Explanation of the first verse of Ibn Malik’s *Alfiyyah*, which is his saying: “Muhammad says: I am Ibn Malik; I praise my Lord, Allah, the best of owners.”
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The Shaykh : He says: “Muhammad says: I am Ibn Malik”. Since “Muhammad” is a proper name, but many people are named Muhammad, he clarified by saying: “I am Ibn Malik”. He traced his lineage to his grandfather because that is clearer than his father’s name, Abdullah, although his father was indeed Abdullah. He says: “I am Ibn Malik”. This clause here explains the word “Muhammad,” so it is in the state of *hal* (circumstantial). What does he say? “I praise my Lord, Allah, the best of owners”. These Arabizers, the *afarit* (demons), say: “I praise my Lord,” but where is the quoted speech? He says: “Muhammad, who is Ibn Malik,” but where is the quoted speech? Some say that the quoted speech is the entire *Alfiyyah*, from “I praise my Lord, Allah, the best of owners” to the end. Let us see what the last verse in it is? Yes.
He says: “And his noble, honorable, righteous family *** And his chosen, select companions”.
All of these one thousand verses are the quoted speech. Yes, it is in the accusative case. Some say: No, “I praise my Lord, Allah” is the first clause of the quoted speech, and “I seek help from Allah” is conjoined to “I praise my Lord, Allah,” so it is in the accusative case as part of the quoted speech. And so on, every clause is conjoined to the first clause. This is better in my opinion, because the person keeps in mind that Ibn Malik is saying something with every clause. As for the other view, it is as if he wrapped something in a handkerchief, put a seal on it, and said: “Done, I will say what is in the handkerchief.” So it is better for us to... consider every statement as being made with every clause.
He said, may Allah have mercy on him: “I praise my Lord, Allah, the best of owners”. Regarding “I praise my Lord, Allah” here, we say: “I praise my Lord, Allah.” He used the verbal sentence because praise is an action, and blessings are numerous and constantly renewed, and every blessing requires praise. Therefore, he used the verbal form indicating renewal and occurrence, because the blessings of Allah are renewed.
And his saying: “My Lord, Allah”. It would have been better for him to say: “I praise Allah, my Lord,” is that not so? Because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, the word “Allah” is the proper name by which no one other than Allah is named, and it is the name to which all attributes and names follow.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. But the constraints of poetry make a person place what is better delayed first, and vice versa.
And his saying: “The best of owners”. This is a *hal* (circumstantial) description of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And “Malik” means: the Manager and the Disposer. In “Malik” (the first and second occurrence), there is a rhetorical device in the science of *Badi'* called *jinās tām* (perfect pun), or is it not? It is a perfect pun because the two words agreed in form but differed in meaning. The first “Ibn Malik” is a proper name. The second “Malik” in “the best of owners” is an attribute. So Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is the best of owners. No one has ever possessed a better owner than Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. So He is the best of owners, the best of judges, the best of the merciful, and so on through His attributes, Blessed and Exalted is He.
He says: “And his noble, honorable, righteous family *** And his chosen, select companions”.
All of these one thousand verses are the quoted speech. Yes, it is in the accusative case. Some say: No, “I praise my Lord, Allah” is the first clause of the quoted speech, and “I seek help from Allah” is conjoined to “I praise my Lord, Allah,” so it is in the accusative case as part of the quoted speech. And so on, every clause is conjoined to the first clause. This is better in my opinion, because the person keeps in mind that Ibn Malik is saying something with every clause. As for the other view, it is as if he wrapped something in a handkerchief, put a seal on it, and said: “Done, I will say what is in the handkerchief.” So it is better for us to... consider every statement as being made with every clause.
He said, may Allah have mercy on him: “I praise my Lord, Allah, the best of owners”. Regarding “I praise my Lord, Allah” here, we say: “I praise my Lord, Allah.” He used the verbal sentence because praise is an action, and blessings are numerous and constantly renewed, and every blessing requires praise. Therefore, he used the verbal form indicating renewal and occurrence, because the blessings of Allah are renewed.
And his saying: “My Lord, Allah”. It would have been better for him to say: “I praise Allah, my Lord,” is that not so? Because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, the word “Allah” is the proper name by which no one other than Allah is named, and it is the name to which all attributes and names follow.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. But the constraints of poetry make a person place what is better delayed first, and vice versa.
And his saying: “The best of owners”. This is a *hal* (circumstantial) description of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And “Malik” means: the Manager and the Disposer. In “Malik” (the first and second occurrence), there is a rhetorical device in the science of *Badi'* called *jinās tām* (perfect pun), or is it not? It is a perfect pun because the two words agreed in form but differed in meaning. The first “Ibn Malik” is a proper name. The second “Malik” in “the best of owners” is an attribute. So Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is the best of owners. No one has ever possessed a better owner than Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. So He is the best of owners, the best of judges, the best of the merciful, and so on through His attributes, Blessed and Exalted is He.