Lam of Verb, Noun, Particle and Command
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Level: basic
lam-rules
tj-101
After Lam at-Ta'reef and Lam Al-Jalalah, other lams are categorized by word type:
(1) Lam of Verb: Sakinah lam in verbs. Generally apparent (Izhar), but merged into Lam or Ra.
Examples: قُلْ هُوَ (apparent), قُل لَّا (merged into Lam), قُل رَّبِّ (merged into Ra).
(2) Lam of Noun: Sakinah lam inside a noun. Always apparent (no merging).
Examples: أَلْسِنَتُكُمْ، سُلْطَانٍ، أَلْفَافًا
(3) Lam of Particle: Only in هَلْ and بَلْ. Apparent, except merges into Lam/Ra.
Examples: هَلْ أَتَى (apparent), بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ (merged), بَل رَّفَعَهُ (merged, with optional sakt in Hafs).
(4) Lam of Command: Imperative lam (لِـ) on present-tense verbs. Always apparent.
Examples: فَلْيَعْبُدُوا، وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا، وَلْيَخْشَ
Source: Matn Al-Jazariyyah verse 88 | Tuhfat Al-Atfal | Ghayat Al-Mureed
Question: Why is the Lam merged in "قُل لَّا" but not in "أَلْسِنَتُكُمْ"?
Answer: In "قُل لَّا" it is a verb-Lam followed by another Lam — must merge. In "أَلْسِنَتُكُمْ" it is a noun-Lam — never merges