Arabic Grammar For Beginners: Language of Quran with Transliteration: Arabic Grammar, #1

Introduction

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and Merciful, and peace and blessings be upon His noble messenger Mohammed Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam. Ilm-us-sarf, or word morphology, is the first step in learning Classical Arabic. It is the science of word origins. The word Sarf has many meanings, but as applied to Arabic grammar, it is defined as changing a Root word into different forms to create an intended meaning. As you will learn in this book, 99% of Arabic words start from a three-alphabet Root word, then change into different forms to create different meanings. These changes in the Root word are called تَصْريْفٌ tas-reef or inflections.

In the Arab culture, the nomads, also known as Bedouins, speak better Arabic than the city-dwellers. The best speakers of Arabic are from the deepest wilderness/desert.

According to traditions, the Messenger of Allah SWT, Mohammed (peace be upon him), was sent as an infant into the wilderness where he grew up with Bedouins from the tribe of سَعْدٍ بَنُوْ ba-nu sa’d who lived around Taif. From those Bedouins, he acquired clarity of tongue and purity of language صَفَاْءُ اَلْلِّسَاْنِ وَنَقَاْءُ اَلْلُّغَةِ sa-faa’ul li-saa-ni wa na-qaa’ul lu-gha-ti. From my perspective, Arabic lends itself to presenting spiritual thoughts very well. The traditions of Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam are concise and precise because of this language. It is hoped that this book will help in understanding these traditions also.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

After the translation of Nahw Meer, the authoritative book by Meer Syed Sharif Abul Hasan Ali Bin Mohammed Al-Jurjaani, the feedback was that a basic Arabic grammar book in easy English is needed for ‘ilm-us-sarf or word morphology. This book is to fill that need. There are many books written on this subject. This is an attempt to simplify further and bring together some basic concepts.

As Dr. Asrar Ahmed said in one of his lectures, every Muslim should learn enough Arabic so that he understands the Qur’an. Not necessarily to become an ‘Aalim, but enough to understand the message and what Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’alaa is telling us. Unfortunately, this has been a tragedy, especially in the sub-continent, and other non-Arabic-speaking countries, where people would memorize Qur’an many times without understanding the meaning. I pray to Al-mighty for His Help and Guidance to learn the language of His last revelation and understand His message.

If you get through this book, I recommend following up with two books: 1 Nahw Meer: An English Guide to Arabic Sentences and 2 Darsi Tafseer English Condensed. The first book is an authoritative book on Nahw by Meer Syed Jurjani. The next book is the grammatical analysis of a part of the third Juzz of the Quran.

Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam asked his Ummah to learn Arabic because 1) it is the language of the Qur’an, 2) it is his language, and 3) it is the language of the people of Jannah. So also, from Imam Shaa-fai, knowledge is what is useful, not what is memorized.

I want to acknowledge all my teachers and those from whom I have benefited in whatever I have learned. May Allah SWT reward them here and in the hereafter. Also, thanks to my wife, Kishwar Khan, who gave up our time together so I could concentrate on doing this work.

I ask the Almighty to accept this very humble effort and make it of some use to those who use it to learn Arabic.

I also ask Allah SWT to give us guidance, righteousness, purity, and contentment and accept our efforts.

Mohammed Sajid Khan

December 2019

Dedicated to my late mother.

Mahmooda Fatima

اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهَا وَارْحَمْهَا وَعَافِهَا وَاعْفُ عَنْهَا

O Allah, forgive her, have mercy on her, provide salvation, and forgive her mistakes.

