Sarf

in
Short
 ‫بسم اهلل الرحمن الرحيم‬

‫الصرف‬

َّ investigates the behaviour of the word (‫ )ا ْل َكِل َمة‬individually i.e.

(1) ‫الص ْرف‬
not in relation to other words (‫ ) َكِل َمات‬in the sentence (‫)ا ْل ُج ْملَة‬. More
specifically, it investigates the ‫ ا ْل َكِل َمة‬from the perspective of its formal
structure and the changes that affect that structure either to give rise to
different meanings or ease the overall pronunciation of the word.

(2) The ‫ ا ْلَ َكِل َمة‬in Arabic is of three types:

(a) the ‫االسم‬

ْ (noun which includes adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, etc.)
e.g. ‫ط ِالب‬ َ ‫( ِر‬letter, message), ‫( َقلَم‬pen), etc.
َ (student), ‫سالَة‬

(b) the ‫( ا ْل ِف ْعل‬verb) e.g. ‫( َكتَ َب‬wrote), ‫ب‬

ُ ُ‫( َي ْكت‬write, will write) and ‫( اُ ْكتُ ْب‬Write!)

(c) the ‫( ا ْل َح ْرف‬particle) e.g. ‫( َه ْل‬used to convert statements into

questions), ‫( ِف ْي‬in), ‫( لَ ْم‬did not), etc.

(3) The ‫ ا ْل َح ْرف‬and those of the ‫االسم‬ ِ

ْ and ‫ ا ْلف ْعل‬which resemble the ‫ا ْل َح ْرف‬
structurally, semantically and functionally (such as the ‫َس َماء‬ ِ ‫الض‬
ْ ‫ أ‬, ‫َّمائر‬
َ
‫الش ْر ِط‬
َّ ‫َس َماء‬ ِ ِ
ْ ‫ أ‬, ‫االست ْف َهام‬
ْ ‫َس َماء‬
ْ ‫ أ‬, ‫ص ْولَة‬ ْ ‫ األ‬, ‫ش َار ِة‬
ُ ‫َس َماء ا ْل َم ْو‬ ِ , etc.) do not form part of
َ ‫اإل‬
the subject-matter of ‫الص ْرف‬ َّ because of the fact that their rigid structures
are not amenable to the type of changes that is commonly studied in
‫الص ْرف‬ َّ . Hence, ‫الص ْرف‬ َّ only deals with the ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬and the ‫االسم‬ ْ and more
specifically those among them that do not bear any structural, semantic
or functional resemblance to the ‫ا ْل َح ْرف‬.

(4) ‫الص ْرف‬

َّ can be divided into three sections:

(a) ‫ص ْرف ا ْل ِف ْع ِل‬

َ (Morphology of the Verb),

(b) ‫االسِم‬
ْ ‫ص ْرف‬
َ (Morphology of the Noun) and

1
(c) ً‫االسِم َمعا‬ ِ
ْ ‫ص ْرف ا ْلف ْع ِل َو‬
َ (Morphology of the Verb and Noun together), also
called "‫شتََرك‬
ْ ‫الص ْرف ا ْل ُم‬
َّ " (Shared Morphology i.e. the Morphology common
to the Verb and Noun).

2
 ‫ص ْرف ا ْل ِف ْع ِل‬
َ

(5) ‫ص ْرف ا ْل ِف ْع ِل‬ ِ

َ investigates the ‫ ا ْلف ْع ِل‬from seven perspectives:

(a) the time of the occurrence of the action

(b) the number of ‫َصِليَّة‬

ْ ‫َح ُرف األ‬
ْ ‫( األ‬number of root letters)

(c) the presence or absence of ‫َح ُرف ِعلَّ ٍة‬ ْ ‫( أ‬weak letters, namely: the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬,
the ‫ األَِلف‬and the ‫ ) ا ْل َياء‬among the root letters

(d) intransitivity and transitivity

ِ َ‫( ا ْلف‬doer / subject of the verbal

(e) the presence or absence of the ‫اعل‬
sentence)

(f) flexibility and inflexibility (i.e. rigidity)

(g) intensification or non-intensification

(6) The first perspective: the time of the occurrence of the action

The ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬from this perspective is divided into three categories:

(a) ‫اض ْي‬ ِ ‫( ا ْل ِفعل ا ْلم‬past tense / perfect), which denotes the occurrence of the
َ ْ
action in the past, like: "‫( " َكتَ َب‬wrote),
(b) ‫ارع‬ ِ‫ض‬ َ ‫( ا ْل ِف ْعل ا ْل ُم‬present or future tense / imperfect), which denotes the
occurrence of the action in the present or future tense, like: "‫ب‬ ُ ُ‫"ي ْكت‬
َ (write/s
or will write), and
(c) ‫( ِف ْعل األ َْم ِر‬verb of command / imperative), which denotes the request
for the occurrence of the action in the future, like: "‫( "اُ ْكتُ ْب‬Write!)

(7) The second perspective: the number of ‫َصِليَّة‬

ْ ‫َح ُرف األ‬
ْ ‫( األ‬number of
root letters)

The ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫( الثُّالَ ِث ّي‬triliteral), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬comprising three root letters, like: "‫" َكتَ َب‬
(wrote)

3
(b) ‫اع ّي‬ ِ ‫الرب‬ ِ
َ ُّ (quadriliteral), which is a ‫ ف ْعل‬comprising four root letters, like: "
‫"د ْح َر َج‬
َ (rolled)

Each of these two categories is sub-divided into two more categories.

Thus, the ‫ الثُّالَ ِث ّي‬is sub-divided into:

(i) ‫( الثُّالَ ِث ّي ا ْل ُم َج َّرد‬naked / divested triliteral), which is any ‫ ثُالَ ِث ّي‬divested and
stripped of any additional letters such that it only consists of root letters,
like: "‫"خ َر َج‬ َ (went out), "‫( "فَ ِر َح‬was happy), "‫س َن‬ ُ ‫"ح‬
َ (was good), etc. and
(ii) ‫( الثُّالَ ِث ّي ا ْل َم ِز ْيد‬increased / augmented triliteral), which is any ‫ ثُالَ ِث ّي‬whose
root form is increased by the addition of up to three letters, like: "‫َخ َر َج‬ ْ ‫"أ‬
(put out, threw out), "‫( "تَ َخ َّر َج‬graduated), "‫ستَ ْخ َر َج‬ ِ
ْ ‫( "ا‬took out, extracted), etc.

Likewise, the ‫اع ّي‬ ِ ‫الرب‬

َ ُّ is sub-divided into:
ِ ‫الرب‬
(i) ‫اع ّي ا ْل ُم َج َّرد‬ ِ
َ ُّ (naked / divested quadriliteral), which is any ‫ ُر َباع ّي‬divested
and stripped of any additional letters such that it only consists of root
letters, like: "‫"د ْح َر َج‬ َ (rolled), "‫َن‬ َ ‫ط ْمأ‬
َ " (put at ease), etc. and
ِ ‫الرب‬
(ii) ‫اع ّي ا ْل َم ِز ْيد‬ ِ
َ ُّ (increased / augmented quadriliteral), which is any ‫ُر َباع ّي‬
whose root form is increased by the addition of up to two letters, like: "
‫( "تَ َد ْح َر َج‬was rolled), "‫َن‬ ِ (was at ease), etc.
َّ ‫"ا ْط َمأ‬

(NB! For more details see the Appendix 1 at the end of the book)

(8) The third perspective: the presence or absence of ‫َح ُرف ِعلَّ ٍة‬ ْ ‫( أ‬weak
letters, namely: the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬, the ‫ األَِلف‬and the ‫ ) ا ْل َياء‬among the root
letters

The ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫الص ِح ْيح‬َّ (sound / strong), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬whose root letters are free from
‫َح ُرف ِعلَّ ٍة‬
ْ ‫( أ‬weak letters), and consists of three types:

(i) ‫الس ِالم‬

َّ ‫الص ِح ْيح‬
َّ (super sound / strong), which is a ‫ص ِح ْيح‬ َ that is free from
‫ض ِع ْيف‬
ْ َّ‫( الت‬doubling i.e. have two identical root letters) and ‫( ا ْل َه ْمز‬having one
of the root letters as a ‫) َه ْم َزة‬, like: "‫ " َخ َر َج‬, "‫ " َكتَ َب‬, etc.

4
(ii) ‫اعف‬
َ ‫ض‬ َ ‫الص ِح ْيح ا ْل ُم‬
َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬/ ‫ض َّعف‬ َّ (doubled strong), which is a ‫ص ِح ْيح‬ َ that has two
identical root letters, like: "َّ‫"مد‬ َ (extended, lengthened), "‫"ز ْل َز َل‬
َ (quaked,
shook), etc.

(iii) ‫الص ِح ْيح ا ْل َم ْه ُم ْوز‬

َّ (hamzated strong), which is a ‫ص ِح ْيح‬
َ that has one of the
root letters as a ‫ َه ْم َزة‬, like: "‫( "أَ َك َل‬ate), "‫"سأَ َل‬
َ (asked), "َ‫( "قََرأ‬read), etc.

(b) ‫( ا ْل ُم ْعتَ ّل‬weak), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬whose root form constitutes at least one of
the three ‫َح ُرف ا ْل ِعلَّ ِة‬
ْ ‫ أ‬and comprises four types:

(i) ‫( ا ْل ِمثَال‬quasi-sound), which is a ‫ ُم ْعتَ ّل‬whose first root letter is a ‫َح ْرف ِعلَّ ٍة‬
(weak letter), like: "‫ص َل‬ َ ‫"و‬
َ (reached, arrived), "‫س‬ َ ‫"ي ِب‬
َ (was dried), etc.

