Nahw - Methods of reflection of an ‫ا سم‬

Up until now we have learned that an ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬which is ‫ ﻣﹹﻌﺮﹶﺏ‬will show its grammatical states using a

‫ ﺿﹷﻤﳲﺔ‬for ‫ﺭﻓﻊ‬, a ‫ ﻓﹷﺘﹿﺤﺔ‬for ‫ ﻧﺼﺐ‬, or a ‫ ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬for ‫( ﺟﺮ‬or the corresponding ‫)ﺗﹷﻨﻮﹺﻳﻦ‬. However, there

are situations in Arabic Language where it is not possible to show the grammatical states using either

of these three methods. As an example take a look at :

1. ٰ‫ ﺟﹷﺎﺀ ﻣﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬Musa came

2. ٰ‫ ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﻣﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬I saw Musa

3. ٰ‫ ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﻤﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬I passed by Musa

In the first sentence ٰ‫ ﻣﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬is the subject (i.e. in the state of ‫)ﺭﻓﻊ‬, in the second it is the object (i.e the

state of ‫ )ﻧﺼﺐ‬, and in the third it is in the state of ‫ ﺟﺮ‬because of the ‫ ﺣﹷﺮﹾﻑ‬, i.e. ‫ ﺑﹻ‬, in front of it. Yet,

in none of the examples the grammatical states are shown using the usual signs of a ‫ ﺿﹷﻤﳲﺔ‬, or a

‫ ﻓﹷﺘﹿﺤﺔ‬, or a ‫ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬. This is because the noun ٰ‫ ﻣﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬is incapable of showing these signs. This leads

us to the fact that variations can occur in the way grammatical states are reflected on an ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬. For our

purposes we will divide ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬in 16 different categories and will see how each category will show its

grammatical state in its own unique way. These 16 categories and their corresponding methods of

reflection are listed in the table below and each category is then further explained in detail with

examples. You can also click on any category to jump to its explanation:
# Type of ‫ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬ ‫ﺭﻓﻊ‬ ‫ﻧﺼﺐ‬ ‫ﺟﺮ‬
1 ‫ﻣﹹﻔﹿﺮﹺﺩ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ ﺻﺤﻴﺢ‬ ‫ﺿﹷﻤﳲﺔ‬ ‫ﻓﹷﺘﹿﺤﺔ‬ ‫ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬
2 ‫ﻣﹹﻔﹿﺮﹺﺩ ﻗﹷﺎﺋﻢ ﻣﻘﹷﺎﻡ ﺻﺤﻴﺢ‬ ‫ﺿﹷﻤﳲﺔ‬ ‫ﻓﹷﺘﹿﺤﺔ‬ ‫ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬
3 ‫ﺟﹷﻤﹿﻊ ﻣﹹﻜﺴﳲﺮ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ‬ ‫ﺿﹷﻤﳲﺔ‬ ‫ﻓﹷﺘﹿﺤﺔ‬ ‫ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬
4 ‫ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﻮﻧﹷﺚ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬ ‫ﺿﹷﻤﳲﺔ‬ ‫ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬
5 ‫ﻏﹷﻴﺮ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ‬ ‫ﺿﹷﻤﳲﺔ‬ ‫ﻓﹷﺘﹿﺤﺔ‬ ‫ﻓﹷﺘﹿﺤﺔ‬
6 6 Special Nouns ‫ﻭ‬ ‫ﺍ‬ ‫ﻯ‬
7 ‫ﺍﻟﹿﻤﹹﺜﹷﻨﹽٰﻰ‬ ‫ﺍ‬ ‫ﻯ‬ ‫ﻯ‬
8 ‫ﻛﹻﻼ ﻭ ﻛﹻﻠﹿﺘﺎ‬ ‫ﺍ‬ ‫ﻯ‬ ‫ﻯ‬
9 ‫ﺍﹺﺛﹿﻨﹷﺎﻥﹺ ﻭ ﺍﹺﺛﹿﻨﹷﺘﹷﺎﻥﹺ‬ ‫ﺍ‬ ‫ﻯ‬ ‫ﻯ‬
10 ‫ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﺬﹶﻛﳲﺮ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬ ‫ﻭ‬ ‫ﻯ‬ ‫ﻯ‬
All exceptions which do not fall in under the definition of ‫ﺟﹷﻤﻊ‬
11 ‫ﻭ‬ ‫ﻯ‬ ‫ﻯ‬
‫ ﻣﹹﺬﹶﻛﳲﺮ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬but are reflected in the same manner
12 ‫ ﻋﹻﺸﹿﺮﹸﻭﻥﹶ‬to ‫ ﺗﹻﺴﹿﻌﹹﻮﻥﹶ‬i.e. multiple of 10 up to 90 ‫ﻭ‬ ‫ﻯ‬ ‫ﻯ‬
13 ‫ﺍﹺﺳﻢ ﻣﹷﻘﹿﺼﹹﻮﺭ‬ Assumed Assumed Assumed

