«يَا حَارِثُ، أَمَعَنَا ثَالِثٌ؟»
Al-Ḥārith, is there a third person with us?
Before continuing, Abū Zayd asks who else is present. The initial a- forms a question and maʿanā means “with us.” The question matters because he is about to disclose something that he prefers not to reveal before a stranger.
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The Barqaʿīd Maqāmah: Abū Zayd’s Sight, the Cleansing Ruse and His Escape
«يَا حَارِثُ، أَمَعَنَا ثَالِثٌ؟»
Al-Ḥārith, is there a third person with us?
Before continuing, Abū Zayd asks who else is present. The initial a- forms a question and maʿanā means “with us.” The question matters because he is about to disclose something that he prefers not to reveal before a stranger.