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 - Alphabets, and Words اَلْحُرُوْفُ الأَبْجَدِيَةُ /اَلْفَاظٌ

Section 1.1 - Arabic Alphabets اَلْأَبْجَدِيَةُ الْعْرَبِيَّةُ

Section 1.2 – Sun, and Moon Alphabets حُرُوْفُ اَلشَّمْسِيْ/حُرُوْفُ الْقَمَرِيْ hu-roo-fus-sham-si/huroo-ful qama-ri

Section 1.3 - Vowels /Hara-kaa-tun حَرَكَاتٌ

Chapter 2 – Making Words with Alphabets

Section 2.1 – Alphabet Shape Changes for Joining to make a word

Section 2.2 – Shortening of alphabets for writing words

Section 2.3 - Words, and their Types

A. Single-word مُفْرَدٌ

B. Compound مُرَكَّبٌ

Chapter 3 - Noun اِسْمٌ is-mun Basics

Section 3.0 – Basic Information

Section 3.1 - Types of Nouns - Introduction

A.      The Source اَلْمَصْدَرُ

B. The Derivative اَلْمُشْتَقُّ ‬al-mush-taq-qu

C. The Rigid Is-mul Jamid-u اَلْاِسْمُ اَلْجَامِدُ

Section 3.2 – Four Properties Required to Define a Noun اِسْمٌ

Section 3.3 - Property 1 Flexibility إِعْرَابٌ e’raa-bun of a Noun

A. Triptote مُنْصَرِفٌ mun-sa-ri-fun Flexible Noun

B. Diptote غَيْرُ مُنْصَرِفٍ ghairu mun-sa-rifin Flexible Noun

Section 3.4 - Property 2 Capacity وُسْعَتٌ wus-‘at

A. Definite Nouns مَعْرِفَةُ ma’-ri-fa-tu

B. Definite by Proper Noun/ Name اِسْمُ الْعَلَمِ Ism-ul ‘ala-mi

C. Definite by Personal pronoun ضَمِيْرٌ dameer-un

D. Definite by Demonstrative pronouns اَسْمَاءُالْإِشَارَةِ as-ma-’ul ishaa-ra

E. Definite by Relative pronouns اَلاَسْمَاءُ الْمَوْصُولَةُ al as-maa-’ul mau-soo-la-tu

F. Definite Alif Laam by اَلْ

G. Definite by Association مُضَافٌ اِلَي الْمَعَارِفَةِ mu-daaf il-al-ma’arifa

H. Definite by a Vocative Call مُنَادٰى mu-na-daa

Section 3.5 - Property 3 - Gender of a Noun جِنْسٌ jin-sun

A. Masculine Gender مُذَكَّرٌ mu-dhak-ka-run

B. Feminine Gender مُوْنَّثٌ Mun-nath-un

Section 3.6 - Property 4 Quantity of a Noun عَدَدٌ ‘Ada-dun

A.      Singular اَلْمُفْرَدُ al-muf-ra-du

B.      Dual اَلْمُثَنّٰى al-mu-than-na

C.      Plural اَلْجَمْعُ al-jam-‘u

Broken Plural جَمْعُ الْتَّكْسِيرِ

Sound Plural جَمْعُ التَّصْحِيْحِ Jam-‘ut-tas-hee-hi /or Unbroken Plural جَمْعُ السَّالِمِ jam-‘us-saalimi

Sound Masculine Plural جَمْعُ الْمُذَكَّرِ السَّالِمِ

Sound Feminine Plural جَمْعُ الْمُؤَنَّثِ السَّالِمِ

Chapter 4 – Incomplete Compounds المُرَكّبُ الْغَيْرُ الْمُفِيْدُ al-murak-kabul ghair-ul mufee-du

Section 4.0 – Compound مُرَكَّبٌ mu-rak-ka-bun Definition

Section 4.1 - Incomplete Compounds المُرَكّبُ الْغَيْرُ الْمُفِيْدُ al-mu-rak-ka-bul ghai-rul mu-fee-di

A. Descriptive Compound الْمُرَكَّبُ التَّوصِيْفِيْ al-mu-rak-ka-but Tau-si-fee

B. Demonstrative Compound الْمُرَكَّبُ الْاِشَارِيْ al-mu-rak-ka-bul ishaa-ri

C. Genitive Compound الْمُرَكَّبُ الجَّارِيْ

D. Possessive Compound الْمُرَكَّبُ الْإِضَافِيْ

Section 4.2 – The Six Nouns الْسِّتَةُ الأَسْمَاْءُ al-asmaa-’ul al-sitta-tu

Table 23 – The Six Nouns الْسِّتَةُ الأَسْمَاْءُ al-asmaa-’ul al-sitta-tu

Chapter 5 - Complete Compound/Sentence التَّامُّ المُرَكَّبُ /جُمْلَةٌ jum-latun/al-mu-rak-kabul-taam-mu

