LessonsSupplementary Practice 26 — Comparative Rhetoric of Sūrat al-Qāriʿah and Sūrat al-TīnQuiz

وَهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ
And by this secure city. (95:3)

Hādhā is a demonstrative pointing to a definite city, commonly understood as Mecca. Al-balad explains the demonstrative by apposition or a closely related grammatical analysis, while al-amīn is an adjective. Demonstration followed by naming and qualification foregrounds the city’s identity and safety.

Al-amīn should not be taken here as attributing ordinary human trustworthiness to buildings. Its relevant meaning concerns security, sanctity and a place of safe refuge.

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Demonstration and epithet: this secure city

Supplementary Practice 26 — Comparative Rhetoric of Sūrat al-Qāriʿah and Sūrat al-Tīn

وَهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ
And by this secure city. (95:3)

Hādhā is a demonstrative pointing to a definite city, commonly understood as Mecca. Al-balad explains the demonstrative by apposition or a closely related grammatical analysis, while al-amīn is an adjective. Demonstration followed by naming and qualification foregrounds the city’s identity and safety.

Al-amīn should not be taken here as attributing ordinary human trustworthiness to buildings. Its relevant meaning concerns security, sanctity and a place of safe refuge.