33  ظَنَّ and its sisters

Warning

THIS BOOK IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. IT IS INCOMPLETE AND MAY HAVE TYPOGRAPHICAL AND OTHER ERRORS. IT IS NOT YET READY TO BE STUDIED FROM.

33.1 Introduction

There are some verbs that, in addition to a doer, also generally require two direct doees. ظَنَّ is one of these verbs. For example:

  1. ظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا أَخَاكَ [Peled, Sentence types 188]
    « I thought Zayd to be your brother. »

There are other verbs similar to ظَنَّ. We will study them collectively as “ظَنَّ and its sisters.”

33.2 The lean of the ظَنَّ sentence

The basic nounal sentence consists of a subject and a info. For example:

  1. زَيْدٌ أَخُوكَ
    « Zayd is your brother. »

In example () above, زَيْدٌ is the subject and أَخُوكَ is its info. Both are in the u-case because it is a basic nounal sentence. In terms of its lean, زَيْدٌ is the leaned-against element and أَخُوكَ is the leaning element. (Technically, the leaning element is أَخ. And it in turn is a annexed noun to the annexed-to noun كَ. But loosely speaking, we can say that the leaning element is the bundled أَخُوكَ.) With the leaned-against element and the leaning element in place, the sentence is leaned.

Now consider the following sentence:

  1. ظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا أَخَاكَ [Peled, Sentence types 188]
    « I thought Zayd to be your brother. »

In example () above, the verb ظَنَّ takes the subject and info of example (), and makes them into direct doees. The verb ظَنَّ requires a doer (as usual), which is the pronoun تُ « I ». And it also requires two direct doees: زَيْدًا is the first direct doee and أَخَاكَ is the second direct doee.

This sentence is peculiar in its lean. This is because the indispensable elements are the two direct doees. زَيْدًا is the leaned-against element and أَخَاكَ is the leaning element.1 The sentence is only leaned when both direct doees are in place. Unlike normal verbal sentences, the verb ظَنَّ and its doer are not the indispensable elements of the sentence. Rather ظَنَّ is the foundational government. Figure () depicts the government of example ().

DIAGRAM

Parallels of the lean of the ظَنَّ sentence may be found in the كَانَ and إِنَّ sentences:

  1. كَانَ زَيْدٌ أَخَاكَ [Peled, Sentence types 188]
    « Zayd was your brother. »
    (زَيْدٌ, the doer/subject, is the leaned-against element. أَخَاكَ, the direct doee/info, is the leaning element. كَانَ is the foundational government.)

  2. إِنَّ زَيْدًا أَخُوكَ [Peled, Sentence types 188]
    « Indeed Zayd is your brother. »
    (زَيْدًا, the subject, is the leaned-against element. أَخُوكَ, the info, is the leaning element. إِنَّ is the foundational government.)

Similar to (deficient) كَانَ sentences, the ظَنَّ sentence may be categorized as a verbal sentence. And, like in the case of deficient كَانَ, the verb and its doer don’t make the sentence leaned.

33.3 ظَنَّ and its sisters in passive voice

When ظَنَّ and its sisters are used in the passive voice, the first direct doee (the one which is the subject in the basic nounal sentence) is made the deputy doer in the u-case. And the second direct doee (the one which is the info in the basic nounal sentence) remains a direct doee in the a-case. So, example () above, becomes in the passive voice:

  1. ظُنَّ زَيْدٌ أَخَاكَ
    « Zayd was thought to be your brother. »

Similarly,

  1. زَيْدٌ مَظْنُونٌ شُجَاعًا [Wright 2/52D]
    « Zayd is thought to be brave. »

33.4 The sisters of ظَنَّ

There are many verbs that behave similar to ظَنَّ, in that they require two direct doees.

In this chapter, we will refer to the first direct doee, (the one which is the subject in the basic nounal sentence) as x. And we will refer to the second direct doee, (the one which is the info in the basic nounal sentence) as y.

