاز‬ ‫[ القرآن‬in the later

lessons of this textbook. These will perhaps bridge these gaps from the intermediate learning stage. iv.
Sometimes, a meaning that we determine will not correctly correspond to the appropriate translation.
This will often be a deficiency on our part, or may be due to other unfamiliar semantics or nuances in the
Arabic language. In other instances, this may actually be a deficiency in the translation itself. We
recommend the Saḥ īḥ International Translation of the Qur’ā n, and the vast
majority of the translations of Qur’ā nic ā yahs present in this series are derived from that source. v. By
continuing to practice this scheme, future steps in reading analysis will Inshā Allah get easier, and
become more automatic. The 4-Step Method in Qur’ā nic Analysis will help prevent mistakes and keep a
methodical approach. Initially, graphs and notations will be used, but with enough practice, it will Inshā
Allah become a mental exercise requiring less effort and time. Simultaneously, the student will be
polishing their listening skills, which will ultimately also help in conversational ability. The more we
study this Qur’ā n Inshā Allah, the more doors will be opened

165
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

for us so we can obtain treasures from the Qur’ā n.

VIII. Analyzing Qur’ānic Āyahs Using the 4-Step Method

﴿ 1: ﴾ َ ‫احلق ِب ْٱلباطِ ِل َو َت ْك ُتموا ْٱل َح َّق َو أَ ْن ُت ْم َتعْ َلم‬
‫ُون‬ َّ ‫ َو ال َت ْل ِبسوا‬# Example
Exa
mpl
‫ب‬ِ ‫و ال َت ْل ِبسوا اح َل َّق‬
e ‫الباطِ ل َو َت ْك ُتمُوا اح َل َّق‬
#1
C

Step 1 Verb I Ism Ḥarf Ism Verb I Ḥ arf Ism Ḥ arf Ism Verb I Ḥ arf o

present Plural Single present ‫عط‬ Single Jarr Single Present Jazm
n

tense Male Male tense Male Male Tense Neg

r

Word ‫ف‬
t
e

[‫]أن ُتم‬ Defi [‫]أن ُتم‬ [‫]أن ُتم‬

i

Definite Definite Definit Com c

c

Analy
t

nite
l

Flexible Flexible e mand e

i

Raf‛ Jazm Jazm

o

Infle Naṣb Jarr Flexi n

sis x. due ble

Raf‛ ‫عطف‬ Naṣb
to
‫كلمة‬

Step 2 Jarr
Constructio
‫مر ّك‬ n
‫ب‬ <--------------
->

Step 3 ‫واو مبتدأ‬

‫اح‬ Direct Verb Ḥ arf Jarr Direct Verb
object Doer = ‫عطف‬ Constructio object Doe
‫الل‬
‫مجلة‬ [‫[= ]أن ُتم‬ n Linked to r=[
‫]و‬ Verb ‫]أن ُتم‬
=[‫]و‬
 Nominal Verbal Sentence Verbal Sentence
Sentence <--------------------------> <-----------------------------------------------------
<------------------ >
->

Ḥ āl of prior sentence

(Mer Merge into one sentence

ge <------------------------------------------------------------->
from
left)

Merge two sentences by the connecting particle [‫[عطف حرف‬

<------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- --->

Step And do not cover the truth with the falsehood nor hide the truth knowingly (while you
4 know).
(2:42)
Translat
e

