The Quranic Teachings

     "O Mankind! There has come to you from your Guardian-Lord an exhortation, a prescription
for the minds, a guidance and beneficence for those who believe" [10:57].
 

The Arabic particle al- has the following uses:

1. It is used to distinguish a noun as known [to the hearer or reader in a particular and definite sense]
   1. First, by it being mentioned [before]. Example:

      إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ رَسُولا شَاهِدًا عَلَيْكُمْ كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ رَسُولا

      فَعَصَى فِرْعَوْنُ الرَّسُولَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُ أَخْذًا وَبِيلا

      Inna arsalna ilaykum rasoolan shahidan AAalaykum kama arsalna ila firAAawna rasoolan. FaAAasa firAAawnu alrrasoola faakhathnahu akhthan wabeelan. [Al-Quran 73:15-16]

   2. Secondly, by its being conceived in the mind. Example:

      إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ

      ith huma fee alghari [A-Quran 9:40]

   3. Thirdly, by its being applied to a thing present. Example:

      الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ

      alyawma akmaltu lakum deenakum [Al-Quran 5:3]

2. It is used to denote the species or genus
   1. First, to denote the totality of the individuals of the species. Example:

      وَخُلِقَ الإنْسَانُ ضَعِيفًا

       wakhuliqa al-insanu daAAeefan [Al-Quran 4:28]

   2. Secondly, to denote the totality of the properties of the individual, or the combination of all those properties in one thing. Example:

      ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ

      Thalika alkitabu [Al-Quran 2:2]. “alkitabu”, signifying the book combining in itself the excellences of all other books or scriptures.

   3. Thirdly, to denote the quiddity, or essence. Example:

      وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ

      wajaAAalna mina alma-i kulla shay-in hayyin [Al-Quran 21:30]

3. It is used to denote predominance of application; Example:

   الْمَدِينَةِ

   Al-madina [the city] [Al-Quran 63:8], meaning the city of the Apostle

4. It is prefixed to a noun transferred from its original application to that of a proper name
5. It is in some cases redundant
6. It may also supply the place of the affixed pronoun
7. It may also act as a conjunct noun

References:

[1] E. W. Lane, “An Arabic-English Lexicon”. Vol. I, Sohail Academy, Pakistan. Page 74-75.

[2] W. Wright, “A Grammar of the Arabic Language”, Vol. I, Anmol Publications, India, Page 269-270.

01-02-2007

Important

And do not follow (blindly) any information of which you have no (direct) knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception, you must verify it for yourself. (In the Court of your Lord,) you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning."[17:36]