What does Asmaʾ al-afʿal- mean?

Islam > Glossary > Asmaʾ al-afʿal-

Discover the meaning of the term Asmaʾ al-afʿal- (أسماء الأفعال) in Islamic vocabulary.

Definition Asmaʾ al-afʿal-

Asmaʾ al-afʿal- according to Kitab at-Ta'rifat (Al-Jurjani)

That which has the meaning of the imperative or the past tense, such as: رويدًا زيدًا (Give Zayd respite), meaning grant him respite, and هيهات الأمر (The matter is far), meaning it has become distant.

Asmaʾ al-afʿal- according to Dustur al-'Ulama (Al-Ahmadnagari)

According to the grammarians, that which has the meaning of the imperative or the past tense, whether the meaning of the past is also expressed by the past tense form, such as هيهات meaning "it became distant", or by the present tense form, such as أف meaning "I am annoyed" and أوه meaning "I lament". Indeed, أف meant "I became annoyed" and أوه meant "I lamented", but when the speaker intended to initiate annoyance and lamentation, they expressed the meaning of the past through the current present form, intending initiation rather than reporting the past.

Asmaʾ al-afʿal- according to Maqalid al-'Ulum (As-Suyuti)

That which has the meaning of the imperative or the past tense.

Related terms: Asmaʾ al-afʿal-