166
Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs

Example # 2
ۚ ‫ُون ِبٱهَّلل ِ َو ُكن ُت ْم أَمْ َوا ًتا َفأَحْ َيا ُك ْم‬
َ ‫ْف َت ْكفُر‬ َ ‫ُث َّم ُيمِي ُت ُك ْم ُث َّم يُحْ ِيي ُك ْم ُث َّم إِ َل ْي ِه ُترْ َجع‬
َ ‫ُون ﴾﴿ َكي‬
‫ب هَّللا ِ َو‬
ِ ‫ُون‬َ ‫ْف َت ْك ُفر‬َ ‫َكي‬
‫ف أَحْ َيا ُك ْم‬َ ‫ُكن ُت ْم أَمْ َوا ًتا‬
Step 1 Ism Verb Ḥarf Ism ‫فعل‬ Ḥarf95 Ism Ḥarf Present Ḥarf
Plural (IV) A‛tf Single Single Jarr Tense Inter
Male Past Female ِ‫الناق‬ Male Verb rogation.
Definite tense (Broken ‫ص‬ Definite [‫]أن ُتم‬
Inflexi [‫]ه َُو‬ Plural)
Past
Flexible
ble Indefi Jarr ‛Raf
Naṣb nite tense
Flexibl [‫]أن ُتم‬
e
Naṣb

Step 2 Jarr Const.

3 Direct Verb Ḥar ‫خرب‬ Verb Ḥarf Jarr Constr. Verb Ḥarf
Step Object Doer f
‫كان‬ = [‫] ُتم‬ =Indirect Object Inter.
‫مفعول‬ is A‛tf verb to] ‫]متعلّق‬ Doer
impli ‫اسم‬ [‫=]و‬
‫به‬ ed
‫كان‬
[‫]ه َُو‬ [‫= ]أن ُتم‬

‫مجلة‬ 3]‫فعليّة‬ ‫]مجلة‬ Ḥarf 2]‫فعليّة‬ ‫]مجلة‬ Wāw 1] ‫]مجلة فعليّة‬

A‛tf of Ḥāl

‫تركي‬ Merge two sentences by connecting

particle
‫ب‬ >-----------------------------------------------
<
 ‫تركي‬ Merge with Wā w of Ḥ ā l which forms a “Ḥ ā l [
‫ب‬ ‫ُون ِبٱ ِ هَّلل‬
َ ‫ْف َت ْكفُر‬
َ ‫ ] َكي‬for Ḥ ā l becomes
which” construction
>---------------------------------------------------------<

‫تركي‬ Different Sentences are merged to form one sentence

>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <
‫ب‬

hen He gave you life?Step َ ‫ُترْ َجع‬

4 ‫ُون‬
(2:28) ‫ِيت ُك ْم ُث َّم يُحْ ِيي ُك ْم ُث َّم إِ َليْ ِه‬
ُ ‫ُث َّم ُيم‬

Step 1 Present Ism Ḥ arf Ḥ arf Ism Verb IV Ḥ arf Ism Verb IV Ḥ arf
Passive Male Jarr ‫عطف‬ Plural Present ‫عط‬ Plural Present ‫عطف‬
Tense Def. Male [‫]ه َُو‬ Male [‫]ه َُو‬
Verb Inflex. Def.
‫ف‬ Definite
[‫]أن ُتم‬ Jarr Inflex. Inflexi
Naṣb ble
‛Raf Naṣb

Step 2 Jarr
.Construction

95
The identity of this Wā w is elusive in Step 1, but in Step 3 where sentences are being analyzed, it should be apparent that t his
Wāw is [‫ احالل واو‬.[Failure to deduce this will change the overall meaning of the translation.

167
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

‫ِيت ُك ْم ُث َّم يُحْ ِيي ُك ْم‬

ُ ‫ُث َّم ُيم‬
َ ‫ُث َّم إِلَيْ ِه ُترْ َجع‬
‫ُون‬
Step 3 Deputy ‫شبه مجلة‬ Ḥ arf ‫مفعول‬ Doer Ḥ arf ‫مفعول‬ Doer is Ḥ arf
Doer ‫عطف‬ is ‫عط‬ implied ‫عطف‬
Indirect ‫به‬ impli ‫به‬
[‫=]و‬ ‫ف‬ [ َ ‫هو‬
ُ]
Object96 ed
[‫= ]أن ُتم‬ verb to] [‫]ه َُو‬
]‫متعلّق‬
‫ُترْ ِجعون‬

