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Linguistic Subtleties
Surah: Al-Insan (6)
Tadmin (Semantic Inclusion) in the Quran — Meaning and Examples
عَيۡنٗا يَشۡرَبُ بِهَا عِبَادُ ٱللَّهِ يُفَجِّرُونَهَا تَفۡجِيرٗا
— الإنسان الآية 6
Definition:
Tadmin is when a verb or noun carries the meaning of another word and therefore follows that word's grammatical pattern — a subtlety of Quranic eloquence that combines two meanings in a single expression.
First Example:
"We helped him against the people" — the verb "helped" (nasara) normally takes "upon" not "from," but here it implies "rescued" and takes "from" — the verse combines both help and deliverance.
Second Example:
"A spring from which the servants of Allah drink with it" — "drink with it" instead of "from it" — the verb implies "be quenched" — combining drinking and satisfaction.
Significance: Tadmin doubles the meaning without lengthening the expression — evidence of rhetorical inimitability that is concise yet complete.
Tadmin is when a verb or noun carries the meaning of another word and therefore follows that word's grammatical pattern — a subtlety of Quranic eloquence that combines two meanings in a single expression.
First Example:
"We helped him against the people" — the verb "helped" (nasara) normally takes "upon" not "from," but here it implies "rescued" and takes "from" — the verse combines both help and deliverance.
Second Example:
"A spring from which the servants of Allah drink with it" — "drink with it" instead of "from it" — the verb implies "be quenched" — combining drinking and satisfaction.
Significance: Tadmin doubles the meaning without lengthening the expression — evidence of rhetorical inimitability that is concise yet complete.
Source: Al-Zarkashi, Al-Burhan (2/448); Al-Suyuti, Al-Itqan (2/333); Ibn Hisham, Mughni al-Labib
Test Yourself
What is Tadmin? Give an example from Surat al-Insan.
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