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Last edited on : 25 November 2016
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1 (h) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is used to indicate
Adverbiality
- Real
- Local (in place)
- Temporal (in time)
- Tropical (figurative, not literally in a place or time, but in something else, e.g. in doing something)
2 (l) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi
relates to a receptacle (container, vessel), and when used in a wider sense to that which has some near resemblance thereto and also to what is considered as a receptacle. It denotes inclusion or in-being in relation to place or time either properly or tropically.
[ in , within , in the midst of , into , during ]
3 (w) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi shows that 1 thing is actually in the midst of another, surrounded by it on all sides while the Arabic preposition بِ merely indicates that 1 is close by the other or in contact with it.
[ in , within , in the midst of ]
4 (w) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is used to indicate
rest in a place or during a time or motion into a place
This signification is then further transferred to the relation subsisting between any 2 things, one of which is regarded as the place in which the other is, or happens or into which it goes or is put.
[ in , within , in the midst of , into , during ]
5 (l,w,h) . Examples for points 1 to 4 since they are conveying related and the core meaning shades of فِى fi from different angles.
[ in , within , in the midst of , into , during ]
فِى ٱلْبَيْتِ in / within / in the midst of the house.
فِى أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَاتٍ in / during counted days.
وَقَعَ فِى ٱلْبِئْرِ he fell into the well.
وَلَكُمْ فِى ٱلْقِصَاصِ حَيَوٰةٌ and for you, in the retaliation*, is life... ( Translation attempt for selected words from The Qur'an 2:179 )
*This is not ordinary retaliation but tit for tat style retaliation. Punishing criminal in same manner as he has punished the victim.
6 (w, n, l) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is also used to indicate
in the midst of , and the noun following is usually a plural or collective.
Then this primary meaning of in the midst of also gives related meaning of among or secondary meaning of with in some cases. With here does not mean close by the other or simply in contact with it, but rather with (in the midst of) or with (among) or with (in a group form) or with (join with) etc.
[ in the midst of , among , with ] (1st فِى in 1st example and the one in 2nd example)
[ in , into ] (2nd فِى in 1st example)
قَالَ ٱدْخُلُوا فِىۤ أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنْسِ فِى ٱلنَّارِ HE Said:"You enter in the midst of / among nations which have already passed from before you of Jinn and Mankind in / into the fire..." ( Translation attempt for selected words from The Qur'an 7:38 )
تَوَجَّهَ فِى خَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا he set out in the midst of / among / with (in the form of a group) 50000.
7 (w, l) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is also sometimes used to indicate
a combination of 2 qualities, a quality in another quality.
[ in , combined with ] (blended with, mixed with etc.)
سَوَادٌ فِى حُمْرَةٍ blackness in redness. Blackness combined with / blended with redness.
طُولٌ فِى ٱسْتِرْخَاءٍ length combined with looseness.
8 (w, l) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is also sometimes used to indicate
multiplication (into) and proportion (in terms of length by breadth etc.)
[ into , by ]
ثَلَٰثَةٌ فِى خَمْسَةٍ three into five (in case of multiplication). Three by five (in case of length by breadth etc.)
9 (w, l) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is also used
in the comparison of 2 objects, the one coming before فِى being inferior or smaller of the 2 and the one mentioned after فِى being superior or larger of the 2. The smaller one being, as it were, placed within the larger one for the purpose of comparing the 2.
[ in , put into , compared in , in comparison within ]
مَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا فِى ٱلْاۤخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَٰعٌ The life of the nearest (worldly life) is nothing in the last (hereafter) except consumable / temporary provision. ( Translation attempt for selected words from The Qur'an 13:26 )
10 (w) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is also used to indicate
the subject of thought or conversation, that in which these move. Hence it is also used in stating the subject of a book or chapter.
[ concerning , regarding , about , in the matter of , in the subject / topic / case of ] ( on )
تَكَلَّمَ فِى ذَٰلِكَ he spoke concerning / regarding / about that.
11 (w) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is also used to indicate
assigning a cause - in or for which something is done
[ in the cause of , in the interest of , for , for the sake of ]
وَٱلَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا and those who do jihad in OUR cause , surely WE Will certainly Guide them to OUR Paths... ( Translation attempt for selected words from The Qur'an 29:69 )
12 (w) . The Arabic preposition فِى fi is also used to indicate
assigning a reason - in consequence of which something is done.
[ in consequence of , because of ]
لَامَهُ فِى ذَٰلِكَ he blamed him in consequence of / because of that.
13 (n) . Since Arabic preposition فِى fi is often used to indicate
in a place or in a time, sometimes on is used instead of in while translating into English since in English some phrases are usually conveyed using on but can be conveyed using in also in most cases.
For example place is paper in which the act of writing happens. He wrote in the paper or he wrote on the paper. In both these cases the paper is a place in which the act of writing happened.
[ in , on ]
كَتَبَ فِى ٱلْوَرَقَةِ he wrote in / on the paper.
14 . To study this particle further in many other books read the pages for this particle in Arabic Particles Tool . Also to see other posts in Arabic Particles Meanings series.
References: When multiple references mentioned for a point, it means material selected from all quoted references more from some and less from others and all quoted references do not necessarily agree on everything. Material is not exactly copied but based on the reference quoted and I have made additions, editions & changes where required :
w = Wright Arabic Grammar English
h = Howell Arabic Grammar English
l = Lane's Lexicon
n = New indication by me
a = Arabic Almanac books
p = Arabic Particles Tool books
m = Sharh of Miatu Amil .
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بَلۡ بَلَىٰ كَ إِنۡ أَنۡ سَ سَوۡفَ أَ هَلۡ إِذۡ إِذَا إِذًا أَنَّىٰ لَـٰكِنۡ لَـٰكِنَّ