ْ ‫( األ‬hollow), which is a ‫ ُم ْعتَ ّل‬whose second root letter is a ‫ َح ْرف ِعلَّ ٍة‬,
(ii) ‫َج َوف‬
like: "‫( "قَا َل‬said), "‫اع‬
َ ‫"ب‬
َ (sold), etc.

(iii) ‫اقص‬ِ ‫الن‬

َّ (defective), which is a ‫ م ْعتَ ّل‬whose last root letter is a ‫ َح ْرف ِعلَّ ٍة‬,
ُ
like: "‫"د َعا‬
َ (called, invited), "‫"ر َمى‬
َ (threw, cast), etc.

(iv) ‫( اللَّ ِف ْيف‬two-folded), which is a ‫ ُم ْعتَ ّل‬whose first and third root letters or
second and third root letters are from the ‫َح ُرف ا ْل ِعلَّ ِة‬ ْ ‫ أ‬, like: "‫"وقَى‬
َ (protected,
safeguarded), "‫"و َعى‬
َ (comprehended, fathomed), "‫( " َن َوى‬intended), "‫"ر َوى‬
َ
(reported, narrated), etc.

(9) The fourth perspective: intransitivity and transitivity

The ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫( الالَّ ِزم‬intransitive), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬whose action is confined to the ‫اعل‬ ِ َ‫ا ْلف‬
(doer / subject of a verbal sentence) and not transferred directly onto a
‫( َم ْف ُع ْول ِب ِه‬direct object), like: "‫( "فَ ِر َح‬was happy), "‫س‬
َ َ‫"جل‬
َ (sat), etc.

(b) ‫ِّي‬ ِ
ْ ‫( ا ْل ُمتَ َعد‬transitive), which is a ‫ ف ْعل‬whose action is not confined to the
ِ َ‫ ا ْلف‬but is transferred directly onto a ‫ م ْفعول ِب ِه‬, and further comprises
‫اعل‬ ُْ َ
three types:

5
(i) ‫اح ٍد‬
ِ ‫( ا ْلمتَعدِّي إِلَى م ْفعو ٍل و‬transitive to one direct object only i.e. singly
َ ُْ َ ْ َ ُ
transitive), like: "‫ " َكتَ َب‬in for example: "‫سالَ َة‬
َ ‫الر‬
ِّ ‫( " َكتَ َب َز ْي ٌد‬Zayd wrote the
letter),

(ii) ‫ِّي إِلَى َم ْف ُع ْولَ ْي ِن‬

ْ ‫( ا ْل ُمتَ َعد‬transitive to two direct objects i.e. doubly transitive),
like: "‫ظ َّن‬ َ " in for example: "ً‫ظ َّن َز ْي ٌد َخ ِالداً َك ِر ْيما‬
َ " (Zayd thought Khalid to be
noble / generous), and "‫طى‬ ْ ‫ "أ‬in "ً‫طى َز ْي ٌد َخ ِالداً ِكتَابا‬
َ ‫َع‬ َ ‫َع‬
ْ ‫( "أ‬Zayd gave Khalid a
book), and

ِ َ‫( ا ْلمتَعدِّي إِلَى ثَالَثَ ِة مف‬transitive to three direct objects, i.e. triply
(iii) ‫اع ْي َل‬ َ ْ َ ُ
transitive), like: "‫َعلَ َم‬ ْ ‫ "أ‬in for example: "ً‫َعلَ َم َعِل ٌّي َز ْيداً َخ ِالداً َك ِر ْيما‬
ْ ‫( "أ‬Ali informed
ِ
Zayd that Khalid is noble / generous), and "‫ "أ ََرى‬in " ‫سأَلَ َة‬ ْ ‫س الطَّال َب ا ْل َم‬
ُ ‫أ ََرى ا ْل ُم َدِّر‬
‫"س ْهلَ ًة‬
َ (The teacher made the student see the problem as being easy)

Some scholars add a third category, namely: that which is neither ‫الَ ِزم‬
nor ‫ ُمتَ َع ٍّد‬, and comprises verbs such as "‫ان‬
َ ‫ " َك‬and its sisters and "‫اد‬
َ ‫ " َك‬and
its sisters.

ِ َ‫ا ْلف‬
(10) The fifth perspective: the presence or absence of the ‫اعل‬
(doer / subject of the verbal sentence)

The ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫( ا ْل َم ْب ِن ّي ِل ْل َم ْعلُ ْوِم‬active form of the verb), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬whose ‫اعل‬

ِ َ‫ ا ْلف‬is
mentioned (even in the implied and implicit sense) in the sentence and
not dropped, like:

"‫ " َكتَ َب‬in "‫اب‬

َ ‫ط‬َ ‫ب ا ْل ِخ‬ ِ
ُ ‫( " َكتَ َب الطَّال‬The student wrote the letter),
"‫ب‬ُ ُ‫"ي ْكت‬
َ in "‫اب‬
َ ‫ط‬َ ‫ب ا ْل ِخ‬ ِ َّ ‫( "ي ْكتُب‬The student is writing the letter), and
ُ ‫الطال‬ ُ َ
"‫ "اُ ْكتُ ْب‬in "]‫[ "اُ ْكتُ ْب [أَ ْن َت‬Write (you)]

(b) ‫( ا ْل َم ْب ِن ّي ِل ْل َم ْج ُه ْو ِل‬passive form of the verb), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬whose ‫اعل‬

ِ َ‫ ا ْلف‬is
not mentioned (not even in the implied and implicit sense) in the
sentence, that is, it is dropped from the sentence, leaving a vacuum
which is normally filled by the ‫( ا ْل َم ْف ُع ْول ِب ِه‬direct object), like:

"‫ " ُك ِت َب‬in "‫اب‬

ُ ‫ط‬َ ‫( " ُك ِت َب ا ْل ِخ‬The letter was written) and
"‫ب‬ُ َ‫"ي ْكت‬
ُ in "‫اب‬
ُ ‫ط‬َ ‫ب ا ْل ِخ‬ُ َ‫( " ُي ْكت‬The letter is being written)
6
(11) The sixth perspective: flexibility and inflexibility (i.e. rigidity)

The ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫صِّرف‬
َ َ‫( ا ْل ُمت‬flexible), which is of two types:

ِ ‫( التَّام التَّص ُّر‬fully-flexible), which is a ‫ ِفعل‬that exists in all three states of

(i) ‫ف‬ َ ّ ْ
the ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬, that is: the ‫اض ْي‬ِ ‫ ا ْلم‬, the ‫ارع‬
َ ِ‫ض‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬and the ‫ األ َْمر‬, like:

ِ ‫ا ْلم‬
‫اض ْي‬ ِ‫ض‬
‫ارع‬ َ ‫ا ْل ُم‬ ‫األ َْمر‬ Meaning
َ
‫َكتَ َب‬ ‫ب‬
ُ ُ‫َي ْكت‬ ‫اُ ْكتُ ْب‬ to write, record
‫ضَر َب‬
َ ُ ‫ض ِر‬
‫ب‬ ْ ‫َي‬ ‫ض ِر ْب‬ْ ‫ِا‬ To hit, beat, strike

(ii) ‫ف‬ ِ ‫اقص التَّص ُّر‬

ِ ‫الن‬
َّ (semi-flexible), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬that exists in only two of the
َ
three states, that is: the ‫اض ْي‬ ِ ‫ ا ْلم‬and the ‫ارع‬
ِ‫ض‬ ِ‫ض‬
َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬only, or the ‫ارع‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬and the
َ
‫ األ َْمر‬only, like:

ِ ‫ا ْلم‬
‫اض ْي‬ ِ‫ض‬
‫ارع‬ َ ‫ا ْل ُم‬ ‫األ َْمر‬ Meaning
َ
‫اد‬
َ ‫َك‬ ‫اد‬
ُ ‫َي َك‬ to be on the verge, almost,
nearly
‫ال‬
َ ‫(ما) َز‬
َ ‫(ما) َي َزا ُل‬
َ
to continue

ُ‫َي َدع‬ ‫ع‬

ْ ‫َد‬ to leave, abandon
‫َي َذ ُر‬ ‫َذ ْر‬ to leave, abandon

ِ ‫( ا ْلج‬rigid), which is a ‫ ِفعل‬that exists in only one of the three states,

(b) ‫امد‬ َ ْ
like:

ِ ‫ا ْلم‬
‫اض ْي‬ ِ‫ض‬
‫ارع‬ َ ‫ا ْل ُم‬ ‫األ َْمر‬ Meaning
َ
‫س‬
َ ‫لَ ْي‬
not
‫سى‬
َ ‫َع‬
hopefully

ُ‫َي ِه ْيط‬ shouts, makes a

noise
‫ال‬
َ ‫تَ َع‬ Come!
ِ ‫َه‬
‫ات‬ Give!

7
(12) The seventh perspective: intensification or non-intensification

The ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫( ا ْل ُم َؤ َّكد‬corroborated), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬that has either the ‫ُن ْون التَّْو ِك ْي ِد الثَّ ِق ْيلَة‬
(emphatic ‫الن ْون‬ ُّ of corroboration) or the ‫( ُن ْون التَّْو ِك ْي ِد ا ْل َخ ِف ْيفَة‬non-emphatic ‫الن ْون‬
ُّ
of corroboration) suffixed to it.

(b) ‫( َغ ْير ا ْل ُم َؤ َّك ِد‬non-corroborated), which is a ‫ ِف ْعل‬that does not have the
‫ ُن ْون التَّْو ِك ْي ِد الثَّ ِق ْيلَة‬or the W‫ ُن ْون التَّْو ِك ْي ِد ا ْل َخ ِف ْيفَة‬suffixed to it.

ِ ‫ ا ْلم‬the suffixing of the ‫ ُنون التَّو ِك ْي ِد‬is disallowed.

