Salaam,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Okay, there’s a lingering question on Qur’anic grammar that I’ve asked a few people before, but never gotten a satisfactory reply to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first one is regarding 2:253, why is the female \u062a\u0644\u0643 used before the male plural \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0633\u0644? In simpler terms, why is it \u062a\u0644\u0643 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0633\u0644 instead of the apparently *correct* \u0627\u0648\u0644\u0626\u0643 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0633\u0644.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second is regarding 20:63, why hasn’t the shape of \u0647\u0630\u0627\u0646 changed to \u0647\u0630\u064a\u0646 after the use of \u0625\u0646 as is generally the norm? In simpler terms, why is it \u0625\u0646 \u0647\u0630\u0627\u0646 instead of the apparently *correct* \u0625\u0646 \u0647\u0630\u064a\u0646<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Salaam<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thank you for writing to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before commenting on the specific examples, it is pertinent to cite here the remarks of Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi (ra) on the people who try to find grammatical errors in the Qur’an. He writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThe books of syntax are no judge on the style and declensions of Qur’anic Arabic; it is actually the reverse: the Qur’an is judge on books of syntax. The Qur’an is the most perfect example of the pure and unadulterated language of the Quraysh, and is protected in all its aspects. For this reason, if any of it appears to be against known principles of syntax, then this will be no error on its part; on the other hand, this will be regarded as a shortcoming of the data analyzed by the grammarians. Sibawayh is the Imam of Arabic syntax and my mentor, Imam Farahi, also regards him to be so; however, in spite of this, he, in the light of the Qur’an, has criticized many of Sibawayh’s inferences and concluded that the conventional and customary style is the one which the Qur’an has adopted and not what Sibawayh has regarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In classical eloquent Arabic, at times the requirements of the beat and rhythm cause a change in words, letters and pronouns. So if a person has mere bookish knowledge of Arabic, he cannot be comprehensive in collating them. Take for example the case of pronouns. There are numerous examples in the Qur’an in which a pronoun has become part of a word. There is no other reason for this other than beat and rhythm.<\/p>\nTadabbur-e-Qur’an Vol 7, Commentary on Surah Fath, Aayah 10<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
We need to realize that language is not mathematics; hence not just grammar. There are several other aspects of a spoken language that do not follow the known ‘conventions’ of grammar for various reasons. Grammar of a language is only a secondary tool to understand the language and it only supplements the primary one, which is comprehending the language through the direct method. Language was spoken even before grammarians composed the books of grammar and syntax. People did not speak the language by referring to the books of grammar. For example, there is no rule by which we can explain why PUT is pronounced differently than BUT, NUT, and CUT. Ample examples can be provided from the eloquent literature of other languages also. For example, in Urdu poetry many times the word \u0627\u06cc\u06a9 (ek<\/em>) changes to \u0627\u06a9 (ik) to match <\/em>the rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anyways, about the two places in the Qur’an that you’ve asked about, in the first one, Rusul is a \u062c\u0645\u0639 \u0645\u06a9\u0633\u0631 (Broken Plural) and in Faseeh (eloquent) Arabic it is very common to place along with it a feminine singular pronoun in the third person. For example, the Qur’an in many places says \u062a\u0644\u06a9 \u0627\u0644\u0627\u06cc\u0627\u0645<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the second case also, \u0625\u0646 is Mukhaffifah min al-Mushaddidah<\/em> (i.e. in the sense of \u0627\u0650\u0646\u0651\u064e) due to the presence of \u0644 (Laam<\/em>) on \u0633\u064e\u0627\u062d\u0650\u0631\u064e\u0627\u0646\u0650 and hence we have \u0647\u0630\u0627\u0646 instead of \u0647\u0630\u064a\u0646. The same can be witnessed in Surah Yunus Aayah 29 where \u0625\u0646 is in the sense of \u0627\u0650\u0646\u0651\u064e due to the presence of \u0644 (Laam<\/em>) on \u063a\u064e\u0627\u0641\u0650\u0644\u0650\u064a\u0646.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope this helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Answered by:<\/strong> Mushafiq Sultan<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Date:<\/strong> 2020-04-09<\/p>\n\n\n\n