Selected Ayaat of Surah al-Israa — Study Session 3
Overview
The main topics covered in this session are:
- Review exercise: لا النافية للجنس and its iʿrāb
- Differences between اسم الفاعل and الصِّفَة المُشَبَّهَة — differences 2 through 5
- Two common patterns of الصِّفَة المُشَبَّهَة: أَفعَل (colors/defects) and فَعلَان (intense temporary states)
- Ayah 24: وَاخفِض لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحمَةِ — grammar and vocabulary
- The Kufi and Basri schools of Arabic grammar — their terminology differences
- تَربية — the concept of holistic upbringing; root ر-ب-و/ر-ب-ي
- Maṣdar pattern of Form II nakis and mahmūz verbs
1. Review Exercise: لا النافية للجنس
A student's exercise on the phrase:
لَا طَاعَةَ لِمَخلُوقٍ فِي مَعصِيَةِ الخَالِق "There is absolutely no obedience to a created being in disobedience of the Creator."
| Term | Analysis |
|---|---|
| لَا | لا النافية للجنس — absolute negation of the entire category |
| طَاعَةَ | اسم لا (مبني على الفتح — its "naṣb" sign is the fatḥ) |
| لِمَخلُوقٍ | جار ومجرور — khabar of لا (or predicate, completed by خبر محذوف) |
لا النافية للجنس vs. لا النافية
لا النافية للجنس completely negates the entire genus of the subject — not just one instance. The English parallel is "There is absolutely no X" rather than "There is no X." In this ḥadīth, it categorically negates ALL obedience to creation when it means disobeying the Creator.
2. الصِّفَة المُشَبَّهَة — More Differences from اسم الفاعل
2.1 Difference 2: No Tense Element
| Ismu al-Fāʿil | Can refer to past, present, or future |
|---|---|
| جَالِس | He was sitting / he is sitting / he will be sitting |
| ضَارِب | He struck / he is striking / he will strike |
| Ṣifat Mushabbaha | Has no tenses — it is continuous and timeless |
|---|---|
| كَرِيم | He is generous (always — not at a particular moment) |
| شَرِيف | He is noble (a permanent quality) |
This follows from difference 1: since ṣifat mushabbaha describes a permanent attribute (thubūt), there is no beginning or end to it — and therefore no past, present, or future.
2.2 Difference 3: Derived from Intransitive (Lāzim) Verbs
| Type | Description | Example Verb | Derivative |
|---|---|---|---|
| اسم فاعل | Can come from both لَازِم (intransitive) and مُتَعَدِّي (transitive) verbs | ضَرَبَ (transitive) | ضَارِب |
| صِفَة مُشَبَّهَة | Mostly from لَازِم (intransitive) verbs only | كَرُمَ (intransitive) | كَرِيم |
Why Intransitive?
Permanent qualities describe a state of being, not an action done to an object. Intransitive verbs (لازم) describe states and conditions. Transitive verbs (متعدي) describe actions that pass to an object — they naturally produce ismu al-fāʿil, not ṣifat mushabbaha.
2.3 Difference 4: Conforms to the Muḍāriʿ Pattern (Mostly)
Ismu al-fāʿil always follows the فَاعِل pattern. Ṣifat mushabbaha takes many patterns — but often, the sākin (silent) and mutaḥarrik (voweled) letters of the ṣifat mushabbaha match those of the muḍāriʿ of the parent verb.
| Verb (muḍāriʿ) | Sākin/Mutaḥarrik pattern | Ṣifat Mushabbaha | Does it conform? |
|---|---|---|---|
| يَطهُرُ (yaṭhuru) | م-س-م (mutaḥarrik-sākin-mutaḥarrik) | طَاهِر | Yes — same pattern |
| يَكرُمُ (yakrumu) | م-س-م | كَرِيم | Yes |
| يَكبُرُ (yakburu) | م-س-م | كَبِير | Yes |
But some break this conformity:
| Verb (muḍāriʿ) | Ṣifat Mushabbaha | Conforms? |
|---|---|---|
| يَكرُمُ | كَرِيم | Yes |
| يَعظُمُ | عَظِيم | Yes |
This difference is a technical point for advanced students.
