SoulAsylum
30-03-06, 05:28 PM
A tree, sent down from above. (http://arabicgems.wordpress.com/2006/03/29/a-tree-sent-down-from-above/)
Posted in Fiqh al-Lughah (http://wordpress.com/tag/fiqh-al-lughah/) at 1:13 pm by arabicgems
http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/6023/tree44wn.jpgal-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh,
One of phenomena that is immediately noticed among learners of Arabic is that its lexicon resembles a tree wherein some words are built on and branch out from others that usually take the form of tri-consonantal roots. This etymological phenomenon in Arabic is known as al-Ishtiqaaq and there are various theories regarding the complexity of it; this post will cover the aspect that all the scholars of Arabic agree upon completely.
The most well-known example in this is the case of the root letters jeem-noon ج-ن, the general meaning of which indicates something that is concealed or hidden to the eye. From this root branch out the words:
jinn جِنٌّ referring to the other form of creation that share the world with us whom are concealed from our sight
junnah جُنَّةٌ referring to a shield, for it conceals parts of the user from the sight of others
janeen جنين referring to a fetus, which is concealed in the womb
the verb ajanna أَجَنَّ referring to the act of concealment, as in the phrase ajannahu al-laylu أجنَّهُ الليلُ meaning 'he was concealed by [the darkness of] the night.'A less known antithetical root is that of hamzah-noon-seen ء-ن-س, the general meaning of which indicates something that is clear and plain to the eyes. Words branching from this root include:
al-ins الإنسُ referring to the human, because they can be seen (as opposed to the jinn who cannot)[1]
The verb aanasa آنَسَ which means to perceive something, as in the saying of Musa ('alayhi al-salaam) in surah Ta-Ha, verse 10,إِذْ رَأَى نَاراً فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَاراً
When he saw a fire, he said to his family: "Wait! Verily, I have seen a fire!"
The verb ista'nasa اِسْتَأنَسَ which means to go out and look for something, i.e. seek that something is made visible to the eyes.Although this phenomenon existed in the other Semitic languages, it was not to the same depth or breadth as it was in Arabic, and due to this many scholars of Arabic argued that the source of the Arabic language was tawqeefi (i.e. sent down from Allaah), although there was not a consensus on this view.
Those in support of this theory cited as proof the hadith Qudsi, after which it seems little can be said:
أنا الرحمن خلقتُ الرحم وشققت لها من اسني
"I am The Most Merciful (al-Rahmaan); I created the womb (al-rahim) and derived its name from Mine." [2]
[1] Note that some linguists argue that this word is derived from another root meaning 'to forget' because man is forgetful.
[2] An authentic hadith reported by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and Ahmad
http://arabicgems.wordpress.com/
Posted in Fiqh al-Lughah (http://wordpress.com/tag/fiqh-al-lughah/) at 1:13 pm by arabicgems
http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/6023/tree44wn.jpgal-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh,
One of phenomena that is immediately noticed among learners of Arabic is that its lexicon resembles a tree wherein some words are built on and branch out from others that usually take the form of tri-consonantal roots. This etymological phenomenon in Arabic is known as al-Ishtiqaaq and there are various theories regarding the complexity of it; this post will cover the aspect that all the scholars of Arabic agree upon completely.
The most well-known example in this is the case of the root letters jeem-noon ج-ن, the general meaning of which indicates something that is concealed or hidden to the eye. From this root branch out the words:
jinn جِنٌّ referring to the other form of creation that share the world with us whom are concealed from our sight
junnah جُنَّةٌ referring to a shield, for it conceals parts of the user from the sight of others
janeen جنين referring to a fetus, which is concealed in the womb
the verb ajanna أَجَنَّ referring to the act of concealment, as in the phrase ajannahu al-laylu أجنَّهُ الليلُ meaning 'he was concealed by [the darkness of] the night.'A less known antithetical root is that of hamzah-noon-seen ء-ن-س, the general meaning of which indicates something that is clear and plain to the eyes. Words branching from this root include:
al-ins الإنسُ referring to the human, because they can be seen (as opposed to the jinn who cannot)[1]
The verb aanasa آنَسَ which means to perceive something, as in the saying of Musa ('alayhi al-salaam) in surah Ta-Ha, verse 10,إِذْ رَأَى نَاراً فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَاراً
When he saw a fire, he said to his family: "Wait! Verily, I have seen a fire!"
The verb ista'nasa اِسْتَأنَسَ which means to go out and look for something, i.e. seek that something is made visible to the eyes.Although this phenomenon existed in the other Semitic languages, it was not to the same depth or breadth as it was in Arabic, and due to this many scholars of Arabic argued that the source of the Arabic language was tawqeefi (i.e. sent down from Allaah), although there was not a consensus on this view.
Those in support of this theory cited as proof the hadith Qudsi, after which it seems little can be said:
أنا الرحمن خلقتُ الرحم وشققت لها من اسني
"I am The Most Merciful (al-Rahmaan); I created the womb (al-rahim) and derived its name from Mine." [2]
[1] Note that some linguists argue that this word is derived from another root meaning 'to forget' because man is forgetful.
[2] An authentic hadith reported by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and Ahmad
http://arabicgems.wordpress.com/