In the case of the ‫اض ْي‬ َ ْ ْ

In the case of the ‫ األ َْمر‬the suffixing of the ‫ ُن ْون التَّْو ِك ْي ِد‬is optional, like: "‫اع ُب َد َّن‬
ْ ‫َو‬
‫َّك‬
َ ‫"رب‬
َ [Worship your Lord (in the emphatic sense)], "‫َّك‬ َ ‫اع ُب ْد َرب‬
ْ ‫[ " َو‬Worship
your Lord (in the non-emphatic sense)], etc.

ِ‫ض‬
In the case of the ‫ارع‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬the suffixing of the ‫ ُن ْون التَّْو ِك ْي ِد‬is either:

(i) necessary, which is when the ‫ارع‬ ِ‫ض‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬denotes the future and is in the
affirmative in an oath construction with the ‫سِم‬ َ َ‫ الالم( الَم ا ْلق‬of oath) not being
separated from it, like: "‫ام ِة‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫( " َواهلل لَ ُن ْب َعثَ َّن َي ْو َم ا ْلق َي‬By Allah! We will be raised on
the Day of Resurrection), ﴿‫ام ُك ْم‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫َص َن‬ْ ‫( ﴾تَاهلل أَل َك ْي َد َّن أ‬By Allah! I will play a trick on
your idols), or

(ii) close to being necessary, which is when the ‫ارع‬ ِ‫ض‬

َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬is preceded by
the conditional "‫( "إِ ْن‬meaning “if”) that is assimilated into the additional "
ِ ِ ِ
َ so as to form "‫ "إ َّما‬, like: "‫( "إ َّما تَ ْجتَ ِه َد َّن فَأَ ْن َت َناج ٌح‬If you really work hard,
‫"ما‬
then you will be successful), or

ِ‫ض‬
(iii) often, which is when the ‫ارع‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬is preceded by an ‫طلَ ٍب‬ َ ‫( أ ََداة‬particle of
request such as command, prohibition, supplication, gentle or urgent
request, wishing, inquiring), like: ﴿‫افالً َع َّما َي ْع َم ُل الظَّ ِال ُم ْو َن‬
ِ ‫( ﴾والَ تَ ْحسب َّن اهلل َغ‬Do not
َ ََ َ
think that Allah is unmindful of what the wrongdoers are doing)

(iv) rare, which is when the ‫ارع‬ ِ‫ض‬َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬is preceded by the negative "َ‫ "ال‬or the
additional "‫"ما‬ َّ ‫ظلَ ُم ْوا ِم ْن ُك ْم َخ‬
َ , like: ﴿‫اص ًة‬ َ ‫ص ْي َب َّن الَِّذ ْي َن‬
ِ ُ‫ ِفتْ َن ًة الَ ت‬W‫( ﴾واتَّقُوا‬And guard
ْ َ

8
yourselves against a severe punishment which will not only afflict the
wrongdoers …)

(v) very rare, which is when the ‫ارع‬ ِ‫ض‬ ٍ ‫أ ََداة ج َز‬
َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬is preceded by "‫ "لَ ْم‬or an ‫اء‬ َ
(conditional word) other than "‫( "إِ َّما‬and it makes no difference whether it
َّ or ‫الش ْر ِط‬
is in the position the ‫الش ْرط‬ َّ ‫ ) َج َواب‬and is found mostly in poetry,
like:

ِ‫ش‬
‫اف ْي‬ َ ‫أ ََبداً َوقَ ْت ُل َب ِن ْي قُتَ ْي َب َة‬ * ِ ‫م ْن تَثْقَفَ ْن ِم ْنهم َفلَ ْيس ِب‬
‫آئ ٍب‬ َ ُْ َ

Whosoever you find of them will not return - ever - and killing
Banu Qutaybah is a healing

(vi) disallowed, which is when one of the conditions for the necessary
corroboration is violated, like: "‫اهلل الَ ي ْفِل ُح الظَّ ِال ُم ْو َن‬
ِ ‫( "و‬By Allah! The
َ
wrongdoers will not be successful)

‫االسِم‬
ْ ‫ص ْرف‬
َ

(13) ‫االسِم‬
ْ ‫ص ْرف‬
َ investigates the ‫االسم‬
ْ also from seven perspectives:

(a) the stripping or addition of additional letters

(b) rigidity (non-derivation) and derivation

(c) masculinity and femininity (i.e. gender)

(d) the type of ending

(e) number

(f) diminution

(g) relation and ascription

(14) The first perspective: the stripping or addition of additional

letters

The ‫االسم‬
ْ from this perspective is divided into two categories:

9
(a) ‫( ا ْل ُم َج َّرد‬naked or divested), which is an ‫اسم‬
ْ divested and stripped of
any additional letters and comprises three types:

(i) ‫( ا ْل ُم َج َّرد الثُّالَ ِث ّي‬trilateral naked), like: "‫"ر ُجل‬

َ (man), "‫( "فََرس‬horse, mare),
etc.

ِ ‫الرب‬
(ii) ‫اع ّي‬ ِ
َ ُّ ‫( ا ْل ُم َج َّرد‬quadriliteral naked), like: "‫"ج ْعفَر‬
َ (Ja’far, brooklet), "‫"د ْر َهم‬
(dirham), etc.

ِ ‫( ا ْلمج َّرد ا ْل ُخم‬quinqueliteral naked), like: "‫( "سفَرجل‬quince), etc.

(iii) ‫اس ّي‬ َ َُ َ ْ َ

(b) ‫( ا ْل َم ِز ْيد‬increased or augmented), which is an ‫اسم‬

ْ that can be increased
up to seven letters by the addition of additional letters to the root form
and comprises numerous forms, some of which are illustrated in the
following table:

10
 The Increased / Augmented Root Form Additional Letter(s)
Form

Triliteral
Root
ِ َ‫( ف‬someone understanding)
‫اهم‬ ‫فَ ْهم‬ the ‫األلف‬
‫ض ُر ْوب‬
ْ ‫( َم‬beaten, coined) ‫ض ْرب‬
َ the ‫ الميم‬and ‫الواو‬
‫س ِهل‬
ْ َ‫ست‬ْ ‫( ُم‬someone finding ‫س ْهل‬
َ the ‫ السين‬, ‫ الميم‬and ‫التاء‬
something easy)
‫س ِت ْخ َراج‬ ِ
ْ ‫( ا‬extracting, taking out) ‫خرج‬ the , ‫ السين‬, ‫همزة الوصل‬
‫ التاء‬and ‫األلف‬

Quadriliter
al Root
‫( ُم َد ْح ِرج‬someone rolling ‫َد ْح َرج‬ the ‫الميم‬
something)
‫( ُمتَ َد ْح ِرج‬something being rolled) ‫َد ْح َرج‬ the ‫ الميم‬and ‫التاء‬
‫( ِا ْح ِر ْن َجام‬gathering, assembling) ‫َح ْر َجم‬ the ‫ النون‬, ‫ همزة الوصل‬,
and ‫األلف‬

Quinquelite
ral Root
‫س ِب ْيل‬
َ ‫س ْل‬
َ (the of a well in Jannah) ‫سَبل‬
َ ‫س ْل‬
َ the ‫الياء‬
‫( َز ْي َزفُ ْون‬jujube, linden tree) ‫َز ْي َزفَن‬ the ‫الواو‬
‫( َز ْن َج ِب ْيل‬ginger) ‫َز ْن َجَبل‬ the ‫الياء‬

(15) The second perspective: rigidity and derivation

The ‫االسم‬
ْ from this perspective is divided into two categories:

ِ ‫( ا ْلج‬rigid / non-derived), which is an ‫ اسم‬that is not derived from

(a) ‫امد‬ َ ْ
anything and comprises two types:

ِ ‫الذ‬
(i) ‫ات‬ َّ ‫ اسم‬or ‫( اسم ا ْلع ْي ِن‬concrete noun), which is an ‫ اسم‬that is not only non-
ْ َ ْ ْ
derivative but also none of the derived nouns is derived from it, and
refers to an entity or essence the nature of which is that it can be

11
qualified and described by highlighting a quality or attribute in it, like: "
‫"ر ُجل‬
َ (man), "‫( "فََرس‬horse, mare), and

(ii) ‫اسم ا ْل َم ْع َنى‬

ْ (abstract noun), which is an ‫اسم‬ ْ – even though it is non-
derivative – all derivatives are derived from it and is thus appropriately
called the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫( ا ْل َم‬ultimate source); moreover, it denotes the qualities,
states and actions that inhere in entities and essences and which make
it possible for the latter to be qualified and described, like: "‫"ج َمال‬ َ
(beauty), "‫سن‬ ِ
ْ ‫"ح‬
ُ (goodness), "‫"بياض‬ َ (whiteness), "‫ضب‬َ ‫( " َغ‬anger), "‫"كتَ َابة‬
(writing), "‫"جلُ ْوس‬ ُ (sitting), etc.

[Thus, if something possesses the quality of ‫ ا ْل َج َمال‬you can say that it is

‫( َج ِم ْيل‬beautiful), or if someone is in a state of ‫ضب‬
َ ‫( ا ْل َغ‬anger) you can say
that he is ‫ض َبان‬ ْ ‫( َغ‬angry) or if someone performs the action of ‫ا ْل ِكتَ َابة‬
(writing) you can say that he is ‫( َك ِاتب‬someone writing), etc.]