These verbs constituting ظَنَّ and its sisters may be sub-categorized into:

  1. Verbs of perception. These verbs indicate that the doer believes the first direct doee to be something that is indicated by the second direct doee. For example: ظَنَّ « to think, conjecture x to be y », عَلِمَ « to know x to be y », حَسِبَ « to deem, reckon x to be y », خَالَ « to imagine x to be y », زَعَمَ « to claim x to be y », رَأَىٰ « to opine x to be y », and more.

  2. Verbs of rendering. These verbs indicate that the doer changes or leaves the direct doee in a state that is indicated by the second direct doee. For example: صَيَّرَ « to make x become y », اتَّخَذَ « to take x for oneself as y », تَرَكَ « to leave x as y », جَعَلَ « to make x into y », and more.

Some verbs, like جَعَلَ can fall into both categories, where جَعَلَ can also mean « to believe x to be y », in addition to « to make x into y ».

We will give examples of these verbs below:

ظَنَّ

The basic meaning of ظَنَّ is to believe, with a variable range of conviction, x to be y. Due to the conjectural nature of this meaning, it can be used in a range of circumstances from where its doer believes something to be certain, to cases where he is doubtful.

Here are some examples:

  1. وَإِنِّی لَأَظُنُّكَ یَـٰفِرۡعَوۡنُ مَثۡبُورࣰا [سورة الإسراء 17:102 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/331]
    « and indeed I think, O Pharaoh, that you are destroyed. »

  2. قُلۡتُم مَّا نَدۡرِی مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنࣰّا وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُسۡتَیۡقِنِینَ [سورة الجاثية 45:32 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/331]
    « you said, ‘We know not what is the Hour. We assume only assumption, and we are not convinced.’ »

  3. ظَنَنْتُكَ إِنْ شَبَّتْ لَظَى الْحَرْبِ صَالِيًا [cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/331]
    « I thought you, if the blaze of war is kindled, to be entering (therein) »

ظَنَّ following examples is interpreted to have certainty in its meaning:

  1. قَالَ ٱلَّذِینَ یَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَـٰقُوا۟ ٱللَّهِ كَم مِّن فِئَةࣲ قَلِیلَةٍ غَلَبَتۡ فِئَةࣰ كَثِیرَةَۢ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ2 [سورة البقرة 2:249 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/332]
    « But those who were certain that they would meet Allāh said, “How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allāh. And Allāh is with the patient.” »

  2. إِنِّی ظَنَنتُ أَنِّی مُلَـٰقٍ حِسَابِیَهۡ [سورة الحاقة 69:20 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/332]
    « Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account.” »

  3. وَرَءَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٱلنَّارَ فَظَنُّوۤا۟ أَنَّهُم مُّوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمۡ یَجِدُوا۟ عَنۡهَا مَصۡرِفࣰا3 [سورة الكهف 18:53 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/332]
    « And the criminals will see the Fire and will be certain that they are to fall therein. And they will not find from it a way elsewhere. »

As to the usage of أَنَّ in the examples above, see @sec:ta3leeq below.

ظَنَّ can also have the meaning of « to suspect (someone) ». With this meaning, it is no longer a verb of perception, and will only need one direct doee. For example:

  1. ظَنَّ القَاضِي فُلَانًا [النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/331]
    « The judge suspected so-and-so. »

عَلِمَ

عَلِمَ means « to know ». Examples:

  1. عَلِمْتُكَ الْبَاذِلَ الْمَعْرُوفَ [Wright 2/49B]
    « I have known you to be liberal in the exercise of bounty. »

  2. فَإِنۡ عَلِمۡتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤۡمِنَـٰتࣲ فَلَا تَرۡجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى ٱلۡكُفَّارِۖ [سورة الممتحنة 60:10 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/325]
    « And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; »

When عَلِمَ has only the meaning « to know (something) » and not « to know (something) to be (something) » then it may take only one direct doee. For example:

  1. وَٱللَّهُ أَخۡرَجَكُم مِّنۢ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ شَیۡـࣰٔا [سورة النحل 16:78 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/236]
    « And Allāh has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing »

