Explanation of the author's (may Allah have mercy on him) statement: " . . .
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. We have previously mentioned that *kana* and its sisters are thirteen particles.
The student: Correct
The Shaykh : There are thirteen particles, and they make the subject nominative and the predicate accusative. *In* and its sisters are only six particles, only six particles, and they are all letters. As for *kana* and its sisters, they are all verbs. These are all letters, and they make the subject accusative and the predicate nominative, which is the opposite of *kana* and its sisters. So the difference is: *in* and its sisters are letters, while *kana* and its sisters are verbs. *In* and its sisters make the subject accusative and the predicate nominative, while *kana* and its sisters make the subject nominative and the predicate accusative. Thus, they are opposites in their grammatical function.
The author says: “And as for *in* and its sisters, they make the noun accusative and the predicate nominative”. They make the noun accusative as their noun, and they make the predicate nominative as their predicate.
“And they are *in*, *an*, *lakin*, *ka-anna*, *layta*, and *la‘alla*”. How many are these? Six.
*In* and *an* are one in meaning, meaning they convey affirmation. But the difference between them is that *in* is with a kasrah and *an* is with a fathah. Each has its own place; *an* has places where it is used, and *in* has places where it is used. Now, you say: *Lam yaqum Zaydun lakinhu jalisun* (Zayd did not stand, but he is sitting), and you say: *Qama 'Umarun lakin Zaydan qaa'idun* (Umar stood, but Zayd is sitting). So it makes the subject accusative, yes, and makes the predicate nominative.
“*Ka-anna*”. *Ka-anna*: you say *ka-anna Zaydan bahr* (Zayd is like the sea), meaning in generosity. *Ka-anna Zaydan bahr*, so *Zaydan* is accusative and *bahr* is nominative.
“*Layta*”. *Layta Zaydan* or *layta al-taliba fahimun* (Would that the student were understanding). *Layta al-taliba fahimun*.
“*La‘alla*”. *La‘alla al-matra yan-zilu* (Perhaps the rain will fall). *La‘alla al-matra yan-zilu*. This is hope; you hope that it will fall. And you say: *La‘alla Zaydan halikan* (Perhaps Zayd will perish). You do not hope that he will perish, but you expect that he might perish. Yes. *La‘alla al-thamara yafsidu min shiddati al-harr* (Perhaps the fruit will spoil from the intensity of the heat). Here, do you hope that the fruit will spoil?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : But you expect it. Now, let us take examples of the particles. You say:
*Inna al-nahwa yasiir* (Indeed, grammar is easy) or *Inna 'ilma al-nahw yasiir* (Indeed, the science of grammar is easy). Correct. Is this correct if I said:
*Inna 'ilmu al-nahw yasiiran*
The student: Error
The Shaykh : Incorrect. If I said *Inna 'ilma al-nahw yasiiran*
The student: Error
The Shaykh : Now, if I said *Inna 'ilmu al-nahw yasiirun*
The student: Correct
The Shaykh : Incorrect. Correct. Now, some of the common people, when they call the adhan, say *Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasula Allah* (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). *Rasula Allah* here is incorrect. What is the correct form?
The student: *Rasulu Allah*
The Shaykh : *Anna Muhammadan rasulu Allah* (That Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). And do not say *Anna Muhammadan rasula Allah*, because in that case *an* has not performed its function. It must make the noun accusative and the predicate nominative. Now, *Anna 'alimtu anna al-taliba fahimun* (I knew that the student was understanding).
The student: Correct
The Shaykh : There are thirteen particles, and they make the subject nominative and the predicate accusative. *In* and its sisters are only six particles, only six particles, and they are all letters. As for *kana* and its sisters, they are all verbs. These are all letters, and they make the subject accusative and the predicate nominative, which is the opposite of *kana* and its sisters. So the difference is: *in* and its sisters are letters, while *kana* and its sisters are verbs. *In* and its sisters make the subject accusative and the predicate nominative, while *kana* and its sisters make the subject nominative and the predicate accusative. Thus, they are opposites in their grammatical function.
The author says: “And as for *in* and its sisters, they make the noun accusative and the predicate nominative”. They make the noun accusative as their noun, and they make the predicate nominative as their predicate.
“And they are *in*, *an*, *lakin*, *ka-anna*, *layta*, and *la‘alla*”. How many are these? Six.
*In* and *an* are one in meaning, meaning they convey affirmation. But the difference between them is that *in* is with a kasrah and *an* is with a fathah. Each has its own place; *an* has places where it is used, and *in* has places where it is used. Now, you say: *Lam yaqum Zaydun lakinhu jalisun* (Zayd did not stand, but he is sitting), and you say: *Qama 'Umarun lakin Zaydan qaa'idun* (Umar stood, but Zayd is sitting). So it makes the subject accusative, yes, and makes the predicate nominative.
“*Ka-anna*”. *Ka-anna*: you say *ka-anna Zaydan bahr* (Zayd is like the sea), meaning in generosity. *Ka-anna Zaydan bahr*, so *Zaydan* is accusative and *bahr* is nominative.
“*Layta*”. *Layta Zaydan* or *layta al-taliba fahimun* (Would that the student were understanding). *Layta al-taliba fahimun*.
“*La‘alla*”. *La‘alla al-matra yan-zilu* (Perhaps the rain will fall). *La‘alla al-matra yan-zilu*. This is hope; you hope that it will fall. And you say: *La‘alla Zaydan halikan* (Perhaps Zayd will perish). You do not hope that he will perish, but you expect that he might perish. Yes. *La‘alla al-thamara yafsidu min shiddati al-harr* (Perhaps the fruit will spoil from the intensity of the heat). Here, do you hope that the fruit will spoil?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : But you expect it. Now, let us take examples of the particles. You say:
*Inna al-nahwa yasiir* (Indeed, grammar is easy) or *Inna 'ilma al-nahw yasiir* (Indeed, the science of grammar is easy). Correct. Is this correct if I said:
*Inna 'ilmu al-nahw yasiiran*
The student: Error
The Shaykh : Incorrect. If I said *Inna 'ilma al-nahw yasiiran*
The student: Error
The Shaykh : Now, if I said *Inna 'ilmu al-nahw yasiirun*
The student: Correct
The Shaykh : Incorrect. Correct. Now, some of the common people, when they call the adhan, say *Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasula Allah* (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). *Rasula Allah* here is incorrect. What is the correct form?
The student: *Rasulu Allah*
The Shaykh : *Anna Muhammadan rasulu Allah* (That Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). And do not say *Anna Muhammadan rasula Allah*, because in that case *an* has not performed its function. It must make the noun accusative and the predicate nominative. Now, *Anna 'alimtu anna al-taliba fahimun* (I knew that the student was understanding).