(b) ‫ق‬
ّ َ‫شت‬
ْ ‫( ا ْل ُم‬derivative), which is an ‫اسم‬
ْ that is formed from the ‫ص َدر‬
ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬on a
specific pattern or patterns to indicate the particular manner in which the
quality, state or action is related to someone or something (i.e. a vague
entity or essence), and comprises seven types:

[someone / something + quality / state / action = derivative]

ِ َ‫( اسم ا ْلف‬active participle), which is an ‫ق‬

(i) ‫اع ِل‬ ّ َ‫شت‬ ْ ‫اسم ُم‬
ْ ْ formed from the ‫ص َدر‬
ْ ‫ا ْل َم‬
on a specific pattern to indicate that someone or something is
performing the action indicated by the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬in a non-permanent sense,
like: "‫( " َك ِاتب‬someone writing), "‫( " َق ِائ ٌم‬someone or something standing), "
ِ ‫( "مس‬someone traveling), etc.
‫افٌر‬ َ ُ

(ii) ‫ل‬Wِ ‫اسم ا ْل َم ْف ُع ْو‬

ْ (passive participle), which is an ‫ق‬
ّ َ‫شت‬
ْ ‫اسم ُم‬
ْ formed from the
‫ص َدر‬
ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬on a specific pattern to indicate that someone or something is the
object receiving the action indicated by the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬, like: "‫"م ْكتُْوب‬
َ
(something written), "‫ستَ ْخ َر ٌج‬
ْ ‫"م‬
ُ (something taken out or extracted), etc.

ِ َ‫شبَّهة ( ِباسِم ا ْلف‬

(iii) )‫اع ِل‬ ْ َ َ ‫الصفَة ا ْل ُم‬
ِّ (descriptive noun), which is an ‫ق‬
ّ َ‫شت‬
ْ ‫اسم ُم‬
ْ formed
from the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫( ا ْل َم‬of an intransitive verb) on specific patterns to indicate
that someone or something is the bearer or possessor of the quality

12
indicated by the ‫ص َدر‬ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬and is not confined to any particular tense but
rather stretches from the past into the continuous present, like: "‫"ج ِم ْي ٌل‬
َ
(beautiful), "‫س ٌن‬
َ ‫"ح‬
َ (good), "‫( "أ َْب َيض‬white), "‫ض َبان‬
ْ ‫( " َغ‬angry), etc.

ِ ‫( اسم التَّ ْف‬comparative or superlative form), which is an ‫ق‬

(iv) ‫ض ْي ِل‬ ّ َ‫شت‬
ْ ‫اسم ُم‬
ْ ْ
formed from the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬on the pattern of "‫ "أَف َْع ُل‬to indicate that someone or
something is surpassing something or someone-else in a shared quality
which is denoted by the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬, e.g. ‫َج َم ُل‬
ْ ‫( "أ‬more beautiful), "‫س ُن‬
َ ‫َح‬
ْ ‫( "أ‬better),
"‫ب‬
ُ‫ض‬َ ‫( "أَ ْغ‬angrier), etc.

ِ ‫ان َوا ْل َم َك‬

(v), (vi) ‫ان‬ َّ ‫اس َما‬
ِ ‫الز َم‬ ْ (nouns of time or place), which are ‫ان‬ ِ َّ‫شتَق‬ ِ ‫اس َم‬
ْ ‫ان ُم‬ ْ
formed from the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬on specific patterns to indicate the time or place
in which the action, denoted by the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬, is occurring, like: "‫ق‬ ٌ ‫ش ِر‬
ْ ‫"م‬
َ and "
‫"م ْطلَع‬
َ (time or place of the rising of the sun), "‫ب‬ ٌ ‫"م ْغ ِر‬
َ (time or place of the
setting of the sun), "‫"م ْد َخل‬
َ (entry), "‫"م ْخ َرج‬
َ (exit), etc.

(vii) ‫اسم اآللَ ِة‬ ْ (noun of tool or instrument), which is an ‫ق‬ ّ َ‫شت‬ْ ‫اسم ُم‬
ْ formed from
the ‫ص َدر‬ ِ ِ ِ
ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬on the patterns of "‫ "م ْف َعلَة‬, "‫ "م ْف َعل‬or "‫ "م ْف َعال‬to indicate the tool or
instrument with which the action indicated by the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬is accomplished,
ِ (file), "‫"م ْك َنسة‬
like: "‫"م ْب َرد‬ ِ (broom), "‫"م ْفتَاح‬ ِ (key), etc.
َ

(16) The third perspective: masculinity and femininity (i.e. gender)

The ‫االسم‬
ْ from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫( ُم َذ َّكر‬masculine), like: "‫"ر ُجل‬

َ (man), "‫"جَبل‬
َ (mountain), "‫( " َقلَم‬pen), etc.

(b) ‫( ُم َؤ َّنث‬feminine), which is of two types:

(i) ‫( َح ِق ْي ِق ّي‬real), which is an ‫اسم ُم َؤ َّنث‬

ْ that denotes a female whether
amongst human beings or animals, like: "‫اط َمة‬ ِ َ‫( "ف‬Fatimah), "‫"ز ْي َنب‬
َ
(Zaynab), "‫"ا ْم َرأَة‬ ِ (woman), "‫"قطَّة‬ ِ (female cat), etc.

(ii) ‫ي‬ ِ ‫( َم َج‬metaphorical), which is an ‫اسم ُم َؤ َّنث‬

ّ ‫از‬ ْ that does not denote a
female whether amongst human beings or animals but because of

13
having been used as ‫ ُم َؤ َّنث‬by the ancient Arabs it has acquired the status
of ‫ ُم َؤ َّنث‬, like: "‫ش ْمس‬
َ " (sun), "‫( "أ َْرض‬earth), "‫"ع ْين‬
َ (eye, spring), etc.

The ‫ ا ْل ُم َؤ َّنث‬also comprises three more categories:

(i) ‫( لَ ْف ِظ ّي‬feminine in form only), which is an ‫اسم‬

ْ whose meaning is ‫ ُم َذ َّكر‬but
whose form is feminine due to having one of the ‫( َعالَ َمات التَّأ ِْن ْي ِث‬signs of
femininity) suffixed to it, like: "‫"ح ْم َزة‬ َ " (Talhah), "‫"ز َك ِريَّا‬
َ (Hamzah), "‫ط ْل َحة‬ َ
(Zechariahs), etc.

(ii) ‫ي‬ ّ ‫( َم ْع َن ِو‬feminine in meaning only), which is an ‫اسم‬ْ whose meaning is

‫ ُم َؤ َّنث‬but whose form is ‫ ُم َذ َّكر‬due to it not having one of the ‫َعالَ َمات التَّأ ِْن ْي ِث‬
suffixed to it, like: "‫"م ْر َيم‬ ِ (Hind), etc.
َ (Maryam, Mary), "‫"ز ْي َنب‬
َ (Zaynab), "‫"ه ْند‬

ِ
(iii) ‫ي‬ّ ‫( لَ ْفظ ّي َو َم ْع َن ِو‬feminine in both form and meaning), which is an ‫اسم‬ ْ that
is ‫ ُم َؤ َّنث‬in both form and meaning, like: "‫اط َمة‬ ِ َ‫( "ف‬Fatimah), "‫( "س ْلمى‬Salma), "
َ َ
‫َس َماء‬
ْ ‫( "أ‬Asma), etc.

The ‫ َعالَ َمات التَّأ ِْن ْي ِث‬are two in number:

َ ‫( التَّاء ا ْل َم ْر ُب ْو‬i.e. the joined or closed ‫ التَّاء‬because it is joined or

(i) the ‫طة‬
close at its ends), like: "‫"ح ِس ْي َنة‬ ِ
َ (Hasinah), "‫( "فَاط َمة‬Fatimah), "‫شة‬َ ‫"ع ِائ‬
َ
(Aishah), etc.

(ii) the ‫ األَِلف‬, which is either ‫ص ْو َرة‬ ُ ‫( َم ْق‬shortened), like: "‫س َنى‬
ْ ‫"ح‬
ُ (Husna), "
‫"س ْل َمى‬
َ (Salma), etc. or ‫( َم ْم ُد ْو َدة‬lengthened), like: "‫س َناء‬ْ ‫"ح‬
َ (Hasna), "‫َس َماء‬
ْ ‫"أ‬
(Asma), etc.

Remark: Even though it is not customary in ‫الص ْرف‬ َّ to go into a similar

classification for the ‫ ا ْل ُم َذ َّكر‬, I have thought it in order to treat the ‫ ا ْل ُم َذ َّكر‬in a
similar fashion.

Thus, the ‫ ا ْل ُم َذ َّكر‬can either be ‫ ُم َذ َّكر‬:

 in meaning and in form like "‫"ج َمل‬ ِ
َ , "‫ " َعل ّي‬, etc. or
 in meaning only like "‫"ح ْم َزة‬
َ (Hamzah), "‫ط ْل َحة‬ َ " (Talhah), etc. or
ِ (book), "‫( " َقلَم‬pen), etc.
 in form only, like "‫"كتَاب‬

14
(17) The fourth perspective: the type of ending

The ‫االسم‬
ْ from this perspective is divided into five categories:

(a) ‫( ا ْل َم ْنقُ ْوص‬defective), which is any declinable ‫اسم‬ ْ that terminates in a ‫َياء‬
preceded by a ‫س َرة‬ ِ ِ
ْ ‫( َك‬i.e. "-ِ‫"ي‬
ْ ), like: "‫( "ا ْلقَاض ْي‬the judge), "‫( "ا ْل َماض ْي‬the past),
etc.

(b) ‫ص ْور‬ ِ
ُ ‫( ا ْل َم ْق‬shortened), which is any declinable ‫اسم‬ ْ that terminates in an ‫أَل‬
‫( ف‬whether it is written as an actual ‫ أَِلف‬or a dot-less ‫ ) َياء‬preceded by a
‫( فَتْ َحة‬i.e. "-َ‫ "ا‬or "-َ‫)"ى‬, like: "‫صا‬
َ ‫( "ا ْل َع‬stick), "‫( "ا ْلفَتَى‬the young lad), etc.

