Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "Like *kana*, *kadda*, *'asaa*, but *nadar* *** is not a present-tense verb; for these two, the predicate is a noun."
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : He says: "Like *kana*, *kadda*" Like *kana*, *kadda*, like *kana*. What is the grammatical structure of this?
The student: I mean like *kana*, like *kana*.
The Shaykh : Like *kana*, is there anything similar to it that is circulating among people now?
The student: Like *kaw*.
The Shaykh : Like *kana*, *kadda*.
Like *kana*: a preposition and a noun in the genitive case, serving as a predicate placed before the subject.
And *kadda*: a subject placed after the predicate. A subject placed after the predicate. But how did we parse *kadda* as a subject placed after the predicate and *kana* as a preposition in the genitive case? Because the intended meaning is the word itself. Because the intended meaning is the word itself. And you know that when the intended meaning is the word itself, the sentence, whether it is a nominal or verbal sentence, is all in the genitive case. If the intended meaning is what?
The student: The wording.
The Shaykh : The word itself. And for this reason, some grammarians say regarding the *Alfiyyah* of Ibn Malik: "Muhammad said, he is Ibn Malik", he said: past tense verb, and Muhammad is the subject, and "he is Ibn Malik" is an explanation for Muhammad.
"Ahmad, my Lord is Allah, the best of owners" to the last word in the *Alfiyyah*, all of it is in the accusative case. The entire *Alfiyyah* is in the accusative case, as it is
The student: The quoted speech.
The Shaykh : the quoted speech. So we say that this entire sentence is in the accusative case as quoted speech. And this is not far-fetched; this is the reality. He said the entire *Alfiyyah*. So, when the word itself is intended, it does not matter whether it is a verb, a particle, a noun, a nominal sentence, or a verbal sentence.
And his saying: "and *'asaa*": it is conjoined to *kadda*, so it is in the nominative case.
But: this is a particle of resumption, and it is for conjunction, unlike *lakin*, which is an operative particle. As for *lakin* with a light *kaf*, it is a particle of resumption and does not operate, but it is a conjunction.
"But *nadar*" meaning "rarely" "is not a present-tense verb; for these two, the predicate is a noun"
*Ghayr* (not): the subject of *nadar*, and it is attached to a present-tense verb.
And *lahadhin* (for these two): a preposition and a noun in the genitive case, attached to *ghayr*.
And *khabar* (predicate): the subject of *nadar*. Meaning, say that the predicate is not a present-tense verb for these two verbs, which are *kadda* and *'asaa*. Meaning, it is not possible to say: *Kadda Zaydun qaimun* (Zayd is about to be standing), this is rare. *'Asaa Zaydun qayman* (May Zayd be standing), this is also rare. The predicate is to be a present-tense verb. Okay, *Kadda Zaydun qama* (Zayd is about to have stood), is this rare or is it the norm?
The student: Rare.
The Shaykh : Yes, if this arrangement is permissible. *Kana Zaydun qama* (Zayd was having stood).
The student: Rare.
The Shaykh : *Kana Zaydun qama*.
The student: Rare.
The Shaykh : Rare, if the arrangement is correct. Okay, shall we stop here?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes... He says it is the subject of *nadar*. No, be patient. *Lakin nadar*. Be patient, everyone. *Lakin nadar* is not the subject of *nadar*. And *khabar* is a state in the accusative case, meaning *nadar* is not a present-tense verb as a predicate for these two.
The alif was dropped for the sake of the rhyme.
The student: I mean like *kana*, like *kana*.
The Shaykh : Like *kana*, is there anything similar to it that is circulating among people now?
The student: Like *kaw*.
The Shaykh : Like *kana*, *kadda*.
Like *kana*: a preposition and a noun in the genitive case, serving as a predicate placed before the subject.
And *kadda*: a subject placed after the predicate. A subject placed after the predicate. But how did we parse *kadda* as a subject placed after the predicate and *kana* as a preposition in the genitive case? Because the intended meaning is the word itself. Because the intended meaning is the word itself. And you know that when the intended meaning is the word itself, the sentence, whether it is a nominal or verbal sentence, is all in the genitive case. If the intended meaning is what?
The student: The wording.
The Shaykh : The word itself. And for this reason, some grammarians say regarding the *Alfiyyah* of Ibn Malik: "Muhammad said, he is Ibn Malik", he said: past tense verb, and Muhammad is the subject, and "he is Ibn Malik" is an explanation for Muhammad.
"Ahmad, my Lord is Allah, the best of owners" to the last word in the *Alfiyyah*, all of it is in the accusative case. The entire *Alfiyyah* is in the accusative case, as it is
The student: The quoted speech.
The Shaykh : the quoted speech. So we say that this entire sentence is in the accusative case as quoted speech. And this is not far-fetched; this is the reality. He said the entire *Alfiyyah*. So, when the word itself is intended, it does not matter whether it is a verb, a particle, a noun, a nominal sentence, or a verbal sentence.
And his saying: "and *'asaa*": it is conjoined to *kadda*, so it is in the nominative case.
But: this is a particle of resumption, and it is for conjunction, unlike *lakin*, which is an operative particle. As for *lakin* with a light *kaf*, it is a particle of resumption and does not operate, but it is a conjunction.
"But *nadar*" meaning "rarely" "is not a present-tense verb; for these two, the predicate is a noun"
*Ghayr* (not): the subject of *nadar*, and it is attached to a present-tense verb.
And *lahadhin* (for these two): a preposition and a noun in the genitive case, attached to *ghayr*.
And *khabar* (predicate): the subject of *nadar*. Meaning, say that the predicate is not a present-tense verb for these two verbs, which are *kadda* and *'asaa*. Meaning, it is not possible to say: *Kadda Zaydun qaimun* (Zayd is about to be standing), this is rare. *'Asaa Zaydun qayman* (May Zayd be standing), this is also rare. The predicate is to be a present-tense verb. Okay, *Kadda Zaydun qama* (Zayd is about to have stood), is this rare or is it the norm?
The student: Rare.
The Shaykh : Yes, if this arrangement is permissible. *Kana Zaydun qama* (Zayd was having stood).
The student: Rare.
The Shaykh : *Kana Zaydun qama*.
The student: Rare.
The Shaykh : Rare, if the arrangement is correct. Okay, shall we stop here?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes... He says it is the subject of *nadar*. No, be patient. *Lakin nadar*. Be patient, everyone. *Lakin nadar* is not the subject of *nadar*. And *khabar* is a state in the accusative case, meaning *nadar* is not a present-tense verb as a predicate for these two.
The alif was dropped for the sake of the rhyme.