  2. لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ النَّظَائِرَ الَّتِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ بِهِنَّ سُورَتَيْنِ فِي رَكْعَةٍ [صحيح مسلم :822e]
    « I know the manners in which the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ recited two sūrahs in one rakɛah. »

حَسِبَ

  1. صَنَعْنَا لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَخَّارَةً ، فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا ، فَوَضَعْتُهَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ، فَاطَّلَعَ فِيهَا ، فَقَالَ : حَسِبْتُهُ لَحْمًا [مسند أحمد :14581]
    « We made a (clay) pot (of food) for the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and I brought it to him. He peered into it and said, “I thought it was meat.” »

رَأَىٰ

opine, know …

As we will see in section () below, رَأَىٰ can be used with the simple meaning « to see ». In this case it will need only one direct doee.

But seeing enables one to know. And when رَأَىٰ is used with the meaning « to see ». but including the meaning « to know » then رَأَى can take two direct doees.4 For example:

  1. يَا مَعْشَرَ النِّسَاءِ تَصَدَّقْنَ وَأَكْثِرْنَ فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُكُنَّ أَكْثَرَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ لِكَثْرَةِ اللَّعْنِ وَكُفْرِ الْعَشِيرِ [مسند أحمد :5343 cited by البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 447 footnote 1]
    « O women, give charity and do a lot of it, for indeed I saw you to be the majority of the people of the Fire, because of much cursing [on your part] and being ungrateful to the husband. »

سَمِعَ

سَمِعَ « to hear » is a sensory verb, not a verb of perception. When the direct doee is the thing heard, then سَمِعَ will take only one direct doee. But سَمِعَ can take two direct doees when the first is the person (or thing) producing the sound. The reason for this is that (like in the case of رَأَى) hearing enables one to know. And so سَمِعَ is treated as similar to عَلِمَ.5 For example:

  1. سَمِعْتُ زَيْدٌ قَارِئًا [البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 446]
    « I heard Zayd reading. »

  2. سَمِعْتُ زَيْدٌ يَقْرَأُ [Howell §445 2/165]
    « I heard Zayd reading. »

33.5 The second direct doee can be a sentence or phrase

Because ظَنَّ and its sisters govern what was originally a subject-info sentence, the first direct doee may be anything which is allowed to be a subject, and the second direct doee may be anything which is allowed to be a info. Thus, the second direct doee may be a complete sentence in the positional a-case, or an adverbial or prepositional phrase.6

Here are some examples where the second direct doee is a complete sentence:

  1. مَا عَلِمْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَكَحَ شَيْئًا مِنْ نِسَائِهِ وَلاَ أَنْكَحَ شَيْئًا مِنْ بَنَاتِهِ عَلَى أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أُوقِيَّةً [جامع الترمذي :1114b]
    « I did not know the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ to marry any of his women, nor to give any of his daughters in marriage, for more than twelve Ūqiyahs. »
    (First direct doee is رَسُول الله « the Messenger of Allāh », second direct doee is نَكَحَ « he married ».)

  2. مَا عَلِمْتُهُ صَامَ شَهْرًا كُلَّهُ إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ [صحيح مسلم :1156b]
    « I did not know him to fast any complete month except Ramad̤͡hān. »
    (First direct doee is هُ « him », second direct doee is صَامَ « he fasted ».)

  3. ظَنَنْتُهُ يَدْعُو فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ [صحيح ابن خزيمة :1595] « I thought him to be supplicating in the rain prayer. »
    (First direct doee is هُ « him », second direct doee is يَدْعُو « supplicating ».)

Here is an example where the second direct doee is a prepositional phrase:

  1. قَالَ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لِتَغَيُّرِ ثَائِرَةٍ كَانَتْ مِنِّي إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَاهُمْ عَلَى ضَلَالَةٍ [مستدرك الحاكم :4956]
    « He said, “By Allāh, indeed that is because of a change in a matter between me and them, but I think them to be on misguidance.” »
    (First direct doee is هُمْ « them », second direct doee is عَلَى ضَلَالٍ « on misguidance ».)