(c) ‫( ا ْل َم ْم ُد ْود‬lengthened), which is any declinable ‫اسم‬ ِ

ْ that terminates in an ‫أَل‬
‫ ف‬which is extended by a ‫( َه ْم َزة‬i.e. "-َ‫) "اء‬, like: "‫"ح ْم َراء‬ َ (red fem.), "‫"ص ْح َراء‬
َ
(desert), "‫ساء‬ ِ َ ‫( "إِ ْن‬creating, producing,
َ ‫( "ك‬type of cloth or clothing), "‫شاء‬
establishing), etc.

(d) ‫الص ِح ْي ِح‬

َّ ‫الش ِب ْيه ِب‬
َّ (quasi-strong), which is every declinable ‫اسم‬ ْ terminating
in a ‫ َواو‬or ‫ َياء‬preceded by a ‫س ُك ْون‬ ًٌٍWً and "-ٍْ‫"ٌي‬
ُ (i.e. "-ْ‫"ٌو‬ ًٌWً ), like: "‫"ح ْلٌو‬
ُ (sweet), "
‫ظ ْب ٌي‬
َ " (deer), etc.

(e) ‫الص ِح ْيح‬

َّ (strong), which is every declinable ‫اسم‬
ْ that does not terminate
ِ (book), "‫( "رجل‬man), etc.
in any of the four previous endings, like: "‫"كتَاب‬ ُ َ

(18) The fifth perspective: number (singular, dual and plural)

The ‫االسم‬
ْ from this perspective is divided into three categories:

(a) ‫( ا ْل ُم ْف َرد‬singular), which is any ‫اسم‬

ْ that denotes a single masculine or
feminine object, like: "‫ب‬ ِ َ " (one male student), "‫ط ِالبة‬
ٌ ‫طال‬ َ َ " (one female
student), etc.

(b) ‫( ا ْل ُمثََّنى‬dual), which is any ‫اسم‬ ْ that denotes two masculine or feminine
objects by suffixing the ‫ األَِلف‬and ‫الن ْون‬ ُّ (i.e. "-َ‫"ان‬
ِ in the case of ‫الرفْع‬ َّ ) or the
ُّ
‫ ا ْل َياء‬and ‫الن ْون‬ (i.e. "-َ‫"ي ِن‬
ْ in the case of ‫صب‬ َّ and ‫ ) ا ْل َج ّر‬to the singular
ْ ‫الن‬
form, like:

‫ط ِال َب ْي ِن‬ ِ ‫ط ِال َب‬

َ – ‫ان‬ َ (two male students)
15
‫ط ِال َبتَ ْي ِن‬ ِ َ‫ط ِال َبت‬
َ – ‫ان‬ َ (two female students)

(c) ‫( ا ْل َج ْمع‬plural), which is any ‫اسم‬

ْ that denotes three or more masculine
or feminine objects and comprises two types:

(i) ‫ص ِح ْي ِح‬ ِ َّ ‫( جمع‬sound plural), which is when the singular

ْ َّ‫ َج ْمع الت‬or ‫السالَ َمة‬ َْ
form remains intact and unbroken when forming the plural form and
which in turn comprises two types:

 ‫الس ِالم‬
َّ ‫( َج ْمع ا ْل ُم َذ َّك ِر‬sound masculine plural), which is any ‫اسم‬ْ that denotes
three or more males by suffixing the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬and ‫الن ْون‬ ُّ (i.e. "-ُ‫"و َن‬
ْ in the
case of ‫الرفْع‬ ُّ (i.e. "-ِ‫"ي َن‬
َّ ) or the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬and ‫الن ْون‬ ْ in the case of ‫صب‬ َّ and ‫ا ْل َج ّر‬
ْ ‫الن‬
), like:

‫ط ِال ِب ْي َن‬
َ – ‫ط ِال ُب ْو َن‬
َ

 ‫الس ِالم‬
َّ ‫( َج ْمع ا ْل ُم َؤ َّن ِث‬sound feminine plural), which is any ‫اسم‬
ْ that denotes
three or more females by suffixing the ‫ األَِلف‬and ‫( التَّاء‬i.e. "-َ‫"ات‬ ٌٍ ) to the
singular form after dropping the ‫( تَاء التَّأ ِْن ْي ِث ا ْل ُمتَ َحِّر َكة‬vowelled ‫ التَّاء‬of
ٌٍ ‫ط ِال َب‬
femininity), like: "‫ات‬ َ " (three or more female students)

(ii) ‫( َج ْمع التَّ ْك ِس ْي ِر‬broken plural), which is when the singular form changes
when forming the plural form and which in turn comprises two types:

 ‫( ُج ُم ْوع ا ْل ِقلَّ ِة‬plurals of paucity), which are plural forms that denote three
to ten objects and comprise four forms:

"‫ش ُهر‬ ْ َ‫"أ‬ (months) (sing. "‫ش ْهٌر‬

َ") ‫أَف ُْعل‬
"‫َع ِم َدة‬
ْ ‫"أ‬ (pillars, columns) (sing. "‫"ع ُم ْو ٌد‬
َ )
‫أَف ِْعلَة‬
"‫"أَ ْقفَال‬ (locks) (sing. "‫) "قُ ْف ٌل‬
‫ْعال‬َ ‫أَف‬
"‫"فتْ َية‬ِ (young lads) (sing. "‫) "فَتًى‬
‫ِف ْعلَة‬

 ‫( ُج ُم ْوع ا ْل َكثَْر ِة‬plurals of multitude), which are plural forms that denote
eleven to an infinite number of objects, and comprise the following
forms:
16
‫"سفُن"‬
‫ُ‬ ‫"س ِف ْي َنةٌ" ‪(ships) (sing.‬‬
‫) َ‬ ‫فُ ُعل‬
‫ش ْهب"‬
‫"ُ‬ ‫ش َهب" ‪(gray) (sing.‬‬
‫) "أَ ْ‬ ‫فُ ْعل‬
‫"ب َغاة"‬
‫ُ‬ ‫اغ" ‪(tyrants, oppressors) (sing.‬‬
‫"ب ٍ‬
‫) َ‬
‫فُ َعلَة‬
‫"ص َور"‬
‫ُ‬ ‫"ص ْو َرة" ‪(pictures, images) (sing.‬‬
‫) ُ‬ ‫فُ َعل‬
‫ضى"‬
‫"م ْر َ‬ ‫"م ِر ْي ٌ‬
‫ض" ‪َ (sick people, patients) (sing.‬‬ ‫) َ‬
‫فَ ْعلَى‬
‫" ُقلُ ْوب"‬ ‫ب" ‪(hearts) (sing.‬‬
‫) " َق ْل ٌ‬ ‫فُ ُع ْول‬
‫" ِب َحار"‬ ‫"ب ْحٌر" ‪(seas) (sing.‬‬
‫) َ‬
‫ِف َعال‬
‫"ع َبر"‬‫ِ‬ ‫) ِ‬
‫"ع ْب َرةٌ" ‪(lessons) (sing.‬‬ ‫ِف َعل‬
‫"غ ْل َمان"‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫) " ُغالَ ٌم" ‪(young lads, servants) (sing.‬‬
‫ِف ْعالَن‬
‫ش ِق َياء"‬‫"أَ ْ‬ ‫ش ِق ٌّي" ‪(wretched, villain) (sing.‬‬
‫)"َ‬
‫أَف ِْعالَء‬
‫"ع َملة"‬ ‫) "ع ِ‬
‫ام ٌل" ‪(workers, labourers) (sing.‬‬ ‫فَ َعلَة‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫"قُطَّاع"‬ ‫) "قَ ِ‬
‫اطعٌ" ‪(people severing or cutting) (sing.‬‬ ‫فُ َّعال‬
‫ض َبان"‬
‫"قُ ْ‬ ‫ب" ‪(sticks, branches) (sing.‬‬ ‫ِ‬
‫) " َقض ْي ٌ‬
‫فُ ْعالَن‬
‫"فَيلَة"‬‫ِ‬ ‫) ِ‬
‫"ف ْيلَةٌ" ‪(elephants) (sing.‬‬
‫ِف َعلَة‬
‫"علَ َماء"‬
‫ُ‬ ‫"ع ِال ٌم" ‪(scholars, learned people) (sing.‬‬
‫) َ‬
‫فُ َعالَء‬
‫ش َّرد"‬
‫"ُ‬ ‫شِ‬
‫ار ٌد" ‪(fugitive, stray, defectors) (sing.‬‬ ‫)"َ‬ ‫فُ َّعل‬
‫"در ِ‬
‫اهم"‬ ‫"د ْر َه ٌم" ‪(dirhams) (sing.‬‬ ‫) ِ‬ ‫فَ َع ِالل‬
‫ََ‬
‫"د َن ِان ْير"‬
‫َ‬ ‫) ِ‬
‫"د ْي َن ٌار" ‪(dinars) (sing.‬‬ ‫فَ َعالَ ْيل‬

‫* َم ْرضـــــَى ا ْل ُقلُ ْو ِب َوا ْل ِب َح ُار ِع َب ُر‬ ‫الش ْه ِب ا ْل ُب َغاةُ َ‬

‫صــو ُر‬ ‫السفُ ِن ُّ‬‫ِفي ُّ‬
‫َج ِل ا ْل ِفَيلَة‬
‫ان ِم ْن أ ْ‬ ‫ض َب ٍ‬ ‫* قُطَّاعُ قُ ْ‬ ‫ش ِقي ِ‬
‫اء َع َملَـــــــة‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫غ ْل َما ُن ُه ْم لألَ ْ َ‬
‫ش ِر ا ْنتَ َهى‬‫الس ْبع وا ْل َع ْ‬‫* ُج ُم ْو ِع ِه ْم ِفي َّ‬ ‫ش َّر ٌد َو ُم ْنتَهــــــــــَى‬
‫اء ُ‬
‫َوا ْل ُعلَ َم ُ‬

‫‪17‬‬
 In the grey ships the tyrants are images of sick-hearted people
while the seas are lessons
Their children work for the wretched, cutting off branches
because the elephants
And the scholars are astray and the final of their plurals ends
finishes in the seventeenth (position)

NB! In the final analysis the division of the ‫ َج ْمع التَّ ْك ِس ْي ِر‬into ‫ َج ْمع ا ْل ِقلَّ ِة‬and ‫َج ْمع‬
‫ ا ْل َكثَْر ِة‬is not a crucial one as the two types of plural are often
interchangeable, such that there is no hard-and-fast rule stating that the
one has to be used rather than the other. Often just one of the two types
exist per noun in which case it can be used for either type.

