Explanation of the words of Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him): "And the foreign word, in its origin and definition, *** if it exceeds three letters, its declension is prevented."
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The Shaykh : He (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"And the foreign word, in its origin and definition"
He means: Also among the names that are prevented from declension is the foreign word, on the condition that it is foreign in its origin, meaning: it is not from the speech of the Arabs, but rather from the speech of the non-Arabs. And "definition" means: that it is a proper name in the language of the non-Arabs, meaning: it is foreign in its origin and in its definition. And what is meant by "definition" here is not the definition of the indefinite, so what is meant by "definition" here?
The student: Being a proper name.
The Shaykh : Being a proper name. What is the definition opposite to the indefinite, as we have passed through in the definite and the indefinite? "The foreign word in origin and definition" is a condition. "With *** Zayd exceeding three, its declension is prevented"
This sentence is the predicate of the subject. So "the foreign word" is the subject, and "declension" is a second subject, and "is prevented" is the predicate of the second subject. And the second subject and its predicate are in the position of nominative here?
The student: The predicate of the first subject.
The Shaykh : The predicate of the first subject, meaning that the foreign word, in origin and being a proper name, that exceeds three here?
The student: Its declension is prevented.
The Shaykh : Its declension is prevented, meaning its declension is prevented. Its declension is prevented. So his saying: "The foreign word in origin" is a precaution from whom? From one who is Arabic in origin. So if a name is found to be Arabic, it is not prevented from declension, even if a non-Arab takes it as a name. Even if a non-Arab takes it as a name. So, for example, is Husayn Arabic or not?
The student: Arabic.
The Shaykh : Here? It is Arabic, and the non-Arabs often take the name Husayn. Do we say that because this is a foreign proper name, it is prevented from declension?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Why?
The student: Because its origin is Arabic.
The Shaykh : Because its origin is Arabic. And Ibn Malik says: "The foreign word in origin". Okay, "definition" means that it is a proper name in the language of the non-Arabs. A proper name in the language of the non-Arabs. So if a generic name is made a proper name in the language of the Arabs, but it is not a proper name among the non-Arabs, is it prevented from declension or not? No. And they gave as an example for this Qalun. Qalun is one of the narrators from the readers, his name is Qalun, but it is Arabic. Yes. And is the origin of Qalun in the foreign language a proper name or a generic name?
The student: An attribute.
The Shaykh : A generic name or a description. So Qalun means: good. So it is not a proper name. Therefore, you say "Qalun said," and "I heard Qalun," yes. And did you approve of an opinion or a reading here?
The student: Qalun's.
The Shaykh : Qalun's. Perfect. Why?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Because it is not foreign in definition. And Ibn Malik says: "And the foreign word in origin and definition". Okay. "With *** Zayd exceeding three". This is a condition that it must exceed three. If it does not exceed three, what is it?
The student: It is declined.
The Shaykh : It is declined. It is declined, even if it is foreign in origin and definition. Like what?
The student: Nuh.
The Shaykh : Like Nuh.
The student: Nuh is Arabic.
The Shaykh : Arabic? Where does Nuh get his Arabness from?!
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, it is not Arabic. Before Arabic came into being, yes. And Lut?
The student: Likewise.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Lut is foreign.
The Shaykh : No, in any case, Arabness exists, but it is not from the Arabs. It is not from the Arabs. Okay, Hud?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : There is a dispute. Some said that Hud is Arabic, and some said that he is not Arabic. But in any case, it does not exceed three letters. It does not exceed three letters, or not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay. Some of the commentators said: All the names of the angels are prevented from declension due to being proper names and foreignness. And it seems they intend that whatever is not from the origin of the Arabs is foreign. Except that they excluded four of the angels, who are: Malik, Ridwan, Munkar, and Nakir. So these four are declined, and the rest of the angels are not declined: Jibril, Mikail, Israfil.
The student: Azrael.
The Shaykh : No, there is a consideration regarding Azrael. There is a consideration. But in any case, if it is established that one of the angels has a name, he says four. We do not know except three. We do not know except three.
The student: Four.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Harut and Marut.
The Shaykh : Yes, Harut and Marut, yes.
The student: Malik.
