هَلْ لِي مِنْ شَفِيعٍ
Would that I had an intercessor.
Hal normally introduces an inquiry. In a wishing context, however, the speaker does not seek new information so much as long for the existence of an intercessor. The communicative intention distinguishes the uses.
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Inshāʾ and Tamannī: Requests, Wishing, Exhortation, and Reproach
هَلْ لِي مِنْ شَفِيعٍ
Would that I had an intercessor.
Hal normally introduces an inquiry. In a wishing context, however, the speaker does not seek new information so much as long for the existence of an intercessor. The communicative intention distinguishes the uses.