LessonsSupplementary Practice 21: Comparative Rhetorical Study of Sūrat Quraysh and al-MāʿūnQuiz

رَبَّ هَٰذَا الْبَيْتِ
The Lord of this particular House. (106:3)
الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ
Those who are heedless of their prayers. (107:5)

Both expressions specify, but by different means. Quraysh uses a demonstrative to invoke a recognized House, whereas al-Māʿūn uses a relative description to restrict the class under warning. Definiteness alone is not a sufficient rhetorical explanation.

The first identifies the Lord through a familiar place; the second prevents the expression al-muṣallīn from being read without its defining description.

Opening interactive controls...

Definiteness and restriction: hādhā l-bayt and alladhīna hum

Supplementary Practice 21: Comparative Rhetorical Study of Sūrat Quraysh and al-Māʿūn

رَبَّ هَٰذَا الْبَيْتِ
The Lord of this particular House. (106:3)
الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ
Those who are heedless of their prayers. (107:5)

Both expressions specify, but by different means. Quraysh uses a demonstrative to invoke a recognized House, whereas al-Māʿūn uses a relative description to restrict the class under warning. Definiteness alone is not a sufficient rhetorical explanation.

The first identifies the Lord through a familiar place; the second prevents the expression al-muṣallīn from being read without its defining description.