Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "And he used a noun, and likewise 'an' and 'ala' *** For this reason, 'min' entered upon them"
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The Shaykh : A noun in the Arabic language; an example is "I have never seen [anyone] like today," meaning: I have never seen the like of today. Is this by analogy or by transmission? It appears to be by analogy, and that anything upon which the letter kaf enters is suitable to be a noun meaning "like," unless there is a preventer. The letter kaf is suitable to be a noun meaning "like" as long as there is no preventer, even "Zayd is like the sea" is suitable to be made a noun, and we say the kaf is a noun meaning "like," the kaf is a noun meaning "like," and in that case it is built on fathah in the position of its clause, whether nominative, accusative, or genitive depending on the situation. So "Zayd is like the moon," or "Zayd is like the sea," we say: Zayd is the subject (mubtada'), and "like the sea" the kaf is a noun meaning "like," and it is attached to "the sea," the kaf is the attached word and "the sea" is the word it is attached to. So on this basis we say that the kaf comes as a noun by analogy, not by transmission. As for the apparent wording of Ibn Malik in his saying: "And he used a noun", that is by transmission, meaning he used it, but you do not use it, which necessitates that it is by transmission, and as for you, you do not use it. Yes.
"And likewise 'an' and 'ala'"
The student: "And likewise 'an' and 'ala'".
The Shaykh :"And likewise 'an' and 'ala'" is 'an "and likewise 'an' and 'ala'" meaning: and he used 'an' as a noun likewise, and 'ala' he used as a noun likewise, 'ala' also he used as a noun. So regarding 'an, the author says: "For this reason, 'min' entered upon them" meaning: for the reason of using 'an' and 'ala' as nouns, it is correct that 'min' enters upon them, due to his saying: "he used a noun". We forgot the grammatical analysis. "Used" is a past tense verb built for the passive, and the agent is hidden, referring back to the kaf, and "a noun" is a state (hal) from the agent in "used." "And likewise 'an'" is the subject and the predicate, and "'ala'" is conjoined to it. "For this reason" is attached to his saying: "entered," and "min" is the subject, and "entered" is the clause as the predicate, and "upon them" is attached to "entered," meaning: for the reason of their being nouns, it is correct for 'min' to enter upon them. Here the commentator contradicted the text, for the commentator says: they are not used as nouns except when 'min' enters upon them, and that is not the case, for the apparent wording of Ibn Malik is the truth, that they are used as nouns absolutely. And as for the evidence that they are used as nouns, it is the entry of 'min'. As for the commentator's statement, he says: they do not become nouns except when 'min' enters upon them, but what is in the text is more appropriate, meaning: as for 'an, it is permissible for it to be a noun. How does it become a noun? Yes, you say for example: "I passed by from his right side," look, 'min' entered upon it, and 'min' is a preposition that does not enter except upon a noun, did you understand?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : "From his right side," and what does 'an' mean?
The student: Side.
The Shaykh : Meaning side, "I passed by from his right side," meaning: from the side of his right. "I passed by from his left side," meaning: from the side of his left. How do we analyze "from his right side"? We say: 'min' is a preposition, 'an' is a noun in the genitive case with 'min', 'an' is a noun? Yes, 'an' is a noun in the genitive case with 'min', and the sign of its genitive case, ha, I say: and the sign of its genitive case?
The student: No, it is built on sukun.
The Shaykh : A noun in the genitive case, a noun built on sukun in the position of the genitive case, did you understand?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : 'An' is attached and "right" is the word it is attached to, and "right" is attached and the pronoun is the word it is attached to, because it is a pure noun, it can be. And likewise 'ala', you say: "I looked at him from on the roof," so its meaning is "above," and its analysis is that you say: 'min' is a preposition, and 'ala' is a noun built on sukun in the position of the genitive case with 'min', and 'ala' is attached, ha?
The student: And "the roof" is the word it is attached to.
The Shaykh : And "the roof" is the word it is attached to, in the genitive case by attachment, and the sign of its genitive case is a visible kasrah at its end, do you know now?
The student: We know, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Good, so 'an' comes as a noun, and likewise 'ala' comes as a noun, and it comes as a verb 'ala', ha? Or does it not come?
The student: It comes, but it differs.
The Shaykh : It comes, but only the writing differs, only the writing differs, as for the word, it is one. You say: "The water rose on the roof" - for example - on the threshold, "The water rose on the threshold," or not?
