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Post 1st published on : 7th April 2020.
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Post's relevant content last edited on : 7th April 2020.
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[ Core Meaning shades ]
[ | Modified meaning shades due to context | ]
[ { Meaning shade combined with context } ]
[ (possible translation related to core meaning but not direct translation for the word) ]
/ = and or or.
: = previous statement continues to next statement.
0 (l,s2,p,n). Introduction and Core Meaning shades
i: Apparently to me, and also as per the opinion of some scholars, the base letters in حَتَّىٰ are ح ت ت and its pattern is فَعْلَىٰ . This word is then used as a particle with following مَجْرُور or genitive noun. Also, when an imperfect verb follows it, in all the cases in The Qur'an, it is فعل مضارع منصوب or subjunctive imperfect verb.
ii. Lets explore some related words:
اَلْحَتّ The ceasing from a thing, having finished it, or the becoming unoccupied by a thing. The uprooting, removing or arriving to the end, i.e., to the end of the matter.
The verb حَتَّ means "he scraped (it), or rubbed (it) off (e.g. something dry e.g. dried mud, from a garment)" and حَتَّهُ عَنِ ٱلْشَيْءِ he repelled him, drove him back, or turned him back from the thing. Another meaning mentioned in lexicons is quickness, hastily doing (and thus getting it done with, completed, becoming free from it as a result).
iii. The core meaning shade of حَتَّىٰ appears to be to the point of or to the extent of and in English if a single word is to be used, we may use until or till in many cases.
حَتَّىٰ indicates continuation of the matter mentioned before it till what is mentioned after حَتَّىٰ is reached or occurrs, regardless of whether the preceding matter actually reaches its end or stops at this point, or not, depending on the context.
The 2 related use cases of حَتَّىٰ are:
Continuation of what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ till what is mentioned after حَتَّىٰ occurrs or is reached, whether it is part of what precedes it, or member of what precedes it, or is in contact with what precedes it, or is not even directly linked to what precedes it etc. This usually marks the end of what precedes (i.e. comes before) حَتَّىٰ . In this type حَتَّىٰ can be followed by a noun, or a verb or a statement.
[ until , till , to the point of , to the extent of , to the point , to the extent , till the point of , till the extent of , till the point , till the extent , as far as ]
Continuation of what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ to such an extent or to such a point, that what is mentioned after حَتَّىٰ also occurrs or is also reached. This is usually related to and because of the continuation of what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ . Unlike the 1st meaning shade, here, usually it does not mark the end of what precedes حَتَّىٰ but just marks the advancement of it to a significant extent or point. What comes after حَتَّىٰ may indicate the point or extent to which what comes before حَتَّىٰ has reached or it may indicate something else that is reached or occurrs due to reaching of what comes before حَتَّىٰ to a significant extent. In this type حَتَّىٰ is usually followed by a statement.
[ until , till , to the point of , to the extent of , to the point , to the extent , till the point of , till the extent of , till the point , till the extent , as far as ]
When حَتَّىٰ is followed by a noun, the noun is in genitive case or مجرور and when it is followed by an imperfect verb, it is always as per usage in The Qur'an, subjunctive or منصوب while some grammar books also mention some examples of مرفوع or indicative, but no example can be found from the Qur'an for it. This subjunctive verb is not independent and is dependent on حَتَّىٰ and the preceding statement, i.e. is mentioned with reference to them, based on them, and in their context (i.e. continuation of what precedes حَتَّىٰ as the background or base for occurrence of this subjunctive verb).
1 (p,n). Continuation of what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ till the genitive noun or الاسم المجرور mentioned after it is reached, on reaching which it is discontinued.
This noun can be a place, a location, a part, a member, a time, a noun of place, a noun of time, or a noun of action etc.
i.e. a matter followed by حَتَّىٰ followed by the noun at which this matter ends.
[ till , until , to the point of , to the extent of , till the point of , till the extent of ]
In The Qur'an, for this usage, only حَيْن has been used 6 times, and مَطْلَعُ ٱلْفَجْرِ has been used 1 time after حَتَّىٰ
سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ ٱلْفَجْرِ
Peace it is until the emergence of the daybreak. (Translation attempt for words from The Qur'an 97:5)
لَيَسْجُنُنَّهُۥ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ
...definitely they will ensure to make him imprisoned until a time. (Translation attempt for words from The Qur'an 12:35)
2 (p,n). Continuation of what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ till the action indicated by the subjunctive verb or فعل مضارع منصوب and its following words mentioned after it, occurrs, on the occurrence of which, what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ is discontinued.
i.e. a matter followed by حَتَّىٰ followed by the subjunctive verb فعل مضارع منصوب at which this matter ends.
[ till , until , to the point of , to the extent of , till the point of , till the extent of]
ۚ وَلَا تَنْكِحُواْ ٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنَّ
and don't marry the associators(fem) until they believe ...(Translation attempt for Words from The Qur'an 2:221)
3 (p,n). Continuation of what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ to such an extent or to such a point that the action indicated by the subjunctive verb or فعل مضارع منصوب and its following words mentioned after it, occurrs, on the occurrence of which, what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ may still continue, as this action just marks reaching of a certain point or extent of what precedes حَتَّىٰ hattaa, that this action also occurrs.
i.e. a matter followed by حَتَّىٰ followed by the subjunctive verb فعل مضارع منصوب at which the matter reaches a certain point or extent.
