FAQs for 1A Lesson 2:
1.) I understand that a definite word has (الـ) at its beginning, whereas an indefinite word has tanwin at its end. Can a word ever have both?
A noun (اِسْمٌ) cannot have both (الـ) at its beginning and tanwin at its end. The reason for this is that these two juxtapose each other. (الـ) at the beginning of a word reflects definiteness, while tanwin at the end of word reflects indefiniteness. Both states cannot coexist in one word. It would be like saying “a the pen,” which also does not make sense in English. Therefore, a word (اِسْمٌ) either has (الـ) at its beginning or tanwin at its end, but not both.
2.) If a definite word is supposed to have (الـ) at its beginning yet no tanwin at its end, then why are certain words like مُحَمَّدٌ and زَيدٌ considered definite?
All proper names (names of people, cities, and countires) are definite by virtue of being a proper name. However, some proper names do not take (الـ) even as proper names, such as مُحَمَّدٌ and زَيدٌ. These are still definite, despite not taking (الـ) at their beginning. There is no consistent pattern as to which names behave in this way. One has to memorize these names as one comes along them!
3.) Are pronouns like هُمْ and أنا considered definite or indefinite?
All pronouns (both detached and attached) are considered definite, even though they do not take (الـ) at their beginning. This must be memorized as such, because the pronouns do not take the usual indicators of definiteness that we have seen so far.
4.) In phrases like عَنِ الْقَمَرِ, why does the sukun in عَنْ change to a kasrah and thereby look like عَنِ?
The reason for this is phonetic in nature. The عَنْ does indeed have a sukun on the (ن), but it is “temporarily” changed to a kasrah because there would be two sukuns back to back if it were عَنْ الْقَمَرِ, hence the sukun on the (ن) is changed to a kasrah in order to resolve. But then the question becomes, why a kasrah? Why not change the sukun to a fathah or a dammah? There is no particular reason for this among the Arabs. The Arabs simply “decided” to put a “helper” kasrah on the (ن). Other prepositions that are placed in this category may take other harakat. For example, هُمْ would take a dammah in هُمُ المُؤْمِنُون, yet مِنْ would take a fathah in مِنَ القَمَرِ.
5.) How can I tell if a letter is a moon or sun letter?
There are a few indications in the Quran that can help with this. A sun letter will often have a shaddah on it, while having no sukun on the laam preceding it. For example, الشَّمْسُ. Whereas a moon letter will be the oppposite of this: a moon letter will not have a shadd on it, but there will be a sukun on the laam preceding it. For example, القَمَرُ. Beyond this, these letters have to be memorized as either sun or moon letters (though, with enough reading of the Quran, this concept often becomes second nature due to exposure and repetition).