Consider the following sentences:
nazala al-matar-u min al-samaʾ
— The rain came down from the sky.
sarat al-mashiyat-u ila al-haql
— The livestock walked to the field.
yaftu al-khashab-u ʿala al-maʾ
— Wood floats on water.
If you reflect on the underlined words, you find them all to be nouns, each preceded by a particle (min — 'from', ila — 'to', ʿala — 'on').
If you examine the ending of each of these nouns, you find them in the genitive case — and the reason is the entry of these particles, called: huruf al-jarr (prepositions).
Definition of Huruf al-Jarr
Huruf al-Jarr in a Verse of Poetry
[Ibn Malik's Alfiyya]: 'There are twenty huruf al-jarr, which Ibn Malik gathered in two verses: Take the prepositions: min, ila, hatta, khala, hasha, ʿada, fi, ʿan, ʿala; mudh, mundhu, rubba, the lam, kay, the waw, and the taʾ; and the kaf, the baʾ, laʿalla, and mata.'
Meanings of Huruf al-Jarr in Arabic
Of these twenty particles, three are specific to exception (al-istithnaʾ) and we will not discuss them here: khala, hasha, ʿada.
As for 'mata', it is well known to be a noun of time, sometimes used as an adverb. Its use as a preposition is restricted to the Hudhayl tribe — and that is not the focus of our topic.
As for 'laʿalla', it is well known as a particle of hopeful expectation, belonging to the family of inna and its sisters. So we are left with fifteen particles, which are the focus of our discussion:
- 1 — min: a preposition for partition (i.e., indicating 'some of'), for clarifying the kind, and for indicating the starting point of time or place.
- 2 — ila: a preposition indicating the end-point.
- 3 — ʿan: a preposition indicating proximity / departure from.
- 4 — al-baʾ: a preposition used for circumstance, causation, instrumentality, transitivity, substitution, attachment, and accompaniment.
- 5 — fi: a preposition indicating containment ('in').
- 6 — ʿala: a preposition indicating 'over / upon'.
- 7 — al-kaf: a preposition used for likening and for purpose.
- 8 — hatta: a preposition indicating an end-point ('until').
- 9 — waw al-qasam (the waw of oath): a preposition used for taking oaths.
- 10 — taʾ al-qasam (the taʾ of oath): governs only the divine name 'Allah' and 'rabb' annexed to the Kaʿba or to the speaker's yaʾ.
- 11 — kay: governs only 'ma' interrogative.
- 12 — mundhu and mudh: indicate the starting point.
- 13 — rubba: indicates either many a... or few a...
- 14 — al-lam: indicates ownership / specification.
Meaningful Sentences with Huruf al-Jarr
yaʾti al-samak-u min al-bahr
— Fish come from the sea.
saʿa al-jaysh-u ila al-maydan
— The army moved toward the battlefield.
yadhhab-u al-khawf-u ʿan al-tifl
— Fear leaves the child.
yasqut-u al-thamar-u ʿala al-ard
— The fruit falls onto the ground.
yanbah-u al-kalb-u fi al-bustan
— The dog barks in the orchard.
qashshar-tu al-fakihat-a bi-l-sikkin
— I peeled the fruit with the knife.
ishtaray-tu qufl-an li-l-khazana
— I bought a lock for the cabinet.
sahir-tu hatta al-sabah
— I stayed up until morning.
Khalid ka-l-asad
— Khalid is like a lion.
ta-llah
— By Allah.
wa-l-haqq
— By the truth.
lam ara-hu mundh-u usbuʿ
— I have not seen him for a week.
rubba ramyat-in min ghayri ramin
— Many a [successful] shot from a non-archer (an Arabic proverb).
The Function of Huruf al-Jarr
The function of huruf al-jarr in a sentence is to convey the meaning of the verb (or what operates like it) to the noun in the genitive — because the verb on its own is unable to reach it.
For example, if we say: hafiza al-dars-a bi-l-kitab ('he memorized the lesson with the book').
The meaning of the verb (hafiza) reached the direct object (al-dars) directly — so we put it in the accusative. The effect of the verb reached (al-kitab) by means of the preposition (al-baʾ).
Types of Huruf al-Jarr
There are three types of huruf al-jarr:
1 — Original Particles (Asliyya)
Original prepositions are characterized by requiring a 'mutaʿalliq' (an attached element) that absolutely cannot be dispensed with. They are: ila, ʿala, ʿan, the taʾ, and others. E.g.:
istaʿan-tu bi-llah
— I sought help from Allah.
2 — Redundant Particles (Zaʾida)
Redundant prepositions are those that can be dispensed with in iʿrab; they do not require a 'mutaʿalliq' and are added for emphasis. They are: min, the baʾ, the lam. E.g.:
ma jaʾa min ahad
— No one came at all. (must be preceded by a negation or interrogative)
— Allah Most High said: "...and sufficient is Allah as a helper." — Quran 4:45 (Sahih International) (occurring after 'kafa')
ya li-l-aghniyaʾ
— O the rich (used in calls for help and exclamations).
