8.2 to 8.6 - Negative/Present/Future/Emphasis/Passive Imperfect Tense
Section 8.2 – Negative in Imperfect Tense
To make a negative sentence in present or future, لَا la is used commonly. For example,
1) اَعْبُدُ aa’bu-dumeans I worship (inflection number 4). To make it negative we add a لَا laa in front and the sentence becomesلَا اَعْبُدُ which means I do not worship.
In surah al-kaafi-roon “مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَلَا اَعْبُدُ ” laa aa’bu-du maa taa’bu-doon meaning I do not worship what you worship.
2) يَهْدِيْ yah-dee means he guides (inflection number 1) and لَا يَهْدِيْ laa yah-dee means he does not guide.
In surah al-Saff, Allah says: وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِيَ الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ wal-lahu laa yah-di-yal qaw-maz-zaa-li-mee-na mean “and Allah does not guide the wrongdoers.
3) يَعْلَمُ Yaa-la-mu means he knows and لَا يَعْلَمُ laa yaa-la-mu means he does not know.
4) Al-Baqara - Verse 286 لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ laa yu-kal- liful-la-hu meaning Allah does not burden.
Sometimes مَا maa is also used as in مَا يَعْلَمُ maa yaa-la-mu which means he does not know or he will not know.
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Section 8.3 – فِعْلُ الْمُضَارِعِ Imperfect Tense Specific to مَاضِيْ Present Tense
As you know by now, imperfect tense is used for present, present continuous or future tense. To make it specific to present only, Particle لَ (Laam-ut- takeed) is used in its front. For example:
1) يَنْصُرُ yan-su-ru means He helps or he will help. When Lam-ut- takeed is added, لَيَنْصُرُ la-yan-su-ru now means he helps or he is helping. In surah al-Hajj verse 40, Allah says “وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ” wa la-yan-su-run-nal-laa-hu mun yan-su-ru-hu meaning “Allah surely helps those who help Him (His cause)”. The emphasis here comes from the alphabet (نَّ) with shaddah on it. This will be covered later in this book.
2) يَكْتُبُ yak-tu-bu mean he writes or will write. لَيَكْتُبُ la-yak-tu-bu means he definitely writes and future is not part of it any more.
Section 8.4 – Imperfect Tense Specific to Future Tense
In Arabic two Particles are used for future when applied to Imperfect Tense فِعْلِ الْمُضَارِعِ:
1- (سَ sa) is used to express near future, as in أَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْعَمَلِ غَدًا adh-habu ilal ama-li gha-dan means “I go to work tomorrow or I will go to work tomorrow”. Now adding (سَ sa) to أَذْهَبُ az-ha-bu, (سَأَذْهَبُ sa-az-ha-bu) means “I will go, to work (الْعَمَلُ al-ama-lu) tomorrow (غَدًا gha-dan). So, if you want to indicate that something will happen in near future (mus-taq-bil qareeb) or after a short period and you're sure of it happening, then use (سَ sa).
2- (سَوْفَ saw-fa) as in سَوْفَ أُسافِرُ إِلٰى مِصَرَ saw-fa u-saa-fi-ruilaa mis-a-ra means I will travel to Egypt this summer. It is used to express something 1) that will happen after a long time (mustaqbil ba-'eed) and you are not sure that it will be done or you have a doubt or 2) it has already been done that it will definitely occur but after a long time.
Other examples:
1) تَعْلَمُوْنَ ta-la-moona means you know or you will know. When سَوْفَ saw-fa is added سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُوْنَ saw-fa ta-la-moo-na, then meaning becomes “soon you will know”. سَوْفَ saw-faa also adds the meaning of soon implying the future. Says SWT in Surah At-Takaathour - Verse 3 كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ kal-la saw-fa ta-la-moo-na meaning “definitely not (meaning of كَلَّا kal-la) you will surely know”.
2) Now, تَعْلَمُوْنَ ta-la-moona can also be futurized by adding alphabet س seen with a fathah (َ) as in سَتَعْلَمُونَ sa-ta-la-moo-nawhich also means soon you will know. Says SWT in Surah Al-Mulk, Verse 17 كَيْفَ نَذِيرِ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ fa-sa-ta-la-moona kai-fa na-dh-eer which means “And you will come to know what my warning means”. Alphabet (فَ fa) here is the additive Particle meaning “And”.
Section 8.5 - Emphasis in Imperfect Tense تَاكِيْدٌ فِيْ الْفِعْلِ الْمُضَارِعِ takeed fi fil-fei-il mu-daa-ri-yee
There are several ways of adding emphasis in imperfect tense. Two of the most used methods are by adding a نُوْنُ الْخَفِيْفَةِ noon-ulkha-fee-fati Light Noon or a نُوْنُ الثَّقيْلَةِ noon-uth tha-qee-lati Strong Noon. Light Noon has a Jaz-mun/Sukoon ْ on it and strong noon has a shaddah ّ on it. An emphasis lam-ut ta-keed لَامُ التَّاكيْدِ laam-ut takeedi which is (لَ la) always used with these two noons.
