Islam > Glossary > Asm al-faaʿil
Discover the meaning of the term Asm al-faaʿil (اسْم الْفَاعِل) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 1 min readA noun derived from the masdar, designated for the one by whom the meaning of the masdar is performed, meaning the event, while that performance has the meaning of occurrence rather than permanence. By the meaning of occurrence is meant the existence of the act for him and its performance by him, restricted to one of the three tenses. The quasi-participle (sifa moushabbiha) and the elative noun (ism tafdil) are excluded from the restriction of occurrence due to their having the meaning of permanence.
That which is derived from a verb for the one who performs it, in the sense of occurrence.
That which is derived from yaf'al for the one by whom the act is performed in the sense of occurrence, and by this final restriction the quasi-participle and the elative noun are excluded due to their having the meaning of permanence.