َا
That .. not أَّل
ُك ُم إ اَّل ِ اّللِ أَ َم َر َأ اَّل َت ۡع ُب ُد ٓوا ْ إ اَّلٓ إيااه
ۡ ُۡ
إ ِ ِن ٱۡل
ِۚ ِ ِ ِ
َ َ ََٓ َا َََاَ ََ ا
He has commanded that you worship none but Him.
ِوما نلا أَّل نتوَّك لَع ٱّلل
And why should we not rely upon Allah
َ
Do(es) not َّل
The word َّلis used to convey negation in Arabic, but only when
it comes to present verbs. It is important to know that English
has many different ways to convey negations in the present tenses
(not only do not/ does not), which could be seen in the following
examples:
ُ ُۡ ََ ُ ُۡ ا
َّٖل يس ِمن وَّل يغ ِِن مِن جوع
ٗ َ َٰ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ا
That neither nourishes, nor satisfies hunger.
١١ َّل تسمع فِيها لغِية
Wherein they will hear no unsuitable speech.
Not (present/ past) َما
The Arabic word ماis possibly one of the most flexible words in
Arabic, which could be used with different meanings. There is an
entire chapter later in this book which will be dedicated to this
word only. One of the reasons why we consider it to be flexible is
that we use it to negate verbs in present and also past, unlike َّل
which is mostly used with present verbs.
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ُ َ ٓ ُ َ َٰ ُ َ ا َ َ ا َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ َ ا
ۡنف َس ُهم يخ ِدعون ٱّلل وٱَّلِين ءامنوا وما َيدعون إَِّل أ
They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none but
ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ َ َ َٰ ا ا
themselves,
ِ وما كفر سليمَٰن ول
كن ٱلشيَٰ ِطني كفروا
Solomon disbelieved not, but the Satans disbelieved,
Will not ۡلَن
َ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ُ َ َ ُ ۡ َ ا َٰ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ٗ ِ َ ا
ِون موث ِقا مِن ٱّلل
ِ قال لن أر ِسلهۥ معكم حت تؤت
He said, “I will not send him with you, unless you give me a pledge before Allah
َ َ َ َۡ ََ ۡ َۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ا
ٓ ِ ت يأذن
ٓ ِل أ
ب َٰ ح ۡرضٱۡل حرَ فلن أب
ِ
I will not leave this land until my father permits me,
Did not ۡلَم
The major use of the Arabic word لمis past negation. This of
course includes different types past tenses in English; so not just
‘did not’. It could also be used as ‘have not’, ‘had not’ and ‘would
not’. In other words, as long as it has to do with the past tense, it
can be used.
َ ُ َ ۡ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ُ َ ِ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َٰ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َ ُ َ ِ ُ ُ ا
ويعلِمكم ٱلكِتب وٱۡل ِكمة ويعلِمكم ما لم تكونوا تعلمون
and teach you the Book and the wisdom, and teaching you that which you did not
know;
َ ۡ َ ِ َٗ َ َ ُۡ ََۡ ُۡ ۡ ُ ۡ ُّ َ َ ُ ۡ َ َ
ٰۚ ك مِنه ولم يؤت سعة مِن ٱلما ِل
ِ وَنن أحق بِٱلمل
when we are more worthy of authority than he, and he was not given plenty of
wealth?”
23
َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ
(There is) no ليست لي س
َ اۡ َ َُ ۡ َ َ ٌ ا
٦ يع ٖ َضِ ليس لهم طعام إَِّل مِن
َ ُ ۡ َ ََۡ ً ُُ ْ ُ ُ َۡ َ ٌ َ ُ ۡ ُ َۡ َ َ ۡا
For them, there will be no food except from a poisonous, thorny plant
ٖليس عليكم جناح أن تدخلوا بيوتا غي مسكونة
َ َٰ َ َ َٰ َ َٰ َ ا َ ُ َُۡ َ ََ
There is no blame on you for entering uninhabited houses,
ۡ َ ۡ
ٖت ٱنلصرى لَع َشء ِ ت ٱَلهود ليسِ وقال
The Jews say, “The Christians are not based on anything;”
Other than/ not َۡغي
َٓ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َٰ ٌ َ ۡ ُ ا
ٰۚ ضياءِ ِ من إِله غي ٱّللِ يأتِيكم ب
ِ َ َۡ ۡ ََ ا ُ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َٰ َ ا
what deity other than Allah could bring you light?