[ till , until , to the point of , to the extent of , till the point of , till the extent of]
وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللّٰهِ
... and they were shaken to the point of the messenger and those together with him saying when is ALLAH's Help?
... and they were shaken to the extent of the messenger and those together with him saying when is ALLAH's Help?
(Translation attempts for Words from The Qur'an 2:214)
4 (p,n). Stating that the matter mentioned before حَتَّىٰ continued till the action indicated by the perfect verb or فعل ماضي and its following words mentioned after it, occurred, on the occurrence of which, what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ was discontinued.
i.e. a matter followed by حَتَّىٰ followed by the perfect verb فعل ماضي at which the matter ended.
[ till , until , to the point , to the extent , till the point , till the extent ]
أَلْهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ ٱلْمَقَابِرَ
The competition for abundance distracted you until you unexpectingly ended up in the graves. (Translation attempt for Words from The Qur'an 102:1-2)
5 (p,n). Stating that the matter mentioned before حَتَّىٰ continued till the action indicated by the perfect verb or فعل ماضي and its following words mentioned after it, occurred, on the occurrence of which, what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ could still continue, as it was not something that stopped the preceding matter, or it was just a point or extent or stage of the preceding matter which didn't mark its end. This can just be a significant stage or point or extent for what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ as in below example from The Qur'an, or it can be another action that occurred on reaching a point or extent of the matter mentioned before حَتَّىٰ
i.e. a matter followed by حَتَّىٰ followed by the perfect verb فعل ماضي at which the matter reached a certain extent or point.
[ till , until , to the point , to the extent , till the point , till the extent ]
وَٱلْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَـٰهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَٱلْعُرْجُونِ ٱلْقَدِيمِ
and the moon(object), We Determined of it stages to the point it returned like the old عُرْجُون urjoon*.
and the moon(object), We Determined of it stages to the extent it returned like the old عُرْجُون urjoon*.
(Translation attempts for Words from The Qur'an 36:39)
urjoon عُرْجُون translation attempt: dried and curved raceme of a date palm tree.
6 (p,n). Continuation of what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ till it reaches the point in time indicated by إِذَا in the shade of "when", along with its following statement indicating "what happens at this when" , on reaching which, what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ is discontinued.
i.e. a matter followed by حَتَّىٰ followed by إِذَا in the shade of "when", along with its following statement indicating "what happens at this when" at which the matter ends.
[ till , until , to the point , to the extent , till the point , till the extent ]
وَٱبْتَلُواْ ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغُواْ ٱلنِّكَاحَ
and try the orphans till the point when they have reached the marriage...(Translation attempt for Words from The Qur'an 4:6)
7 (p,n). Continuation of what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ till it reaches the point in time indicated by إِذَا in the shade of "when", along with its following statement indicating "what happens at this when", on reaching which, what is mentioned before حَتَّىٰ still continues, it either just marks when some point or extent of it is reached, or marks a point or extent of it when something else also happens.
i.e. a matter followed by حَتَّىٰ followed by إِذَا in the shade of "when", along with its following statement indicating "what happens at this when" at which the matter reaches a certain extent or point.
[ till , until , to the point , to the extent , till the point , till the extent ]
وَإِن يَّرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءايَةٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوكَ يُجَـٰدِلُونَكَ
...and if they see every sign, they will not believe in it to the extent when they have come to you, they argue with you... (Translation attempt for Words from The Qur'an 6:25)
8 (n). In some books, its core meaning shade is mentioned as ending of utmost extent or انتهاء الغاية but as per usage, we can say that what comes after حَتَّىٰ gives the extent for what comes before حَتَّىٰ in the current context or from the angle of what the speaker says in this context, i.e. it is not necessary that what comes after حَتَّىٰ is the utmost extent of what comes before حَتَّىٰ . Then some books start labeling its meaning shades as being in the sense of إِلَىٰ or towards or إِلَىٰ أَنْ or towards that or كَىْ or so that and even إِلَّا أَنْ or except that, but I don't agree with this approach. Lets understand this with a simple example in English, suppose I say, "I will keep testing you till you succeed", you may say to me, no! your till means towards here as this testing is going towards success i.e. "I will keep testing you towards your success", or you may say, no! your till means so that here, i.e. "I will keep testing you so that you succeed", or you may say, no! your till means means except that here, i.e. "I will keep testing you except that you succeed". While I reply to you, I chose the word till here and how do you know better than even me what I had in my mind when I spoke till over any other possible word like towards, or so that?
To study this particle further in many other books read the related pages 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 and Mawrid Reader books
p = Arabic Particles Tool books
p2 = Ma'ani un Nahw (AP Tool 2) .
m = Sharh of Miatu Amil .
f = Fischer Arabic Grammar (its PDF can be downloaded from the link).
q = Qawaid Zaban e Qur'an Urdu .
s2 = The Subjunctive Mood in Arabic Grammmatical Thought by Arik Sadan .
Arabic has been typed using the free and detailed Arabic keyboard, latest live version of which is available at:
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بَلۡ بَلَىٰ كَ إِنۡ أَنۡ سَ سَوۡفَ أَ هَلۡ إِذۡ إِذَا إِذًا أَنَّىٰ لَـٰكِنۡ لَـٰكِنَّ