33.6 When two direct doees are not required

Many of the verbs in ظَنَّ and its sisters may be used with meanings such that they don’t govern what was originally a subject-info sentence. In such cases, the two indispensable elements are the verb and its doer, and the verb does not require two direct doees to be the indispensable elements.

For example, ظَنَّ can have the meaning « to suspect (someone) ». With this meaning, can take one direct doee. For example:

  1. ظَنَّ القَاضِي فُلَانًا [النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/331]
    « The judge suspected so-and-so. »

  2. عُدِمَ لِي مَالٌ فَظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا [Howell §442 2/150]
    « Some property of mine was missing so I suspected Zayd. »

Similarly عَلِمَ can be used with the meaning « to know x » and not necessarily « to know x to be y ». For example:

  1. وَٱللَّهُ أَخۡرَجَكُم مِّنۢ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ شَیۡـࣰٔا [سورة النحل 16:78 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/236]
    « And Allāh has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing »

  2. لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ النَّظَائِرَ الَّتِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ بِهِنَّ سُورَتَيْنِ فِي رَكْعَةٍ [صحيح مسلم :822e]
    « I know the manners in which the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ recited two sūrahs in one rakɛah. »

رَأَىٰ can mean « to opine x » and not necessarily « to opine x to be y ». For example:

  1. رَأَىٰ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ حِلَّ كَذَا [Howell §442 2/150]
    « Abū Ḥanīfah held (the opinion of) the lawfulness of such a thing. »

رَأَىٰ can also simply mean « to see x ». For example:

  1. رَأَيْتُهُ [Howell §442 2/150]
    « I saw him »

When رَأَىٰ has the meaning « to see », then there may be a second a-case (indefinite) governee as a ḥāl.7 For example:

  1. رَأَيْتُ زَيْدًا ضَاحِكًا [البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 445]
    « I saw Zayd laughing. »

Besides the above, other sisters of ظَنَّ may have similar meanings as well.

33.7 Suppressing one or both direct doees

Generally speaking, for verbs that take two direct doees, but are not in ظَنَّ and its sisters, we may restrict ourselves to only one direct doee. So, for example, instead of saying:

  1. أَعْطَيْتُ زَيْدًا دِرْهَمًا
    « I gave Zayd a dirham. »

we can say both:

  1. أَعْطَيْتُ دِرْهَمًا
    [Howell §443 2/152]
    « I gave a dirham. »

  2. أَعْطَيْتُ زَيْدًا
    [Howell §443 2/152]
    « I gave Zayd. »

But if the verb is one of ظَنَّ or its sisters, and they govern what was originally a subject-info sentence, then both mafulbs are generally required. So, for example, instead of saying:

  1. ظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا قَائِمًا [Howell §443 2/154]
    « I thought Zayd to be standing. »

we cannot say (generally):

  1. ✗ ظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا [Howell §443 2/154]

  2. ✗ ظَنَنْتُ قَائِمًا [Howell §443 2/154]

However, it is possible to omit one of the two direct doees if its meaning is implied and is indicated by context.8 For example,

  1. وَلَا یَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَبۡخَلُونَ بِمَاۤ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ هُوَ خَیۡرࣰا لَّهُمۖ [سورة آل عمران 3:180 cited by Howell §443 2/153–1549]
    « And let not those who [greedily] withhold what Allāh has given them of His bounty ever think that it is better for them. »

In the āyah above, the first direct doee of يَحْسَبَنَّ is interpreted (in one interpretation of this reading) to be a suppressed بُخْلَهُمْ « their miserliness », and هُوَ is a separating-pronoun. Such that the meaning is:

  1. ولا يَحْسَبَنَّ الباخِلون بُخْلَهم هو خيرًا لهم [الدر المصون للسمين الحلبي for سورة آل عمران 3:180]
    « And let not the misers think their miserliness to be good for them. »

Both direct doees can also be omitted together. For example:

