Understanding مُضَاف (muḍāf : possessed noun) and مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ (muḍāf ilayhi : possessor) and Possessive Constructions in Arabic Grammar
This session covers the مُضَاف (muḍāf : possessed noun) and مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ (muḍāf ilayhi : possessor) construction and how حَرْف الْجَرّ (ḥarf al-jarr : preposition) particles interact with possessive phrases. The teacher provides Qurʾānic examples and clarifies common mistakes in applying possessive rules.
Original Recording
Original class recording
Key Points
- 1The مُضَاف (muḍāf : possessed noun) always comes first in the construction and must be stripped of اَلْ and تَنْوِين (tanwīn).
- 2The مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ (muḍāf ilayhi : possessor) follows the مُضَاف (muḍāf) and takes كَسْرَة (kasrah) by default.
- 3حَرْف الْجَرّ (ḥarf al-jarr : preposition) can precede the مُضَاف (muḍāf) construction: e.g., فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ (fī kitābi llāhi : in the book of Allah).
- 4Nothing may be inserted between the مُضَاف (muḍāf : possessed noun) and the مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ (muḍāf ilayhi : possessor).
Quiz
What is the term for the first word in a possessive construction (e.g., كِتَابُ in كِتَابُ حَامِدٍ)?
Discussion Questions
- [00:10:00] Q: Can an adjective come between the مُضَاف (muḍāf) and مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ (muḍāf ilayhi)? — A: No; the adjective must come after the complete مُضَاف (muḍāf)–مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ (muḍāf ilayhi) unit.
- [00:20:00] Q: Why does the مُضَافٌ إِلَيْهِ (muḍāf ilayhi : possessor) take كَسْرَة (kasrah)? — A: The possessor is مَجْرُور (majrūr : genitive) by virtue of the مُضَاف (muḍāf) construction.
Quranic Examples
وَأُولُو الْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ
wa-ūlū al-arḥāmi baʿḍuhum awlā bi-baʿḍin fī kitābi llāh
And those of [blood] relationship are more entitled [to inheritance] in the decree of Allāh
Surah al-Aḥzāb 33:6 ↗ — Demonstrates فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ : the ḥarf al-jarr فِي makes كِتَابِ take kasra, and كِتَابِ اللَّهِ is a muḍāf–muḍāf ilayhi construction where the word اللَّهِ takes kasra as the muḍāf ilayh.