Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 1 صرف الدرس الاول

2Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 علم الصرف صرف is the science of Classical Arabic that deals with: صرف is the science of Classical Arabic that deals with: 1. Patterns of Vowellization ( ُ َ ِ ) which convey the tense and voice of verbs, the tense and voice of verbs, and and 2. Suffixes which reflect aspects of the subject (gender, plurality, and person) (gender, plurality, and person)

3Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 In Arabic, 3-letter groups of consonants have an associated “root” meaning: ك + ت + ب = ن + ص + ر = But, consonants without vowels cannot be pronounced, and in Arabic, these vowels also carry a meaning, a non-word meaning. Background “ writing ” “ helping ”

4Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 Conveying Meaning In addition to the root, there are several non- word meanings that are conveyed via vowels, non-base letters, prefixes, suffixes etc. (tense, voice, added connotations, and much more) In order to get a grasp on these non-word meanings, heavy emphasis is placed on mastering the essentials of Arabic Morphology in classical teaching methodologies.

5Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 The Arabic Alphabet In the Arabic language we have 29 letters and they are all consonants. In the Arabic language we have 29 letters and they are all consonants. ا ب ت ث ج ح خ د ذ ر ز س ش ص ض ط ظ ع غ ف ق ك ل م ن ه و ي ء The short vowels are not considered separate letters and therefore are not part of the alphabet. The short vowels are not considered separate letters and therefore are not part of the alphabet.

6Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 Short Vowels حركات ضَمَّة : ُ - corresponds to a short ‘o’ or ‘u’ in English. A letter that has a ضَمَّة over it is said to be مَضموم ضَمَّة : ُ - corresponds to a short ‘o’ or ‘u’ in English. A letter that has a ضَمَّة over it is said to be مَضموم فَتحَة : َ - corresponds to a short ‘a’ in English. A letter that has a فَتحَة over it is said to be مَفتوح فَتحَة : َ - corresponds to a short ‘a’ in English. A letter that has a فَتحَة over it is said to be مَفتوح كَسرَة : ِ - corresponds to a short ‘e’ or ‘i’ in English. A letter that has a كَسرَة under it is said to be مَكسور كَسرَة : ِ - corresponds to a short ‘e’ or ‘i’ in English. A letter that has a كَسرَة under it is said to be مَكسور

7Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 Absence of Vowels and Duplication The absence of vowel is called سُكون ( ْ ). If a letter is ساكن (i.e. has a سُكون on it), this would mean it is the final consonant in a syllable. The absence of vowel is called سُكون ( ْ ). If a letter is ساكن (i.e. has a سُكون on it), this would mean it is the final consonant in a syllable. Pronouncing of the letter twice, first with a ‘ سُكون ’, and then with a حركه, is called تَشدِِيد or شَدّه, and the letter is said to be مُشَدّد (e.g. the ب in تَبَّت is مُشَدَّد ). Pronouncing of the letter twice, first with a ‘ سُكون ’, and then with a حركه, is called تَشدِِيد or شَدّه, and the letter is said to be مُشَدّد (e.g. the ب in تَبَّت is مُشَدَّد ).

8Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 Aspects of Subject In all languages, verbs are conjugated to reflect three aspects of their subjects: In all languages, verbs are conjugated to reflect three aspects of their subjects: Gender — Masculine or Feminine Gender — Masculine or Feminine Plurality — Singular, Dual (unlike English, Arabic also has separate forms to indicate on two of something) and Plural (3 or more), and Plurality — Singular, Dual (unlike English, Arabic also has separate forms to indicate on two of something) and Plural (3 or more), and Person — Third person, Second person and First person. Person — Third person, Second person and First person.

Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 9 Conjugation Tables A great portion of Arabic Morphology is devoted to memorizing the tables that result from MULTIPLYING the three aspects mentioned above (i.e. gender, plurality, and person).

10Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 3 rd Person Conjugation Layout PersonGenderPluralityEnglish Equivalent# 3 rd Masculine SingularHe 1 Dual (2)They (M2) 2 Plural (>2)They (M>2) 3 Feminine SingularShe 4 Dual (2)They (F2) 5 Plural (>2)They (F>2) 6

11Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 2 nd Person Conjugation Layout PersonGenderPluralityEnglish Equivalent# 2nd Masculine SingularYou (M) 7 Dual (2)You (M2) 8 Plural (>2)You (M>2) 9 Feminine SingularYou (F) 10 Dual (2)You (F2) 11 Plural (>2)You (F>2) 12

Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 1 st Person Conjugation Layout PersonGenderPluralityEnglish Equivalent# 1st Masculine SingularI (M/F) 13 Dual (2)We (M/F≥2) 14 Plural (>2)We 15 Feminine SingularI 16 Dual (2)We 17 Plural (>2)We 18

13Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 Table of 14 Conjugations Due to the fact that EVERY subject will need a gender, plurality AND a person, we look at the total combinations that result from multiplying the above. It comes to 18, six for each of the third, second and first persons. Due to the fact that EVERY subject will need a gender, plurality AND a person, we look at the total combinations that result from multiplying the above. It comes to 18, six for each of the third, second and first persons. In the first person, separate dual and feminine forms do not exist. This will reduce the number in the first person group from six to just two: #13 ‘I’ (male or female) and #14 ‘We’ (males or females; two or more than two)

14Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 Active vs. Passive Voice For all actions that require objects (transitive verbs), the verb can either be active or passive. For all actions that require objects (transitive verbs), the verb can either be active or passive. Active is when the action of the verb is directed at the subject which is also mentioned e.g. he helped. Active is when the action of the verb is directed at the subject which is also mentioned e.g. he helped. Passive voice is for the verb whose action is directed towards the object, and the subject is missing e.g. he was helped. Passive voice is for the verb whose action is directed towards the object, and the subject is missing e.g. he was helped. In Sarf, there are separate gardaans for each of the active and passive voices, 14 conjugations per gardaan. In Sarf, there are separate gardaans for each of the active and passive voices, 14 conjugations per gardaan.

15Shariah Program Online - Sarf 1 Model Base-letters For simplification purposes, in order to isolate the pattern meanings (subject matter of Sarf) from the meaning coming from the base letters (which are found in dictionaries; not directly a concern of Sarf), the scholars of Sarf have used the most basic base letters in terms of meaning as models for all of the patterns to be discussed through out the science. The three ‘model’ letters are ف, ع, and ل. For simplification purposes, in order to isolate the pattern meanings (subject matter of Sarf) from the meaning coming from the base letters (which are found in dictionaries; not directly a concern of Sarf), the scholars of Sarf have used the most basic base letters in terms of meaning as models for all of the patterns to be discussed through out the science. The three ‘model’ letters are ف, ع, and ل.