Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "And by necessity, the combination of the vocative particle and the definite article is restricted *** except with Allah and a quoted sentence."
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The Shaykh : Then the author said:
"And by necessity, the combination of the vocative particle and the definite article is restricted *** except with Allah and a quoted sentence":
This is a point of benefit, and it is that regarding the one being addressed, it was previously established that it is permissible to omit the vocative particle, or is it not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : It is permissible to omit the vocative particle, but the vocative particle is not combined with the definite article; it is prohibited from being combined with the definite article. For example: "the Prophet"; I do not say "O the Prophet." "The man"; I do not say "O the man." Is that right?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Except out of necessity. If necessity calls for it. And necessity, according to the grammarians, is not the kind where a person is forced to eat carrion. What is necessity in their view?
The student: Poetry.
The Shaykh : Poetry. There is nothing but poetry. Necessity, in their view, is poetry. Yes?
The student: They break the rules, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: They break the rules.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
"The combination of the vocative particle and the definite article *** except with Allah":
Except with Allah: This is the Divine Name. It is uniquely permitted to combine the vocative particle with the definite article. For example: "O Allah." They said: Here, its hamza is a hamzat al-qat' (severed hamza). Here, the hamza is a hamzat al-qat'; you do not say "O Allah" [with a connected hamza]. It is permissible to make it a hamzat al-wasl (connected hamza), but the most eloquent is that it is written and said: "O Allah." See, it is not obligatory for you to say "O you, Allah." No, rather you say: "O Allah."
"Except with Allah and a quoted sentence":
What is a quoted sentence? It means if we name a person with a nominal sentence adorned with the definite article, it is permissible to address him with the vocative particle. Yes. There is a man among the Arabs called al-Shanufuri. Yes, al-Shanufuri. This is his original name. I think he came to be called al-Shanufuri.
The student: Al-Shanufra.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Shanufra.
The Shaykh : His original name is al-Shanufuri. Here, if we address him, what do we say?
The student: O al-Shanufuri.
The Shaykh : No, but here the hamza must be severed. The hamza must be severed: "O al-Shanufuri." Yes. For example, a man entered upon us and said: "The morning is cold." We took this phrase from him and began to call him "The morning is cold." "The morning is cold" came in. "The morning is cold" entered. And so on. We named him "The morning is cold," or not?
If we want to address him, is it permissible to address him with the vocative particle?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, even though it contains the definite article. But here, the hamza must be severed. With Allah, it is permissible to make the hamza a hamzat al-wasl or a hamzat al-qat'. But for this, they said: It must be made a hamzat al-qat'. So you say: "The morning is cold" came in. Because of the ugliness of the vocative particle "ya" meeting the silent definite article "al" in the hamza, you sever the hamza to remove this ugliness. So you say: "O al-morning is cold." Good.
"And by necessity, the combination of the vocative particle and the definite article is restricted *** except with Allah and a quoted sentence":
This is a point of benefit, and it is that regarding the one being addressed, it was previously established that it is permissible to omit the vocative particle, or is it not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : It is permissible to omit the vocative particle, but the vocative particle is not combined with the definite article; it is prohibited from being combined with the definite article. For example: "the Prophet"; I do not say "O the Prophet." "The man"; I do not say "O the man." Is that right?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Except out of necessity. If necessity calls for it. And necessity, according to the grammarians, is not the kind where a person is forced to eat carrion. What is necessity in their view?
The student: Poetry.
The Shaykh : Poetry. There is nothing but poetry. Necessity, in their view, is poetry. Yes?
The student: They break the rules, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: They break the rules.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
"The combination of the vocative particle and the definite article *** except with Allah":
Except with Allah: This is the Divine Name. It is uniquely permitted to combine the vocative particle with the definite article. For example: "O Allah." They said: Here, its hamza is a hamzat al-qat' (severed hamza). Here, the hamza is a hamzat al-qat'; you do not say "O Allah" [with a connected hamza]. It is permissible to make it a hamzat al-wasl (connected hamza), but the most eloquent is that it is written and said: "O Allah." See, it is not obligatory for you to say "O you, Allah." No, rather you say: "O Allah."
"Except with Allah and a quoted sentence":
What is a quoted sentence? It means if we name a person with a nominal sentence adorned with the definite article, it is permissible to address him with the vocative particle. Yes. There is a man among the Arabs called al-Shanufuri. Yes, al-Shanufuri. This is his original name. I think he came to be called al-Shanufuri.
The student: Al-Shanufra.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Shanufra.
The Shaykh : His original name is al-Shanufuri. Here, if we address him, what do we say?
The student: O al-Shanufuri.
The Shaykh : No, but here the hamza must be severed. The hamza must be severed: "O al-Shanufuri." Yes. For example, a man entered upon us and said: "The morning is cold." We took this phrase from him and began to call him "The morning is cold." "The morning is cold" came in. "The morning is cold" entered. And so on. We named him "The morning is cold," or not?
If we want to address him, is it permissible to address him with the vocative particle?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, even though it contains the definite article. But here, the hamza must be severed. With Allah, it is permissible to make the hamza a hamzat al-wasl or a hamzat al-qat'. But for this, they said: It must be made a hamzat al-qat'. So you say: "The morning is cold" came in. Because of the ugliness of the vocative particle "ya" meeting the silent definite article "al" in the hamza, you sever the hamza to remove this ugliness. So you say: "O al-morning is cold." Good.