Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "How many a time we have hoped for great expectations *** with hearts terrified and few in ruses."
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : He said:
"How many a time we have hoped for great expectations"
"How many a time we have hoped," look, the author (may Allah have mercy on him) wisely used "rubba," because "rubba" does not enter except upon an indefinite noun. Look, "rubba" with "rajina" (we have hoped); "rajina" is an active participle. Is an active participle added to a definite noun or an indefinite noun?
The student: Definite.
The Shaykh : Where is the definite noun?
The student: The pronoun.
The Shaykh : The pronoun "na" (we). The rule would require "rajina" to be definite because it is added to a definite noun, but in reality it is indefinite now. What is the evidence that it is indefinite?
The student: "Rubba" entered it.
The Shaykh : "Rubba" entered upon it, and "rubba" does not enter except upon an indefinite noun. Do you understand, everyone? So, "rajina" is not definite even though it is added to a definite noun, because it is an active participle meaning the present or future state, and every active participle meaning the present or future state does not become definite by addition.
"Great in expectation" "Great" is not an active participle, but it is a descriptive adjective (sifat mushabbahah). It is a description of "rajina" and is added to "al-amal" (expectation). Expectation is only for the future. Is "al-amal" definite or indefinite?
The student: "Al-amal" is definite.
The Shaykh : It is definite. Is "great" indefinite or definite?
The student: Indefinite.
The Shaykh : Huh? Indefinite? What is the evidence that it is indefinite? That it is a description of an indefinite noun, and the description of an indefinite noun is indefinite. Understood, everyone? Now, in terms of form, is "great" an active participle or a descriptive adjective?
The student: A descriptive adjective.
The Shaykh : Huh? A descriptive adjective, "great in expectation."
"Terrified of heart" "Terrified" Is "murawwa'" a noun?
The student: Maf'ul (passive).
The Shaykh : It is a passive participle. "Murawwa'" is added, and "al-qalb" (the heart) is the noun it is added to. Is "al-qalb" definite or indefinite?
The student: Definite.
The Shaykh : It is definite. Is "murawwa'" indefinite or definite?
The student: Indefinite.
The Shaykh : Indefinite, and it is added to a definite noun?
The student: Because it is a description.
The Shaykh : Because it is a passive participle. A passive participle, so it resembles the present tense verb. Now, "terrified of heart" what tells us that it is indefinite?
The student: An attribute.
The Shaykh : Because it is a description of an indefinite noun, which is "rajina," and the description of an indefinite noun is indefinite.
"Terrified of heart, few in ruses" "Few in ruses," what is this? Is "few" a description or an active participle?
The student: An attribute.
The Shaykh : It is a descriptive adjective, meaning: his ruses are few. And what are "ruses" (hilaal)? Ruses are when a person resorts to ruses. What does it mean for a person to resort to ruses?
The student: He gets out of a predicament with his intelligence.
The Shaykh : He gets out of a predicament with his intelligence. Yes, and it is said that it means reaching the point of causing an opponent to fall into a trap without him realizing it.
The student: Deceit.
The Shaykh : And it is a ruse. A ruse is a type of deceit. Yes, it is reaching the opponent to cause him to fall without him realizing it. Is a ruse praiseworthy or not praiseworthy?
The student: If it contradicts the Shari'ah, it is blameworthy.
The Shaykh : If it contradicts the Shari'ah, it is blameworthy. And the one who contradicts the Shari'ah is of two types: either resorting to a ruse to drop an obligatory duty or to commit a forbidden act. Resorting to a ruse to drop an obligatory duty or to commit a forbidden act. Ah, so a man sold something for one hundred at a deferred price and bought it back for eighty in cash. This is a ruse for what?
The student: Riba.
The Shaykh : And it is forbidden. It is forbidden. This is a ruse to commit a forbidden act, so it is not permissible. And another man ate onions so that he would not pray in congregation. His intention was not to eat the onions for their own sake; he said, "So that I don't go pray." If a man from the market police came, he would say, "By Allah, I ate onions." This is a ruse for what? For leaving an obligatory duty, right? And a man bought a share from another, bought a share from a partner, and from the day he bought it, he immediately made it an endowment (waqf), out of fear of the right of pre-emption. This is a ruse to drop an obligatory duty belonging to another, so it is forbidden. But if the ruse is one by which a person reaches a matter intended by the Shari'ah or a permissible matter, then there is no harm in it. Among this is the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): This is a ruse, but it is a permissible ruse that does not lead a person into a prohibited matter. Yes. "Terrified of heart, few in ruses" means: this one who hopes for us is not one who has ruses and deceit, such that he reaches what he expects and hopes for through ruse and deceit. Rather, he is terrified of heart, he fears, and he cannot possibly resort to ruses. So, is this praiseworthy or not praiseworthy? Huh?
The student: This is, by Allah, weakness.
The Shaykh : No, my brother, how? Or is this praiseworthy? Great in expectation based on what we know that we are worthy of hope. "How many a time we have hoped for great expectations, terrified of heart, fearing that we will find in us something that scratches his honor, always cautious, few in ruses, he cannot possibly resort to ruses with us or against us with something by which he reaches his desired goal. Rather, he is a straightforward person and cannot possibly resort to ruses against us with anything. This man, without doubt, has good and noble qualities."
"How many a time we have hoped for great expectations *** with hearts terrified and few in ruses"
What do you think now if we said: We hope for Ibn Malik that we will reach the science of grammar through his poem?
The student: This is a praiseworthy ruse.