The student: Sometimes a preposition and sometimes.
The Shaykh : You say: "Rose" is a past tense verb, and the second "on" is a preposition, clear? So "rose" now comes as a noun, a verb, and a preposition. And does 'min' come as a preposition and come as a noun?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Does 'min' come as a noun?
The student: No, it does not come.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: It comes...
The Shaykh : It comes as a verb, ha?
The student: It is a command verb.
The Shaykh : Yes: it comes as a command verb 'min', 'min' is "right," but I do not want to say 'min', because "yaman" means: to lie, so if you say 'min', its meaning becomes "lie." But I do not like that I direct the command to you this way, the important thing in any case is that the word is one but the meaning differs. What determines the meaning?
The student: The context of the speech.
The Shaykh : The context of the speech, and this and its like are many, supporting what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) held, that there is no metaphor in the Arabic language, and that words do not have an intrinsic meaning that is their meaning, and that what determines the meaning of the word is its context, the context of the speech. And if you reflect on his statement, you will find it to be the truth. And the most important thing for me, considering his statement, is that we close the door against the people of distortion in scientific matters and in practical matters, because the people of distortion are not only in the creed, and not in the matters, but in the creed and in the practical matters, meaning in the scientific and practical. Do you not see those who seek aid from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and say: he is the closest of people in status, they distorted in practical matters, and there are also practical issues in the chapter of transactions and others, some scholars distorted in them, they distorted the texts, all by resorting to metaphor. So if we say that metaphor in the Arabic language is non-existent, and words are determined by their context and the conditions of those who spoke them, we are at ease, we are at ease from this.
The student: How does practical distortion occur?
The Shaykh : Practical distortion, they say: the verses indicate such and such, then they distort them and act contrary to the Shari'ah based on these verses or these hadiths. So then, O people, the one who uses a noun from the prepositions is the kaf, 'an, and 'ala.
"And he used a noun, and likewise 'an' and 'ala' *** For this reason, 'min' entered upon them"
"And 'mudh' and 'mundh' are two nouns where they are raised ***"
... Yes.
The student: ... Ibn Malik's statement regarding the use of 'min' and 'ala'.
The Shaykh : Yes, what does the commentator say?
The student: 'Ala' and 'an' were used as nouns when 'min' entered upon them.
The Shaykh : But.
The student: Except.
The Shaykh : So he qualified it with the entry of 'min'.
The student: Yes, and there is nothing in the Arabic language indicating its entry upon it.
The Shaykh : Except there is nothing in the Arabic language, so the commentator qualified it, and the author's statement is not a negation at all, he says: but it indicates the reason for it being a dual, he says: what indicates that it is a noun is the entry of 'min' upon it, so on this basis, Ibn Malik's statement is absolute...
"And likewise 'an' and 'ala'"
The student: "And likewise 'an' and 'ala'".
The Shaykh :"And likewise 'an' and 'ala'" is 'an "and likewise 'an' and 'ala'" meaning: and he used 'an' as a noun likewise, and 'ala' he used as a noun likewise, 'ala' also he used as a noun. So regarding 'an, the author says: "For this reason, 'min' entered upon them" meaning: for the reason of using 'an' and 'ala' as nouns, it is correct that 'min' enters upon them, due to his saying: "he used a noun". We forgot the grammatical analysis. "Used" is a past tense verb built for the passive, and the agent is hidden, referring back to the kaf, and "a noun" is a state (hal) from the agent in "used." "And likewise 'an'" is the subject and the predicate, and "'ala'" is conjoined to it. "For this reason" is attached to his saying: "entered," and "min" is the subject, and "entered" is the clause as the predicate, and "upon them" is attached to "entered," meaning: for the reason of their being nouns, it is correct for 'min' to enter upon them. Here the commentator contradicted the text, for the commentator says: they are not used as nouns except when 'min' enters upon them, and that is not the case, for the apparent wording of Ibn Malik is the truth, that they are used as nouns absolutely. And as for the evidence that they are used as nouns, it is the entry of 'min'. As for the commentator's statement, he says: they do not become nouns except when 'min' enters upon them, but what is in the text is more appropriate, meaning: as for 'an, it is permissible for it to be a noun. How does it become a noun? Yes, you say for example: "I passed by from his right side," look, 'min' entered upon it, and 'min' is a preposition that does not enter except upon a noun, did you understand?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : "From his right side," and what does 'an' mean?