‫مجلة‬ 3]‫فعليّة‬ ‫] مجلة‬ ‫]]مجلة فعليّة‬ ‫]]مجلة فعليّة‬

‫تركي‬ Merge from left two sentences by connecting

particle
‫ب‬ >------------------------------------------------------<

‫تركي‬ Merge two sentences by connecting particle

>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<
‫ب‬

‫تركي‬ ُ ‫َفأَحْ َيا‬

[‫ك ْم‬ ‫ُون ِبٱهَّلل ِ َو ُكن ُت ْم أَ ْم َوا ًتا‬
َ ‫ْف َت ْكفُر‬
َ ‫ ] َكي‬to particle connecting by sentences two Merge
‫ب‬ >---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <
 Step 4 .then He will cause you to die, then give life to you, then to Him you will return
translate

Example # 3
﴿ ‫ت‬ ِ ْ‫ ۚ ه َُو ٱلَّذِي َخ َل َق َل ُكم مَّا فِي ٱأْل َر‬...﴾
ٍ ‫ض َجمِي ًعا ُث َّم ٱسْ َت َو ٰى إِ َلى ٱل َّس َما ِء َف َسوَّ اهُنَّ َسب َْع َس َم َاوا‬
‫ه َُو ٱلَّذِي َخ َل َق‬
‫َل ُكم مَّا فِي‬
‫ض َجمِي ًعا‬ ِ ْ‫ٱأْل َر‬
Step Ism Ism Ḥ arf Jarr Ism Ism Ḥ arf Verb I Ism Ism
Single Single Single Plural Jarr Past Single Single
1
Male Female Male Male tense Male Male
Indef. Definite Definite Definite [‫]ه َُو‬ Definite Definite
Flexible Flexible Inflexi Inflexi Inflex. Inflex.
Naṣb Jarr ble ble ‛Raf ‛Raf
Naṣb97 Jarr

Step Jarr Construction Relative Jarr Construction Relative

2 Pronoun Pronoun
#2 #1

2[‫موصول‬ ‫[صلة‬

1[‫موصول‬ ‫[صلة‬

96
Here, the Indirect Object actually precedes its connected verb due to the rhetorical phenomenon of [‫[ أخر َيتَ و دم ْي َقت‬discussed
in Lesson 12.
97
Here, the I‛rā b can only be determined contextually by looking at the ā yah as a whole.

168
Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs

‫ه َُو ٱلَّذِي َخلَ َق َل‬

‫ُكم مَّا فِي‬
‫ض َجمِيعًا‬ ِ ْ‫ٱأْل َر‬
Step ‫صلة موصول‬ ‫اسم‬ Jarr Const. is [ is ‫ خرب‬a‫مبتدأ‬
Doer
3 ‫موصول‬ ‫ [ ّقمتعل‬to verb [ implied
‫و‬ ‫[خلق‬ [‫]ه َُو‬

‫مفعول‬
‫به‬
Connected Sentence
 ‫مجل‬ Ḥ ā l of ‫مجلة فعليّة‬
preced
‫ة‬ ing
verbal
sentence

‫تركي‬ Connected Sentence with Embedded Verbal Sentence and Embedded ‫مجلة امسيّة‬
Connected Sentence #2 and includes Ḥ ā l at the end. The Connected
‫ب‬
Sentence essentially describes who [‫[ هو‬is.