(19) The sixth perspective: diminution

The ‫االسم‬
ْ from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫ص َّغر‬
َ ‫( ا ْل ُم‬diminutive), which is any ‫اسم‬
ْ that denotes the diminutive of the
original ‫االسم‬ ْ from which it is formed, and comprises three forms:

"‫" ُفلَ ْيس‬ (small fels) (diminutive of "‫س‬

ٌ ‫) " َف ْل‬
‫فُ َع ْيل‬
"‫"دَر ْي ِهم‬ ُ ِ )
(small dirham) (diminutive of "‫"د ْر َه ٌم‬
‫فُ َع ْي ِعل‬
"‫"د َن ْي ِن ْير‬
ُ ِ )
(small dinar) (diminutive of "‫"د ْي َن ٌار‬ ‫فُ َع ْي ِع ْيل‬

(b) ‫( ا ْل ُم َكبَّر‬original non-diminutive), which is the original ‫االسم‬

ْ from which
the ‫ص َّغر‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬is formed, like:

"‫"ف ْلس‬ ِ (fels, small coin)

ِ (dirham, silver coin)
"‫"د ْر َهم‬
ِ (dinar, golden coin)
"‫"د ْي َنار‬

18
(20) The seventh perspective: relation

The ‫االسم‬
ْ from this perspective is divided into two categories:

(a) ‫س ْوب‬ ْ that has the ‫س ِب‬

ُ ‫( ا ْل َم ْن‬relative noun), which is any ‫اسم‬ َّ ‫( َياء‬i.e. the
َ ‫الن‬
‫ ا ْل َياء‬of relation and ascription, that is: "‫"ي‬ ّ ) suffixed to it in order to show
that the ‫االسم‬
ْ bearing that ‫ ا ْل َياء‬is related to the original ‫االسم‬
ْ before the
suffixing of the ‫س ِب‬ َّ ‫ َياء‬, like:
َ ‫الن‬

ِ ِ
"‫ي‬ّ ‫ص ِر‬ ْ ‫( "م‬Egyptian) from "‫صر‬ ْ ‫( "م‬Egypt),
"‫سالَ ِم ّي‬ ْ ِ‫( "إ‬Islamic) from "‫سالَم‬ ِ (Islam),
ْ ‫"اإل‬
َ (Meccan) from "‫"م َّكة‬
"‫"م ِّك ّي‬ َ (Mecca),
"‫"م َد ِن ّي‬ ِ
َ (Medinan, civil, municipal, urban) from "‫( "ا ْل َمد ْي َنة‬Medina, city), etc.

(b) ‫س ْوب إِلَ ْي ِه‬

ُ ‫( ا ْل َم ْن‬noun related to), which is the original ‫االسم‬ ْ before the
suffixing of the ‫س ِب‬ َّ ‫ َياء‬, like: "‫ "م َّكة‬, "‫سالَم‬ ِ , "‫صر‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫الن‬ َ ْ ‫"اإل‬ ْ ‫ "م‬and "‫ "ا ْل َمد ْي َنة‬in the
previous examples.

19
 ‫شتََرك‬
ْ ‫الص ْرف ا ْل ُم‬
َّ

(21) ‫شتََرك‬ َّ investigates both the ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬and ‫االسم‬

ْ ‫الص ْرف ا ْل ُم‬ ْ from the perspective
of the changes that affect their structures – changes which facilitate the
overall pronunciation of the word. The most important of these changes
are the following three: ‫اإل ْد َغام‬ ِ (assimilation, merging), ‫اإل ْعالَل‬
ِ (changes
ِ (substitution, replacement).
involving weak letters) and ‫اإل ْب َدال‬

ِ is when the first of two identical letters is assimilated into the

(22) ‫اإل ْد َغام‬
second so as become one emphatic letter. Thus, instead of pronouncing
them twice they are pronounced once only. The following are some of
ِ :
the important rules pertaining to ‫اإل ْد َغام‬

(a) When two identical letters meet and the first of them is unvowelled
and the second vowelled, then the first is assimilated into the second
becoming one emphatic letter, like:

"ٌّ‫"مد‬
َ which was originally "‫"م ْد ٌد‬
َ on the pattern of "‫ "فَ ْع ٌل‬, the first of the two
‫( الدَّاالَ ِن‬i.e. two Dals) is assimilated into the second becoming "ٌّ‫"مد‬
َ .

(b) When two vowelled identical letters meet in one word and they are
preceded by another vowelled letter, then the first of them is first
unvowelled and then assimilated into the second becoming one
emphatic letter, like:

"َّ‫"مد‬
َ which was originally "‫"م َد َد‬
َ on the pattern of "‫ "فَ َع َل‬, the first of the two
‫( الدَّاالَ ِن‬i.e. two Dals) is then unvowelled becoming "‫"م ْد َد‬
َ and then
assimilated into the second becoming "َّ‫"مد‬
َ .

(c) When two vowelled identical letters meet in one word and they are
preceded by an unvowelled letter, then the first of them is first
unvowelled by transferring its vowel to the preceding unvowelled letter
and then assimilated into the second becoming one emphatic letter, like:

"ُّ‫"ي ُمد‬
َ which was originally "‫"ي ْم ُد ُد‬
َ on the pattern of "‫"ي ْف ُع ُل‬
َ , the first of the two
‫( الدَّاالَ ِن‬i.e. two Dals) is unvowelled by transferring its vowel to the
preceding unvowelled ‫ ا ْل ِم ْيم‬becoming "‫"ي ُم ْد ُد‬
َ and then assimilated into the
second ‫ الدَّال‬becoming "ُّ‫"ي ُمد‬ َ .

20
(d) When two identical letters meet and the first of them is vowelled and
the second unvowelled and they are preceded by an unvowelled, then it
is optional for the first of the two identical letters to be unvowelled by
transferring its vowel to the preceding unvowelled letter, such that two
unvowelled letters meet and to escape the meeting of two unvowelled
letters the second of them is vowelled either with:

 a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫( َك‬due to it being the primary ‫ ا ْل َح َر َكة‬used for the meeting of two
unvowelled letters),
 ‫( فَتْ َحة‬due to it being the lightest of the three ‫) ا ْل َح َر َكات‬, or
 the ‫ ا ْل َح َر َكة‬corresponding the previous ‫ ا ْل َح َر َكة‬, like:

"‫ "لَ ْم َي ُم َّد‬, "ِّ‫ "لَ ْم َي ُمد‬or "‫ "لَ ْم َي ُم ُّد‬which was originally "‫ "لَ ْم َي ْم ُد ْد‬on the pattern of " ‫لَ ْم‬
َ , the first of the two ‫ الدَّاالَ ِن‬is optionally unvowelled by transferring its
‫"ي ْف ُع ْل‬
vowel to the preceding unvowelled ‫ ا ْل ِم ْيم‬becoming "‫ "لَ ْم َي ُم ْد ْد‬and then the
two unvowelled ‫ الدَّاالَ ِن‬meet and to escape their meeting the second is
vowelled either with a ‫ فَتْ َحة‬, ‫س َرة‬
ْ ‫ َك‬or the ‫َّمة‬
َّ ‫ الض‬which is the ‫ ا ْل َح َر َكة‬that
َّ ‫ الض‬on the preceding ‫ ا ْل ِم ْيم‬, thus becoming either " ‫لَ ْم‬
corresponds to the ‫َّمة‬
‫ "لَ ْم َي ُم َّد‬, "ِّ‫ " َي ُمد‬or "‫ "لَ ْم َي ُم ُّد‬.

(e) When the second of two identical letters has the ‫ْع ا ْل ُمتَ َحِّرك‬ َّ ‫ض ِم ْير‬
ِ ‫الرف‬ َ (i.e.
َُWَِ ‫ "فَ َع ْل‬and "‫ ) "فَ َع ْل َنا‬suffixed to it, then
"‫ "فَ َع ْل َن‬, "‫ "فَ َع ْلتُ َّن‬, "‫ "فَ َع ْلتُ ْم‬, "‫ "فَ َع ْلتُ َما‬, "‫ُت‬
assimilation of the first into second is disallowed, like: " , "‫"م َد ْدتُ َما‬ َ , "‫ُت‬ ََُWِ ‫َم َد ْد‬
‫"م َد ْد َن‬
َ , "‫"م َد ْدتُ َّن‬
َ , "‫"م َد ْدتُ ْم‬
َ " and "‫"م َد ْد َنا‬
َ .