Section 5.1 - Types of Informative Sentences

Section 5.2 - Nominative Sentence الْجُمْلَةُ الْاٍسْمَيَّةُ al-jum-la-tul is-miyya-tu

Section 5.3 - Use of Incomplete Compound in a Sentence

Section 5.4 - Nominative Sentence ‎‬ al-jum-la-tul is-miy-yatu‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Components ‎‬ mu-ta’l-laqul kha-ba-ri Associate‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Joined Nouns مَعْطُوْفٌ/مَعْطُوْفٌ عَلَيْهِ ma’-toof-un/maa-too-fun ilai-hi Additive/Independent

Section 5.5 - Interrogative Sentences

Section 5.6 - Negative Sentences - مَا maa, لَيْسَ laisa, and لَا laa

Section 5.7 - Particle لَا For Negative of All Kinds لَا لِلنَّفِيُّ الْجِنْسِ laa lil-nafi-ul jin-si

Section 5.8 - Particles of Call Vocative Particle حُرُوْفُ النِّدَاءِ huroof-un nidaai

Section 5.9 - Emphasis in a Nominal Sentence التَّاكِيدُ فِي جُمْلَةِ الْاِسمِيَّةِ

A. Emphasis by Using Specific Particles

B. Emphasis, and Specificity حَصَرٌ/تَخْصِيْصٌ ha-sar/taq-sees by adding a pronoun

C. Emphasis by moving ضَمِيْرٌ da-mee-run pronouns, and جَارٌ/مَجْرُوْرٌ Jar-Majroor ahead of predicate

D. Emphasis by Adding a Preposition

E. Emphasis with لَا laa, مَا maa, andلَيْسَ lai-sa with اِلَّا illaa

Section 5.10 - Particles of Verbal Meaning or Verb-like Particles مُشَبَّهَةٌ بِالْفِعْلِ mushab-ba-hatun bil-fe’ili

A.      Inna, and its Sisters اِنَّ وَ أَخْوَاتُهَا inna-wa-akh-waa-tu-haa

B.      Inna اِنَّ /In-na-na اِنَّنَا/In-ni اِنِّىْ /In-naa اِنَّا

Chapter 6 - Numbers, and Week Days الْأَعْدَادُ وَاَيَّامُ الْأُسْبُوْعِ

Section 6.1 – الْأَعْدَادُ Numbers al aa’daa-du

Section 6.2 - Rules for counting from 1 through 10

Section 6.3 - Rules for counting from 11 through 20

Section 6.2 - Week Days اَيَّامُ الْأُسْبُوْعِ

Chapter 7 - Verb فِعْلٌ fei’-lun

Section 7.0 - Verb فِعلٌ fei’-lun

Section 7.1 - Root Word

Section 7.2 – Important Definitions for Verbs, and Root Words

Section 7.4 - Forming Verbal Sentence جُملةُ الْفِعْلِيَةُ jum-la-tul fei’-li-ya-tu

Section 7.5 – Object of the Action الْمَفْعُوْلُ al-maf’ool in a Verbal Sentence جُملةُ الْفِعْلِيَةُ jum-la-tul fei’-li-ya

Section 7.6 – pronoun as an Object الْمَفْعُوْلُ al-maf-‘oo-lu

Section 7.7 – Compounds in a Verbal Sentence جُملَةُالْفِعْلِيَةُ jum-la-tul fei’-li-yatu

Section 7.8 – Prepositions in a Verbal Sentence جُملةُ الْفِعْلِيَةُ jum-la-tul fei’-li-ya

Section 7.9 – Negative نَفِيٌّ/نَافِيَةٌ nafee-yun/naa-fi-ya-tun Verbal Sentence

Section 7.10 – Interrogative اِسْتِفْهَامِيَةٌ is-tef-haa-mi-ya-tun Verbal Sentence