Step .He is the one who created for you all that is in the earth (2:29)
4
َ ‫ُث َّم ٱسْ َت َو ٰى إِ َلى ٱل َّس َما ِء‬
ٍ ‫ف َسوَّ ا هُنَّ َسب َْع َس َم َاوا‬
‫ت‬
Step Ism Ism Ism Verb II Ḥarf Ism Ḥarf Verb Ḥarf
Plural Single Plural Past Single Jarr VIII
1
Female Male Female tense
‫عطف‬ Female Past
‫عطف‬
Indefinite Indef. Definite [‫]ه َُو‬ Definite tense
Flexible Flexibl Inflexi Flexibl [‫]ه َُو‬
Naṣb e ble e
Naṣb Naṣb Jarr

Step Jarr Construction

2

Step Clarifier Direct Direct Doer is Ḥarf Indirect Object Doer is Ḥarf
3 ‫متييز‬ Object Object implied ‫عطف‬ implied ‫عطف‬
#2 #1 [‫]ه َُو‬ [‫]ه َُو‬
#2 #1

‫مجلة‬ ‫]]مجلة فعليّة‬

‫تركيب‬ Merging of Verbal Sentences by Second Connecting Particle

‫تركيب‬ Merge with preceding sentence by First Connecting Particle

Step …Then rose over (toward) the heaven, and made them seven heavens
4

169
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

Example # 4
ۚ﴿ ‫ض َخلِي َف ًة‬ ِ ْ‫ُّك ل ِْل َماَل ِئ َك ِة إِ ِّني َجاعِ ٌل فِي ٱأْل َر‬ َ ‫َوإِ ْذ َقا َل َرب‬
َ ‫ِك َو ُن َق ِّدسُ َل‬
﴾...ۚ‫ك‬ ُ ِ‫َقالُوا أَ َتجْ َع ُل فِي َها َمن ُي ْفسِ ُد فِي َها َو َيسْ ف‬
َ ‫ك ٱل ِّد َما َء َو َنحْ نُ ُن َس ِّب ُح ِب َحمْ د‬
‫إِنّ ي َجاعِ ٌل فِي‬ ‫َو إِ ْذ َقا َل َربُّ َك ِل‬
َ ‫اَل‬ ْ
‫ض َخلِي َف ًة‬ ِ ْ‫ال َم ِئك ِة ٱأْل َر‬
‫ن‬ ‫ة‬

Verb I
S

e
Ism Ism Ḥarf Ism Ism Ḥarf Ism Ḥarf Ism Ism ‫ا‬

‫م‬
ّ‫ي‬

‫ف‬

Single Single Jarr Single Single Plural Jarr Single Single Past
‫ن‬

Naṣb
p ‫ز‬
‫أ‬

‫ت‬

Female Female Male Male Male Male Male tense

‫س‬
1

‫ا‬

Indef. Def. Indef. Def. Def. Def. Def. [‫]ه َُو‬

‫ف‬

Flexible Flex. .Flex Inflex .Flex Inflex. Flex.

‫ر‬

‫ف‬
‫ظ‬

Naṣb Jarr ‛Raf Naṣb Jarr Jarr Raf‛ ‫ر‬

‫ح‬
 S

e
Jarr Inna Jarr Construction Iḍ ā fa
p

Construction connected to
Noun to form
2

[a‫]مبتدأ‬

Verb
S

e
Direct Jarr ‫مبتدأ‬ Jarr Const. [ Doer
Object98 Construction
‫خرب‬ ‫ [ ّقمتعل‬to Verb
p

of is Action to]
3

action ‫]متعلّق‬
noun
ٌ ِ‫] َجاع‬
[‫ل‬
ٌ ِ‫ ] َجاع‬noun
[‫ل‬

‫مجلة امسيّة‬

‫[مقول = مفعول به ]قال‬

‫مجلة فعليَّة‬

S
And remember when Your Lord said to the angels “I am going to place on the earth a
t

p
.”representative..(2:30)

‫َقالُوا أَ َتجْ َع ُل فِي َها َمن‬

ُ ِ‫ُي ْفسِ ُد فِي َها َو َيسْ ف‬
‫ك‬

Verb
S

e
Ism Verb I Ḥarf Ism Ḥarf Verb IV Ism Ism Ḥar Verb I ‫حر‬
Single Presen Single Jarr Present Single Single f Presen I
‫عط‬ ‫ف‬
p