The Shaykh : Malik is declined. Okay. Those whose names are declined among the angels are four: Malik, Ridwan, Munkar, and Nakir. The prophets are likewise; their names are not declined due to being proper names and foreignness, except what we mention now: Muhammad here?
The student: Shu'ayb.
The Shaykh : And Salih, and Hud, and Lut, yes, five. And Nuh, and Shith. Shith, on the opinion that he is a prophet. So these are seven prophets whose names are declined.
The student: Uzayr.
The Shaykh : He is not among the prophets. And the rest, their names are not declined. Their names are not declined.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No... according to the opinion of those who exclude. Okay, now how many do we have from the angels?
The student: Four.
The Shaykh : Four. And from the prophets?
The student: Seven.
The Shaykh : Seven. Okay, who are the angels whose names are declined?
The student: Ridwan, and Malik, and Munkar, and Nakir.
The Shaykh : Okay. And from the prophets, seven whose names are declined. Those from the prophets whose names are declined are seven?
The student: Lut and Nuh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Shu'ayb.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Hud.
The Shaykh : Yes, do you forget your prophet?!
The student: Muhammad.
The Shaykh : Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), yes. What is left? One is left. We said it, yes. Shith and Salih, seven. These, these are the prophets whose names are declined, and the rest are not declined. Yes. Yunus?
The student: Prevented.
The Shaykh: Prevented from declension? Here?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, prevented from declension.[Al-Baqarah 2:136] And Isa here?
The student: And Musa.
The Shaykh : No, no. But [Al-Baqarah 2:136]
The student:[Al-An'am 6:84].
The Shaykh : And likewise 18 in Surat al-An'am.[Al-An'am 6:84] To the end of the verse. The important thing is that all the names of the prophets are prevented from declension, except?
The student: Seven.
The Shaykh : Seven.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, this is connected to what came before. Connected to what came before. It is in the accusative case.
The student: Dawud?
The Shaykh : Yes, Dawud is in the accusative case. He said:[Al-An'am 6:84-86] You saw Lut with a nunation because it is declined. Here?
The student:[Al-An'am 6:86].
The Shaykh :[Al-An'am 6:86].
The student:[Al-An'am 6:84].
The Shaykh : Yes.[Al-An'am 6:84] [Al-An'am 6:84] To the end of the verse. Yes. He says:
"And the foreign word, in its origin and definition, with *** Zayd exceeding three, its declension is prevented". So what passed through us, and Abd al-Rahman Jawr found difficult, is it declined or not declined?
The student: Not declined.
The Shaykh : Okay. It is foreign. Foreign. How is it not declined when it did not exceed three letters?
The student: If it were not a feminine proper name, it would be declined.
The Shaykh : We say that femininity, femininity, combined with being a proper name, so they strengthened it. Okay. Regarding femininity, you say that a three-letter feminine noun allows two forms. Is Jawr prevented from declension?
The student: The non-foreign one.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Its form changes... the non-foreign one.
The Shaykh : Yes, we say that this feminine noun, it is true that being a three-letter noun with a middle sukun requires that two forms are permissible in it. But what prevented the permissibility of the two forms is that it is?
The student: Foreign.
The Shaykh : Foreign. Okay. That it is foreign, but three-letter, we say that now two weak causes combined to become strong, just as a hasan hadith rises through its chains to become here? To become sahih for other reasons. So this combined foreignness and femininity. But foreignness is not strong enough to be prevented from declension, and femininity is not strong enough to be non-declined, to have the two forms. So it became prevented from declension necessarily.
The student : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Dhul-Kifl.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Dhul-Kifl?
The Shaykh : Dhul-Kifl is a compound.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It is a compound, may Allah reward you. "Dhu" means "owner," compounded with "Kifl." So if you mean "Dhu," it is a compound, and if you mean "Kifl," it is prefixed with "al."
The student: Like Dhul-Nun.
The Shaykh : Like Dhul-Nun. Yes, like Dhul-Nun, even though it is Yunus.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The student: ...
"And the foreign word, in its origin and definition"
He means: Also among the names that are prevented from declension is the foreign word, on the condition that it is foreign in its origin, meaning: it is not from the speech of the Arabs, but rather from the speech of the non-Arabs. And "definition" means: that it is a proper name in the language of the non-Arabs, meaning: it is foreign in its origin and in its definition. And what is meant by "definition" here is not the definition of the indefinite, so what is meant by "definition" here?