Any ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬other than ‫ ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﺬﹶﻛﳲﺮ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬which is ‫ﻣضﺎﻑ‬

14 Assumed Assumed Assumed
towards ‫ﻯ‬

15 ‫ﺍﹺﺳﻢ ﻣﹷﻨﹿﻘﹹﻮﺹ‬ Assumed Explicit Assumed

Assumed
16 ‫ ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﺬﹶﻛﳲﺮ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬which is ‫ ﻣضﺎﻑ‬towards ‫ﻯ‬ Explicit ‫ ﻯ‬Explicit ‫ﻯ‬
‫ﻭ‬
Category 1: (‫ )ﻣﹹﻔﹿﺮﹺﺩ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ ﺻﺤﻴﺢ‬This category can be titled in English as Singular-Fully

Declinable - No Weak Letters. This is the category which we had discussed earlier as the one which

shows its grammatical states in the usual manner. Examples:

 • ‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀ ﺯﹶﻳﺪﹲ‬Zaid came)

• ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﺯﹶﻳﺪﺍﹰ‬I saw Zaid)

• ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﺰﹶﻳﺪﹴ‬I passed by Zaid)

Category 2: (‫ )ﻣﹹﻔﹿﺮﹺﺩ ﻗﹷﺎﺋﻢ ﻣﻘﹷﺎﻡ ﺻﺤﻴﺢ‬This category consists of any ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬which ends in a ‫ ﻭ‬or ‫ﻯ‬

preceded by a ‫ﺳﹹﻜﹹﻮﻥ‬, e.g. ‫( ﺩﹶﻟﹿﻮﹲ‬a bucket) or ‫( ﻇﹷﺒﹿﻲﹲ‬a deer). Examples:

• ‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀ ﻇﹷﺒﹿﻲﹲ‬a deer came)

• ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﻇﹷﺒﹿﻲﹰ‬I saw a deer)

• ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﻈﹷﺒﹿﻲﹴ‬I passed by a deer)

Category 3: (‫ )ﺟﹷﻤﹿﻊ ﻣﹹﻜﺴﳲﺮ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ‬or the Fully Declinable Broken Plural. As the name

implies, this category consists of the declinable broken plural. Examples:

• ‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀ ﺭﹺﺟﹷﺎﻝﹲ‬A man came)

• ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﺭﹺﺟﹷﺎﻻﹰ‬I saw a man)

• ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﺮﹺﺟﹷﺎﻝﹴ‬I passed by a man)

Category 4: (‫ )ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﻮﻧﹷﺚ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬or The Sound Feminine Plural. This has already been taken care

of here. I will repeat the examples, though:

• ‫( ﺟﺎﺀﹶﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﹹﺴﻠﹻﻤﺎﺕﹸ‬The Muslim women came)

 • ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﻳﺖﹸ ﺍﻟﻤﹹﺴﻠﹻﻤﺎﺕﹺ‬I saw the Muslim women )

• ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﺎﻟﹿﻤﹹﺴﻠﹻﻤﺎﺕﹺ‬I passed by the Muslim women)

