LessonsAl-Ta‘rif wa al-Tankir: Rhetorical Functions of Definiteness and IndefinitenessQuiz

وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ
And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House.

Here ‘alam means a proper name, not “knowledge.” A well-known name evokes its specific bearer. The Qur’anic example uses the names of Abraham and Ishmael to identify the persons intended.

Naming is primarily a means of bringing the particular person to mind. The name may also convey an additional rhetorical coloring, such as honor or disparagement, according to its meaning and the context.

Opening interactive controls...

Proper names and identification

Al-Ta‘rif wa al-Tankir: Rhetorical Functions of Definiteness and Indefiniteness

وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ
And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House.

Here ‘alam means a proper name, not “knowledge.” A well-known name evokes its specific bearer. The Qur’anic example uses the names of Abraham and Ishmael to identify the persons intended.

Naming is primarily a means of bringing the particular person to mind. The name may also convey an additional rhetorical coloring, such as honor or disparagement, according to its meaning and the context.