The student: Being a proper name.
The Shaykh : Being a proper name. What is the definition opposite to the indefinite, as we have passed through in the definite and the indefinite? "The foreign word in origin and definition" is a condition. "With *** Zayd exceeding three, its declension is prevented"
This sentence is the predicate of the subject. So "the foreign word" is the subject, and "declension" is a second subject, and "is prevented" is the predicate of the second subject. And the second subject and its predicate are in the position of nominative here?
The student: The predicate of the first subject.
The Shaykh : The predicate of the first subject, meaning that the foreign word, in origin and being a proper name, that exceeds three here?
The student: Its declension is prevented.
The Shaykh : Its declension is prevented, meaning its declension is prevented. Its declension is prevented. So his saying: "The foreign word in origin" is a precaution from whom? From one who is Arabic in origin. So if a name is found to be Arabic, it is not prevented from declension, even if a non-Arab takes it as a name. Even if a non-Arab takes it as a name. So, for example, is Husayn Arabic or not?
The student: Arabic.
The Shaykh : Here? It is Arabic, and the non-Arabs often take the name Husayn. Do we say that because this is a foreign proper name, it is prevented from declension?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Why?
The student: Because its origin is Arabic.
The Shaykh : Because its origin is Arabic. And Ibn Malik says: "The foreign word in origin". Okay, "definition" means that it is a proper name in the language of the non-Arabs. A proper name in the language of the non-Arabs. So if a generic name is made a proper name in the language of the Arabs, but it is not a proper name among the non-Arabs, is it prevented from declension or not? No. And they gave as an example for this Qalun. Qalun is one of the narrators from the readers, his name is Qalun, but it is Arabic. Yes. And is the origin of Qalun in the foreign language a proper name or a generic name?
The student: An attribute.
The Shaykh : A generic name or a description. So Qalun means: good. So it is not a proper name. Therefore, you say "Qalun said," and "I heard Qalun," yes. And did you approve of an opinion or a reading here?
The student: Qalun's.
The Shaykh : Qalun's. Perfect. Why?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Because it is not foreign in definition. And Ibn Malik says: "And the foreign word in origin and definition". Okay. "With *** Zayd exceeding three". This is a condition that it must exceed three. If it does not exceed three, what is it?
The student: It is declined.
The Shaykh : It is declined. It is declined, even if it is foreign in origin and definition. Like what?
The student: Nuh.
The Shaykh : Like Nuh.
The student: Nuh is Arabic.
The Shaykh : Arabic? Where does Nuh get his Arabness from?!
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, it is not Arabic. Before Arabic came into being, yes. And Lut?
The student: Likewise.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Lut is foreign.
The Shaykh : No, in any case, Arabness exists, but it is not from the Arabs. It is not from the Arabs. Okay, Hud?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : There is a dispute. Some said that Hud is Arabic, and some said that he is not Arabic. But in any case, it does not exceed three letters. It does not exceed three letters, or not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay. Some of the commentators said: All the names of the angels are prevented from declension due to being proper names and foreignness. And it seems they intend that whatever is not from the origin of the Arabs is foreign. Except that they excluded four of the angels, who are: Malik, Ridwan, Munkar, and Nakir. So these four are declined, and the rest of the angels are not declined: Jibril, Mikail, Israfil.
The student: Azrael.
The Shaykh : No, there is a consideration regarding Azrael. There is a consideration. But in any case, if it is established that one of the angels has a name, he says four. We do not know except three. We do not know except three.
The student: Four.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Harut and Marut.
The Shaykh : Yes, Harut and Marut, yes.
The student: Malik.
The Shaykh : Malik is declined. Okay. Those whose names are declined among the angels are four: Malik, Ridwan, Munkar, and Nakir. The prophets are likewise; their names are not declined due to being proper names and foreignness, except what we mention now: Muhammad here?
The student: Shu'ayb.
The Shaykh : And Salih, and Hud, and Lut, yes, five. And Nuh, and Shith. Shith, on the opinion that he is a prophet. So these are seven prophets whose names are declined.
The student: Uzayr.