َ
٧وب علي ِهم وَّل ٱلضٓال ِني
ِ ي ٱلمغض ِ صرط ٱَّلِين أنعمت علي ِهم غ ِ
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have
evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
ُ
Apart from مِن دو ِن
َ ََ ِ َ ا ُ ِ ُ َ ََ
ي
ٖ ل وَّل ن ِص ٖ ِ ون ٱّللِ مِن و
ِ وما لكم مِن د
ٗٱّللِ أَ ۡو َثَٰنا ُ ِ ُۡ َََ َ ا َ ا
and apart from Allah you have no protector or helper.?
ا
ون
ِ وقال إِنما ٱَّتذتم مِن د
And [Abraham] said, "You have only taken, apart from Allah, idols
24
List THREE
Question words
25
English Arabic
َۡ َ
Yes/ no Questions هل/ أ
What ...? َماذا/َما
Why…? ل َِم
Who...? َم ۡن
When ...? َم َت
Where...? ََأ ۡين
ََۡ
How...? كيف
َ
How many/ much? ك ۡم
Which? ُّأَي
ا
How...? From Where..?
(mostly rhetorical) أّن
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List 3-7 – Discussion
َۡ
هل/ أ
Yes/ no Questions
The hamza (- ) أcan be used as a prefix that is added to the
beginning of Arabic words to form a yes-no question. The
subject of that sentence is then determined by the word to
which أis attached. The hamza (- ) أcan also appear as only ()ء
at the beginning of words that already start with a hamza ( ) أ.
The word هل, on the other hand, is a stand-alone word which
gives the same meaning and has the same function. The
translation of both of these words to English depends on the
tense of the sentence. Therefore, you will see it translated at ‘is
this ..’ , ‘Do they ..’ , ‘will they ..’ and so on.
ُ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ُ َ ٓ ِ ا َ َ ۡ َ ُ ْ ا َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َٰ ۡ ا
ۡكم
ِۚ أهؤَّلء ٱَّلِين أقسموا بِٱّللِ جهد أيمن ِ ِهم إِنهم لمع
ُ َ َ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َٰ َ ا
Are these the ones who swore by Allah most earnest oaths that they were with you?
ۡكم أهذا ٱَّلِي يذكر ءال ِهت
َ ۡ ُ َٰ َ ۡ ُ ُّ َ َ ِ ُ َ َ ۡ ٌ َ ِ ا َ
"Is this the one who insults your gods?"
ُ ا
٣٩ حد ٱلقهارِ َءأرباب متف ِرقون خي أم ٱّلل ٱلو َ ۡ
َۡ
Are separate lords better or Allah, the One, the Prevailing?
ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َُ ُ َ َ ا
ٖيقولون هل نلا مِن ٱۡلم ِر مِن َشء
َ ُ َ ُّ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َٰ َ ا ۡ
saying, "Is there anything for us [to have done] in this matter?"
ا ُ
٩١ َو َي ُص ادك ۡم َعن ذِك ِر ٱّللِ وع ِن ٱلصلوةٍِۖ فهل أنتم منتهون
َ َ
and to prevent you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer. Will you not
desist?
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What ...? َماذا/َما
َ ُ َُۡ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ِ ُ َ ُۡ َ ُ ُ
سح ِره ِۦ فماذا تأمرونِ ِ ۡرضكم ب
ِ ي ِريد أن َي ِرجكم مِن أ
“He wants to evict you from your land, so what do you recommend?”
َ ُ َۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ََۡ ۡ َۡ ۡ ُ ا ََا
٢٨ جعون
ِ فأل ِقه إَِل ِهم ثم تول عنهم فٱنظر ماذا ير
and deliver it to them. Then leave them and see what [answer] they will return.
