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I'jaz
Surah: Al-Baqarah (282)
Brevity in Nominal Sentences — The Power of Constancy Over Occurrence
وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ
— البقرة الآية 282
The key distinction:
The verbal sentence denotes occurrence and renewal — "Zayd rises" means: he rises repeatedly. The nominal sentence denotes constancy and permanence — "Zayd is standing" means: this is his established quality.
Quranic example: "And Allah is All-Knowing of all things." (Surah 2:282)
The beauty:
If "ya'lamu Allahu kull shay'" were said, it would indicate the action at a given time. "'Alim" is a noun — it signals that knowledge is an inherent, inseparable attribute, not something that occurs then ceases. The nominal sentence here establishes divine knowledge as permanent and absolute. Al-Jurjani: "The noun in the chapter of attributes conveys rootedness and permanence that the verb cannot."
The verbal sentence denotes occurrence and renewal — "Zayd rises" means: he rises repeatedly. The nominal sentence denotes constancy and permanence — "Zayd is standing" means: this is his established quality.
Quranic example: "And Allah is All-Knowing of all things." (Surah 2:282)
The beauty:
If "ya'lamu Allahu kull shay'" were said, it would indicate the action at a given time. "'Alim" is a noun — it signals that knowledge is an inherent, inseparable attribute, not something that occurs then ceases. The nominal sentence here establishes divine knowledge as permanent and absolute. Al-Jurjani: "The noun in the chapter of attributes conveys rootedness and permanence that the verb cannot."
Source: Al-Jurjani, Dala'il Al-I'jaz (p.180); Al-Zarkashi (3/170); Al-Maydani (2/14)
Test Yourself
Why did the Quran say "Alimun" (noun) instead of "ya'lamu" (verb) in this context?
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