Explanation of the ninth verse of Ibn Malik’s Alfiyyah, which is his saying: “A single word is a word, and speech is general, and a word may intend speech.”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : It is either a noun, or a verb, or a particle. If it indicates a meaning and a time by its form, it is a verb. If it indicates a meaning without a time, it is a noun. If it indicates a meaning in something else, it is a particle. If it indicates a meaning in something else, it is a particle.
And whether this noun is the original or the verb is the original, this is a disagreement on which we have nothing to say. Yes, we fear that we are like the one whose country was raided, and they are arguing whether the egg is the original or the hen is the original of the egg. This is what we have to say: Speech is a noun, a verb, and a particle. Nothing can go outside these things, meaning there is no word in the Arabic language except that it is a noun, a verb, or a particle. Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : A single particle, a technical particle. There is no word in the Arabic language except that it does not go outside these three categories. “A single one” means one of speech is a word. The word: it is the expression established for a single meaning. The expression established for a single meaning is called a word. So it must have a meaning, and by that, what has no meaning is excluded, the neglected. And the grammarians, as you know, answer with examples for application, even if they are not. They say: like “Deez,” the reverse of “Zayd.” This is called an expression, but it is not a word and not speech. It is not a word because it was not established for a meaning, but if they understood “Deez” as a man, yes... But in any case, they say that “Deez” is not a word and not speech. Not speech because it is not beneficial, and not a word because it was not established for a meaning, it is neglected. Yes. So the word, what did we say? The expression established for a single meaning. Yes. And speech is the beneficial expression, meaning it is more specific than the word, more specific than the word. One is a word.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “Then a particle”. Then a particle. Why did he use “then” instead of “and”? They say because the rank of the particle is later than the noun and the verb, because it does not have an intrinsic meaning, but its meaning is in something else. For this reason, he said: “Then a particle”. We do not know if the author, when he composed this verse, kept in mind this meaning he mentioned, or if it was for the form of the composition. We do not know. In any case, whether he intended it or not, there is no doubt that the rank of the particle is later than the rank of the noun and the verb. Is that clear?
The student: Are the noun and the verb on the same level?
The Shaykh : As I said a little while ago, some say that the noun is the original, and some say the verb is the original. Yes. And what we see is that there is no verb except that it has a noun, either hidden or apparent. They are always associated. He said: “A word and speech is general”. “Speech” means a word. “General” means what? It generalizes the word and speech, meaning that the word is called speech and speech is called speech. So now we have, my brothers, speech, a word, and saying, three things. The definition of speech: “A beneficial expression”. The definition of a word: “An expression established for a meaning”. The definition of saying covers both of these.
So every beneficial expression or expression established for a single meaning is a saying. Is that so? He said: “And a word may intend speech”: “May intend” means it may be intended. We know what a word is? The expression established for a meaning, for a single meaning. The author says that a word may intend speech, which is the beneficial expression. Yes. And what he said, “may intend,” is for diminution, because it is known that when “qad” enters the present tense verb, it diminishes, it becomes for diminution, unless a context indicates that it is not for diminution, like. This is certainly not for diminution. The result is that we say “may intend” means “may be intended,” but this diminution is with respect to the terminology of the grammarians. As for the Arabic language, a word is not said except for speech. A word is not said except for speech in the Arabic language. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 6147. And what is this? Speech. This is speech. “Everything is false except Allah” is speech, a beneficial expression. And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said: [Al-Mu'minun 23:99-100]. What is the word? [Al-Mu'minun 23:99-100]. Speech. Yes. And He said the Exalted: [Al-Kahf 18:4-5]. And what did they say? [Al-Baqarah 2:116]. Speech. So the result is that Ibn Malik’s saying, “A word may intend speech,” this diminution is with respect to what? To the terminology of the grammarians. As for the Sunnah, what the language indicates, it indicates, if not more, speech. It is not intended except for speech. Yes. For this reason, you say, for example, so-and-so stood up and said an influential word. He stood up as a speaker and said an influential word, meaning he said... What did he say? He gave a long sermon. He gave a long sermon that had an effect. So the result is that the author’s saying, “Speech may intend,” is with respect to the terminology of the grammarians. Do not think that this is with respect to the Arabic language. No. Now we have the word having a meaning with the grammarians and having a meaning in the Arabic language.
