مَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ
Muhammad is only a messenger.
Mā negates and illā establishes what is affirmed after the exception. إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ بِالتَّعَلُّمِ
Knowledge is acquired through learning.
The second construction uses innamā to focus or restrict the claim. Always identify what is restricted and what it is restricted to, then ask whether the restriction is absolute or relative to a disputed alternative.
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Supplementary Applied Practice — Maʿānī, Bayān and Badīʿ
مَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ
Muhammad is only a messenger.
Mā negates and illā establishes what is affirmed after the exception. إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ بِالتَّعَلُّمِ
Knowledge is acquired through learning.
The second construction uses innamā to focus or restrict the claim. Always identify what is restricted and what it is restricted to, then ask whether the restriction is absolute or relative to a disputed alternative.