بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Meanings of the Preposition في

The fourth حرف الجر (preposition) mentioned by the author of Hidāyatun Nahw is في (in).

The preposition في gives a جر (the genitive case) to both an اسم الظاهر (apparent/visible word) and a اسم ضمير (personal pronoun).

An example of an اسم الظاهر is في المسجدِ,

and an example of اسم ضمير is فيه or فيها.

The preposition في mainly comes in two meanings:

1. in the meaning of place (ظرف)
2. in the meaning of على.

• The preposition في in the meaning of place:

When the preposition في is in the meaning of place, it can either be showing something being in a place, literally or metaphorically.

Below are some examples of في being used to denote place in the literal sense:

1. زيدٌ في الدارِ “Zaid is in the house.” (Zaid himself being in the house literally).
2. الماءُ في الكوزِ “The water is in the cup.” (The water actually being in the cup).
3. وفي الأرضِ اياتٌ للموقنين “In the earth are signs for those who have conviction.”[i] (Signs are actually present in the earth e.g. trees, rivers, mountains, animals, etc.)

Below are some examples of في being used to denote place metaphorically:

1. نظرتُ في الكتابِ  “I  looked in the book.” (My actual eyes are still in their sockets and are not in the book).
2.  النجاةُ في الصدقِ “Salvation lies in truthfulness.”

• The preposition في in the meaning of على:

The preposition في sometimes comes in the meaning of على. Example:

وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِي جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ أي على جذوعِ النخل

“I will surely crucify you all on the trunks of date palms.”

 

• Other meanings of the preposition في:

Sometimes في comes in the following meanings as well:

1. In the meaning of مع, for instance:

ادْخُلُوا فِي أُمَمٍ

“Enter (into the fire) with the nations.”[ii]

1. It is also used for التعليل (citing the reason), for example:

دخلتْ امراةٌ النارَ في هرةٍ حبستْها أي لهرة

“A woman entered the fire because of a cat she locked up.”[iii]

1. It is also used for المقابلة (Comparison):

فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ

“The pleasure of this worldly life is but minute compared to the hereafter.”[iv]

[Siʿāyatun Naḥw Pg.210 H.3]

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[i] Al-Dhāriyāt: 20

[ii] Al-Aʿrāf: 38

[iii] Munad Al-Firdaws: #3058

[iv] Al-Tawbah: 38