Examples of Weak Letter Verbs from The Holy Qur’an
Part 1 – المِثَالُ Verbs

In Madinah Book 2, starting with Lesson 26, we are introduced with the weak letter verbs (المُعْتَلّ) in the Arabic language.

A weak letter verb is the one, which contains one or more weak letters (و ، ي) as one of its three radicals (letters).

As we conjugate these verbs, they undergo certain changes in their structure. These changes are important to understand so we can conjugate them correctly and identify their form and the subject.

These verbs are further divided into various categories, depending upon the location of the weak letter(s). For example, verbs whose Ist radical (ف كَلِمَةٌ) is a weak letter, is called المِثَالُ. For more information about this and other types of weak letter verbs, please refer to Lessons 26, 27 and 28 of the Madinah Book No. 2. Also you can review the class notes for Book 2, which are available here.

In this part, we are listing some examples of المِثَالُ verbs from The Holy Qur’an.

The table below provides a list of the most frequently used المِثَال verbs in The Holy Qur’an. This is by no means a comprehensive list of all المِثَالُ verbs in The Holy Qur’an, only the most frequent ones. The table lists provides some of verse references where these verbs are used. You can click on the reference and it will take you to that verse in the Qur’anic text.

Please note the examples have been selected only for the un-augmented three letter verb form (ثُلَاثِي مُجَرَّد). The augmented forms (ثُلَاثِي مَزِيد) have not been considered because those are covered in Madinah Book 3.

As you review each of these examples, please identify the following.

  • 1- The tense of the verb – مَاضٍ، مُضَارِعٌ، أَمَرٌ
  • 2- For مُضَارِعٌ , identify the mood of the verb, مَرفُوعٌ، مَنْصُوبٌ، مَجْزُومٌ.
  • 3- The فَاعِلٌ

Selected References from The Holy Qur’an

Meaning

باب

الفعل
2:283, 3:30, 3:37, 4:52, 4:121, 5:6, 18:17, 7:44, 18:17, 18:53, 18:69, 20:115, 35:43, 37:102, 93:6 To find (a-i) ضَرَبَ

وَجَدَ يَجِدُ
2:268, 3:194, 7:44, 9:68, 9:72, 20:86 To promise (a-i) ضَرَبَ

وَعَدَ يَعِدُ
2:234, 6:70, 6:91, 7:186, 12:47, 19:72, 21:89, 62:9, 71:26, 75:21 To leave (a-a) فَـتَحَ

وَذَرَ يَذَرُ
3:8, 6:84, 19:5, 19:19, 25:74, 42:49 To grant (a-a) فَـتَحَ

وَهَبَ يَهَبُ
4:102, 21:47, 24:58, 24:60, 55:7, 55:10, 94:2 To put (a-a) فَـتَحَ

وَضَعَ يَضَعُ
4:63, 7:164, 16:90, 26:136, 31:13, 34:46 To warn (a-i) ضَرَبَ

وَعَظَ يَعِظُ
4:19, 4:176, 7:169, 19:6, 19:40, 23:11, 27:16 To inherit (i-i) حَسِبَ

وَرِثَ يَرِثُ

In subsequent parts, we will share references for other categories of the weak letter verbs, إن شاء اللّه

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