The Shaykh : He is not among the prophets. And the rest, their names are not declined. Their names are not declined.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No... according to the opinion of those who exclude. Okay, now how many do we have from the angels?
The student: Four.
The Shaykh : Four. And from the prophets?
The student: Seven.
The Shaykh : Seven. Okay, who are the angels whose names are declined?
The student: Ridwan, and Malik, and Munkar, and Nakir.
The Shaykh : Okay. And from the prophets, seven whose names are declined. Those from the prophets whose names are declined are seven?
The student: Lut and Nuh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Shu'ayb.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Hud.
The Shaykh : Yes, do you forget your prophet?!
The student: Muhammad.
The Shaykh : Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), yes. What is left? One is left. We said it, yes. Shith and Salih, seven. These, these are the prophets whose names are declined, and the rest are not declined. Yes. Yunus?
The student: Prevented.
The Shaykh: Prevented from declension? Here?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, prevented from declension.
Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants
قولوا آمنّا بالله وما أنزل إلينا وما أنزل إلى إبراهيمَ وإسماعيلَ وإسحاقَ ويعقوبَ والأسباطِThe student: And Musa.
The Shaykh : No, no.
And what was given to Musa and Isa
وما أوتي موسى وعيسىand what was given to the prophets from their Lord
وما أوتي النبيّون من ربهمThe student:
and among his descendants, David
ومن ذرّيته داودThe Shaykh : And likewise 18 in Surat al-An'am.
and among his descendants, David
ومن ذرّيته داودThe student: Seven.
The Shaykh : Seven.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, this is connected to what came before. Connected to what came before. It is in the accusative case.
The student: Dawud?
The Shaykh : Yes, Dawud is in the accusative case. He said:
David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the doers of good. (85) And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias - and all were of the righteous. (86) And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot
داود وسليمان وأيوب ويوسف وموسى وهارون وكذلك نجزي المحسنين* وزكريا ويحي وعيسى وإلياس كل من الصالحين* وإسماعيل واليسع ويونس ولوطًاand Lot
ولوطًاThe student:
and all [of them] We preferred over the worlds.
وكلاّ فضّلنا على العالمينThe Shaykh :
and all [of them] We preferred over the worlds.
وكلاّ فضلنا على العالمينThe student:
And Noah, We guided before
ونوحًا هدينا من قبلThe Shaykh : Yes.
And Noah, We guided before
ونوحًا هدينا من قبلAnd We gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - all [of them] We guided. And Noah, We guided before; and among his descendants, David
ووهبنا له إسحاق ويعقوب كلاّ هدينا ونوحا هدينا من قبل ومن ذريته داود"And the foreign word, in its origin and definition, with *** Zayd exceeding three, its declension is prevented". So what passed through us, and Abd al-Rahman Jawr found difficult, is it declined or not declined?
The student: Not declined.
The Shaykh : Okay. It is foreign. Foreign. How is it not declined when it did not exceed three letters?
The student: If it were not a feminine proper name, it would be declined.
The Shaykh : We say that femininity, femininity, combined with being a proper name, so they strengthened it. Okay. Regarding femininity, you say that a three-letter feminine noun allows two forms. Is Jawr prevented from declension?
The student: The non-foreign one.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Its form changes... the non-foreign one.
The Shaykh : Yes, we say that this feminine noun, it is true that being a three-letter noun with a middle sukun requires that two forms are permissible in it. But what prevented the permissibility of the two forms is that it is?
The student: Foreign.
The Shaykh : Foreign. Okay. That it is foreign, but three-letter, we say that now two weak causes combined to become strong, just as a hasan hadith rises through its chains to become here? To become sahih for other reasons. So this combined foreignness and femininity. But foreignness is not strong enough to be prevented from declension, and femininity is not strong enough to be non-declined, to have the two forms. So it became prevented from declension necessarily.
The student : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Dhul-Kifl.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: Dhul-Kifl?
The Shaykh : Dhul-Kifl is a compound.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It is a compound, may Allah reward you. "Dhu" means "owner," compounded with "Kifl." So if you mean "Dhu," it is a compound, and if you mean "Kifl," it is prefixed with "al."
The student: Like Dhul-Nun.
The Shaykh : Like Dhul-Nun. Yes, like Dhul-Nun, even though it is Yunus.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Huh?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The student: ...