Instruments of Implication
The instruments of implication can be classified into two categories as follows:
Instruments Implying a Single Action
The following instruments specifically imply a single action:
- لم (lam)
This is a particle of negation and implication that transforms an affirmative statement into a negative one. It also functions as a conversion particle, changing the present tense verb to the past tense, e.g., لم يدرس الطالب درسه (The student did not study his lesson).
- لمّا (lamma)
This particle serves as an implication of negation and conversion, suggesting that the negation continued into the present, with the expectation of the action’s occurrence afterward, in contrast to “lam”. For example: حان وقت الذهاب إلى المدرسة ولمّا تستيقظْ بعد (The time to go to school has come, and you still have not woken up).
- لام الأمر (lam al-amr)
This instrument introduces the present tense verb and gives it an imperative meaning. For instance, as stated in the Quran: {لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِّن سَعَتِهِ} (Let those of abundance spend from their surplus).
- لا الناهية (la al-naahiya)
This instrument precedes the present tense verb to express a request to refrain from the action, as in: لا تقتربْ من النار (Do not approach the fire).
Instruments Implying Two Actions
These instruments imply actions within two separate sentences, where the first sentence is called the conditional clause, and the second sentence is the response to the condition. The instruments include:
- إنْ (in)
This instrument links the conditional action to its response, e.g., إن تعملْ خيرًا تجدْه (If you do good, you will find it).
- إذما (idhma)
This serves a similar purpose to “إن”, as in: إذما تدرسْ تنلْ النجاح (If you study, you will achieve success).
- مَنْ (man)
This ambiguous pronoun refers to rational beings, e.g., من يجتهدْ يفوزْ (Whoever works hard wins).
- ما (ma)
This ambiguous pronoun refers to non-rational subjects, e.g., ما تقرأْ يزيدْ من ثقافتك (What you read increases your knowledge).
- مهما (maha)
This ambiguous pronoun also refers to non-rational subjects, e.g., مهما تفعلْ من خيرٍ تنلْ أجرَه (Whatever good you do, you will earn its reward).
- متى (mataa)
This ambiguous pronoun refers to time, e.g., متى يطلعْ ضوء النهار يخرجِ العمال إلى عملهم بنشاط (Whenever daylight breaks, the workers go to their jobs energetically).
- أيّان (ayyan)
This ambiguous pronoun also refers to time, e.g., أيّان تكنْ صالحًا يكثرِ الوفيون (Whenever you are righteous, the loyal ones multiply).
- أين (ayn)
This ambiguous pronoun refers to place, as in: {أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ} (Wherever you may be, death will overtake you).
- أنّى (anna)
This ambiguous pronoun pertains to location, e.g., أنّى يجدْ المخرج يذهبْ إليه (Wherever he finds an exit, he goes to it).
- حيثما (haythama)
This ambiguous pronoun indicates place, e.g., حيثما ينتشرْ الظلم ينتشرْ الخراب (Wherever oppression spreads, destruction follows).
- كيفما (kayfama)
This ambiguous pronoun denotes a manner, e.g., كيفما يكنْ المعلم يكنْ الطلاب (However the teacher may be, so are the students).
- أيّ (ay)
This ambiguous pronoun encompasses all previously mentioned meanings and is accompanying an addition, e.g., أي ساعةٍ تنمْ تسترحْ (At whatever hour you sleep, you will rest).
Instruments of Sublimation
The present tense verb is subverted when preceded by one of the sublimation instruments listed below:
- أن (an)
As in the Quran: {وَالَّذِي أَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لِي خَطِيئَتِي يَوْمَ الدِّينِ} (And I hope that He will forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment).
- لن (lan)
As found in the Quran: {قَالُوا لَن نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفِينَ حَتَّىٰ يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ} (They said, “We will not cease being here until Moses returns to us”).
- كي (kay)
As in the Quran: {لِكَيْ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ} (So that there is not upon the believers any discomfort).
- حتى (hattaa)
As in the Quran: {فَاعْفُوا وَاصْفَحُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ} (So pardon and overlook until Allah brings about His command).
- لام التعليل (lam al-ta’leel)
This instrument clarifies the reason for the occurrence of the action, as in the Quran: {وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ} (And We sent down to you the Quran that you might make clear to the people what was sent down to them).
- لام الحجود (lam al-hajood)
This instrument must be preceded by the verb “كان” and its derivatives with negation, e.g., {مَّا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَىٰ مَا أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ} (Allah would never leave the believers as you are).
- إذن (idhin)
This serves as a response particle that indicates implication and consequence, as in: إذن يحترمَك الناس (Thus, people will respect you).
- فاء السببية (fa al-sababiyah)
This instrument subverts the present tense verb that follows a complete negation, e.g., {لَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُوا} (They will not be judged, so they shall not die).