Introduction
In Arabic, words that initiate sentences to pose questions are termed as 'interrogative pronouns'. These essential linguistic tools facilitate inquiry and drive understanding within conversations.
1. Interrogative Pronouns in Arabic: Paving the Way for Inquiries and Understanding
What
مَاذَا / مَا
Why
لِمَاذَا / لِمَ
Who
مَنْ
For who / for which
لِمَنْ
What
ءَ
Did
هَلْ
When
مَتَى
Since
مُنْذُ
Where
أَيْنَ
In what
فِيْمَا
From where / how come
أَنَّى
How
كَيْفَ
How much
كَمْ
When
أَيَّانَ
Which one / whose (masc.)
أَيٌّ
Which one / whose (fem.)
أَيَّةٌ
Do
أَمْ
About what
عَمَّ / عَمَّا
From what
مِمَّ / مِمَّا
2. Interrogative Pronouns in the Holy Quran: Illustrative Examples
قَالُوا أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ
They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" (12:90)
قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً
Say, "What thing is greatest in testimony?" (6:19)
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise (2:214)
مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ
Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? (2:255)
وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ
And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?" (20:17)
يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ
They ask you, [O Muhammad], what they should spend. (2:215)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? (61:2)
قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ
وَانظُرْ إِلَى الْعِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًا
And look at the bones [of this donkey] - how We raise them, and then We cover them with flesh." (2:259) لِّمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ
To whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? (40:16) أَيْنَ شُرَكَاؤُكُمُ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ
"Where are your 'partners' that you used to claim [with Him]?" (6:22) أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّـهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَىٰ
Do you [truly] testify that with Allah there are other deities?" (6:19) فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (55:13) عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ
About what are they asking one another? (78:1) فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
So let man observe from what he was created. (85:5) مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّـهِ
"When is the help of Allah?" (2:214) يَسْأَلُونَ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ الدِّينِ
They ask, "When is the Day of Recompense?" (51:12) وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنقَلَبٍ يَنقَلِبُونَ
And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned. (26:227) أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَـٰذِهِ إِيمَانًا
"Which of you has this increased faith?" (9:124) Note: In Arabic, when مَنْ merges with عَنْ, the result is عَمَّنْ, which translates to 'from whom'. Similarly, when مَنْ is paired with أَمْ, a conjunction denoting 'or', the combined form is أَمَّنْ, interpreted as 'or who' or 'or how'. أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ
Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night (39:9)
Conclusion
This lesson on Arabic nuances concludes here. Insha’Allah, our subsequent session will delve into the possessive phrase in Arabic.
Al-dirassa Institute invites you on a linguistic journey with our expert teachers to master the Arabic language. Should you wish to further your studies, we welcome your inquiries.
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