Female t Female [‫]ه َُو‬ Male Female Jarr t Past

1
Definite [‫]ه َُو‬
‫ف‬ Definite Definite Definite َ ]
[‫أنت‬ ‫استفه‬ tense
Flexibl Inflexi Inflexi Inflexi
‫ام‬ [‫]هُم‬
e ble ble ble
Naṣb Jarr Naṣb Jarr
S

e
Jarr Construction Jarr
p

Construction

‫صلة موصول‬

98
See Lesson 12, Section VI for a more detailed discussion regarding this.

170
Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs

‫َقالُوا أَ َتجْ َع ُل فِي َها َمن ُي ْفسِ ُد فِي‬

‫ك ِِّد َما َء‬
ُ ِ‫َها َو َيسْ ف‬
Doer Jarr Const. [‫ّقمتعل‬ Doer [‫ ]متعلّق‬.Const Doer Doer
S

t
Direct
is is is
e

object Jarr [‫ ]و‬is

p

[to Verb
 impli impli impli
ed ed
to Verb
ed [‫]هُم‬

[‫]ه َُو‬ [‫]ه َُو‬ َ ]

[‫أنت‬
3

3]‫فعليّة‬ ‫]مجلة‬ 2]‫فعليّة‬ ‫] مجلة‬

Connected Sentence is Direct Object of Verb [ُ‫[ َلعْ جَ ت‬which is

composed of 2 embedded Verbal Sentences joined by a Connecting
Particle.

3] ‫]مقول = مفعول به ] َقالُوا[ =مجلة فعليّة‬

4] ‫]مجلة فعليّة‬
S

t
”…They said “Are you going to place in it one who will spread corruption and sheds blood.
e

‫َو َنحْ نُ ُن َس ِّ ِب ُح ب َحمْ ِد َك َو ُن َق ِّدِسُ َل َك‬

S

e
Ism Ḥarf Jarr Verb Ḥarf Ism Ism Ḥar Verb Ism Wā w
p

Single II
‫عط‬ Single Single f II Plura of
Male Presen Male Male Jarr Presen l Ḥ āl
1
Definite t ‫ف‬ Definite Definite t Male
Inflex. [ ُ‫]حنن‬ Inflex. (Muḍ ā f) [ ُ‫]حنن‬ Def.
Jarr Jarr Inflex. Infle
Jarr x
‛Raf
S

e
Jarr Construction Iḍ ā fa Construction
p

2
Merge into
Jarr Construction

Jarr Const. [ ‫ّقمتعل‬ Doer Jarr Const. [‫[ ّقمتعل‬to Verb Doer
S

‫مبتدأ‬
is is
e

[to Verb
p

impli impli
3 ed ed
[ ُ‫]حنن‬ [ ُ‫]حنن‬

Merge two Verbal Sentences with Connecting Particle which forms the Predicate

‫مجلة امسيّة‬
Nominal Sentence with the Wā w of Ḥ ā l joins to form a Ḥ ā l for
ُ ِ‫فِي َها َمن ُي ْفسِ ُد فِي َها َو َيسْ ف‬
.ā yah the in sentence prior the joins thus and] ‫ك ٱل ِّد َما َء‬ ‫]أَ َتجْ َع ُل‬
S

e
t

.While we declare Your praise and sanctify You

p

171
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

IX. Tradition Methodology of I'rāb/Grammatical Analysis

Please note that we have already developed a scheme for grammatically analyzing a typical ā yah from the
 Qur’ā n. However, please note that there already exists a traditional methodology for grammatical analysis.
This traditional mode of analysis focuses mainly on Ṣ arf, even though it does touch upon I‛rā b 99. It also
includes with it specific complex grammar terminology as well. It would be good for the student to be
familiar with this method if he/she comes across it in various grammar books, etc. However, we still
recommend the methodology proposed in this textbook series (volumes 1 and 2) since it allows one to
better put different components of the sentence together. The 4-Step Method is not a new methodology and
is used by some grammarians. It avoids repetition of technical grammar terminology where the student
may lose sight of the goal, to translate the ā yah in a cohesive and appropriate manner.
In the traditional method, each word is analyzed separately. If it is a verb or particle then it is identified as
such. If the verb takes an I‛rā b, then that is noted along with its respective ending that points to its
respective I‛rā b. If it is a noun, then the specific category of noun is mentioned