Category 5: (‫)ﻏﹷﻴﺮ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ‬. This is an ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬which contains either 2 of the 9 causes of change-

restriction or 1 powerful cause which stands in the place of 2 causes. Some of the salient points

regarding this category are:

• This category never gets a ‫ ﺗﹷﻨﻮﹺﻳﻦ‬or a ‫ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬

• All feminine names fall into this category

• Most masculine names are not in this category, except those ending in a ‫ﺓ‬

• Names rhyming with ‫ ﺍﹶﻓﹿﻌﹷﻞﹾ‬fall in this category

• Adjectives rhyming with ‫( ﺍﹶﻓﹿﻌﹷﻞﹾ‬e.g. the colors) fall in this category

Below, I list the 9 reasons, the presence of which (either two reasons or one powerful one) can cause an

‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬to become ‫ﻏﹷﻴﺮ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ‬:

1. Transgression: A word leaves it original pattern and adopts a new one because of excessive

usage. An example of this is the name ‫ ﻋﹹﻤﹷﺮ‬which used to be ‫ ﻋﹷﺎﻣﹻﺮ‬but left its pattern to

become ‫ﻋﹹﻤﹷﺮ‬

2. Be an adjective: This is a property which needs to exist within the medium of a body and cannot

exist without it. Thus, this has to be a quality like beautiful or lazy. Examples will include colors

like ‫( ﺍﹶﺣﻤﹷﺮ‬red) or ‫( ﺍﹶﺳﹿﻮﹶﺩ‬black)

3. Be feminine: The following four reasons cause am ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬to be feminine:

• if there is a ‫ ﺓ‬at the end. Note that even though ‫ ﻃﹷﻠﹿﺤﺔ‬is a man’s name, yet the word is

feminine since it has a ‫ ﺓ‬at its end

4. if there is an ‫ ﺍﹶﻟﹻﻒ ﻣﹷﻘﹿﺼﹹﻮﺭﺓ‬i.e. final ‫ ﺍﹶﻟﹻﻒ‬not followed by a ‫ ﺀ‬, for example: ٰ‫ﺣﹹﺒﹿﻠﻰ‬

(pregnant) or ٰ‫(ﻛﹹﺒﺮﻯ‬the small one). This is a powerful reason so it alone will cause an ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬to

become ‫ﻏﹷﻴﺮ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ‬

5. if there is an ‫ ﺍﹶﻟﹻﻒ ﻣﹷﻤﹿﺪﹸﻭﺩﺓ‬i.e. final ‫ ﺍﹶﻟﹻﻒ‬followed by a ‫ ﺀ‬, for example: ‫( ﻋﹹﻠﹷﻤﹷﺄﹸ‬men of

knowledge) or ‫( ﺑﹷﻴﹿضﺄﹸ‬the white one). This is a powerful reason so it alone will cause an ‫ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬

to become ‫ﻏﹷﻴﺮ ﻣﹹﻨﹿﺼﹷﺮﹺﻑ‬

6. if it is an understood feminine for example, ‫ ﺯﹶﻳﻨﹷﺐ‬,which is the name of a girl

7. Be a name
8. Be plural
9. Be of foreign origin like ‫ ﺍﹺﺑﹿﺮﺍﻫﹻﻴﻢ‬or ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﹿﺤﹷﺎﻕ‬or ‫ﻳﹷﻌﹿﻘﹹﻮﺏ‬

10.Be compound (two words linking together to become a name) like ‫ ﺣﹷضﹿﺮﹶﻣﹷﻮﺕ‬, which is a

place in Yemen, or ‫ ﺳﹻﺒﹷﻮﹶﻳﻪ‬who was an Arabic grammarian

11.Be on the pattern of a verb. For example, ‫ ﺍﹶﻛﹿﺒﹷﺮ‬or ‫ ﺍﹶﺣﹿﻤﹷﺪ‬, both of which are on the pattern

of ‫ﺍﹶﻓﹿﻌﹷﻞﹾ‬
 12.Extra ‫ ﺍ‬and ‫ ﻥ‬at the end. Examples are ‫ ﻋﹹﺜﹿﻤﹷﺎﻥ‬or ‫ﻧﹹﻌﹿﻤﹷﺎﻥ‬. Thus, in Hadith literature we

will see ‫ ﻋﹷﻦﹾ ﻋﹹﺜﹿﻤﹷﺎﻥﹶ ﺍﺑﹿﻦﹺ‬with a ‫ ﻓﹷﺘﹿﺤﺔ‬on ‫ ﻋﹹﺜﹿﻤﹷﺎﻥ‬although there is a preposition, ‫ﻋﹷﻦﹾ‬

