Interrogative Tools in the Arabic Language
Interrogative tools are among the most important and frequently used elements in the Arabic language. They primarily include the following:
من (Who)
The term “مَن” is one of the interrogative tools used in Arabic in various contexts. It can serve as an actual interrogative, and at times, it conveys a sense of negation. An example of its genuine interrogative use is found in the verse: {قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا مَن بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا ۜ ۗ هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَصَدَقَ الْمُرْسَلُونَ}.
Another instance is in the verse: {قَالَ فَمَن رَّبُّكُمَا يَا مُوسَىٰ}. Conversely, an example where the interrogative merges with negation is in the verse: {وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللهُ}.
In phrases like “مَن أبوك؟,” “مَن” acts as the subject, while what follows is the predicate. Examples of “مَن” as an interrogative include:
- {مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ} – In this case, (مَن) is a nominal interrogative in the nominative case.
- {مَن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً} – Similarly, here (مَن) is also a nominal interrogative in the nominative case.
ما (What)
The word “ما” in Arabic has numerous uses, categorized primarily as either a particle or a noun. As a particle, it is often utilized for interrogative purposes, particularly when inquiring about general categories, as in “ما اسمُك؟” or “ما عندك؟,” meaning “What is your name?” and “What do you have?” respectively.
Instances in the Quran include: {مَّا يَفْعَلُ اللهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِن شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنتُمْ} and {وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ} among others.
If a preposition precedes the interrogative “ما,” its initial letter is dropped and substituted with a fatha, as seen in the examples: فيمَ؟ علامَ؟ بمَ؟ إلامَ؟ حتّامَ؟:
As illustrated in the poetic lines:
فَتلك وِلاةُ السَوءِ قد طالَ ملكُهم
فَحَتَّامَ حَتَّامَ العَنَاءُ المُطَوَّلُ
Examples include:
- {وَإِنِّي مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِم بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ الْمُرْسَلُونَ} – (ما) here is a noun in the genitive case due to the preposition.
- {قَالَ يَا إِبْلِيسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسْجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقْتُ بِيَدَيَّ} – (ما) here is a noun in the nominative case.
متى (When)
متى is a noun used to inquire about time and has two grammatical forms in Arabic:
- The first form treats it as a pre-posed subject when followed by a noun. For instance, in the verse: {أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللهِ قَرِيبٌ}.
- The second form treats it as an adverb referring to an action that immediately follows it, as in “متى ذهبتَ إلى المدرسة؟” or associated with the predicate in constructions like “متى كان الرجل صائمًا؟”.
أين (Where)
“أين” is another interrogative noun used to question about locations, as in “أين تذهب هذا الصيف؟” This term is prevalent in classical Arabic texts, such as in the verses: {فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ * إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ} and {يَقُولُ الْإِنسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَيْنَ الْمَفَرُّ}.
Additionally, it can serve a conditional role, as in the expression “أين لقيتَ فلانًا فأكرمه,” and can function similarly to “حيث,” which indicates location, as in “جئتُ من أين لا تعلم.”
Examples include:
- أين الطريق إلى المدينة؟ – Here, “أين” is a noun in the nominative case, serving as an advanced subject.
- أين تذهب الأرواح بعد الموت؟ – In this instance, “أين” is a noun in the accusative, functioning as an adverbial of place.
- أين الرجال في هذه الحرب؟ – Here again, “أين” is a noun in the nominative case as an advanced subject.
كم (How Many)
The term “كم” in Arabic can denote a quantifying interrogative or an exclamatory one. Both forms share several characteristics, including naming, ambiguity, dependence on specification, rigidity, and the necessity for placement at the sentence onset. However, the interrogative “كم” is distinguished from its exclamatory counterpart by various criteria:
- Queries with “كم” only require affirmative responses, unlike exclamatory contexts.
- The speaker using the interrogative “كم” expects a response, as it seeks information.
- The noun following “كم” in interrogative constructions often carries a hamzah, as in “كم مالك؟ أعشرون أم خمسون؟.”
- The specification accompanying the interrogative “كم” is typically singular.
- Should “كم” incur a preposition, the specification can be expressed in either a genitive or accusative case.
Examples using the interrogative “كم” include:
- كم كتابًا قرأتَ؟ – “كم” here is an interrogative noun in the nominative case.
- بكم دينارٍ / دينارًا اشتريتَ مزرعتك؟ – “كم” is in the genitive case, due to the preposition.
كيف (How)
“كيف” serves as an interrogative, evidenced by several factors:
- It can accept a preposition without modification, as in “على كيف تبيع الأحمرين.”
- It can be directly replaced by another explicit noun, as seen in “كيف أنت؟ أصحيح أم سقيم؟”
- It can be used as an affirmative inquiry, for example, “كيف كنتَ؟”
- It functions interchangeably in inquiries, such as “كيف زيد؟” but may also express meanings beyond mere inquiry, such as in {كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ} where it takes on a meaning of astonishment.
Examples include:
- كيف تكون الجنة؟ – Here, “كيف” is a noun in the accusative, acting as a predicate for the verb “تكون.”
- كيف تجيب عن أسئلة الامتحان إن لم تكن حافظًا؟ – Here, “كيف” functions as a noun in the accusative, serving as an adverbial of state.
- كيف الطريق إلى بيتكم؟ – “كيف” acts as a noun in the nominative case, functioning as an advanced subject.
أي (Which)
“أيّ” is a flexible interrogative pronoun that has various functions, including conditions, interrogatives, and conjunctions indicating completeness or attachment to nouns with “ال.” Here, we will focus on its use as an interrogative tool. An illustration can be found in the verse: {وَإِذَا مَا أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَٰذِهِ إِيمَانًا} and also: {وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ * فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ}.