the of rā b‛I the indicates that ending specific the, Furthermore. etc ], ‫فاعل‬ ‫يسم‬/‫مفعول به‬/‫ ُم ْن َفصِ ل‬a‫ضمري‬
َ /‫ ُم َّتصِ ل‬a‫ضمري‬
َ ]
noun is mentioned as well. One difference is that words that are inflexible are not termed as [
‫جمرور‬/‫منصوب‬/‫ مرفوع‬,[but instead given an “implicit” I‛rā b in notation [ِّ‫ لَ َح ِم ف‬.[...

Example # 1
(42:2 ﴿ ( َ ‫احلق ِب ْٱلباطِ ِل َو َت ْك ُتموا ْٱل َح َّق َو أَ ْن ُت ْم َتعْ َلم‬
‫ُون‬ َّ ‫﴾ َو ال َت ْل ِبسوا‬
‫َو حرف عطف َمبْين على فتحة‬

‫ال حرف هني مبين على السكون‬

ِ ‫َت ْل ِبسوا فعل مضارع جمزوم‬

‫ب ]ال الناهيّة[ و عالمة جزمه حذف‬

َّ
‫احلق مفعول به منصوب و عالمة نصبه الفتحة الظاهرة على آخره‬

‫ب حرف جرّ مبين على السكون‬

ِ

99
The convention and notation of traditional method of grammatical breakdown has been extracted from [ ‫ ّةالعربي‬- ‫الثالث اجلزء‬
‫ الغة دروس‬.[Please note that may be subtle differences in terminology of I‛rā b breakdown from book to book even thought the
overall convention/methodology does not change.