, in front of it

Category 6: This category is composed of 6 special nouns

1. ‫( ﺍﹶﺏﹲ‬a father)

2. ‫( ﺍﹶﺥﹲ‬a brother)

3. ‫( ﺣﹷﻢﹲ‬a father-in-law)

4. ‫( ﻓﹷﻢﹲ‬a mouth)

5. ‫( ﻫﹷﻦﹲ‬a thing)

6. ‫( ﺫﹸﻭ‬a possessor). This is always followed by a noun

These will show their grammatical states according to type 6 under the conditions that they have to be

singular (dual will be dealt with in category 7 and plural has already been dealt with in category 3) and

they cannot be ‫ ﻣضﺎﻑ‬towards ‫( ﻯ‬which case will be dealt with in category 16).

Some examples are: ‫( ﺫﹶﻫﹷﺐﹶ ﺃﹶﺧﹹﻮ ﻣﹷﺎﺟﹻﺪﹴ‬Majid’s brother went) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﺃﹶﺧﹷﺎ ﻣﹷﺎﺟﹻﺪﹴ‬I saw

Majid’s brother) or ‫( ﺫﹶﻫﹷﺒﹿﺖﹸ ﻣﹷﻊﹶ ﺃﹶﺧﻲ ﻣﹷﺎﺟﹻﺪﹴ‬I went with Majid’s brother). Examples using ‫ﺫﹸﻭ‬

would be:‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀ ﺫﹸﻭ ﻣﹷﺎﻝﹴ‬a possessor of wealth came) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﺫﺍ ﻣﹷﺎﻝﹴ‬I saw a possessor of wealth)
or ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﺬﻯ ﻣﹷﺎﻝﹴ‬I passed by a possessor of wealth) or ‫( ﻭﹶ ﻓﹷﻮﻕﹶ ﻛﹹﻞﱢ ﺫﹺﻯ ﻋﹻﻠﹿﻢﹴ ﻋﹷﻠﻴﻢ‬above

every possessor of knowledge is the All Knowing)

Category 7: This deals with ‫ ﺍﻟﹿﻤﹹﺜﹷﻨﹽٰﻰ‬or the dual. This is an ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬to the end of which is attached

either an ‫ ﺍ‬and a ‫ ﻥ‬or a ‫ ﻱ‬and a ‫ ﻥ‬to indicate that with it is another like it. An example would be ‫ﻛﹷﺘﹷﺐ‬

‫(ﺍﻟﹿﺮﱡﺟﹹﻼﹶﻥﹺ ﻣﹷﻜﹿﺘﹹﻮﺑﹷﻴﻦﹺ ﺇﻟﻰٰ ﺍﻟﹿﻤﹷﺮﹾﺃﺗﹷﻴﻦﹺ‬the two men wrote two letters to the two women)

There are some other words in the Arabic Language which are treated like duals e.g. ‫ ﺍﹶﺑﹷﻮﺍﻥﹺ‬meaning

father and mother or ‫ ﻗﹷﻤﹷﺮﹶﺍﻥﹺ‬meaning moon and sun (and not two fathers or two moons) which

follow the same method of reflection as this category

Category 8: This includes two words ‫ ﻛﹻﻼ‬and ‫ ﻛﹻﻠﹿﺘﺎ‬meaning both (masculine and feminine,

respectively). Examples are : ‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀ ﺭﹶﺟﹹﻼﹶﻥﹺﻛﹻﻼﹶﻫﹹﻤﺎ‬both men came) or ‫ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ‬

