The foundational entity from which all nouns and verbs stem in Arabic is termed الْمَصْدَرُ. Functioning as a verbal noun, it can be prefixed with the article ‘ال’ or paired with tanween. Moreover, it exhibits declension, adapting to various grammatical roles in a sentence – be it nominative, accusative, or genitive.
Example:
لَوْلَا يَنْهَاهُمُ الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ الْإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ السُّحْتَ ۚ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ
Why do the rabbis and religious scholars not forbid them from saying what is sinful and devouring what is unlawful? How wretched is what they have been practicing. (5:63)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا
O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. (66:8)
فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ
So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. (5:89)
Arabic possesses a rich linguistic structure, with many nouns and verbs stemming from a central source termed as the verbal noun, or الْمَصْدَرُ. From this foundation, various linguistic forms emerge:
It’s worth noting that certain verbal forms in Arabic don’t strictly adhere to prescriptive rules; they are shaped by oral tradition and cultural acceptance over time.
فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُ نَفْسُهُ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers. (5:30)
إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ
Indeed, association [with him] is a great injustice.” (31:13)
وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ
And they said, “Our hearts are wrapped.” (2:88)
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ
We have certainly created man into hardship. (90:4)
وَجَاءُوا عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ
And they brought upon his shirt false blood. (12:18)
هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
guidance for those conscious of Allah (2:2)
فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ
so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger (20:96)
تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰ
That, then, is an unjust division. (53:22)
إِذْ أَنتُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا
[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley (8:42)
فَفِدْيَةٌ مِّن صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ
a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice (2:196)
وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ
And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled (6:115)
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَالَمِينَ
It is not but a reminder for the worlds. (6:90)
فَمَا زَالَت تِّلْكَ دَعْوَاهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَعَلْنَاهُمْ حَصِيدًا خَامِدِينَ
And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them [as] a harvest [mowed down], extinguished [like a fire]. (21:15)
قَالَ يَا بُشْرَىٰ هَـٰذَا غُلَامٌ
He said, “Good news! Here is a boy.” (12:19)
وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَانَ أَسِفًا
And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved (7:150)
وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
And they say, “We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.” (2:285)
وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ
and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. (49:7)
وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَادِرُونَ
And indeed, We can take it away. (23:18)
وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ
yet he is the fiercest of opponents. (2:204)
قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِ
[David] said, “He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. (38:24)
بَرَاءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
[This is a declaration of] disassociation, from Allah and His Messenger to those with whom you had made a treaty among the polytheists. (9:1)
أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ
Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim (9:19)
فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ
So be patient, [O Muhammad], over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting, (50:39)
فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ
So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance (3:37)
وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا
and made you more numerous in manpower (17:6)
وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ حَمُولَةً وَفَرْشًا
And of the grazing livestock are carriers [of burdens] and those [too] small. (6:142)
Note: The pattern فَعْلَةٌ is known as اِسْمُ الْمَرَّةِ, which indicates the frequency or number of times an action is performed.
Additionally, there exists a variation of الْمَصْدَرُ termed as المَصْدَرُ المِيمي. This derivative can take on various patterns, such as مَفْعَلٌ, مَفْعِلٌ, or مُفْعَلٌ, each having its unique significance and application.
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ
And say, “My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance (17:80)
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ حَسُنَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا
Abiding eternally therein. Good is the settlement and residence. (25:76)
This lesson on Arabic nuances concludes here. Insha’Allah, our subsequent session will delve into the tri-literal verb form فَعَّلَ.
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