Introduction
The active voice verb, known as اَلْفِعْلُ الْمَعْرُوْفُ, is where the subject or doer of the action is explicitly mentioned. We have extensively covered these types of verbs in previous chapters, particularly those following the patterns فَعَلَ – فَعِلَ – فَعُلَ. However, Arabic also features the concept of an unknown or passive verb.
أَن سَخِطَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَفِي الْعَذَابِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ
That Allah has become angry with them, and in the punishment, they will abide eternally (5:80)
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun (18:86)
In Arabic, we refer to the passive voice of a verb as الفِعْلُ المَجْهُولُ (the unknown verb). In this form, the subject or the doer of the action is not explicitly specified. Typically, we derive passive verbs from transitive verbs (الفِعْلُ الْمُتَعَدِّي). They consist of two components: the passive verb itself and the object acting as the subject, as there is no explicit doer (فَاعِل). Therefore, the object will take the harakah of the subject, which is usually a dammah. In Arabic, this object is referred to as نَائِبُ الفَاعِل (the deputy of the doer).
وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ
And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open] (18:49)
الْكِتَابُ = نَائِبُ الفَاعِل | وُضِعَ = المَجْهُوْلُ
In Arabic, the formation of a passive verb involves changing the harakah (vowel marking) of the active participle, which follows the pattern فَعَلَ – فَعِلَ – فَعُلَ, to فُعِلَ. This change is consistent across all verbs: the first radical takes a dammah (ُ) and the second radical takes a kasrah (ِ).
Formation of the Passive Verb
To form the passive in Arabic, change the vowels of the active verb. In the past tense (الْمَاضِي), the first radical takes a dammah (ُ) and the second radical takes a kasrah (ِ). In the present tense (الْمُضَارِع), the first radical takes a dammah (ُ) and the second radical takes a fatha (َ).
| Active Verb | Passive Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| فَعَلَ | فُعِلَ | was done |
| يَفْعَلُ | يُفْعَلُ | is done |
Example: Verb رَفَعَ – to raise
Past tense – Passive form رُفِعَ
In the passive, the subject is omitted, and the object of the active verb becomes the grammatical subject of the sentence.
| Form | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd masc. sg. | رُفِعَ | He was raised |
| 3rd fem. sg. | رُفِعَتْ | She was raised |
| 1st person | رُفِعْتُ | I was raised |
Present tense – Passive form يُرْفَعُ
The vowel pattern changes similarly in the present tense: the first radical takes a dammah and the second a fatha.
| Form | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd masc. sg. | يُرْفَعُ | He is raised |
| 3rd fem. sg. | تُرْفَعُ | She is raised |
| 1st person | أُرْفَعُ | I am raised |
Quranic Examples
بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللّٰهُ إِلَيْهِ
Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. (4:158)
وَإِذْ رَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ
And [remember] when We raised the mountain above you. (2:63)
لَقَدْ رُفِعَ الْكِتَابُ
Indeed, the Book has been raised.
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Passive of other triliteral verbs
Verb نَصَرَ – to help
| Active | Passive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| نَصَرَ | نُصِرَ | He was helped |
| يَنْصُرُ | يُنْصَرُ | He is helped |
Verb سَمِعَ – to hear
| Active | Passive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| سَمِعَ | سُمِعَ | He was heard |
| يَسْمَعُ | يُسْمَعُ | He is heard |
Verb كَرُمَ – to be noble
| Active | Passive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| كَرُمَ | كُرِمَ | He was honored |
| يَكْرُمُ | يُكْرَمُ | He is honored |
Passive Forms of Weak and Hamzated Verbs
1. Hollow verbs (الأجوف)
The hollow verb has a weak middle radical (wāw or yāʾ). In the passive, this weak letter is transformed or dropped according to vowel harmony.
| Base Form | Passive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| قَالَ | قِيلَ | It was said |
| يَقُولُ | يُقَالُ | It is said |
| بَاعَ | بِيعَ | It was sold |
| يَبِيعُ | يُبَاعُ | It is sold |
2. Defective verbs (الناقص)
Defective verbs end with a weak radical. In the passive, the weak letter is often dropped and the vowel preceding it changes accordingly.
| Base Form | Passive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| رَمَى | رُمِيَ | He was thrown |
| يَرْمِي | يُرْمَى | He is thrown |
| دَعَا | دُعِيَ | He was called |
| يَدْعُو | يُدْعَى | He is called |
3. Hamzated verbs (الهمز)
When the verb contains a hamzah (ء), the passive pattern still follows the same vowel change, though pronunciation may shift slightly.
| Base Form | Passive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| أَكَلَ | أُكِلَ | It was eaten |
| يَأْكُلُ | يُؤْكَلُ | It is eaten |
| سَأَلَ | سُئِلَ | He was asked |
| يَسْأَلُ | يُسْأَلُ | He is asked |
4. Doubled verbs (المضعف)
Verbs with doubled radicals keep their doubling in the passive form, with vowel adjustments only.
| Base Form | Passive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ظَنَّ | ظُنَّ | It was thought |
| يَظُنُّ | يُظَنُّ | It is thought |
| مَدَّ | مُدَّ | It was extended |
| يَمُدُّ | يُمَدُّ | It is extended |
Quranic Examples of Passive Verbs
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ
When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it. (7:204)
وَمَن يُرِدِ اللّٰهُ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا
Whomever Allah wills to lead astray, He makes his chest tight. (6:125)
وَلَقَدْ خُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ ضَعِيفًا
Indeed, man was created weak. (4:28)
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا
Glory be to Him who took His servant by night. (17:1)
The passive voice in Arabic emphasizes the action and its result, rather than the doer. It is frequently used in the Qur’an to highlight divine acts or universal truths.