The word in the Arabic language is the beneficial speech, and the word with the grammarians is the single unit of speech, an expression established for a single meaning.
When the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that the units of speech are divided into a noun, a verb, and a particle, he started with the noun. Yes, because he placed the noun before the verb. Yes, so he said.
And whether this noun is the original or the verb is the original, this is a disagreement on which we have nothing to say. Yes, we fear that we are like the one whose country was raided, and they are arguing whether the egg is the original or the hen is the original of the egg. This is what we have to say: Speech is a noun, a verb, and a particle. Nothing can go outside these things, meaning there is no word in the Arabic language except that it is a noun, a verb, or a particle. Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : A single particle, a technical particle. There is no word in the Arabic language except that it does not go outside these three categories. “A single one” means one of speech is a word. The word: it is the expression established for a single meaning. The expression established for a single meaning is called a word. So it must have a meaning, and by that, what has no meaning is excluded, the neglected. And the grammarians, as you know, answer with examples for application, even if they are not. They say: like “Deez,” the reverse of “Zayd.” This is called an expression, but it is not a word and not speech. It is not a word because it was not established for a meaning, but if they understood “Deez” as a man, yes... But in any case, they say that “Deez” is not a word and not speech. Not speech because it is not beneficial, and not a word because it was not established for a meaning, it is neglected. Yes. So the word, what did we say? The expression established for a single meaning. Yes. And speech is the beneficial expression, meaning it is more specific than the word, more specific than the word. One is a word.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “Then a particle”. Then a particle. Why did he use “then” instead of “and”? They say because the rank of the particle is later than the noun and the verb, because it does not have an intrinsic meaning, but its meaning is in something else. For this reason, he said: “Then a particle”. We do not know if the author, when he composed this verse, kept in mind this meaning he mentioned, or if it was for the form of the composition. We do not know. In any case, whether he intended it or not, there is no doubt that the rank of the particle is later than the rank of the noun and the verb. Is that clear?
The student: Are the noun and the verb on the same level?
The Shaykh : As I said a little while ago, some say that the noun is the original, and some say the verb is the original. Yes. And what we see is that there is no verb except that it has a noun, either hidden or apparent. They are always associated. He said: “A word and speech is general”. “Speech” means a word. “General” means what? It generalizes the word and speech, meaning that the word is called speech and speech is called speech. So now we have, my brothers, speech, a word, and saying, three things. The definition of speech: “A beneficial expression”. The definition of a word: “An expression established for a meaning”. The definition of saying covers both of these.
So every beneficial expression or expression established for a single meaning is a saying. Is that so? He said: “And a word may intend speech”: “May intend” means it may be intended. We know what a word is? The expression established for a meaning, for a single meaning. The author says that a word may intend speech, which is the beneficial expression. Yes. And what he said, “may intend,” is for diminution, because it is known that when “qad” enters the present tense verb, it diminishes, it becomes for diminution, unless a context indicates that it is not for diminution, like
He may know the disabled among you
قد يعلم المعوقين منكمThe most true words said by a poet were the words of Labid. He said, i.e. 'Verily, everything except Allah is perishable
أصدق كلمة قالها الشاعر كلمة لبيب : ألا كل شيء ما خلا الله باطلuntil, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back (100) That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind." No! It is only a word he is saying
حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ * لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ كَلَّا إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا"My Lord, send me back (100) That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind."
ربي ارجعون لعلي أعمل صالحا فيما تركت(4) And to warn those who say, "Allah has taken a son." (5) They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths
لينذر الذين قالوا اتخذ الله ولدا مالهم به من علم ولا لآبائهم كبرت كلمة تخرج من أفواههمAllah has taken a son
اتخذ الله ولداThe word in the Arabic language is the beneficial speech, and the word with the grammarians is the single unit of speech, an expression established for a single meaning.
When the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that the units of speech are divided into a noun, a verb, and a particle, he started with the noun. Yes, because he placed the noun before the verb. Yes, so he said.