Section 7.11 – Use of قَدْ qad in a Verbal Sentence

Section 7.12 – Convert Verbal Sentence جُملةُالْفِعْلِيَةُ jum-la-tul fei’-liya-tu to a Nominal Sentence جُملةُ الْاِسْمِيَةُ jum-la-tul is-mi-ya-tu

Section 7.13 – Types of Objects أَقْسْاْمُ الْمَفْعُوْلِ

Section 7.14 – Passive Voice Past Tense Verb مَاضِيْ مَجْهُوْلٌ maa-di maj-hoo-lun

Chapter 8 - Imperfect Tense Verb الْفِعْلُ المُضَارِعُ al-fei’l-ul mu-daa-ri-‘u

Section 8.1 – Active Voice Imperfect Verb الْفِعْلُ المُضَارِعُ الْمَعْرُوْفُ al-fei’l-ul mu-daa-ri-'ul ma’roof

Section 8.2 – Negative in Imperfect Tense

Section 8.3 – فِعْلُ الْمُضَارِعِ Imperfect Tense Specific to مَاضِيْ Present Tense

Section 8.4 – Imperfect Tense Specific to Future Tense

Section 8.5 - Emphasis in Imperfect Tense تَاكِيْدٌ فِيْ الْفِعْلِ الْمُضَارِعِ takeed fil fei’lil mu-daa-ri-‘ee

A. Light Noon نُوْنُ الْخَفِيْفَةِ noon-ul kha-fee-fati

B. Strong Noon نُوْنُ الثَّقيْلَةِ noon-uth-thaq-qeela-ti

Section 8.6 – Passive Voice Imperfect Verb فِعْلُ المُضَارِعِ الْمَجْهُوْلِ

fei’l-ul-mudaa-re-’il-majhool

Section 8.7 - Forms of three alphabet Root Words اَبْوَابُ الْثُلَاثِيُ الْمُجَرَّدُ

Section 8.8 - الْخَفِيْفُ الْمُضَارِعُ al-mu-daa-ri-’ul khafee-fu Weak Imperfect Tense

Section 8.9 - اَلْمُضَارِعُ الْاَخَفِ Strong Imperfect Tense al-mu-daa-ri-’ul akhaf

Section 8.10 – Imperative Verb فِعْلُ الْأَمْرِ fei’l-ul amr Command

Section 8.11 – Negative Imperative Verb in Imperfect Tense فِعْلُ النَّهِي

Chapter 9 - Particles حُرُوْفٌ Huroof-un

Section 9.1 - Inactive Particles حُرُوْفٌ غَيْرُ الْعَامِلَةِ Hu-roof-ul ghai-rul ‘aa-mi-la-ti