172
Lesson 11: Grammatical Analysis of Qur’ânic Àyahs

‫ب[ و عالمة جرّ ه الكسرة الظاهرة على‬ ِ ‫ْٱلباطِ ِل جارّ و اجملرور‬

ِ ]‫ب‬

‫َو حرف عطف َمبْين على فتحة‬

‫َت ْك ُتموا معطعف على ]تلبسوا[جمزوم و عالمة حدف ال ّنون‬

 ‫ْٱل َح َّق مفعول به منصوب و عالمة نصبه الفتحة الظاهرة على آخره‬

‫َو الواو احالل مبين على فتحة ال حم ّل له يف األعراب‬

‫أَ ْن ُت ْم ضمري منفصل مبين على السكون يف حم ِّل رفع مبتدأ‬

‫ُون فعل مضارع مرفوع و عالمة رفعه ُّ‬

‫الثبوت ال ُّنون‬ ‫َتعْ َلم َ‬

‫و الواو اجلماعة ضمري م ّتصل مبين على السّكون فِ حم ِّل رفع‬

‫الفاعل‬

‫‪Example # 2‬‬

‫ُون ِبٱهَّلل ِ َو ُكن ُت ْم أَم َْوا ًتا َفأَحْ َيا ُك ْم ۖ‬

‫ْف َت ْكفُر َ‬ ‫ُث َّم ُيمِي ُت ُك ْم ُث َّم يُحْ ِيي ُك ْم ُث َّم إِ َل ْي ِه ُترْ َجع َ‬
‫ُون﴾(‪َ ( ﴿28:2‬كي َ‬
‫َكي َ‬
‫ْف حرف اسفهام مبين على فتحة‬
‫ُون فعل مضارع مرفوع و عالمة رفعه ُّ‬
‫الثبوت ال ُّنون‬ ‫َت ْكفُر َ‬
‫و الواو اجلماعة ضمري م ّتصل مبين على السّكون فِ حم ِّل رفع‬
‫الفاعل‬
‫ب حرف جرّ مبين على السكون‬
‫ِ‬
‫ٱهَّلل ِ فاعل مرفوع و عالمة رفعه ال ّ‬
‫ض ّم الظاههرة على آخره‬
‫و الواو احالل مبين على فتحة ال حم ّل له يف األعراب‬
‫ِص مبنث على الفتحة‬ ‫ُكن ُت ْم فعل‪ٍ a‬‬
‫ماض ناق ٍ‬
‫ُتم ضمري م ّتصل مبين على السكون يف حم ّل رفع أِل َّن ُه اسم كان‬
‫أَمْ َوا ًتا مفعول به منصوب و عالمة نصبه الفتحة الظاهرة على آخره‬
‫ف حرف عطف َمبْين على فتحة‬
‫َ‬
‫أَحْ َيا فعل ٍ‬
‫ماض مبين على فتحة‬

‫‪173‬‬
‫‪Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic‬‬

‫ُك ْم ضمري م ّتصل مبين على السكون يف حم ّل نصب مفعول به‬

‫ُث َّم حرف عطف َمبْين على فتحة‬
‫ماض مبين على فتحة‬ ‫ُيم ُ‬
‫ِيت فعل ٍ‬
 ‫ُك ْم ضمري م ّتصل مبين على السكون يف حم ّل نصب مفعول به‬
‫ُث َّم حرف عطف َمبْين على فتحة‬
ٍ ‫يُحْ ِيي فعل‬
‫ماض مبين على فتحة‬
‫ُك ْم ضمري م ّتصل مبين على السكون يف حم ّل نصب مفعول به‬
‫ُث َّم حرف عطف َمبْين على فتحة‬
‫إِ َلى حرف جرّ مبين على السكون‬
‫ِه ضمري م ّتصل مبين على السكون يف حم ّل جرّ جارّ واجملرور‬
ُّ ‫ُون فعل مضارع مرفوع و عالمة رفعه‬
‫الثبوت ال ُّنون‬ َ ‫ُترْ َجع‬
‫الواو اجلماعة ضمري م ّتصل مبين على السّكون ف‬ ‫و‬

174
Lesson 12: Advanced Grammar Principles from Qur’ânic Study

Lesson 12: Advanced Grammar Topics from Qur’ānic Study

At this point, we have covered most of the grammar that is found in typical grammar textbooks of Modern
Standard Arabic. There are a few important grammatical principles relative to the study of the Qur’ā n that
are not typically found in these standard grammar textbooks. Here, we will present some important
grammar principles and topics that the student will encounter with a deeper study of the Qur’ā n. Some of
these topics actually are related to Balā gha (Study of Eloquence), which will be further studied in Lesson
13.

[ ‫ ]ا َل َّت ْقدمي و ال َّتأْخِري‬Sentences in Order Word Shifting. I

A. Normal Nominal and Verbal Sentence Patterns

At this point, the student should be proficient in identifying, analyzing, and constructing typical Verbal and
Nominal Sentences. We know that a Verbal Sentence by default starts with a verb, and then is followed by
an explicit Doer (if present). Following the Doer, comes the mention of the Direct Object or Indirect object
(if present). Please note that if the Direct Object is an attached pronoun, then it comes before the explicit

Doer. Other details of the sentence [‫حال‬/‫مفعول‬ ْ [are typically mentioned after these key
‫فيه‬/‫ييز َمت‬

components of a Verbal Sentence. In Nominal Sentences, the Subject is followed by the Predicate. The
Predicate can be one of three types: a word/word construction [‫ دَرْ فُم‬,[a Jarr Construction [‫جار‬ ّ‫ و‬a‫ اجملور‬,
[or a

sentence [‫ َةملُج‬,[verbal or nominal.