‫( ﺭﹶﺟﹹﻠﹷﻴﻦﹺﻛﹻﻠﻴﹿﻬﹻﻤﹷﺎ‬I saw both men) or ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﺮﺟﹹﻠﹷﻴﻦﹺ ﻛﹻﻠﻴﹿﻬﹻﻤﹷﺎ‬I passed by both men)

Category 9: This includes ‫ ﺍﹺﺛﹿﻨﹷﺎﻥﹺ‬and ‫ ﺍﹺﺛﹿﻨﹷﺘﹷﺎﻥﹺ‬which means two (masculine and feminine,

respectively). For example:‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀ ﺍﹺﺛﹿﻨﹷﺎﻥﹺ‬two [masculine objects] came) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﺍﹺﺛﹿﻨﻴﹿﻦﹺ‬I saw two

[masculine objects]) or ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﺎﺛﹿﻨﻴﹿﻦﹺ‬I passed by two [masculine objects])

Category 10: The Sound Masculine Plural or ‫ ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﺬﹶﻛﳲﺮ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬has already been dealt with here. I

will give the usual examples, though: ‫( ﺟﺎﺀﹶ ﺍﻟﹿﻤﹹﺴﻠﹻﻤﹹﻮﻥﹶ‬The Muslim men came) or ‫ﺭﹶﺍﻳﺖﹸ‬
‫( ﺍﻟﹿﻤﹹﺴﻠﹻﻤﹻﻴﻦﹶ‬I saw the Muslim men) or ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﺎﺍﻟﹿﻤﹹﺴﻠﹻﻤﹻﻴﻦﹶ‬I passed by the Muslim men)

Category 11: This category consists of those ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬which are reflected the same way as Category 10 but

do not fall under the ‫ ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﺬﹶﻛﳲﺮ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬category. Examples of such ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬are ‫ ﺍﹸﻭﻟﹹﻮﹾ‬and its sisters.

The reflection of this category is shown by the following examples: ‫( ﻫﹹﻢﹾ ﺃﹸﻭﻟﹹﻮ ﺍﻷﻟﹿﺒﹷﺎﺏﹺ‬They are

people of intelligence) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﺃﹸﻭﻟﹻﻲ ﺍﻷﻟﹿﺒﹷﺎﺏﹺ ﻋﹻﻨﹿﺪﹶ ﺃﹸﻭﻟﹻﻲ ﺍﻷﻟﹿﺒﹷﺎﺏﹺ‬I saw the people of

intelligence by the people of intelligence). Other words which fall in this category are ‫( ﺍﻫﹿﻞﹲ‬people of)

and ‫( ﻋﹻﻠﳴﻴﻴﻦ‬the highest places)

Category 12: This category constitutes multiples of 10 starting from 20 and going up to 90 ( ‫ﻋﹻﺸﹿﺮﹸﻭﻥﹶ‬

to ‫ ) ﺗﹻﺴﹿﻌﹹﻮﻥﹶ‬and are reflected using the same method as Categroy 10 and 11. Examples: ‫ﺟﺎﺀﹶ‬

‫( ﻋﹻﺸﹿﺮﹸﻭﻥﹶ ﺭﹶﺟﹹﻼﹰ‬twenty men came) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﻋﹻﺸﹿﺮﹺﻳﻦﹶ ﺭﹶﺟﹹﻼﹰ‬I saw twenty men) or ‫ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ‬

‫( ﺑﹻﻌﹻﺸﹿﺮﹺﻳﻦﹶ ﺭﹶﺟﹹﻼﹰ‬I passed by twenty men)

Category 13: This category consists of ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬of the form ٰ‫ ﻣﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬or ٰ‫ ﻋﹻﻴﺴﻰ‬i.e. an ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬having an ‫ﺍﹶﻟﹻﻒ‬

‫ ﻣﹷﻘﹿﺼﹹﻮﺭﹶﺓ‬at its end. Such ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬are incapable of showing any ‫ ﺇﹺﻋﹿﺮﹶﺍﺏ‬and thus they are categorized

as having assumed reflection. Examples are:

ٰ‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀ ﻣﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬Musa came) or ٰ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﻣﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬I saw Musa) or ٰ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﻤﹹﻮﺳﻰ‬I passed by Musa).