3 — Quasi-Redundant Particles (Shabiha bi-l-Zaʾida)
These are particles that cannot be dispensed with — neither in form nor in meaning — and do not require a mutaʿalliq. They are: rubba. E.g.:
rubba laylin ka-anna-hu al-subh
— Many a night [there is] as if it were morning.
Iʿrab of Huruf al-Jarr
nazala al-matar-u min al-samaʾ
— The rain came down from the sky.
nazala: a past-tense verb fixed on the manifest fatha at its end. al-matar: the subject (faʿil) in the nominative, marked by the manifest damma at its end. min: a preposition. al-samaʾ: a noun in the genitive after 'min', marked by the manifest kasra at its end. The prepositional phrase is attached to the verb 'nazala'.
istaʿan-tu bi-llah
— I sought help from Allah.
istaʿantu: a past-tense verb fixed on sukun; the taʾ is a connected pronoun fixed on damma, in the position of nominative as the subject. bi-llah: the baʾ is a preposition; Allah — the divine name — is in the genitive after 'baʾ', marked by the manifest kasra at its end. The prepositional phrase is attached to the verb 'istaʿantu'.
laysa al-ʿilm-u bi-darr
— Knowledge is not harmful.
laysa: an incomplete past-tense verb (one of the sisters of kana), fixed on the manifest fatha at its end. al-ʿilm: ism laysa in the nominative, marked by the manifest damma. bi-darr: the baʾ is a redundant preposition; darr is in the genitive in form (lafzan), in the accusative in position (mahallan), as the khabar of 'laysa'.
ma min ahad-in jaʾa
— No one whatsoever has come.
ma: a negating particle with no operation. min: a redundant preposition. ahad: a noun in the genitive in form, in the nominative in position, as a mubtadaʾ. jaʾa: a past-tense verb fixed on the manifest fatha; the subject is a permissibly concealed pronoun, implied as 'huwa'. The clause (ma min ahad): an opening clause (ibtidaʾiyya), with no place in iʿrab. The clause (jaʾa): in the position of nominative as the predicate of the first clause.
mashay-tu ila nisf-i al-tariq
— I walked to the middle of the road.
mashaytu: a past-tense verb fixed on sukun; the taʾ is a connected pronoun fixed on damma, in the position of nominative as the subject. ila: a preposition. nisf: a noun in the genitive after 'ila', marked by the manifest kasra; a mudaf. al-tariq: a mudaf ilayh in the genitive, marked by the manifest kasra.
Huruf al-Jarr in the Noble Quran
Allah Most High said:
— "...and from you and from Noah..." — Quran 33:7 (Sahih International)
— "...So judge between them by what Allah has revealed..." — Quran 5:48 (Sahih International)
— "You will surely embark upon state after state." — Quran 84:19 (Sahih International)
— "And upon them and on ships you are carried." — Quran 23:22 (Sahih International)
— "To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth." — Quran 2:255 (Sahih International)
— "Believe in Allah..." — Quran 4:136 (Sahih International)
Verses of Poetry on Huruf al-Jarr
Kuthayyir said:
[Kuthayyir, classical poetry]: 'Indeed I have been distracted by [gazing at] the stars — like the white-faced statues whose speech is gentle.'
Tarafah said:
[Tarafah, classical poetry]: 'And if all the tribe meet together, you will find me at the summit of the lofty pillared house.'
ʿAlqama said:
[ʿAlqama, classical poetry]: 'If you ask me about women — indeed I am knowledgeable in their ailments, a physician.'
ʿUmar ibn Abi Rabiʿah said:
[ʿUmar ibn Abi Rabiʿah, classical poetry]: 'And she said: In the name of Allah, your command is obedience — though I have been charged with what I am not accustomed to.'
Exercises on Huruf al-Jarr in Arabic
1 — Identify the huruf al-jarr in the following passage and indicate the type of each:
Allah Most High said: "O my son, establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] resolve. And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people, and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful." — Quran 31:17–18 (Sahih International)
2 — Identify the harf al-jarr in each of the following and indicate the meaning it conveys:
rubba aklat-in manaʿat aklat
— Many a meal has prevented [further] meals (i.e., one bad meal can ruin one's appetite for many).
ma raʾay-tu-hu mundhu al-yawm
— I have not seen him since today.
marar-tu bi-l-asdiqaʾ
— I passed by my friends.
yajud-u al-karim-u ʿan raghba
— The generous one gives out of [his own] desire.
al-haqq-u ka-l-nur-i mudiʾ-un daʾiman
— The truth is like light, ever shining.
ta-llah-i la-usaʿidanna al-muhtajin
— By Allah, I shall surely help those in need.
3 — Provide the iʿrab for the underlined portions:
biʿtu-ka al-kitab-a bi-ghilaf-i-hi
— I sold you the book along with its cover.
— Allah Most High said: "Peace it is until the emergence of dawn." — Quran 97:5 (Sahih International)