Understanding the formation and usage of the passive voice allows students of Arabic to read and interpret Qur’anic verses and classical texts more accurately.
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Table of the Passive Hollow Verb قِيلَ
3rd Person Masculine
Singular
قِيلَ
He was told
Dual
قِيلَا
They two were told
Plural
قِيلُوا
They were all told
3rd Person Feminine
Singular
قِيلَتْ
She was told
Dual
قِيلَتَا
They two were told
Plural
قُلْنَ
They were all told
2nd Person Masculine
Singular
قُلْتَ
You were told
Dual
قُلْتُمَا
You two were told
Plural
قُلْتُمْ
You all were told
2nd Person Feminine
Singular
قُلْتِ
You were told
Dual
قُلْتُمَا
You two were told
Plural
قُلْتُنَّ
You all were told
1st Person (Masculine and Feminine)
Singular
قُلْتُ
I was told
Plural
قُلْنَا
We were told
As seen in the table above, the passive voice for the third person feminine plural is قُلْنَ. The same pattern continues in the past tense conjugation.
Table of the Passive Hollow Verb خِيفَ
3rd Person Masculine
Singular
خِيفَ
He was feared
Dual
خِيفَا
They two were feared
Plural
خِيفُوا
They all were feared
3rd Person Feminine
Singular
خِيفَتْ
She was feared
Dual
خِيفَتَا
They two were feared
Plural
خِفْنَ
They all were feared
In the case of خَافَ, which is an exception to the pattern of قَالَ, the third person feminine plural form is خِفْنَ. The table continues following the same conjugation pattern in the past tense.
Likewise, when ى appears as the second radical in place of ع as in بَاعَ, the passive voice should theoretically be بُيِعَ, but for ease of pronunciation, it becomes بِيعَ.
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Table of the Passive Hollow Verb بِيعَ
3rd Person Masculine
Singular
بِيعَ
He was sold
Dual
بِيعَا
They two were sold
Plural
بِيعُوا
They all were sold
3rd Person Feminine
Singular
بِيعَتْ
She was sold
Dual
بِيعَتَا
They two were sold
Plural
بِعْنَ
They all were sold
2nd Person Masculine
Singular
بِعْتَ
You were sold
Dual
بِعْتُمَا
You two were sold
Plural
بِعْتُمْ
You all were sold
2nd Person Feminine
Singular
بِعْتِ
You were sold
Dual
بِعْتُمَا
You two were sold
Plural
بِعْتُنَّ
You all were sold
1st Person (Masculine and Feminine)
Singular
بِعْتُ
I was sold
Plural
بِعْنَا
We were sold
As observed from the table above, the passive form of the third person feminine plural is بِعْنَ, and the conjugation follows the same pattern as in the past tense.
Passive Weak Defective Verbs – النَّاقِصُ
Table of the Passive Defective Verb دُعِيَ
3rd Person Masculine
Singular
دُعِيَ
He was called
Dual
دُعِيَا
They two were called
Plural
دُعُوا
They all were called
3rd Person Feminine
Singular
دُعِيَتْ
She was called
Dual
دُعِيَتَا
They two were called
Plural
دُعِينَ
They all were called
2nd Person Masculine
Singular
دُعِيتَ
You were called
Dual
دُعِيتُمَا
You two were called
Plural
دُعِيتُمْ
You all were called
2nd Person Feminine
Singular
دُعِيتِ
You were called
Dual
دُعِيتُمَا
You two were called
Plural
دُعِيتُنَّ
You all were called
1st Person (Masculine and Feminine)
Singular
دُعِيتُ
I was called
Plural
دُعِينَا
We were called
When ى replaces the final radical ل, as in رَمَى and لَقَى, the passive follows the same pattern: رُمِيَ and لُقِيَ, consistent with the pattern فُعِلَ.
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Table of the Passive Defective Verb رُمِيَ
3rd Person Masculine
Singular
رُمِيَ
He was thrown
Dual
رُمِيَا
They two were thrown
Plural
رُمُوا
They all were thrown
3rd Person Feminine
Singular
رُمِيَتْ
She was thrown
Dual
رُمِيَتَا
They two were thrown
Plural
رُمِينَ
They all were thrown
2nd Person Masculine
Singular
رُمِيتَ
You were thrown
Dual
رُمِيتُمَا
You two were thrown
Plural
رُمِيتُمْ
You all were thrown
2nd Person Feminine
Singular
رُمِيتِ
You were thrown
Dual
رُمِيتُمَا
You two were thrown
Plural
رُمِيتُنَّ
You all were thrown
1st Person (Masculine and Feminine)
Singular
رُمِيتُ
I was thrown
Plural
رُمِينَا
We were thrown
Quranic Examples of Defective Passive Verbs
فَغُلِبُوا هُنَالِكَ وَانقَلَبُوا صَاغِرِينَ
And they were defeated there, and they turned humbled. (7:119)
وَمَن يُرِدِ اللّٰهُ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا
Whomever Allah wills to misguide, He makes his chest constricted. (6:125)
وَمَن يُرِدِ اللّٰهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ شَيْئًا
And whoever Allah wants to test – you will not be able to protect him from Allah at all. (5:41)
Conclusion
This lesson presented the formation and use of the passive voice (الفِعْلُ المَجْهُولُ) in Arabic, covering sound, hollow, defective, and hamzated verbs. The passive emphasizes the action and its result rather than the doer. Mastering it allows a deeper understanding of Qur’anic and classical Arabic expressions.
The next lesson will explore the derived verb forms and how meaning changes across the different verb patterns.
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