ِ is a type of change that affects weak letters as regards:

(23) ‫اإل ْعالَل‬
 transforming one weak letter into another, like: "‫"د َعا‬ َ and "‫ "قَا َل‬in which
the ‫ األَِلف‬in both cases was transformed from a ‫ َواو‬as their original
forms were "‫"د َع َو‬ َ and "‫ "قَ َو َل‬respectively,
 unvowelling the weak letter either through dropping the vowel
completely or transferring it to an unvowelled letter before it, like: "
‫"ي ْد ُع ْو‬
َ in which the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬was unvowelled by dropping the ‫َّمة‬
َّ ‫ الض‬as the
original form was "‫"ي ْد ُع ُو‬
َ , and like: "‫"يقُ ْو ُل‬
َ in which the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬was
unvowelled by transferring the ‫َّمة‬ َّ ‫ الض‬to the unvowelled ‫ ا ْلقَاف‬before it at
the original form was "‫"ي ْق ُو ُل‬
َ , and

21
 dropping the weak letter, like: "‫ " ُق ْل‬in which the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬was dropped due
to the meeting of two unvowelled letters as the original form was "‫"اُق ُْو ْل‬
, and then the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬was unvowelled by transferring the ‫َّمة‬َّ ‫ الض‬to the
preceding unvowelled ‫ ا ْلقَاف‬becoming "‫"اُقُ ْو ْل‬and the result is that the
‫ص ِل‬
ْ ‫ َه ْم َزة ا ْل َو‬is dropped and two unvowelled letters meet, namely: the
unvowelled ‫ ا ْل َواو‬and the unvowelled ‫ الالَّم‬, and to escape this meeting
the weak letter which is the unvowelled ‫ ا ْل َواو‬is dropped, thus
becoming "‫ " ُق ْل‬.

ِ :
The following are some of the most important rules pertaining to ‫اإل ْعالَل‬

(a) When the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬or ‫ ا ْل َياء‬is vowelled and preceded by a letter bearing a
‫ فَتْ َحة‬, it is transformed into an ‫( أَِلف‬and it does not matter whether the ‫األَِلف‬
is written as one or as a dot-less ‫) َياء‬, like: "‫"د َعا‬ َ which was originally "
‫"د َع َو‬,
َ and "‫ "قَا َل‬which was originally "‫ " َق َو َل‬or "‫"ر َمى‬which
َ was originally "‫"ر َم َي‬
َ
and "‫اع‬
َ ‫"ب‬ َ which was originally "‫"ب َي َع‬ َ , all of which are on the pattern of "‫"فَ َع َل‬
but because the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬and ‫ ا ْل َياء‬is vowelled and preceded by a letter
bearing a ‫ فَتْ َحة‬, they were transformed into an ‫ أَِلف‬. The original form of
the ‫ األَِلف‬can be determined from the ‫ارع‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل ا ْل ُم‬and/or the ‫ص َدر‬
ِ‫ض‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬, for
example:

"ً‫"د ْع َوة‬َ – "‫" َد َعا" – َ"ي ْد ُع ْو‬

"ً‫ – "قَ ْوال‬W"‫ال" – َ"يقُ ْو ُل‬
َ َ‫"ق‬
"ً‫"َر َمى" – َ"ي ْر ِم ْي" – َ"ر ْميا‬
"ً‫اع" – َ"ي ِب ْيعُ" – َ"ب ْيعا‬
َ ‫" َب‬

(b) When the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬is unvowelled and occurs after a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫ َك‬, it is
ِ which was originally "‫"موعاد‬
transformed into a ‫ َياء‬, like: "‫"م ْي َعاد‬ ِ ِ
َ ْ , and "‫"م ْيَزان‬
which was originally "‫"م ْو َزان‬ ِ , but because the ‫ ا ْلواو‬in each case is
َ
unvowelled and occurs after a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫ َك‬, it is transformed into a ‫ َياء‬. The
original form of the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬can be determined from the ‫اض ْي‬ ِ ‫ ا ْل ِفعل ا ْلم‬and/or the
َ ْ
‫ص َدر‬
ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬, for example:

"ً‫" َو َع َد" – َ"ي ِع ُد" – َ"و ْعدا‬

22
"ً‫" َو َز َن" – َ"ي ِز ُن" – َ"و ْزنا‬

(c) When the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬is unvowelled and occurs after a ‫ض َّمة‬ َ , it is transformed
into a ‫ َواو‬, like: "‫"ي ْو ِق ُن‬ ِ , and "‫ "يو ِسر‬which was
ُ which was originally "‫"ي ْيق ُن‬
ُ ُ ُْ
originally "‫"ي ْي ِس ُر‬
ُ , but because the second ‫ ا ْل َياء‬in each case is unvowelled
and occurs after a ‫ض َّمة‬ َ , it is transformed into a ‫ َواو‬. We know the
original form of the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬to be a ‫ َياء‬because of the ‫اض ْي‬ ِ ‫ ا ْلم‬being "‫ "أ َْيقَ َن‬and "
َ
‫س َر‬ ِ
َ ‫ "أ َْي‬respectively and the ‫ص َدر‬
ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬of the root form being "‫ "ا ْل َيق ْين‬and "‫سر‬ ْ ‫"ا ْل ُي‬
respectively.

(d) When the ‫( األَِلف‬which is always unvowelled) occurs after a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫ َك‬, it is
transformed into an unvowelled ‫ َياء‬, like: "‫صا ِب ْيح‬ َ ‫"م‬
َ which was originally "
‫صا ِباح‬ ِ
َ ‫"م‬
َ , but because the ‫ األَلف‬occurs after a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫ َك‬, it is transformed into
an unvowelled ‫ َياء‬. We know that the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬was originally an ‫ أَِلف‬because "
‫صا ِب ْيح‬ ِ
َ ‫"م‬
َ is the plural of "‫ص َباح‬
ْ ‫ "م‬and the plural is formed from the singular.

(e) When the ‫( األَِلف‬which is always unvowelled) occurs after a ‫ض َّمة‬ َ , it is

transformed into an unvowelled ‫ َواو‬, like: "‫ش ْو ِه َد‬
ُ " which was originally "
ِ ‫ش‬
‫اه َد‬ ُ " , but because the ‫ األَِلف‬occurs after a ‫ض َّمة‬
َ , it is transformed into an
unvowelled ‫ َواو‬. We know that the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬was originally an ‫ أَِلف‬because "
‫ش ْو ِه َد‬
ُ " is the passive form of "‫اه َد‬
َ ‫ش‬َ " which is the active form, and the
passive form is formed from the active form.

(f) When the ‫ ا ْلواو‬occurs at the end of a word after a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫ َك‬, it is
transformed into a ‫ َياء‬, like "‫ض َي‬ ِ ‫ "ر‬which was originally "‫ضو‬ ِ َ , but
َ َ ‫"ر‬
because the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬occurs at the end after a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫ َك‬, it is transformed into a
‫ َياء‬. We know that the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬was originally a ‫ َواو‬because the ‫ص َدر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬is "
‫ض َوان‬ ِ and the popular view is that the ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬is derived from the ‫ص َدر‬
ْ ‫"ر‬ ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬.

(g) When the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬and the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬meet and one of them precedes the other
in bearing a ‫س ُك ْون‬
ُ (i.e. the first of them is unvowelled), then the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬is
always going to be transformed into a ‫ َياء‬, like: "‫"س ِّيد‬ َ which was originally
"‫"س ْي ِود‬ ِ
َ on the pattern of "‫"فَ ْيعل‬, but because the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬and the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬meet and
the first of them is unvowelled, the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬is transformed into a ‫ َياء‬. We

23
know that the second of the double and emphatic ‫ ا ْل َياء‬was originally a ‫َواو‬
ِ‫ض‬
because of the ‫ارع‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬being "‫س ْو ُد‬
ُ ‫"ي‬
َ .

(h) When the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬occurs at the end of a word and it is the fourth letter
and upwards , then it is transformed into a ‫[ َياء‬and it does not matter if
the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬is subsequently transformed into an ‫ أَِلف‬according to rule (a) or
not], like: "‫ "أَ ْن َجى‬which was originally "‫ "أَ ْن َج َو‬, but because the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬occurs
at the end and it is the fourth letter, it is transformed into a ‫ َياء‬, which in
turn is transformed into an ‫( أَِلف‬but written as a dot-less ‫ ) َياء‬according to
rule (a).

(i) When the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬or the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬occurs at the end of a word after a vowelled
letter, then their ‫ ا ْل َح َر َكة‬is dropped if it is a ‫ض َّمة‬
َ or a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫( َك‬but retained if it is
a ‫) فَتْ َحة‬, like: "‫ي‬ ِ َّ ‫ "تَ ْدعو إِلَى‬which was originally "‫الن ِاد ِي‬
َّ ‫ "تَ ْد ُع ُو إِلَى‬, but
ْ ‫الناد‬ ُْ
َ and the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬of "‫"الن ِاد ِي‬
because the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬of "‫ "تَ ْد ُع ُو‬bears a ‫ض َّمة‬ َّ a ‫س َرة‬ ْ ‫ َك‬and
both these letters occur after a vowelled letter, the ‫َّمة‬ َّ ‫ الض‬on the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬and
the ‫س َرة‬ ِ ِ
ْ ‫ ا ْل َك‬on the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬are dropped. This also applies to " ‫َي ْقض ْي ا ْلقَاض ْي َعلَى‬
‫ "ا ْل َج ِان ْي‬which was originally "‫اض ُي َعلَى ا ْل َج ِان ِي‬
ِ َ‫ضي ا ْلق‬
ِ
ُ ‫ " َي ْق‬.