A. Particles of Conjunction/Connectivity حُرُوْفُ الْعَاطِفَةِ Hu-roof-ul ‘aa-ti-fati

B.     Particles of Caution حُرُوْفُ التَّنْبِيْهِ hu-roof-ut tam-beehi

C    Particles of Answer حُرُوْفُ الْاِيْجَابِ huroof-ul ee-jaabi

D.     Particles of Explanation حُرُوْفُ التَّفْسِيْرِ huroof-ut taf-seeri

E.     Particles of Promotion حُرُوْفُ التَّحْضِيْضِ huroof-ut tah-deedi

F.     Particles of Expectation حُرُوْفُ التَّوَقُّعِ huroof-ut-tawaq-qu-‘ee

G.    Particles of Interrogation حُرُوْفُ الْاِسْتِفْهَامِ huroof-ul istef-haami

H.     Particles of Deterrence/Scolding حُرُوْفُ الرِّدَعِ huroof-ur ridaa’

Section 9.2 - Active Particles حُرُوْفُ الْعَامِلةِ hu-roof-ul ‘aa-mi-la-ti

A.      Particles that give Nominative رَفْعٌ raf-’un to its Noun

B.      Particles that give Accusative نَصْبٌ nas-bun to its Noun

C.      Particles that give Genitive جَرٌّ jarr-un to its Noun

D.      Particles that give Jussive State جَزْمٌ jaz-mun to its Fei’l

E. لَا لِنَفْيُ الْجِنْسِ Laa  Li-Nafi-ul Jinsi

Chapter 10 - Incomplete Verbs أَفْعَالُ النَّا قِصَةِ af-’aal-ul naa-qi-sa-ti

Section 10.1 –Incomplete Verbs أَفْعَالُ النَّا قِصَةِ af-’aal-un naaqi-sa-ti

Section 10.2 - Kana, and its sisters كَانَ وَأَخْوَاتُهَا

Table 63 – Incomplete Verbs أَفْعَالُ النَّا قِصَةِ af-’aal-un naaqi-sa-ti

Section 10.3 - كَانَ/يَكُوْنُ Kana/Yakoo-nu Inflections

Chapter 11 - Basics of Irregular Verbs, and Nouns الأسْمَاعُ الْغَيْرُ الْصَّحِيْحُ al-asmaa-’ul ghai-rus sahee-hu/اَلْأَفْعالُ الْغَيْرُ الْصَّحِيْحُ al-af-’aal-ul ghai-rus sahee-hu

Section 11. 1 - Irregular Nouns

1     Shortened Noun الاِسْمُ المَقْصُوْرُةُ al-ismul maq-soo-ra-tu

2     Extended Noun اَلْاِسْمُ الْمَمدُوْدَةُ al-is-mul mam-doo-da-tu

3     Defective Noun الْمَنْقُوصُ اَلاِسْمُ     al-ism-ul man-qoos

Section 11.2 – Defective, and Irregular Verbs اَلْفْعْلُ الْغَيْرُ الْصَحيْحُ

Defective Verb مَهمُوْزٌ mah-mooz-un

Section 11.3 - Irregular Doubled الْمُضَعَّفُ al-mud’a-af, and Weak Verbs الأَفْعَاْلُ الْمُعَتَّلَةُ al-af-’aal-ul mu-‘at-ta-la-tu

1.      Doubled Verbs الْمُضَعَّفُ al-muda-‘af

2.      Weak Verbs الْأفْعَالُ الْمُعَتَّلَةُ al-af-’aal-ul mu-‘at-tala-tu

Chapter 12 – الأَوْزَاْنُ الْمَزِيْدَةُ Al-Mazee-da-tul Au-zaan-u

Section 12.1 - Triliteral Roots with Additional Alphabets اَبْوَابُ الثُّلَاثِيْ مَزِيْدٌ فِيْهِ ab-waa-but thu-laa-thi mazee-dun fee-hi

Section 12.2 - Explanation of مَزِيْدٌ فِيْهِ Mazeed Fihi Forms:

Section 12.3 - Form II. تَفْعِيْلًا taf-‘ee-lan

Section 12.4 - Form III. مُفَاعَلًةً Mufaa-‘ala

Section 12.5 - Form IV. إِفْعَالًا if-’aalan

Section 12.6 - Form V. تَفَعُّلًا tafa’u-lan

Section 12.7 - Form VI. تَفَاعُلًا ta-faa-’ul

Section 12.8 - Form VII. اِفْتِعَالًا if-ti-’aa-lan

Section 12.9 - Form VIII. اِنْفِعَالًا in-fi-’aa-lan

Section 12.10 - Form X. اِسْتِفْعَالًا Istef-‘alan

Summary of Thulaathi, and Mazeed Fih

Chapter 13 – The Derivatives

Section 13.0 – Introduction To The Derivatives ‎‬ الْمُشْتَقَّاتُ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Section 13.1 - Derivative 1 Subject Noun اِسْمُ الْفَاعِلِ ismul-faa-‘ili

Section 13.2 - Derivative 2 Object Noun اِسْمُ الْمَفْعُوْلِ is-mul maf’ooli

Section 13.3 – Derivative 3 Noun of Circumstance اِسْمُ الْظَّرْفِ ismul-zar-fi

Section 13.4 – Derivative 4 Adjective Noun اَلصِّفَةِ اِسْمُ is-mus-sif-fa-ti

Section 13.5 - Derivative 5 Superlative/Comparative Noun اِسْمُ التَّفْضِيْلِ ismut-taf-deeli

