Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "And an indefinite noun as a circumstantial phrase occurs *** frequently, like 'suddenly Zayd appeared.'"
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The Shaykh :"And an indefinite noun as a circumstantial phrase occurs"
An indefinite noun as a subject. You might ask: How is it valid for it to be a subject when it is indefinite? And it is not permissible to begin a sentence with an indefinite noun?
The student: Because it is described.
The Shaykh : Because it is described, he says: indefinite.
"An indefinite noun" Okay, as a circumstantial phrase? Hmm?
The student: It can be said to be by way of description, this.
The Shaykh : No, no, the division, I mean? No.
"And an indefinite noun as a circumstantial phrase occurs"
As a circumstantial phrase, and what is its grammatical case?
The student: As a circumstantial phrase: it is a circumstantial phrase.
The Shaykh : As a circumstantial phrase: it is a circumstantial phrase, and "occurs" is the sentence?
The student: It is a predicate (khabar).
The Shaykh : As a circumstantial phrase, meaning: that the indefinite noun occurs as a circumstantial phrase, i.e., it becomes a circumstantial phrase with rarity? No, with frequency. The example is: "Suddenly Zayd appeared." The original structure of this phrase is: "Zayd appeared suddenly," but for the sake of the meter, the circumstantial phrase was advanced, so he said: "Suddenly Zayd appeared"
What is its grammatical case? "Suddenly" is a circumstantial phrase of what?
The student: Of the subject of "appeared."
Another student: Of Zayd.
The Shaykh : Of the subject of "appeared," no! Of the subject of "appeared," it is not of Zayd. And Zayd: is a subject, and "appeared": is a verb with a hidden subject, and the sentence of the verb and the hidden subject is the predicate of the subject. And "suddenly": is a circumstantial phrase of the subject of "appeared," and the truth is that the subject of "appeared" refers back to Zayd. Okay, the rule of this verse is: the indefinite noun occurs as a circumstantial phrase frequently. What is the example?
The student: Zayd appeared suddenly.
The Shaykh : Zayd appeared suddenly,[Al-A'raf 7:187] This is what the author held, that "suddenly" is a circumstantial phrase. It was said: that "suddenly" is not a circumstantial phrase, but rather a noun, and the circumstantial phrase is the verb of which this is the noun, and the meaning would be: Zayd appeared, surprising with a surprise. The circumstantial phrase is the clause "surprising," and we did not parse "suddenly" as a circumstantial phrase but as a noun. And these are fanatics and strict people. Then, on the view that the noun itself is the circumstantial phrase, is it generalized or restricted to what is heard? Some said: it is restricted to what is heard, and the consensus of the grammarians was reported, but it is not correct. And some said: rather, it is generalized and not restricted to what is heard. And this view is the stronger one with us, and that is because the noun occurs as a predicate frequently, it is generalized, you say: a man of justice, a man of contentment, a man of steadfastness, or steadfast and the like. So if the noun is described with and becomes a description, why should it not be a circumstantial phrase? The correct view is that it is valid for it to come as a circumstantial phrase by analogy. So we now have three opinions. The first opinion: the noun does not become a circumstantial phrase ever, and what came from the speech of the Arabs suggesting that must be interpreted. How is it interpreted? The noun is made a noun, and the verb with which this noun was described is the circumstantial phrase. The second opinion: it is valid for the noun to be a circumstantial phrase, but it is restricted to what is heard, so it is not generalized. The third opinion: it is valid for the noun to occur as a circumstantial phrase and it is generalized, but it is rare, generalized but rare. Yes, and Ibn Malik in the description, if Allah wills, will come to us, he says:
"And they described with a noun frequently *** so they committed to the singular and the masculine"
Yes, the speech on the verse has ended. What is the rule of this verse? The indefinite noun occurs as a circumstantial phrase?
The student: Frequently.
The Shaykh : Frequently, yes, this is what the words of Ibn Malik convey, and you have known the explanation.
The student : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
An indefinite noun as a subject. You might ask: How is it valid for it to be a subject when it is indefinite? And it is not permissible to begin a sentence with an indefinite noun?
The student: Because it is described.
The Shaykh : Because it is described, he says: indefinite.
"An indefinite noun" Okay, as a circumstantial phrase? Hmm?
The student: It can be said to be by way of description, this.
The Shaykh : No, no, the division, I mean? No.
"And an indefinite noun as a circumstantial phrase occurs"
As a circumstantial phrase, and what is its grammatical case?
The student: As a circumstantial phrase: it is a circumstantial phrase.
The Shaykh : As a circumstantial phrase: it is a circumstantial phrase, and "occurs" is the sentence?
The student: It is a predicate (khabar).
The Shaykh : As a circumstantial phrase, meaning: that the indefinite noun occurs as a circumstantial phrase, i.e., it becomes a circumstantial phrase with rarity? No, with frequency. The example is: "Suddenly Zayd appeared." The original structure of this phrase is: "Zayd appeared suddenly," but for the sake of the meter, the circumstantial phrase was advanced, so he said: "Suddenly Zayd appeared"
What is its grammatical case? "Suddenly" is a circumstantial phrase of what?
The student: Of the subject of "appeared."
Another student: Of Zayd.
The Shaykh : Of the subject of "appeared," no! Of the subject of "appeared," it is not of Zayd. And Zayd: is a subject, and "appeared": is a verb with a hidden subject, and the sentence of the verb and the hidden subject is the predicate of the subject. And "suddenly": is a circumstantial phrase of the subject of "appeared," and the truth is that the subject of "appeared" refers back to Zayd. Okay, the rule of this verse is: the indefinite noun occurs as a circumstantial phrase frequently. What is the example?
The student: Zayd appeared suddenly.
The Shaykh : Zayd appeared suddenly,
It will not come upon you except unexpectedly
لا تأتيكم إلا بغتة"And they described with a noun frequently *** so they committed to the singular and the masculine"
Yes, the speech on the verse has ended. What is the rule of this verse? The indefinite noun occurs as a circumstantial phrase?
The student: Frequently.
The Shaykh : Frequently, yes, this is what the words of Ibn Malik convey, and you have known the explanation.
The student : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?