Antoher set of examples would be: ‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀﹶ ﻋﹷﺼﺎﹰ‬a staff came) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﻋﹷﺼﺎﹰ‬I saw a staff) or
‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﻌﹷﺼﺎﹰ‬I passed by a staff)

Category 14: This category consists of ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬other than ‫ ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﺬﹶﻛﳲﺮ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬i.e. sound masculine

plural, which is ‫ ﻣضﺎﻑ‬towards ‫ ﻯ‬of first person, for example, ‫( ﻏﹹﻼﹶﻣﹻﻲﹾ‬my servant) or ‫( ﺑﹷﻴﹿﺘﹻﻲﹾ‬my

house). Examples in this categories will be:‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀﹶ ﻏﹹﻼﹶﻣﹻﻲﹾ‬my servant came) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﻏﹹﻼﹶﻣﹻﻲﹾ‬I

saw my servant) or ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﻐﹹﻼﹶﻣﹻﻲﹾ‬I passed by my servant)

Category 15: This category consists of ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬which are called ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ ﻣﹷﻨﹿﻘﹹﻮﺹ‬i.e. they have a ‫ﻱ‬

preceded by a ‫ ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬at their end. Only the state of ‫ ﻧﺼﺐ‬is reflected on them; the other two are

assumed. Examples are: ‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀﹶﺍﻟﹿﻘﹷﺎﺿﹻﻲﹾ‬The Judge came) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﺍﻟﹿﻘﹷﺎﺿﹻﻲﹶ‬I saw the Judge) or

‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﺎﻟﹿﻘﹷﺎﺿﹻﻲﹾ‬I passed by the Judge)

Category 16: This category consists of ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬which are ‫ ﺟﹷﻤﻊ ﻣﹹﺬﹶﻛﳲﺮ ﺳﹷﺎﻟﹻﻢ‬and are ‫ ﻣضﺎﻑ‬towards ‫ﻯ‬

of first person. An example would be ‫( ﻣﹹﺴﹿﻠﹻﻤﹻﻲﱠ‬my muslims). For the ‫ ﺭﻓﻊ‬case this was originally

‫ ﻣﹹﺴﹿﻠﹻﻤﻮﹸﻰﹶ‬but the ‫ ﻭ‬becomes ‫ ﺳﹷﺎﻛﹻﻦﹾ‬since it is appearing with a ‫ﻯ‬. In the second step the ‫ ﻭ‬is

changed to a ‫ ﻯ‬giving us ‫ ﻣﹹﺴﹿﻠﹻﻤﹹﻴﻰﹶ‬and the ‫ ﺿﹷﻤﳲﺔ‬is changed to ‫ ( ﻛﹷﺴﹿﺮﹶﺓ‬for pronunciation

reasons) to give us ‫ﻣﹹﺴﹿﻠﹻﻤﹻﻲﱠ‬. However, the originals for the ‫ ﻧﺼﺐ‬and ‫ ﺟﺮ‬case were already

‫ﻣﹹﺴﹿﻠﹻﻤﹻﻲﱠ‬. The set of examples in this category, then, would be:‫( ﺟﹷﺎﺀﹶ ﻣﹹﺴﹿﻠﹻﻤﹻﻲﱠ‬my Muslims
came) or ‫( ﺭﹶﺍﺋﻴﺖﹸ ﻣﹹﺴﹿﻠﹻﻤﹻﻲﱠ‬I saw my Muslims) or ‫( ﻣﹷﺮﹶﺭﹾﺕﹸ ﺑﹻﻤﹹﺴﹿﻠﹻﻤﹻﻲﱠ‬I passed by my

Muslims)

I hope this detailed introduction to methods of reflection for an ‫ ﺍﹺﺳﻢ‬will go a long way towards

understanding this key concept in Arabic Language, Insha Allah.