  1. وَظَنَنتُمۡ ظَنَّ ٱلسَّوۡءِ [سورة الفتح 48:12 cited by Howell §443 2/153]
    « And you assumed an assumption of evil »
    (ظَنَّ is analyzed to be a absolute doee.10)

  2. ظَنَنْتُ ذَاكَ [Howell §443 2/154]
    « I thought that. »
    (ذَاكَ is a deputy to the maṣdar as the absolute doee.11)

  3. مَنْ يَسْمَعْ يَخَلْ [Howell §443 2/153]
    « Whoso hears, will think. »

The preposition بِ may be used with ظَنَّ to mean « about ». In this case as well, no direct doee is needed. For example:

  1. ظَنَنْتُ بِهِ [Howell §443 2/154]
    « I thought about him. »

Even in such cases where both direct doees are omitted, their meaning may be implied. For example:

  1. وَیَوۡمَ یُنَادِیهِمۡ فَیَقُولُ أَیۡنَ شُرَكَاۤءِیَ ٱلَّذِینَ كُنتُمۡ تَزۡعُمُونَ [سورة القصص 28:62 cited by Howell §443 2/153]
    « And [warn of] the Day He will call them and say, “Where are My ‘partners’ which you used to claim?” »

In the āyah above, the two suppressed direct doees of تَزْعُمُونَ are interpreted to be thus:

  1. تَزْعُمُونَهُمْ شُرَكَاءَ [Howell §443 2/153]
    « … you claim them to be partners »

33.8 Suspension of government

There are sentences in which the verbs of perception were to exercise their governing effect on a subject and info. But their direct government is suspended due to the presence of a preventer which exercises its own effect on the subject and info. This phenomenon is called suspension of government. Let’s take a look at an example. Consider a sentence where ظَنَّ exercises it governing effect.

  1. ظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا قَائِمًا « I thought Zayd to be standing. »

Now let’s see what happens when the original subject (زَيْد) and info (قَائِم) are preceded by a لَ of beginning. The sentence becomes:

  1. ظَنَنْتُ لَزَيْدٌ قَائِمٌ [Howell §445 2/158]
    « I thought, assuredly Zayd is standing. »

As you can see, the original subject (زَيْد) and info (قَائِم) are now both in the u-case. This is because the effect of the لَ of beginning is to cause a subject and info to be in the u-case. The government of ظَنَّ is thus suspended. The inner sentence لَزَيْدٌ قَائِمٌ is said to be in the positional a-case as a direct doee of ظَنَّ that fulfils the role of two direct doees.

The proof that the inner sentence لَزَيْدٌ قَائِمٌ is in the positional a-case and that the government of ظَنَّ is suspended, is that if we were to put a conjunction after this sentence, then the governing effect of ظَنَّ would resume. For example:

  1. ظَنَنْتُ لَزَيْدٌ قَائِمٌ وَعَمْرًا مُنْطَلِقًا [Howell §445 2/158]
    « I thought, assuredly Zayd is standing and Ɛamr is setting out. »

The preventers that suspend the government of the verbs of perception are discussed in the subsections below:

33.8.1 The negaters مَا, إِنْ, and لَا

Examples:

  1. لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَ مَا هَـٰۤؤُلَاۤءِ یَنطِقُونَ [سورة الأنبياء 21:65 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/346; Howell §445 2/160]
    « “You have already known that these do not speak!” »

In example () above, the negater مَا prevents عَلِمْتَ from directly governing two direct doees. Instead, the sentence مَا هَؤُلَاءِ يَنْطِقُونَ is in the positional a-case as a direct doee that fulfils the role two direct doees. Similarly:

  1. عَلِمْتُ وَاللهِ إِنْ زَيْدٌ قَائِمٌ [Howell §445 2/160]
    « I knew, by Allāh, Zayd is not standing. »

  2. یَوۡمَ یَدۡعُوكُمۡ فَتَسۡتَجِیبُونَ بِحَمۡدِهِۦ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثۡتُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِیلࣰا [سورة الإسراء 17:52 cited by Howell §445 2/160]
    « On the Day He will call you and you will respond with praise of Him and think that you had not remained [in the world] except for a little.” »