(j) When the second root letter (also called the “"‫ ) َع ْين ا ْل َكِل َم ِة‬is a vowelled
weak letter (i.e. a vowelled ‫ َواو‬or ‫ ) َياء‬and occurs after an unvowelled
strong letter, then the ‫ ا ْل َح َر َكة‬of the second root letter is transferred to the
unvowelled strong letter. Thereafter, if the second root letter (which is
the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬or ‫ ) ا ْل َياء‬is not the corresponding sister letter of the ‫ ا ْل َح َر َكة‬that was
transferred to the unvowelled strong letter before it, then the second root
letter is transformed into the corresponding sister letter of the transferred
‫ ا ْل َح َر َكة‬. This is like:

 "‫"يقُ ْو ُل‬َ which was originally "‫"ي ْق ُو ُل‬

َ ,
َ which was originally "ُ‫"ي ْب ِيع‬
 "ُ‫"ي ِب ْيع‬ َ ,
 "‫"ي ِق ْي ُم‬
ُ which was originally "‫"ي ْق ِو ُم‬
ِ and then
ُ which then became "‫"يق ْو ُم‬
ُ
finally "‫"ي ِق ْي ُم‬
ُ ,
 "‫اف‬
ُ ‫"ي َخ‬
َ which was originally "‫ف‬
ُ ‫"ي ْخ َو‬
َ which then became "‫ف‬
ُ ‫"ي َخ ْو‬
َ and then
finally "‫اف‬
ُ ‫"ي َخ‬
َ .

24
(k) When two unvowelled letters meet and one of them is a weak letter,
then it is dropped, like:

 "‫ " ُق ْل‬which was originally "‫ "اُق ُْو ْل‬which then became "‫ "اُقُ ْو ْل‬, then "‫"قُ ْو ْل‬
and then finally "‫ " ُق ْل‬,
ِ , which then became "‫"ا ِبيع‬
 "‫ " ِب ْع‬which was originally "‫"ا ْب ِي ْع‬ ِ
ْ ْ , then ‫ " ِب ْي ْع‬and
then finally "‫ " ِب ْع‬,
 "‫ت‬
ُ ‫ "أَقَ ْم‬, which was originally "‫ت‬ ُ ‫ام‬
ْ َ‫( "أَق‬but even before this it was "‫ت‬ ُ ‫ "أَق َْو ْم‬,
which then became "‫ت‬ ُ ‫ "أَقَ ْو ْم‬and then "‫ت‬ ُ ‫ام‬
ْ َ‫ "أَق‬, and then finally "‫ت‬
ُ ‫ "أَقَ ْم‬.

(l) When the ‫ ا ْل ِف ْعل‬is naked triliteral starting with a ‫( َواو‬which is referred to
as "‫ي‬ ِ ‫ ) "ثُالَ ِثي ُم َج َّرد ِمثَال َو‬on the pattern of "‫"ي ْف ِع ُل‬
ّ ‫او‬ َ (whether it is
ّ
originally on that pattern or not), then the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬is dropped from the
ِ‫ض‬
‫ارع‬ َ ‫ ا ْل ُم‬, the ‫ األ َْمر‬and the ‫ص َدر‬
ْ ‫ ا ْل َم‬and the latter case it is compensated for
by adding a ‫طة‬
َ ‫ تَاء َم ْر ُب ْو‬, like:

ِ ‫ "ي‬which was originally "‫ص ُل‬

 "‫ص ُل‬ ِ ‫"يو‬
َ َْ
ِ which was originally "‫ص ْل‬
 "‫"ص ْل‬ ِ ‫"او‬ ِ
ْ
ِ which was originally "‫"وصل‬
 "‫"صلَة‬ ْ ِ .

ِ is a change that involves the substitution of one letter for

(24) ‫اإل ْبدال‬
another.

ِ :
The following are some of the most important rules pertaining to ‫اإل ْب َدال‬

(a) When the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬or the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬occurs at the end of a word after an
additional ‫ أَِلف‬, then it is substituted for by a ‫ َه ْم َزة‬, like:

 "‫اء‬
ٌ ‫"د َع‬ ُ which was originally "‫("د َع ٌاو‬
ُ because it is from "‫) " َد َعا" – َ"ي ْد ُع ْو‬,
ِ
ٌ ‫ " ِب َن‬which was originally "‫اي‬
 "‫اء‬ ٌ ‫( " ِب َن‬because it is from "‫) " َب َنى" – َ"ي ْبن ْي‬

(b) When the ‫ ا ْل َواو‬or the ‫ ا ْل َياء‬occurs after the ‫ األَِلف‬of "‫اع ٌل‬ِ َ‫( "ف‬i.e. the ‫اسم‬
ْ
ِ َ‫ ا ْلف‬of the first form), then it is substituted for by a ‫ َهم َزة‬, like:
‫اع ِل‬ ْ

 "‫ "قَ ِائ ٌل‬which was originally "‫او ٌل‬

ِ َ‫( "ق‬because it is from "‫) "قَا َل" – َ"يقُ ْو ُل‬,
 "ٌ‫"ب ِائع‬َ which was originally "ٌ‫"با ِيع‬
َ (because it is from "ُ‫اع" – َ"ي ِب ْيع‬
َ ‫) " َب‬

25
 ِ is a ‫ واو‬or a ‫ ياء‬, then it
(c) When the ‫( ا ْلفَاء‬i.e. the first root letter) of "‫"افْتَ َع َل‬ َ َ
is substituted for by a ‫ تَاء‬which is then assimilated into the ‫ التَّاء‬of "‫"افْتَ َع َل‬ ِ ,
like:

ِ ِ ِ
َ َّ‫ "ات‬which was originally "‫ص َل‬
 "‫ص َل‬ َ َ‫ "ا ْوت‬which then became "‫ص َل‬ َ َ‫ "اتْت‬and then
ِ ِ
finally "‫ص َل‬ َ َّ‫( "ات‬because it is from "‫ص َل" – َ"يص ُل‬ َ ‫) " َو‬,
ِ ِ ِ
َ َّ‫ "ات‬which was originally "‫س َر‬
 "‫س َر‬ َ َ‫ "ا ْيت‬which then became "‫س َر‬ َ َ‫ "اتْت‬and then
ِ
finally "‫س َر‬ َ َّ‫( "ات‬because it is from "‫س ُر‬ ُ ‫س َر" – َ"ي ْي‬
ُ ‫) " َي‬.

ِ is a ‫ ثَاء‬, then it is
(d) When the ‫( ا ْلفَاء‬i.e. the first root letter) of "‫"افْتَ َع َل‬
substituted for by a ‫ ثَاء‬and the first ‫ الثَّاء‬is then assimilated into the
second, like:
ِ which was originally "‫"اثْتَأَر‬
"‫"اثَّأ ََر‬ ِ which then became "‫"اثْثَأَر‬
ِ and then finally
َ َ
ِ .
"‫"اثَّأ ََر‬

ِ is a ‫ َدال‬, a ‫ َذال‬or a ‫ َزاي‬,

(e) When the ‫( ا ْلفَاء‬i.e. the first root letter) of "‫"افْتَ َع َل‬
ِ is substituted for by a ‫ َدال‬, like:
then the ‫ التَّاء‬of "‫"افْتَ َع َل‬

 "‫َّعى‬ ِ ِ ِ
َ ‫ "اد‬which was originally "‫ "ا ْدتَ َعى‬which then became "‫ "ا ْد َد َعى‬and then
finally "‫َّعى‬ ِ
َ ‫ "اد‬,
 "‫ْد َك َر‬ ِ which was originally "‫"اذْتَ َكر‬
َ ‫"اذ‬ ِ which then became "‫ْد َكر‬ ِ
َ َ َ ‫( "اذ‬also
permissible for "‫ْد َك َر‬ ِ are: "‫"ا َّذ َكر‬
َ ‫"اذ‬ ِ and "‫"ا َّد َكر‬
ِ ),
َ َ
ِ which was originally "‫"ا ْزتَهر‬
 "‫"ا ْز َد َه َر‬ ِ which then became "‫"ا ْز َد َهر‬
ِ .
ََ َ

ِ is a ‫ صاد‬, a ‫ ضاد‬, a ‫طاء‬

(f) When the ‫( ا ْلفَاء‬i.e. the first root letter) of "‫"افْتَ َع َل‬ َ or
َ َ
a ‫ظاء‬ ِ is substituted for by a ‫طاء‬
َ , then the ‫ التَّاء‬of "‫"افْتَ َع َل‬ َ , like:

 "‫طفَى‬ َ‫ص‬ ِ ِ ِ
ْ ‫ "ا‬which was originally "‫صتَفَى‬ ْ ‫ "ا‬which then became "‫طفَى‬ َ‫ص‬
ْ ‫ "ا‬,
 "‫ط َرب‬ َ‫ض‬ ِ which was originally "‫ضتَرب‬
ْ ‫"ا‬ ِ ِ
َ َ ْ ‫ "ا‬which then became "‫ط َر َب‬ َ‫ض‬ْ ‫"ا‬,
ِ which was originally "‫"ا ْطتَلَع‬
 "‫"اطَّلَ َع‬ ِ which then became "‫طلَع‬ ِ
َ َ َ ‫ "ا ْط‬and then
ِ ,
finally "‫"اطَّلَ َع‬
 "‫طلَ َم‬ ِ which was originally "‫"ا ْظتَلَم‬
َ ‫"ا ْظ‬ ِ which then became "‫طلَم‬ ِ
َ َ َ ‫( "ا ْظ‬also
permissible for "‫طلَ َم‬ ِ are: "‫"اظَّلَم‬
َ ‫"ا ْظ‬ ِ and "‫"اطَّلَم‬
ِ )
َ َ

26
 ِ َ‫ َه ْم َزت‬meet in one word, and the first of them is vowelled
(g) When two ‫ان‬
and the second unvowelled, then the second is substitute for by a ‫َح ْرف َم ٍّد‬
(letter of prolongation) which is the corresponding sister letter of the
preceding ‫ َح َر َكة‬, like:

"‫"آم َن‬
َ which was originally "‫"أَأ َْم َن‬
"‫ "أ ُْو ِم ُن‬which was originally "‫"أ ُْؤ ِم ُن‬
"‫ "إِ ْي َمان‬which was originally "‫ "إِ ْئ َمان‬.

‫تم ِب َع ْون اهلل تعالى‬

ّ

27