2.4 Difference 5: What the Marfūʿ Noun Becomes
This is the most important structural difference for reading and analysis.
With ismu al-fāʿil (regular active participle):
Verbal sentence: ضَرَبَ حَامِدٌ بَكرًا Noun phrase using ismu al-fāʿil: حَامِدٌ ضَارِبٌ بَكرًا
What was the مفعول به (بَكر) in the verbal sentence remains the مفعول به of the ismu al-fāʿil.
With ṣifat mushabbaha:
Verbal sentence: طَهُرَ قَلبُ حَامِدٍ (Ḥāmid's heart became pure) Noun phrase using ṣifat mushabbaha: حَامِدٌ طَاهِرُ الْقَلبِ (Ḥāmid is pure of heart)
What was the فاعل (قَلب) in the verbal sentence becomes the مُضَاف إِلَيه of the ṣifat mushabbaha.
| Structure | What was originally the fāʿil becomes: |
|---|---|
| Ismu al-fāʿil | مفعول به |
| Ṣifat mushabbaha | مُضَاف إِلَيه |
More Examples
- سَرُعَ حِسَابُ اللهِ → اللهُ سَرِيعُ الحِسَابِ (Allah is swift in reckoning)
- What was فاعل (حِسَاب) → becomes مضاف إليه (الحساب)
- طَهُرَ لِسَانُ المُؤمِنِ → المُؤمِنُ طَاهِرُ اللِّسَانِ (the believer is pure of tongue)
3. Patterns of الصِّفَة المُشَبَّهَة
3.1 Pattern 1: أَفعَل — Colors and Physical Traits
These were previously understood as Form IX derivates (وزن افعلَّ), but are more precisely ṣifat mushabbaha:
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| أَحمَر | aḥmar | red |
| أَبيَض | abyaḍ | white |
| أَصفَر | aṣfar | yellow |
| أَزرَق | azraq | blue |
| أَعرَج | aʿraj | lame (defect in leg) |
| أَعوَر | aʿwar | one-eyed |
| أَكحَل | akḥal | having very darkly-lined eyes |
These describe colors or physical defects/traits and are classified as ṣifat mushabbaha because they are permanent physical attributes.
Poetry Story — أَعوَر and الكَبَاء
Dr. ʿAbdurraḥīm cited a classical poetry story: a tailor (ʿAmmār) stitched a "kabāʾ" (a reversible robe wearable on both sides) for a poet, who then wrote lines of deliberate ambiguity — "ʿAmmār stitched me a kabāʾ… I wish both his eyes were equal (sawāʾ)!" — a gentle jibe implying his asymmetry, while also praising the kabāʾ's symmetry. The word used was أَعوَر (one-eyed).
3.2 Pattern 2: فَعلَان — Intense Temporary States
| Arabic | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| شَبعَان | full (from eating) | temporary — he will be hungry again |
| جَوعَان | hungry | temporary |
| غَضبَان | angry | temporary |
| رَيَّان | satiated from drinking | temporary |
| عَطشَان | thirsty | temporary |
These are temporary states — a person is hungry at a moment, not permanently. Yet they are classified as ṣifat mushabbaha (not ismu al-fāʿil) because they describe a quality/feeling the person is experiencing, not an action they are performing at that moment. Being hungry is not an action; it is a condition.
Why These Are NOT اسم الفاعل
Ismu al-fāʿil describes active doing. جَوعَان is not doing hunger — he is in a state of hunger. The difference is passive vs. active: ṣifat mushabbaha covers both permanent and temporary states of being; ismu al-fāʿil covers actions in progress.
4. Ayah 24 — Grammar and Vocabulary
وَاخفِض لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارحَمهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا "And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy, and say: My Lord, have mercy on them both, just as they raised me when I was small."