The Shaykh : Is this praiseworthy? Yes, this is a praiseworthy ruse, but it needs to be... we need to preserve it and its meanings. Yes.
"How many a time we have hoped for great expectations"
"How many a time we have hoped," look, the author (may Allah have mercy on him) wisely used "rubba," because "rubba" does not enter except upon an indefinite noun. Look, "rubba" with "rajina" (we have hoped); "rajina" is an active participle. Is an active participle added to a definite noun or an indefinite noun?
The student: Definite.
The Shaykh : Where is the definite noun?
The student: The pronoun.
The Shaykh : The pronoun "na" (we). The rule would require "rajina" to be definite because it is added to a definite noun, but in reality it is indefinite now. What is the evidence that it is indefinite?
The student: "Rubba" entered it.
The Shaykh : "Rubba" entered upon it, and "rubba" does not enter except upon an indefinite noun. Do you understand, everyone? So, "rajina" is not definite even though it is added to a definite noun, because it is an active participle meaning the present or future state, and every active participle meaning the present or future state does not become definite by addition.
"Great in expectation" "Great" is not an active participle, but it is a descriptive adjective (sifat mushabbahah). It is a description of "rajina" and is added to "al-amal" (expectation). Expectation is only for the future. Is "al-amal" definite or indefinite?
The student: "Al-amal" is definite.
The Shaykh : It is definite. Is "great" indefinite or definite?
The student: Indefinite.
The Shaykh : Huh? Indefinite? What is the evidence that it is indefinite? That it is a description of an indefinite noun, and the description of an indefinite noun is indefinite. Understood, everyone? Now, in terms of form, is "great" an active participle or a descriptive adjective?
The student: A descriptive adjective.
The Shaykh : Huh? A descriptive adjective, "great in expectation."
"Terrified of heart" "Terrified" Is "murawwa'" a noun?
The student: Maf'ul (passive).
The Shaykh : It is a passive participle. "Murawwa'" is added, and "al-qalb" (the heart) is the noun it is added to. Is "al-qalb" definite or indefinite?
The student: Definite.
The Shaykh : It is definite. Is "murawwa'" indefinite or definite?
The student: Indefinite.
The Shaykh : Indefinite, and it is added to a definite noun?
The student: Because it is a description.
The Shaykh : Because it is a passive participle. A passive participle, so it resembles the present tense verb. Now, "terrified of heart" what tells us that it is indefinite?
The student: An attribute.
The Shaykh : Because it is a description of an indefinite noun, which is "rajina," and the description of an indefinite noun is indefinite.
"Terrified of heart, few in ruses" "Few in ruses," what is this? Is "few" a description or an active participle?
The student: An attribute.
The Shaykh : It is a descriptive adjective, meaning: his ruses are few. And what are "ruses" (hilaal)? Ruses are when a person resorts to ruses. What does it mean for a person to resort to ruses?
The student: He gets out of a predicament with his intelligence.
The Shaykh : He gets out of a predicament with his intelligence. Yes, and it is said that it means reaching the point of causing an opponent to fall into a trap without him realizing it.
The student: Deceit.
The Shaykh : And it is a ruse. A ruse is a type of deceit. Yes, it is reaching the opponent to cause him to fall without him realizing it. Is a ruse praiseworthy or not praiseworthy?
The student: If it contradicts the Shari'ah, it is blameworthy.
The Shaykh : If it contradicts the Shari'ah, it is blameworthy. And the one who contradicts the Shari'ah is of two types: either resorting to a ruse to drop an obligatory duty or to commit a forbidden act. Resorting to a ruse to drop an obligatory duty or to commit a forbidden act. Ah, so a man sold something for one hundred at a deferred price and bought it back for eighty in cash. This is a ruse for what?
The student: Riba.
The Shaykh : And it is forbidden. It is forbidden. This is a ruse to commit a forbidden act, so it is not permissible. And another man ate onions so that he would not pray in congregation. His intention was not to eat the onions for their own sake; he said, "So that I don't go pray." If a man from the market police came, he would say, "By Allah, I ate onions." This is a ruse for what? For leaving an obligatory duty, right? And a man bought a share from another, bought a share from a partner, and from the day he bought it, he immediately made it an endowment (waqf), out of fear of the right of pre-emption. This is a ruse to drop an obligatory duty belonging to another, so it is forbidden. But if the ruse is one by which a person reaches a matter intended by the Shari'ah or a permissible matter, then there is no harm in it. Among this is the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
Sell the dates for dirhams
بِع التمر بالدراهمSell the clusters for dirhams, then buy with the dirhams a janiyib
بِع الجمع بالدراهم ثم اشتر بالدراهم جنيبًاThe student: This is, by Allah, weakness.
The Shaykh : No, my brother, how? Or is this praiseworthy? Great in expectation based on what we know that we are worthy of hope. "How many a time we have hoped for great expectations, terrified of heart, fearing that we will find in us something that scratches his honor, always cautious, few in ruses, he cannot possibly resort to ruses with us or against us with something by which he reaches his desired goal. Rather, he is a straightforward person and cannot possibly resort to ruses against us with anything. This man, without doubt, has good and noble qualities."
"How many a time we have hoped for great expectations *** with hearts terrified and few in ruses"
What do you think now if we said: We hope for Ibn Malik that we will reach the science of grammar through his poem?
The student: This is a praiseworthy ruse.
The Shaykh : Is this praiseworthy? Yes, this is a praiseworthy ruse, but it needs to be... we need to preserve it and its meanings. Yes.