  3. عَلِمْتُ وَاللهِ لَا زَيْدٌ فِي الدَّارِ ولَا عَمْرٌو [Howell §445 2/160]
    « I knew, by Allāh, Zayd is not in the house, nor Ɛamr. »

33.8.2 لَ of beginning

We have already seen in example () above, how لَ of beginning suspends the direct government of a verb of perception. Here is another example:

  1. وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشۡتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِی ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَـٰقࣲۚ [سورة البقرة 2:102 cited by Howell §445 2/160]
    « But they [i.e., the Children of Israel] certainly knew that whoever purchased it [i.e., magic] would not have in the Hereafter any share. »

33.8.3 لَ of oath

  1. لَقدْ عَلِمْتُ لَتَأْتِيَنَّ مَنِيَّتِي ~ إِنَّ الْمَنَايًا لَا تَطِيشُ سِهَامُهَا [النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/346; Howell §445 2/158]
    « And assuredly, I have known (by God) verily my fate will come. Verily the fates—their arrows do not miss. »

The presence of the لَ of oath in لَتَأْتِيَنَّ suspends the direct government of عَلِمْتُ. Otherwise the sentence would have been:

  1. عَلِمْتُ مَنِيَّتِي آتِيَةً [النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/436]
    « I have known my fate to be coming. »

33.8.4 A question sentence

A question sentence can follow a verb of perception and in such a case the government of the verb of perception is suspended if the entire question sentence is its direct doee.

Here is an example:

  1. عَلِمْتُ أَزَيْدٌ فِي الدَّارِ أَمْ عَمْرٌو [Howell §445 2/159]
    « I knew whether Zayd was in the house or Ɛamr. »

In example () above, the entire question sentence أَزَيْدٌ فِي الدَّارِ أَمْ عَمْرٌو is in the a-case and it fulfils the role the two direct doees of عَلِمْتُ. That is the traditional explanation. However, it is also possible that عَلِمَ here is with the meaning « to know x » in which case the question sentence fulfils the role the one required direct doee.

Another point to note is that the question sentence is now no longer a question to the listener. That is why we have not puntuated the translation with a question mark (?). Rather, the entire example sentence is signifying that the speaker knows the answer to the question.

Here is another example:

  1. وَلَتَعۡلَمُنَّ أَیُّنَاۤ أَشَدُّ عَذَابࣰا وَأَبۡقَىٰ [سورة طه 20:71 cited by Howell §445 2/159]
    « and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring »

In example () above, there are three possible interpretations12:

  1. The first interpretation, and the one relevant to our discussion here, is that أَيّ is a subject and أَشَدّ is its info. The question sentence أَیُّنَا أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَىٰ fulfils the role the two direct doees of تَعْلَمُنَّ.
  2. Another interpretation is تَعْلَمُنَّ here only requires one direct doee and the question sentence is that (positional) direct doee.
  3. A third interpretation is that أَيّ is a connected noun. أَيّ itself (not the entire question sentence) is the direct doee of تَعْلَمُنَّ. And أَيّ is inflexible ending with a d̤͡hammah because of a phenomenon described in @sec:mabny_ayy.

Here are some more examples:

  1. عَلِمْتُ مَتَىٰ السَّفَرُ [Howell §445 2/159]
    « I knew when the journey was (or would be). »

  2. عَلِمْتُ أَبُو مَنْ زَيْدٌ [Howell §445 2/159]
    « I knew whose father was Zayd. »

  3. عَلِمْتُ صَبِيحَةَ أَيِّ يَوْمٍ سَفَرُكَ [Howell §445 2/159]
    « I knew the morning of which day your journey was (or will be). »

  4. وَسَیَعۡلَمُ ٱلَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوۤا۟ أَیَّ مُنقَلَبࣲ یَنقَلِبُونَ [سورة الشعراء 26:227 cited by Howell §445 2/159]
    « And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned. »

In example () above, أَيّ is a question-device in the a-case as a absolute doee, governed by يَنْقَلِبُونَ.13 The entire question sentence is in the a-case governed by سَيَعْلَمُ.