4.1 خَفَضَ — To Lower
Root: خ-ف-ض | Form I verb
| Term | Arabic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | خَفَضَ يَخفِضُ | to lower, to humble |
| Active participle | خَافِض | one who lowers |
Metaphor: Lower the wing (اخفِض الجَنَاح) — derived from the behaviour of birds: 1. A bird lowers one wing while courting/sheltering its mate or chicks 2. A parent bird covers helpless chicks under lowered wings — as they once covered you
Connection to حُرُوف الخَفض
The Kufi grammar school named the prepositions "حُرُوف الخَفض (ḥurūf al-khafdh)" — letters of lowering — because they lower the ending of the noun from ḍamma to kasra. The Basri school calls these "حُرُوف الجَرّ (ḥurūf al-jarr)" — letters of pulling — because they pull the vowel down.
4.2 The Kufi School vs. Basri School of Arabic Grammar
| Feature | Basri School (بَصري) | Kufi School (كوفي) |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Basra — mostly Persian scholars | Kufa — mostly Arab scholars |
| Strength | More systematic; accessible to non-Arabic speakers | Closer to native Arab usage patterns |
| Limitation | Sometimes more rigid | Limited accessibility for non-Arabs |
| Name for prepositions | حُرُوف الجَرّ | حُرُوف الخَفض |
| What we study | Primarily Basri-derived grammar | — |
| Later synthesis | Ibn Mālik (600s AH) combined both in al-Alfiyyah | — |
Historical Background
Arabic grammar as a science started in the time of the Companions. ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib reportedly ordered his student to begin writing Arabic grammar rules after noticing that children in Madina were mixing non-Arabic influences into their speech — due to the massive influx of new Muslims from Persia, Byzantium, and elsewhere. The Persians, renowned for their scholarship, became the driving force behind the Basri school.
4.3 جَنَاح — Wing
Root: ج-ن-ح | Plural: أَجنِحَة or جَوانِح
Modern usage: جَنَاح = a suite (wing) in a hotel or the wing of a building — exactly as English uses "wing" for a section of a structure.
4.4 الذُّلّ — Humility/Lowliness
Root: ذ-ل-ل | Plural: أَذِلَّة
جَنَاحُ الذُّلِّ is an iḍāfa (genitive construction) — the wing OF humility. The wing metaphor makes humility visible and tangible.
On Why Parents Are Commanded, But Children Aren't
The Quran repeatedly commands kindness and obedience to parents but never commands parents to be good to their children. The reason: care for one's own children is a natural instinct (فطرة) that requires no command — even animals have it. But caring for ageing parents requires deliberate, willed effort, which is why it needs Divine instruction.
4.5 رَبَّى — To Raise/Bring Up
Root: ر-ب-و or ر-ب-ي | Form II | Verb family: nakis (3rd radical is wāw/yāʾ)
| Form | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (Form II) | رَبَّى يُرَبِّي | to raise, bring up, educate holistically |
| Maṣdar (Form II nakis) | تَربِية | holistic upbringing (takes extra tāʾ because verb is nakis) |
| Active participle | مُرَبِّي | educator, caretaker, governess |
| Passive participle | مُرَبَّى | the one raised; also: preserved fruit / jam (!) |
تَربية vs. تَعليم:
| Term | Meaning | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| تَعليم | teaching, instruction | Narrower — transferring knowledge/skill |
| تَربية | upbringing, nurturing | Broader — character, soul, manners, intellect, AND knowledge |
The Ministry of Education in many Arab countries is named وِزارَة التَّربِية والتَّعليم (Ministry of Upbringing and Teaching) — using both words to cover the full scope.
مُرَبَّى = Jam!
The word مُرَبَّى (murabbā) also means preserved fruit — jam or conserve. This is the same root: رَبَّى = to nurture something to its full potential. Preserving fruit is metaphorically related to nurturing: you protect it, develop it, bring it to its preserved state. In Pakistan and India, this word is used for mango preserve (آم کا مربّہ).