It is noteworthy that “أي” can be written without the diacritical marks while preserving its interrogative meaning, as in the poetic lines:
تَنَظَّرتُ نَصرًا وَالسِماكَينِ أَيْهُما
عَلَيَّ مِنَ الغَيثِ اِستَهَلَّت مواطِرُه.
هل (Is/Are)
“هل” serves as a particle specifically designed to elicit affirmation, similar to “همزة” in its interrogative capacity. While both “هل” and “همزة” are interrogative particles, “هل” is distinguished by several properties. Among the significant attributes are:
- Exclusivity in seeking affirmation rather than information.
For instance, in the question “هل قام زيد؟,” the response is expected to confirm or deny Zaid’s action.
- Exclusivity to affirmative inquiries.
Thus, one should not ask, “هل لم يقم زيد؟.”
- Its application primarily concerns present actions in questions constructed using the present tense.
For example, “هل تسافر؟” discusses future intentions.
- “هل” does not engage with conditional clauses.
One cannot express: “هل إن قام زيد قام عمرو؟”
- “هل” does not precede verbs that follow nouns.
For example, “هل زيدًا ضربتُ؟” is incorrect.
- “هل” frequently follows coordinating conjunctions, unlike “همزة” which typically precedes.
- “هل” can follow “أم” which denotes negation, maintaining its position.
The significance of questioning with “هل” often lies in the implication of denial. For instance, the verse: {هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ}, suggests that the only just response to goodness is more goodness.
- Alternatively, “هل” can imply “قد” when associated with verbs.
For example: {هَلْ أَتَىٰ عَلَى الْإِنسَانِ حِينٌ مِّنَ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْئًا مَّذْكُورًا}, meaning: “An era has indeed passed for humanity.”
Examples featuring “هل” include:
- {وَنَادَىٰ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ أَصْحَابَ النَّارِ أَن قَدْ وَجَدْنَا مَا وَعَدَنَا رَبُّنَا حَقًّا فَهَلْ وَجَدتُّم مَّا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمْ حَقًّا} – “هل” in this context is an interrogative particle with no grammatical position.
- {فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ} – Again, “هل” serves as an interrogative particle with no grammatical position.
الهمزة (Hamzah)
The “همزة” is a particle employed for both calling and questioning; primarily, it communicates the need for understanding. The “همزة” is considered the foundational element of interrogatives as noted by several linguistic scholars, hence it is characterized by:
- The potential for omission, as illustrated in poetic forms.
For instance, consider: طَرِبتُ وما شَوقًا إلى البِيضِ أَطرَبُ
ولاَ لَعِبًا منّي وذُو الشَّيبِ يَلعَبُ؟
- Its usage in contexts of both affirmation and denial.
Example: أزيدٌ قائم؟
- It accommodates both affirmative and negative constructs.
As reflected in {أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ}.
- The placement of “همزة” at the beginning of the sentence is ideal.
For instance: أقام زيد أم قعد.
أم (Or)
“أم” is an interrogative particle that follows the “همزة”. Often referred to as “أم المتصلة,” it can be viewed as a form of equivalence to “همزة,” as both serve to ask a question. “أم” is applicable between singular items, as in {أَأَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاءُ ۚ بَنَاهَا}, or between multiple complete clauses, such as found in poetry:
فَقُمْتُ لِلطَّيْفِ مُرْتَاعًا فَأَرَّقَنِي
فَقُلْتُ أَهْيَ سَرَتْ أَمْ عَادَنِي حُلُمُ.
It may also connect between noun-based statements, for example:
لعَمرُكَ ما أدري وإِن كنتُ دارِيا
شُعيثُ بن سَهمٍ أم شُعَيثُ بن مِنقرِ.
As well as:
وَما أَدري وَسَوفَ إِخالُ أَدري
أَقَومٌ آلُ حِصنٍ أَم نِساءُ.
It is important to note that “أم” has no grammatical position regardless of context.
أيّان (When)
“أيّان” is an interrogative noun meaning “when,” employed to inquire about time, much like “متى.” Some grammarians, such as Imam Abu Al-Baqa Al-Akbari, assert that “أيّان” specifically queries about the future and should pertain to significant events.
For instance, consider the verses: {بَلْ يُرِيدُ الْإِنسَانُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ * يَسْأَلُ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ} and {يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا}.
Additional examples include:
- يسأل الولد أيّان العيد؟ – Here, “أيّان” functions as an interrogative noun in the nominative case, serving as an advanced subject.
- {وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ} – Here, “أيّان” serves as an interrogative noun in the accusative case, indicating time.
أنّى (How / From Where)
The term “أنّى” serves as an interrogative noun that can inquire about time, place, or state, with the specific meaning derived from context. For example, when questioning time, one might say: “أنّى تذهبون؟” meaning “When will you go?” and when referring to location, it might be contextualized in verses such as {كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا ۖ قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَٰذَا} which translates to “From where does this provision come?”.
Similarly, when denoting state, it is reflected in the verse spoken by Mary: {قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ ۖ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ اللهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ} meaning “How can I have a child when no man has touched me?”.
Examples include:
- {أَنَّىٰ يُحْيِي هَٰذِهِ اللهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا} – Here, “أنّى” can be analyzed as an interrogative noun in the accusative case, viable for interpretation as an adverbial phrase.
- أنّى تبحث تجد الفائدة – In this instance, “أنّى” serves as an interrogative noun in the accusative, indicating place.