FIXME: move following sections to to istifham chapter.

Which verbs can precede question questions

verbs of knowledge: get examples from howell §445.

سأل and نظر etc. nahw_arabi 1/347

Interpretating a question-device vs a connected noun

We saw in example () above that أَيّ could be interpreted as a question-device or as a connected noun. This can be done with the other general connected nouns as well like مَنْ and مَا. But there can be a difference in meaning when one interpretation is chosen over the other.14 Consider the following sentence:

  1. عَلِمْتُ مَنْ قَامَ [معاني النحو 2/37 citing شرح الرضي على الكافية]
    « I knew who stood. »

If you choose to interpret مَنْ as an connected noun, then you are saying that the person who stood was known to you. As if to say, “I am familiar with the person who stood.” مَنْ in this case is (itself) the direct doee of عَلِمْتُ.

And if you choose to interpret مَنْ as an question-device, then you are saying that you knew the answer of the question, “Who stood?” So you could pick him out of a line-up. But you are not necessarily saying that you know, or are familiar with, that person. The entire question sentence in this case is the direct doee of عَلِمْتُ.

FIXME: move to istifham chapter:

Similarly, consider:

  1. سَلْ أَيُّهُمْ قَامَ [النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/347]
    « Ask: which of them stood? »

When أَيّ is a question-device then you are commanding someone to ask the question, “Which of them stood?” But if you say, with أَيّ in the a-case:

  1. سَلْ أَيَّهُمْ قَامَ [النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/347]
    « Ask the one of them who stood. »

then you are commanding someone to interrogate the person (amongst a group of people) who stood.15

33.8.5 لَعَلَّ

Example:

  1. وَإِنۡ أَدۡرِی لَعَلَّهُۥ فِتۡنَةࣱ لَّكُمۡ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِینࣲ [سورة الأنبياء 21:111 cited by Howell §445 2/160]
    « And I know not; perhaps it is a trial for you and enjoyment for a time.” »

33.8.6 The conditional-device لَوْ

For example:

  1. وَلَقَدْ عَلِمَ الْأَقْوَامُ لَوْ أَنَّ حَاتِمًا ~ أَرَادَ ثَرَاءَ الْمَالِ كَانَ لَهُ وَفْرٌ [Howell §445 2/160]
    « And the peoples have known that had Ḥātim desired abundance of property, he would have had affluence. »

33.8.7 The maṣdari أَنَّ and the maṣdari أَنْ

The maṣdari أَنَّ and the maṣdari أَنْ can occur as the first (positional) direct doee of ظَنَّ and its sisters, and in this case, it fulfils the role of the two direct doees. For example:

  1. ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ زَيْدًا قَائِمٌ [شرح ألفية ابن مالك للحازمي 43/1]
    « I thought that Zayd is standing. »
    (The maṣdar from أَنَّ, its subject and its info fulfils the role of the two direct doees.16)

Similarly,

  1. ظننت أن النجمَ طالعٌ [شرح ألفية ابن مالك للعثيمين 28/3]
    « I thought that the star is rising. »

The same goes for أَنْ. For example:

  1. أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن یُتۡرَكُوۤا۟ أَن یَقُولُوۤا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا یُفۡتَنُونَ [سورة العنكبوت 29:2 cited by شرح ألفية ابن مالك للحازمي 43/2]
    « Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried? »
    (The maṣdar from أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا fulfils the role of the two direct doees.17)

33.8.8 Which verbs’ government is subject to suspension?

Suspension of government is possible for the following categories of verbs:

The flexible verbs of perception from ظَنَّ and its sisters

We have seen examples of suspension with verbs of perception that take two direct doees like ظَنَّ, عَلِمَ, حَسِبَ, etc. above.

verbs of perception that are rigid like هَبْ « grant » and تَعَلَّمْ « learn », which are only used in the verb of command, are excluded from having their government suspended.