4.6 Maṣdar Pattern of Form II Nakis and Mahmūz Verbs
| Verb type | Base maṣdar (Form II) | Maṣdar with weak/hamzated 3rd radical |
|---|---|---|
| Salīm (regular) | تَفعِيل (e.g., تَعلِيم) | — |
| Nakis (3rd radical = و/ي) | تَفعِلَة (extra tāʾ added) | تَربِية, تَسمِية, تَزكِية |
| Mahmūz al-lām (3rd radical = ء) | تَفعِلَة (extra tāʾ added) | تَهنِئَة (congratulation), تَخطِئَة |
| Verb | Maṣdar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| سَمَّى | تَسمِية | to name |
| رَبَّى | تَربِية | to raise, nurture |
| زَكَّى | تَزكِية | to purify |
| هَنَّأ | تَهنِئَة | to congratulate |
| جَزَّأ | تَجزِئَة | to divide into parts |
| مَلَّح | تَملِيح | to sweeten; to desalinate |
Modern Usage
تَجزِئة: dividing into parts → a retailer (مُجَزِّئ) sells in parts; a wholesaler (جُملَة) sells in bulk. تَملِيح / تَحلِية: desalination of seawater — modern Arabic uses this for the technology of removing salt from ocean water.
5. Vocabulary Summary
| Arabic | Root | Pattern/Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| خَفَضَ | خ-ف-ض | Form I | to lower, to humble |
| جَنَاح | ج-ن-ح | فَعَال | wing; wing (of hotel/building) |
| الذُّلّ | ذ-ل-ل | فُعل | humility, lowliness |
| رَبَّى | ر-ب-و/ي | Form II (nakis) | to raise/bring up/nurture |
| تَربِية | ر-ب-و/ي | تَفعِلَة maṣdar | upbringing, holistic education |
| مُرَبِّي | ر-ب-و/ي | Form II active participle | educator, caretaker |
| مُرَبَّى | ر-ب-و/ي | Form II passive participle | one raised; preserved fruit/jam |
| سَمَّى | س-م-و | Form II (nakis) | to name |
| تَسمِية | س-م-و | تَفعِلَة maṣdar | naming |
| هَنَّأ | ه-ن-أ | Form II (mahmūz) | to congratulate |
| تَهنِئَة | ه-ن-أ | تَفعِلَة maṣdar | congratulation |
| أَحمَر / حَمرَاء | ح-م-ر | أَفعَل / فَعلَاء | red |
| أَعوَر | ع-و-ر | أَفعَل | one-eyed |
| شَبعَان | ش-ب-ع | فَعلَان | full (from eating) |
| جَوعَان | ج-و-ع | فَعلَان | hungry |
| صَغِير | ص-غ-ر | فَعِيل | small, young |
6. Key Lessons from This Session
Summary of Lessons
- الصِّفَة المُشَبَّهَة differs from اسم الفاعل in at least 5 ways: permanence, timelessness, intransitive source, conformity with muḍāriʿ pattern, and what the marfūʿ noun becomes (mufʿūl bih vs. muḍāf ilayh).
- The أَفعَل pattern in colors and defects is ṣifat mushabbaha — not ismu al-fāʿil.
- The فَعلَان pattern for intense temporary states (hungry, angry, full) is also ṣifat mushabbaha — because they describe states, not active doing.
- "Lowering the wing" (اخفِض جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ) is a Quranic metaphor for humility drawn from birds sheltering their young.
- تَربية (holistic upbringing) is broader than تَعليم (teaching). Both come from the root ر-ب-و/ي and ع-ل-م respectively.
- Form II nakis and mahmūz verbs take a special maṣdar ending تَفعِلَة with an extra tāʾ (e.g., تَربِية, تَهنِئَة).
- The Basri school's term "حُرُوف الجَرّ" is derived from pulling the sound down; the Kufi school's equivalent "حُرُوف الخَفض" is derived from lowering the sound. Both describe the same letters.
Next session will continue with the remaining analysis of Ayah 24 and move into the subsequent ayaat.