The topic of [‫دم ْي َّق َتال‬ ‫ري ْخأَّالت و‬

ِ [is important in Intermediate Qur’ā nic Arabic, because it is frequently
encountered. It is also important with respect to the imitability of the Qur’ā n [‫إعجاز‬ ‫[ القرآن‬discussed in

Lesson 14. It refers to “bringing something forward and delaying the rest” with respect to sentence
structure. In other words, there is essentially the formation of an “abnormal” sentence structure for a
specific grammatical reason. The reason can be for emphasis, exclusivity, highlighting order, quantity, etc.

Often the specific reason for [‫دم ْي َّق َتال‬ ‫ري ْخأَّالت و‬
ِ [has to do with the overall context of the respective passage
or

section of ā yahs. For example, in a conventional Verbal Sentence, the Direct Object is mentioned after the
verb. If it is mentioned before the verb intentionally, then something important is going on grammatically
with the Direct Object that is being brought forward (i.e. it is not a mistake).

175
Essentials of Qur’ânic Arabic

An excellent example that highlights [‫دم ْي َّق َتال‬ َّ ‫ري‬

‫أخالت و‬ ِ [is in the following ā yah of Sū rah

Fā tiḥ ah: ﴿ ُ‫َّاك َنسْ َتعِني‬

َ ‫َّاك َنعْ ُب ُد َوإِي‬
َ ‫﴾ إِي‬

Here in this ā yah, the Direct Object is placed before its respective verb to function in exclusivity. In fact, if
we did not have this occurring, there would be a drastic change in the meaning of the ā yah. It would instead

be [َ‫ُك ُدب َْعن‬ ‫ ُكين َِع ْت َس َن َو‬,[which would mean, “we worship You and seek help from You”. This would not

hold the meaning of “You alone”, and would even contradict the principles of Tawḥ īd, since most who
practice Shirk also worship and ask God, but not exclusively. Bringing some word forward can also be done
for other grammatical purposes as well, not just for exclusivity or emphasis. However, those are commonly
used functions.

[ ‫ ] َم ْفعول ِب ِه‬Object Direct Shifting. B

Example #1:

﴿ 100﴾ َ ‫َب ِل ٱهَّلل َ َفٱعْ ب ُْد َو ُكن م َِّن ٱل َّشاك ِِر‬

‫ين‬

In this example, the [‫مفعول‬ ‫[ به‬which is [‫[ اجالللة لفظ‬is shifted forward. As we saw in the case of the ā yah of

Sū rah Fā tiḥ ah, when the [‫ول‬a‫مفع‬ ‫[ به‬precedes the verb, it usually gains the grammatical functional of
exclusivity. Therefore, the meaning of the underlined section becomes “So Worship Allah only”.

[
‫ ]شِ بْه مجلة‬Construction Jarr Shifting. C
Example #2:
ۚ 101
ً ‫وب ِهم م ََّرضٌ َف َزادَ ُه ُم ٱهَّلل ُ َم َر‬
‫ضا‬ َ ‫َو َل ُه ْم َع َذابٌ أَلِي ٌم ِب َما َكا ُنوا َي ْك ِذب‬
ِ ُ‫ُون﴾﴿ فِي قُل‬
In this ā yah, we see that the normal pattern of a Nominal Sentence is not followed. Instead, the order of the

subject and predicate is reversed. If the normal sentence structure were followed, it would be [ ٌ‫م ِِهو ُبلُق ِيف‬
a‫ض َرم‬
َ [or “Disease is in their hearts”. By mentioning the predicate first, we are focusing on the

predicate, instead of the subject. Thus, in this case, we focus on the heart of the hypocrite, which is their

100
(39:66) “Rather, worship [only] Allah and be among the grateful”.
101
(2:10) “In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they
[habitually] used to lie”.

176