Section 13.6 – Derivative 6 Noun of Exaggeration اِسْمُ الْمُبَالَغَةِ Ismul mubaa-lagha-ti

Section 13.7 – Derivative 7 Diminutive Noun اِسْمُ الْتَّصْغيْرِ Ismut Tas-ghee-ri

Section 13.8 – Derivative 8 Tool Noun اِسْمُ الْآلَةِ is-mul aa-la-ti

Section 13.9 – Derivative 9 The Source اَلْمَصْدَرُ al-mas-da-ru Examples

Chapter 14 - Advanced Topics

Section 14.1 - Prepositions that change the meaning of the Verb

a.      Verb Plus اَتَىٰ Preposition Usage

b.      Verb  بَغَىٰ Plus Preposition Usage

c.      Verb تَابَ Plus Preposition Usage

d.      Verb جَاءَ Plus Preposition Usage

e.      Verb ذَهَبَ Plus Preposition Usage

f.      Verb رَضِيَ Plus Preposition Usage

g.      Verb ضَرَبَ Plus Preposition Usage

h.      Verb عَفَا Plus Preposition Usage

i.      Verb قَضَىٰ Plus Preposition Usage

j.      Verb وَضَعَ Plus Preposition Usage

k.      Verb وَضَعَ Plus Preposition Usage

Section 14.2 Advanced Notes:

Chapter 1 - Alphabets, and Words

اَلْحُرُوْفُ الأَبْجَدِيَةُ /اَلْفَاظٌ ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

al-Huroof-ul ab-ja-di-ya-tu/Al-faa-zun‬‬‬‬

Section 1.1 - Arabic Alphabets

اَلْأَبْجَدِيَةُ الْعَرَبِيَّةُ

Trans-literation key

This section is being provided as a revision only. It is assumed that you know how to read Arabic. If you do not, it is required that you work with a teacher to learn to read and, if you wish, to write. This book is for learning classical/Qur’anic Arabic Grammar.

The first thing to note in Arabic is that it is written from right to left. Arabic has 28 alphabets. These are from right to left:

Table 1 - Arabic Alphabets

Besides, another alphabet which is ء Hamzah, is sometimes counted, and the total number of alphabets is counted as 29. Hamzah is the consonant version of the alphabet Alif ا.

Alphabets are divided into two categories. They are Sun alphabets اَلشَّمْسِيْ ash-Shamsi, and Moon alphabets اَلْقَمَرِيْ al-Qamari. This division is because of how they are pronounced when the alphabets ا Alif and ل Laam are in front of them. For example, al-Shamsi is read as ash-Shamsi, and al-Qamari is read as written al-Qamari.

Section 1.2 – Sun and Moon Alphabets حُرُوْفُ اَلشَّمْسِيْ/حُرُوْفُ الْقَمَرِيْ hu-roo-fus-Sham-si/huroo-ful Qama-ri

There are 14 Sun alphabets. These are:

Examples:

التَّوْرَاةَ pronounced as at-taurat, and not al-taurat. The Torah

الثَّوَابِ pronounced as at-thawaab, not al-thawaab. The reward

النَّاسُ pronounced as an-naas, not al-naas. The people

الضَّلَالَةَ pronounced as ad-dalaalah not as al-dalaalah misguidance

الرَّحْمَنِ pronounced as ar-Rahman, not as al-Rahman

الصَّلَاةَ pronounced as as-salaah not, as al-salaah

The remaining all alphabets are Moon alphabets.

Examples:

الْكِتَابُ pronounced as al-kitaab, the book

الْحَمْدُ pronounced as al-hamd, all the praises

الْبَرْقُ pronounced as al-barq, the lightening

الْمَلَائِكَةِ pronounced as al-malaikah, the angels

الْعَلِيمُ pronounced as al-aleem, the most knowing

الْحَكِيمُ pronounced as al-hakeem, the wisest

Practice:

Do this with all alphabets by adding al. Check with a