Why…? ل َِم
َ ۡ ٱلس ِي َئةِ َق ۡب َل
ٍَِۖٱۡل َسنة َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ِ ۡ َ َٰ َ َ َ
ون ب ا
ِ ِ جل ِ قال يقوم ل ِم تستع
ُّ َ َ ۡ ُ ُ ْ ُ َ َ
َدت ۡم َعلَ ۡينا
He said, “O my people, why are you quick to do evil rather than good?
وقالوا ِِللو ِدهِم ل ِم ش ِه
And they will say to their skins, “Why did you testify against us?”
Who /whoever َم ۡن
َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ َۡٗ ِ ا َ َٓ َ ا
ٗٱّللِ َو َعم َل َصَٰلحا
ِ ِ ومن أحسن قوَّل ِممن دَع إِِل
And who is better in speech than someone who calls to Allah, and acts with
َ َ ۡ َ َٰ َ َٰ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ا ۡ َ َ َ ا
integrity,
ت وٱۡلۡرضِ ولئِن سأتلهم من خلق ٱلسمو
And if you ask them, “Who created the heavens and the earth?”
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When ...? َم َت
ُ ت َهَٰ َذا ٱل ۡ َو ۡع ُد إن ُك
َنت ۡم َص َٰ ِدق ِني َٰ َ ُ ََُ
َ ون َم ويقول
ِ
And they say, “When will this promise be fulfilled, if you are truthful?”
َت ُهو َ ُ َُ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ُ َ َۡ َ ُ ُۡ َ َ
َٰ َ ون َم فسينغِضون إَِلك رءوسهم ويقول
Then they will nod their heads at you, and say, “When will it be?”
َ
Where...? َأ ۡين
It is important to mention that the word أينcan be attached to
ماforming أينما, but when this happens, the word أينwill lose
its ability to form questions, so be sure that it is not attached to
anything else so that it would be understood as a question
word. The word أينماwill be discussed in the final chapter of
this book along with other combinations that go with the word
ما.
َ ُ ُ َۡ ۡ ُ ُ َ ۡ ََُ ُ َۡ َ ُ ََٓ َ ا
٦٢ َو َي ۡو َم ُي َنادِي ِهم فيقول أين ِشَكءِي ٱَّلِين كنتم تزعمون
On the Day when He will call to them, and say, “Where are My associates whom
you used to claim?”
َ ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ َ َۡ ۡ َُ َ َ
٩٢ وقِيل لهم أين ما كنتم تعبدون
And it will be said to them, “Where are those you used to worship?”
29
ََۡ
How كيف
َ ۡ ٱّلل
ُ ِٱۡللۡ َق ُث ام يُع
ٓيدهُ ِۚۥ ُئ ا ُ ُۡ ََۡ ْۡ ََ َََۡ
أولم يروا كيف يب ِد
َٱۡللۡق َ ۡ َٱنظ ُروا ْ َك ۡي َف بَ َدأ َۡ ْ ُ ُۡ
Have they not seen how Allah begins creation and then repeats it?
ُ َ
ِۚ ۡرض فِ قل ِسيوا ِِف ٱۡل
Say, [O Muhammad], "Travel through the land and observe how He began creation.
َ
How many/ much? ك ۡم
In English, we differentiate between countable and
uncountable nouns. This is not the case when it comes to
Arabic; therefore, the word كمwill be used when asking about
both countable and uncountable nouns.
ۡ َ ِ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ْۡ ََ ََۡ
ألم يروا كم أهلكنا مِن قبل ِ ِهم مِن قر ٖن
َ ۡ ََ
Have they not considered how many generations We destroyed before them?
َٗ َ ۡ َ َ ََۡ َ ۡ َ
وكم قصمنا مِن قريةٖ َكنت ظال ِمة
How many a guilty town have We crushed,
Which? ُّأَي
In English, when you are trying to make a choice, we use
‘which’ if the number of choices is limited, while we use ‘what’
if the number is unlimited or unknown. However, in Arabic,
َ
the word أ ُّيcovers both of these meanings, which means
that this differentiation does not exist in Arabic. That is why,
َ
the word أ ُّيcan be translated to either ‘what’ or ‘which’
depending on the context of the aya in English.
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