The meaning of the interrogative in His saying: "Did He not find you," and how its answer is to be given.
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The Shaykh : For this reason, the scholars of Arabic grammar said: The interrogative here in is for affirmation; for affirmation means that this is an established fact. So what is the answer to [Ad-Duhaa 93:6]? "Balaa" (Yes) or "Na'am" (Yes)? "Na'am"? "Balaa"? Correct. May Allah reward you.
And this issue, which I mean the answer to an interrogative accompanied by negation, is not known by many people. If a person were asked and it were said to him, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he said, "Yes." And another, to whom we said, "Have you not divorced your wife?" he said, "Balaa." Which of the two has his wife divorced? Stand up, my brother. The one who was asked, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and said, "Yes"—is his wife divorced or not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : I mean, yes, he said "Yes."
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : The important thing is: is she divorced or not? Wait, may Allah reward you with good. Is she divorced or not? It was said to a man, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he said, "Yes." What do you say? Is his wife divorced or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : She is not divorced? He said "Yes."
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Leave it, but if he said, "Be patient, man, answer."
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Ah, is she divorced or not? I asked a man I knew was married, and I said, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he said, "Yes." What do you say? Is she divorced or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Very well.
The student: She is not divorced.
The Shaykh : She is not divorced? Why?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : So, "Yes" implies the negation. May Allah reward you, good. The second one, we asked him, "Did you divorce your wife?" or "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he said, "Balaa." Is she divorced or not?
The student: She is divorced.
The Shaykh : There is no god but Allah. Please, stand up, my brother.
The student: She is divorced.
The Shaykh : She is divorced, why? Correct. "Balaa" means "I divorced her." And this is an issue that the common person does not know; he does not know, meaning the common person, if he is asked, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he says, "Yes," he intends the meaning of "Balaa." There is no doubt about this. But the student of knowledge who knows the implications of Arabic words is the one who distinguishes between them.
In any case,[Ad-Duhaa 93:6] and what does it mean? It is an affirmation. Its answer is: "Balaa," meaning it is an affirmation that Allah found him an orphan and took him in.
Did He not find you?
ألم يجدكDid He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge?
ألم يجدك يتيما فآوىAnd this issue, which I mean the answer to an interrogative accompanied by negation, is not known by many people. If a person were asked and it were said to him, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he said, "Yes." And another, to whom we said, "Have you not divorced your wife?" he said, "Balaa." Which of the two has his wife divorced? Stand up, my brother. The one who was asked, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and said, "Yes"—is his wife divorced or not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : I mean, yes, he said "Yes."
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : The important thing is: is she divorced or not? Wait, may Allah reward you with good. Is she divorced or not? It was said to a man, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he said, "Yes." What do you say? Is his wife divorced or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : She is not divorced? He said "Yes."
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Leave it, but if he said, "Be patient, man, answer."
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Ah, is she divorced or not? I asked a man I knew was married, and I said, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he said, "Yes." What do you say? Is she divorced or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Very well.
The student: She is not divorced.
The Shaykh : She is not divorced? Why?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : So, "Yes" implies the negation. May Allah reward you, good. The second one, we asked him, "Did you divorce your wife?" or "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he said, "Balaa." Is she divorced or not?
The student: She is divorced.
The Shaykh : There is no god but Allah. Please, stand up, my brother.
The student: She is divorced.
The Shaykh : She is divorced, why? Correct. "Balaa" means "I divorced her." And this is an issue that the common person does not know; he does not know, meaning the common person, if he is asked, "Have you not divorced your wife?" and he says, "Yes," he intends the meaning of "Balaa." There is no doubt about this. But the student of knowledge who knows the implications of Arabic words is the one who distinguishes between them.
In any case,