The student: Side.
The Shaykh : Meaning side, "I passed by from his right side," meaning: from the side of his right. "I passed by from his left side," meaning: from the side of his left. How do we analyze "from his right side"? We say: 'min' is a preposition, 'an' is a noun in the genitive case with 'min', 'an' is a noun? Yes, 'an' is a noun in the genitive case with 'min', and the sign of its genitive case, ha, I say: and the sign of its genitive case?
The student: No, it is built on sukun.
The Shaykh : A noun in the genitive case, a noun built on sukun in the position of the genitive case, did you understand?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : 'An' is attached and "right" is the word it is attached to, and "right" is attached and the pronoun is the word it is attached to, because it is a pure noun, it can be. And likewise 'ala', you say: "I looked at him from on the roof," so its meaning is "above," and its analysis is that you say: 'min' is a preposition, and 'ala' is a noun built on sukun in the position of the genitive case with 'min', and 'ala' is attached, ha?
The student: And "the roof" is the word it is attached to.
The Shaykh : And "the roof" is the word it is attached to, in the genitive case by attachment, and the sign of its genitive case is a visible kasrah at its end, do you know now?
The student: We know, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Good, so 'an' comes as a noun, and likewise 'ala' comes as a noun, and it comes as a verb 'ala', ha? Or does it not come?
The student: It comes, but it differs.
The Shaykh : It comes, but only the writing differs, only the writing differs, as for the word, it is one. You say: "The water rose on the roof" - for example - on the threshold, "The water rose on the threshold," or not?
The student: Sometimes a preposition and sometimes.
The Shaykh : You say: "Rose" is a past tense verb, and the second "on" is a preposition, clear? So "rose" now comes as a noun, a verb, and a preposition. And does 'min' come as a preposition and come as a noun?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Does 'min' come as a noun?
The student: No, it does not come.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: It comes...
The Shaykh : It comes as a verb, ha?
The student: It is a command verb.
The Shaykh : Yes: it comes as a command verb 'min', 'min' is "right," but I do not want to say 'min', because "yaman" means: to lie, so if you say 'min', its meaning becomes "lie." But I do not like that I direct the command to you this way, the important thing in any case is that the word is one but the meaning differs. What determines the meaning?
The student: The context of the speech.
The Shaykh : The context of the speech, and this and its like are many, supporting what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) held, that there is no metaphor in the Arabic language, and that words do not have an intrinsic meaning that is their meaning, and that what determines the meaning of the word is its context, the context of the speech. And if you reflect on his statement, you will find it to be the truth. And the most important thing for me, considering his statement, is that we close the door against the people of distortion in scientific matters and in practical matters, because the people of distortion are not only in the creed, and not in the matters, but in the creed and in the practical matters, meaning in the scientific and practical. Do you not see those who seek aid from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and say: he is the closest of people in status, they distorted in practical matters, and there are also practical issues in the chapter of transactions and others, some scholars distorted in them, they distorted the texts, all by resorting to metaphor. So if we say that metaphor in the Arabic language is non-existent, and words are determined by their context and the conditions of those who spoke them, we are at ease, we are at ease from this.
The student: How does practical distortion occur?
The Shaykh : Practical distortion, they say: the verses indicate such and such, then they distort them and act contrary to the Shari'ah based on these verses or these hadiths. So then, O people, the one who uses a noun from the prepositions is the kaf, 'an, and 'ala.
"And he used a noun, and likewise 'an' and 'ala' *** For this reason, 'min' entered upon them"
"And 'mudh' and 'mundh' are two nouns where they are raised ***"
... Yes.
The student: ... Ibn Malik's statement regarding the use of 'min' and 'ala'.
The Shaykh : Yes, what does the commentator say?
The student: 'Ala' and 'an' were used as nouns when 'min' entered upon them.
The Shaykh : But.
The student: Except.
The Shaykh : So he qualified it with the entry of 'min'.
The student: Yes, and there is nothing in the Arabic language indicating its entry upon it.
The Shaykh : Except there is nothing in the Arabic language, so the commentator qualified it, and the author's statement is not a negation at all, he says: but it indicates the reason for it being a dual, he says: what indicates that it is a noun is the entry of 'min' upon it, so on this basis, Ibn Malik's statement is absolute...