al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, Sometimes there appear mushtarak lafdhee words in the Qur’an, that sound and are written the same as one another, but appear to be somewhat different in meaning, and it is sometimes difficult to make a link between the various meanings or draw them back to an original meaning. An example of …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, When Ibn ‘Aashoor (d. 1973/1393) wrote his tafseer on the Qur’an, which he called Tafsir al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir, he followed a number of basic principles in his methodology, particularly when it came to the linguistic exegesis, with which his tafseer is replete. These principles are generally based on the semantic connotations …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, To look back to the original meaning of a word is to embark on more than just a linguistic voyage; in some cases, tracing a word back to its original meaning is actually the key to unlocking one of the treasures of the guidance of the Qur’an. For example, Allaah said …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, There are certain noun forms in Arabic known as siyagh al-mubaalaghah (‘forms of intensification/hyperbolic forms’) that are used to put across a more intense meaning than the original noun form. For example, a liar ‘kaadhib’ كاذب may also be known as a kadhoob كذوب or a kadhdhaab كذّاب – all carrying …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, There are some commentaries on the Qur’an (tafseers) which have a strong linguistic element, and within such commentaries one may sometimes find that the different types of ishtiqaaq have been used to offer a depth of meaning and insight that would not ordinarily be understood had reference to the ishtiqaaq not …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, Many people who have set about to memorise the Qur’an, or portions of the Qur’an, will at some point have become confused when they come to a verse they have learnt elsewhere in the Qur’an, but with a slight change in wording or order. The key to overcoming this confusion, more …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, The sound and pronunciation of a word is very important in Arabic, and this especially becomes a problem in the case of generating new words via the naht process. (Although it was mentioned before that one cannot do naht at their whim, the council of Arabic Language has permitted cases of …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, I came across an amusing anecdote in Lisan al-‘Arab recently illustrating the dangers of engaging in naht haphazardly. It is related from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) that his wife one day asked him to provide a jilbab (protective outer garment worn outside the house) for her. He …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding. (12:111) There are a great many examples throughout Islamic classical literature in which the scholars, leaders, and pious men of the past urged and encouraged the Muslims to learn, speak and master …
al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh, The Arabs have a number of words to express specific ways of hitting. When reading the below, pay attention also to any instances of al-ishtiqaaq al-akbar to increase your wonder and marvel at the richness of this language. To hit on the front part of the head using the ball of …
