Discussion of the ten meanings of "ma" (what).
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The Shaykh : Who has memorized the famous verse on this?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, have you memorized it, Muhammad?
"The meanings of 'ma' are ten; if you wish to count them, preserve a sound verse of poetry
that will make you understand the condition of description. So be amazed, for we negate it with 'kaf' and 'nafi.' Zayd is for the exaltation of the source."
Recite this verse. Who recites it? Who has not memorized it before? Yes...
The student: "The meanings of 'ma' are ten; if you wish to count them, preserve a sound verse of poetry
that will make you understand the condition of description. So be amazed, for we negate it with 'kaf' and 'nafi.' Zayd is for the exaltation of the source."
The Shaykh : You have memorized it before, no...
The student: "The meanings of 'ma' are ten; if you wish to count them, preserve a sound verse of poetry"
The Shaykh : But the point is that it did not come...
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, Zayd is not in it. "Zayd" is for the exaltation of the source, like this... And "ma" is a source particle, or it is said to be a relative pronoun, or it is said to be a descriptive word... Now, will you understand the interrogative, like "what" in this? The conditional "shart" is the conditional particle.[Al-Baqarah 2:197] The connective is a relative pronoun. "Fa'ajib" is the exclamatory, like "how amazing this is." "La-nakiraha" is the indefinite noun described or the indefinite noun describing. You say, "I passed by what is amazing to you," meaning something amazing to you, or you say, "I know him somewhat," meaning a little type. So it is an indefinite noun describing. "Bi-kaf" is a negating particle, like . Here it negated the meaning of the action. "Nafi" is a negating particle: "Zayd did not come." "Zayd" is an extra word, as in "ma" [Ash-Shuraa 42:37] "And O seeker, take a benefit: 'ma' after 'idha' is extra."
Did you take it? Did you take this benefit? Now, the source particle for exaltation means that it comes for the purpose of exaltation, and this is different from the exclamatory. For example, you say, "I passed by what is astonishing," meaning something great and astonishing. The exclamatory has a type of exaltation because it indicates the exaltation of the astonishment. The source of the source particle is from this verse:[As-Saffat 37:96]. These are the ten meanings of "ma." A student of grammar should memorize verses like these because they summarize the meanings for him, just as the poet said regarding the sentence that requires the "fa" when it occurs as the answer to a condition: "Nominal, imperative, with a static verb, with 'ma,' with 'qad,' with 'lan,' and with the negation of the verb."
The student: ...?
The Shaykh : Usually, the exclamatory "ma" has a type of exaltation in it.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, have you memorized it, Muhammad?
"The meanings of 'ma' are ten; if you wish to count them, preserve a sound verse of poetry
that will make you understand the condition of description. So be amazed, for we negate it with 'kaf' and 'nafi.' Zayd is for the exaltation of the source."
Recite this verse. Who recites it? Who has not memorized it before? Yes...
The student: "The meanings of 'ma' are ten; if you wish to count them, preserve a sound verse of poetry
that will make you understand the condition of description. So be amazed, for we negate it with 'kaf' and 'nafi.' Zayd is for the exaltation of the source."
The Shaykh : You have memorized it before, no...
The student: "The meanings of 'ma' are ten; if you wish to count them, preserve a sound verse of poetry"
The Shaykh : But the point is that it did not come...
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, Zayd is not in it. "Zayd" is for the exaltation of the source, like this... And "ma" is a source particle, or it is said to be a relative pronoun, or it is said to be a descriptive word... Now, will you understand the interrogative, like "what" in this? The conditional "shart" is the conditional particle.
And whatever good you do - Allah knows it.
وما تفعلوا من خير يعلمه اللهAllah is the only God
إنما الله إله واحدand when they are angry, they forgive,
وإذا ما غضبوا هم يغفرونDid you take it? Did you take this benefit? Now, the source particle for exaltation means that it comes for the purpose of exaltation, and this is different from the exclamatory. For example, you say, "I passed by what is astonishing," meaning something great and astonishing. The exclamatory has a type of exaltation because it indicates the exaltation of the astonishment. The source of the source particle is from this verse:
While Allah created you and that which you do?"
والله خلقكم وما تعملونThe student: ...?
The Shaykh : Usually, the exclamatory "ma" has a type of exaltation in it.