LessonsFurther Forms of Ibdāl: Definiteness, Agreement, Iltifāt and Word OrderQuiz

“Fa-lammā raʾā al-shamsa bāzighatan qāla hādhā rabbī hādhā akbar”
“When he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my lord; this is greater.’” (al-Anʿām 6:78, excerpt)

“Al-shams” is grammatically feminine and “bāzighah” agrees with it. The subsequent demonstrative, however, is masculine: “hādhā.” It can be understood as pointing to the rising luminous body or that which is seen, rather than mechanically agreeing with the feminine noun “shams.”

The difference is an instance of meaningful reference, not a grammatical mistake. The wider exchange presents Abraham’s argument against worship of celestial bodies; the quoted words are part of that argument.

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“Hādhā rabbī”: demonstrative reference to the sun

Further Forms of Ibdāl: Definiteness, Agreement, Iltifāt and Word Order

“Fa-lammā raʾā al-shamsa bāzighatan qāla hādhā rabbī hādhā akbar”
“When he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my lord; this is greater.’” (al-Anʿām 6:78, excerpt)

“Al-shams” is grammatically feminine and “bāzighah” agrees with it. The subsequent demonstrative, however, is masculine: “hādhā.” It can be understood as pointing to the rising luminous body or that which is seen, rather than mechanically agreeing with the feminine noun “shams.”

The difference is an instance of meaningful reference, not a grammatical mistake. The wider exchange presents Abraham’s argument against worship of celestial bodies; the quoted words are part of that argument.