Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "And in both verbs, precedence is obligatory, preventing inflection by a necessary rule."
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The Shaykh :"And in both verbs, precedence is obligatory, preventing inflection by a necessary rule"
The meaning of the author's statement is that it is obligatory for the two verbs to precede the thing being admired. This is the rule: the verb of admiration must come before the thing being admired. For example, you say, "How good Zayd is!" You cannot say, "How Zayd is good!" That is forbidden. "And in both verbs, precedence" means they precede. "Obligatory, preventing inflection" means you do not manipulate them to bring them forward. "By a necessary rule" means this is a rule that cannot be changed; it is not permissible to intentionally place the thing being admired before the two verbs. Now, if I said, "I hear of Zayd and I see him," is that permissible?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : No, it is not permissible. The author says it is not possible; the thing being admired must necessarily come after. Therefore, it is forbidden for the thing being admired to precede. Why? They said: because the form of admiration was transmitted from the Arabs as examples that do not change, as if they are fixed examples that do not change. For this reason, it is obligatory that they remain in this order and form. The subject is necessarily hidden in "What did I do?" and "Make them small." Yes?
The student: The author mentioned that the meaning of the verse is that only the past tense is formed from it.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What did he say about precedence?
The meaning of the author's statement is that it is obligatory for the two verbs to precede the thing being admired. This is the rule: the verb of admiration must come before the thing being admired. For example, you say, "How good Zayd is!" You cannot say, "How Zayd is good!" That is forbidden. "And in both verbs, precedence" means they precede. "Obligatory, preventing inflection" means you do not manipulate them to bring them forward. "By a necessary rule" means this is a rule that cannot be changed; it is not permissible to intentionally place the thing being admired before the two verbs. Now, if I said, "I hear of Zayd and I see him," is that permissible?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : No, it is not permissible. The author says it is not possible; the thing being admired must necessarily come after. Therefore, it is forbidden for the thing being admired to precede. Why? They said: because the form of admiration was transmitted from the Arabs as examples that do not change, as if they are fixed examples that do not change. For this reason, it is obligatory that they remain in this order and form. The subject is necessarily hidden in "What did I do?" and "Make them small." Yes?
The student: The author mentioned that the meaning of the verse is that only the past tense is formed from it.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What did he say about precedence?