A. Light Noon نُوْنُ الْخَفِيْفَةِ noon-ul kha-fee-fati
This noon is used for light emphasis. It is not used very much in al-Qur’an but is given here for completeness. There are only 8 inflections and these are given below:
Single:
لَيَفْعَلَنْ la yaf-al-an meaning he will surely do it
لَتَفْعَلَنْ la taf-al-an meaning she will surely do it
لَتَفْعَلَنْla taf-al-an meaning You (male) will definitely do it
لَتَفْعَلِنْla taf-al-in meaning You (female) will definitely do it
لَأَفْعَلَنْla-af-alan 1st person single male/female meaning I will definitely do it
Dual/Plural (1st person):
لَنَفْعَلَنْ la-naf-al-an Dual/plural 1st person meaning We (males or females) will definitely do it
Plural:
لَيَفْعَلُنْ layaf-al-un 3rdperson Single male meaning They (males) will definitely do it
لَتَفْعَلُنْla-taf-al-un 2nd person single male meaning You (males) will definitely do it
Examples:
1) لَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَا آمُرُهُ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًا مِّنَ الصَّاغِرِينَ
La-in lam yaf-al maa aa-ma-ru-hu la-yus-ja-nan-na wa laa yakoo-nan min-as-saghi-reen
12:32 Now, however, if he does not do what I bid him, he shall most certainly be imprisoned, and shall most certainly find himself among the despised!
2) كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ
Kal-laa la-il lum yan-tahi la-nas-fa-un bin-naa-si-ya-ti
96:15 Nay, if he desists not, We shall most surely drag him down upon his forehead
B. Strong Noon نُوْنُ الثَّقيْلَةِ noon-uth-thaq-qeela-ti
This noon is used for strong emphasis. It is used extensively in al-Qur’an. Following are the 14 inflections using فَعَلَ fa-a-la die.
Table 49 – فَعَلَ (fa-aa-la) Inflections with Strong Noon نُوْنُ الثَّقيْلَةِ noon-us sa-qee-lati
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| Absent 3rd person | Male | 1 | لَيَفْعَلُنَّ
La-yaf-’alan- na | 6 | لَيَفْعَلَانِّ
La-yaf-’alaa- ni | 10 | لَيَفْعَلُنَّ
La-yaf-‘alun- na |
| Female | 2 | لَتَفْعَلُنَّ
La-taf-’alan- na | 7 | لَتَفْعَلَانِّ
La-taf-’alaan- ni | 11 | لَيَفْعَلْنَانِّ
La-yaf-‘al-naan- ni | |
| Present 2nd person | Male | 3 | لَتَفْعَلُنَّ
La-taf-’alan- na | 8 | لَتَفْعَلَانِّ
La-taf-’alaan- ni | 12 | لَتَفْعَلُنَّ
La-taf-‘a-lun- na |
| female | 14 | لَتَفْعَلِينَّ
La-taf-‘alee -na | 9 | لَتَفْعَلَانِّ
La-taf-’alaan- ni | 13 | لَتَفْعَلْنَانِّ
La-taf-‘al-naan- ni | |
| Speaker 1st person | Male/ female | 4 | لَأَفْعَلُنَّ
La-af-’alan-na | 5 | لَنَفْعَلَنَّ
La-naf-’alan-na
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Following Table gives the meaning of each of these as before:
Table 50 – Hidden pronouns in Imperfect Tense
| Inflection number | Verb | Meaning | pronoun hidden in the Verb | |
| 1 | لَيَفْعَلَنَّ
La yaf-’alan-na | He most definitely does or will do | هُوَ
Hu-a | He |
| 2 | لَتَفْعَلَنَّ
La taf-’ala-na | She most definitely does or will do | هِيَ
Hee-ya | She |
| 3 | لَتَفْعَلَنَّ
La taf-’alan-na | You male most definitely do or will do | اَنْتَ
an-ta | You male |
| 4 | لَأَفْعَلَنَّ
La taf-’ala-na | I male/female most definitely do or will do | اَنَا
anaa | I male/ female |
| 5 | لَنَفْعَلَنَّ
La-naf-’alan-na | We male/female/, dual/plural most definitely do or will do | نَحْنُ
Nah-nu | We male/female, dual/plural |
| 6 | لَيَفْعَلَانِّ
La-yaf-’alaan-ni | They both males most definitely do or will do | هُمَا
Hu-maa | They both males |
| 7 | لَتَفْعَلَانِّ
La-taf-’alaan-ni | They both females most definitely do or will do | هُمَا
Hu-maa | They both females |
| 8 | لَتَفْعَلَانِّ
La-taf-’alaan-ni | You both males most definitely do or will do | اَنْتُمَا
An-tu-maa | You both male |
| 9 | لَتَفْعَلَانِّ
La-taf-’alaan-ni | You two females most definitely do or will do | اَنْتُمَا
An-tu-maa | You both female |
Examples of Noon-us Saqeela-ti نُوْنُ الثَّقيْلَةِ
1) ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيْمِ
Thum-ma la-tus-alun-na yaw-mai-zin anin naeem
102:8 and on that Day you will most surely be called to account for the blessings of life!
2) ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ
Thum-ma la-tara-wun-na-haa ay-nal yaqeen
102:7 In the end you will indeed, most surely, behold it with the eye of certainty
3) لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ
La-tar-ka-bun-na tab-qan an taba-qi
84:19 [even thus, O men] are you bound to move; onward from stage to stage.
4) لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ
La-tara-wun-nal ja-heem
102:6 you would indeed, most surely, behold the blazing fire (of hell)!
5) وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ
Wa-laa-tamu-tun-na illaa wa antum mus-li-moon
3:102 … and do not allow death to overtake you unless you have surrendered yourselves unto Him.
6) .. فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ
Fa-laa takoon-anna min-al mum-ta-reen
2:147 … Be not, then, among the doubters:
Section 8.6 – Passive Voice Imperfect Verb فِعْلُ المُضَارِعِِ الْمَجْهُوْلِ feil-ul-mudaa-re-il-majhool
As described before for the past tense, the same rules apply for the imperfect tense فِعْلُ المُضَارِعِ feil-ul mudaa-ri-ee:
1) An Active Verb (feil-ullaa-zim) always requires an Actor/Subject فَاعِلٌ faa-il to complete a sentence.
2) These actors can be explicit Nouns or their pronouns, or implicit in the Verb itself.
For example, in يَضَرِبُ زَيْدٌ yad-ri-bu Zai-dun meaning Zaid is hitting or will hit, زَيْدٌ is the Actor/Subject and is in Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state. Or, in أَضَرِبُ ad-ri-bu meaning I am hitting or will hit, the pronoun I is hidden in أ. If only يَضَرِبُ yad-ri-bu is used, it means he is hitting or will hit and the pronoun he is hidden in the Verb يَضَرِبُ yad-ri-bu.
3) In addition, some Verbs فِعْلُ اللَّاَزِمِ feil-ul laazim (intransitive) also require one or more objects مَفعُوْلٌ maf’ool. The Actor/Subject is always in a Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-un) state and object is always in an Accusative نَصْبٌ (nas-bun) state. That is the way to understand the meaning of an Arabic sentence by looking for state of the Nouns.
Similar to past tense, sometimes, in the imperfect tense, the Actor/Subject is not mentioned for a number of reasons and this Verb is called a فِعْلُ المُضَارِعِِ الْمَجْهُوْلِ feil-ulmudaa-ri-il majhool passive voice imperfect Verb. In the above example, we can say Hamid was hit. Here there is no Actor/Subject and it is considered to be mahzoof (skipped/not mentioned). We can say زَيْدٌ حَامِدًا يَضْرِبُ yad-ri-bu Zai-dun Hami-dan which means Zaid is hitting or will hit Hamid. Now, if we wanted to say Hamid was hit, we would say يُضْرَبُ حَامِدٌ yud-ra-bu Hami-dun. Note that يَضْرِبُ yad-ri-bu active Verb (fe'il ma-roof) became يُضَرَبُ yud-ra-bupassive Verb (fe'il maj-hool) and حَامِدٌ haa-mi-dun is still in nominative. Since Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-'un) state is given normally to the actor, and in a passive Verb, object is also given Nominative رَفْعٌ (raf-'un) state, it is called نَائِبُ الفَاعِلِ naai-bul fa'eli (surrogate actor).
Note again that passive Verb only comes from intransitive Verb مُتَعَدِّيُ (mu-ta-'addi) since intransitive Verb requires a object مَفعُوْلٌ (maf’ool).
For a past tense Active Verb (feilmaa-di ma’roof). it is easy to make a passive Verb (fe'il maa-di majhool). This is done by changing the Verb from its active form (ma’roof) to a passive (majhool) die as in from فَعَلَ fa-'ala to فُعِلَ fu-'ila. Some examples follow:
Table 51 - Active مَعْرُوْفٌ (ma'-roof) to مَجهُوُلٌ (maj-hool) Passive Imperfect Tense فِعْلُ المُضَارِعِِ
fe'il-ul mudaa-ri-'ee Examples
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