Avoid These Common Errors

Negating Nominal Sentences with مَا

Check the case of both parts. مَا keeps its noun nominative, makes its predicate accusative in the plain pattern, and requires a genitive form after بِ.

Incorrect
Correct
Reason

مَا الْوَلَدُ مُجْتَهِدٌ
مَا الْوَلَدُ مُجْتَهِدًا
the plain predicate must be accusative

مَا الْبِنْتَيْنِ صَادِقَتَيْنِ
مَا الْبِنْتَانِ صَادِقَتَيْنِ
the noun of مَا remains nominative

مَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنُونَ
مَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
the word after بِ must be genitive