Continuation of the explanation of Ibn Malik’s (may Allah have mercy on him) statement: “One with a demonstrative, like ‘as if I’ in the description *** if its omission would spoil the definiteness.”
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The Shaykh : That is, the demonstrative. “Spoils the definiteness” means knowing the one being addressed. You use the demonstrative when its omission would spoil the definiteness; otherwise, if its omission does not spoil the definiteness, you use “ayy” (any/which). The author stipulated that the demonstrative is valid in place of “ayy” only when its omission would spoil the definiteness. For example, if you say, “O any man,” you know that the one being addressed is a man, but I want to specify a particular man for you, so I say, “O this man,” instead of “ayy.” Why is that?
So that you know that the one being addressed is this specific person being pointed to. If its omission would spoil the definiteness, you use the demonstrative. But if it does not spoil the definiteness, as in:, “O any scholar,” “O any father,” “O any judge,” “O any prince,” there is no need for the demonstrative, because it is already specified. What makes it specified?
The student: It is specified by the definite article.
The Shaykh : It is specified by the definite article, by the mental reference; it is known. “O any judge”—I know that it is the specific judge that we know.
“O any prince”—I know. But if the omission of the demonstrative would spoil the definiteness—meaning, spoil the definiteness of the specific person being addressed—then we use the demonstrative. So it is clear that using the demonstrative in place of “ayy” is only for necessity. What is the necessity? It is when its omission would spoil the definiteness. If its omission does not spoil the definiteness, you do not use it, because “ayy” is the original form, and we return to the original.
So that you know that the one being addressed is this specific person being pointed to. If its omission would spoil the definiteness, you use the demonstrative. But if it does not spoil the definiteness, as in:
O Prophet
يا أيها النبيThe student: It is specified by the definite article.
The Shaykh : It is specified by the definite article, by the mental reference; it is known. “O any judge”—I know that it is the specific judge that we know.
“O any prince”—I know. But if the omission of the demonstrative would spoil the definiteness—meaning, spoil the definiteness of the specific person being addressed—then we use the demonstrative. So it is clear that using the demonstrative in place of “ayy” is only for necessity. What is the necessity? It is when its omission would spoil the definiteness. If its omission does not spoil the definiteness, you do not use it, because “ayy” is the original form, and we return to the original.