The verbs of rendering, like صَيَّرَ « to make x become y » تَرَكَ « to leave x as y », etc., are also excluded.

Any other verb of perception even if it is not from ظَنَّ and its sisters

Some verbs of perception may take only one direct doee, like عَرَفَ « to recognize, know x ». These too are subject to suspension. So, for example, we can say:

  1. عَرَفْتُ مَنْ أَبُوكَ [Howell §445 2/164]
    « I knew who your father is/was. »

In example () above, عَرَفْتُ would have taken a noun as a direct doee, but the question-device suspends its government and so the entire question sentence مَنْ أَبُوكَ fulfils the role of its direct doee.

Other verbs of perception that take only only one direct doee (like عَلِمَ when used to mean « to know x »), or that take an indirect direct doee (like تَفَكَّرَ فِي « to think (about x) »), are also similarly subject to suspension.18

Causatives of the verbs of perception

There are some verbs that are not verbs of perception per se, but they are causatives of the verbs of perception. These verbs too may be subject to suspension.19 Let’s explain what we mean with some examples.

We already saw in section () above that the verb رَأَى « to see » can include the meaning « to know ». In this case it may be subject to suspension of government. For example:

  1. أَمَا تَرَى أَيُّ بَرْقٍ هَـٰهُنَا [Howell §445 2/165]
    « Do you not see which [kind of] lightning is here? »

Similarly, the verb سَأَلَ « to ask » enables one to know, therefore its government can be suspended. For example:

  1. اسْأَلْ أَيُّهُمْ زَيْدٌ [البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 446]
    « Ask which of them is Zayd »

  2. یَسۡـَٔلُونَ أَیَّانَ یَوۡمُ ٱلدِّینِ [سورة الذاريات 51:12 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/347]
    « They ask, “When is the Day of Recompense?” »

The same can be said of the verb نَظَرَ « to look ». Example:

  1. فَلۡیَنظُرۡ أَیُّهَاۤ أَزۡكَىٰ طَعَامࣰا [سورة الكهف 18:19 cited by النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/347]
    « and let him look to which is the best of food »

33.9 Neutralization of government

Consider the following sentence:

  1. ظَنَنْتُ زَيْدًا عَالِمًا [Howell §444 2/155]
    « I thought Zayd to be knowledgeable. »

In example () above, ظَنَّ is governing the subject (زَيْد) and info (عَالِم) as usual.

33.10 The self direct doee

Howell §446

33.11 Verbs with three direct doees

33.12 Further reading

Peled, “ʿAmal and ʾibtidāʾ in medieval Arabic grammatical tradition”

  1. البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 433↩︎

  2. See تفسير ابن عثيمين for سورة البقرة 2:249↩︎

  3. See تفسير ابن عثيمين for سورة الكهف 18:53↩︎

  4. البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 447; شرح التسهيل لابن مالك 2/327; الدر المصون للسمين الحلبي for سورة يوسف 12:4↩︎

  5. البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 446↩︎

  6. @baseet_ibn_abi_rabee3 443↩︎

  7. البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 445↩︎

  8. Howell §443 2/153↩︎

  9. cited as III. 175↩︎

  10. إعراب القرآن للدرويش for سورة الفتح 48:12↩︎

  11. But see also التذييل والتكميل لأبي حيان 6/19↩︎

  12. الدر المصون للسمين الحلبي for سورة طه 20:71↩︎

  13. الدر المصون للسمين الحلبي for سورة الشعراء 26:227↩︎

  14. معاني النحو 2/37↩︎

  15. النحو العربي: أحكام ومعان 1/347↩︎

  16. But see also التذييل والتكميل لأبي حيان 5/156 citing البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 833↩︎

  17. شرح ألفية ابن مالك للحازمي 43/2; الدر المصون للسمين الحلبي for سورة العنكبوت 29:2↩︎

  18. Howell §445 2/164↩︎

  19. البسيط لابن أبي الربيع 446↩︎