The First Tābi`: Na`t

The following information is based on the text in Hidayat al-Nahw regarding Na`t.

The Tawābi` (plural of tābi`) are those words which follow the ‘i`rāb of the word which was before it. The word which the tābi` follows is called the matbū`.

 

The first out of the 5 types of tawābi` is called Na`t. The matbū` of na`t is called Man`ūt.

 

What is the purpose of Na`t?

The purpose of it is to describe its matbū`, or to describe something that is associated with the matbū`. 

An example of the na`t describing it’s matbū` (النعت للمتبوع):

 

جَائَنِي رَجُلٌ عَالِمٌ (An `ālim man came to me)

 

*The na`t here is “عَالِمٌ”, it is describing رَجُلٌ which is the matbū`.  

 

This type of na`t follows it’s matbū` in 10 things:

  1. ‘I`rāb (3)
  2. Ta`rīf
  3. Tankīr
  4. ‘Ifrād
  5. Tathniyyah
  6. Jam`a
  7. Tadhkīr
  8. Ta’nīth

Meaning this na`t will have the same case (fat-ha, ḍammah, kasra), definiteness, number, and gender as the matbū`.

An example of the na`t describing something associated with the matbū` (النعت لمتعلق المتبوع):

 

جَائَنِي رَجُلٌ عَالِمٌ أبُوْهُ (A man whose father is an `ālim came to me)

 

*The na`t here is “عَالِمٌ”, it is describing something that has to do with the رَجُلٌ (his father), which is the matbū`.

 

This type of na`t follows it’s matbū` in 5 things:

  1. ‘I`rāb (3)
  2. Ta`rīf
  3. Tankīr

Meaning this na`t will have the same case and definiteness as the matbū`.

What’s another word that is used for na`t?

Ṣifat.

What benefits do we find from na`t?

It helps to specify the man`ūt if they are nakirah. And it helps to clarify the man`ūt if they are both ma`rifah.

 

Here we can tell that this is nakirah because of the na`t which is “عَالِمٌ”:

جَائَنِي رَجُلٌ عَالِمٌ (An `ālim man came to me)

 

Here we can tell that this is ma`rifah because of the na`t which is “الفَاضِل”:

جَائَنِي زَيْدٌ الفَاضِلُ (Zayd, the scholar, came to me)

 

What else can na`t be used for?

It can be used for praising, dispraising, or emphasizing.

 

Example of praising:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ (Allah’s Name to Begin With, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful)

*The word “الرَّحْمٰنِ” here is the praising na`t for ‘Ism al-Jalālah, the matbū`.

 

Example of dispraising:

أعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ (I seek refuge by Allah from the accursed shayṭān)

*The word “الرَّجِيْمِ” here is the na`t for dispraising “الشَّيْطَانِ” which is the matbū`.

 

Example of emphasizing:

نَفْخَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ – الحاقة: ١٣ (A single blow)

*The word “وَاحِدَةٌ” here is na`t for emphasizing “نَفْخَةٌ” which is the the matbū`.

Can a nakirah be man`ūt by a Jumlah Khabariyyah?

Yes it can. The Jumlah Khabariyah can be ṣifat/na`t of a nakirah. It cannot be of a ma`rifah because both parts, na`t and man`ūt, should be matching in ta`rīf and tankīr as mentioned earlier, and jumlah is treated as nakirah.

مَرَرْتُ بِرَجُلٍ أبُوْهُ عَالِمٌ أوْ قَامَ أبُوْهُ (I passed by a man whose father is an `ālim or whose father is standing)

* “أبُوْهُ عَالِمٌ” & “قَامَ أبُوْهُ” are two jumlahs here that are ṣifat of the nakirah which is “رَجُلٍ”

Can the muḍmar be mawsūf or ṣifat?

No, pronouns can never be mawsūf/man`ūt nor ṣifat/na`t.

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2 thoughts on “The First Tābi`: Na`t”

  1. Ansari iqra noori

    الســـلام علیکم و رحمۃ اللہ وبرکاتہ
    ماشااللہ i am having difficult in pronouncing these words (Ta`rīf, I`rāb ) others than very informative notes
    جزاک اللہ خیر

    1. وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته
      These words are تَعْرِيْف and إِعْرَاب. The “`” represents an ع with a sukoon here.

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