Not every لَا is prohibitive. Plain negative لَا يَقُولُ leaves the imperfect indicative: “he does not say.” But لَا تَقُلْ is a prohibition: “do not say.”
ParticleEffectExample
Negative lāNegates; does not itself make jussiveلَا يَقُولُ
Prohibitive lāProhibits and makes jussiveلَا تَقُلْ
LamPast negation and jussiveلَمْ يَقُلْ
LanFuture negation and subjunctiveلَنْ يَقُولَ
Both the verb ending and the clause’s meaning identify the function of lā.
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Complete Conjugation of the Hollow Wāw Verb: Qāla–Yaqūlu
Not every لَا is prohibitive. Plain negative لَا يَقُولُ leaves the imperfect indicative: “he does not say.” But لَا تَقُلْ is a prohibition: “do not say.”
ParticleEffectExample
Negative lāNegates; does not itself make jussiveلَا يَقُولُ
Prohibitive lāProhibits and makes jussiveلَا تَقُلْ
LamPast negation and jussiveلَمْ يَقُلْ
LanFuture negation and subjunctiveلَنْ يَقُولَ
Both the verb ending and the clause’s meaning identify the function of lā.