Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "And combine them with *af'ul* if they follow *** what is not singular, so that you may be a follower."
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The Shaykh : But the author clarified in his statement:
"And combine them with *af'ul* if they follow *** what is not singular, so that you may be a follower":
"Combine them with *af'ul*": The pronoun "them" refers to *nafs* (self) and *ayn* (eye). "With *af'ul*": That is, with the form *af'ul*, on the pattern of *af'ul*. Make *ayn* on the pattern of *a'ayn*?
The student: *A'ayn*.
The Shaykh : *A'ayn*, and make *nafs* on the pattern of *af'ul*?
The student: *Anfus*.
The Shaykh : *Anfus*, good. So the author clarified to us something other than what is understood from his first statement. He clarified to us that they are combined with the non-singular. They are combined on the pattern of *af'ul*, and his statement includes the dual and the plural. So you say: "The two men came, their very selves." Is that correct?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : Good: "The two men came, their very selves"?
The student: No, it is not valid.
The Shaykh : And what happened?
The student: The pronoun did not agree.
The Shaykh : The pronoun did not agree. Good: "The men came, their very selves"?
The student: Is that correct?
The Shaykh : Correct?
The student: Correct.
The Shaykh : "The women came, their very selves"?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : Fine. So we now understand: We have emphasis by *nafs* or by *ayn*. It must necessarily include a pronoun that agrees with the emphasized word absolutely. As for *nafs al-ayn* and *nafs*, in the singular it must be singular, and in the plural it must be plural.
"And combine them with *af'ul* if they follow *** what is not singular, so that you may be a follower":
"Combine them with *af'ul*": The pronoun "them" refers to *nafs* (self) and *ayn* (eye). "With *af'ul*": That is, with the form *af'ul*, on the pattern of *af'ul*. Make *ayn* on the pattern of *a'ayn*?
The student: *A'ayn*.
The Shaykh : *A'ayn*, and make *nafs* on the pattern of *af'ul*?
The student: *Anfus*.
The Shaykh : *Anfus*, good. So the author clarified to us something other than what is understood from his first statement. He clarified to us that they are combined with the non-singular. They are combined on the pattern of *af'ul*, and his statement includes the dual and the plural. So you say: "The two men came, their very selves." Is that correct?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : Good: "The two men came, their very selves"?
The student: No, it is not valid.
The Shaykh : And what happened?
The student: The pronoun did not agree.
The Shaykh : The pronoun did not agree. Good: "The men came, their very selves"?
The student: Is that correct?
The Shaykh : Correct?
The student: Correct.
The Shaykh : "The women came, their very selves"?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : Fine. So we now understand: We have emphasis by *nafs* or by *ayn*. It must necessarily include a pronoun that agrees with the emphasized word absolutely. As for *nafs al-ayn* and *nafs*, in the singular it must be singular, and in the plural it must be plural.