Usool At-tafseer by Shu‘bah ibn al-Hajjaaj, Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah and it was translated by Dr. M. Abdul Haq Ansari

The ‘aamm could be defined as an expression which is completely general in whatever it refers to when used literally. 52 However, ‘aamm expressions may refer to specific things when they are used figuratively. The khaass, on the other hand, is used for a word which is applied to a limited number of things; for instance, if one were ordered to feed ten poor people, that expression would be khaass. 53

It should be noted that certain ‘aamm expressions are more comprehensive than others. For instance, the category of men is a smaller category than the category of human beings, which includes it. The category of human beings, in turn, is smaller than the category of mammals, which is smaller than the category of animals, and so on. 54 When an ‘aamm expression is qualified or restricted by another more limited ‘aamm expression or a khaass expression, the process is called takhsees, and the limiting expression is called the mukhassis of the broader category.55

The following six examples contain the most commonly used general expressions which can be found in the Qur’aan:56

1. Kull (all, every, or each): This word could be translated into English in a variety of ways, depending on the context. An example of this word’s usage can be found in Allaah’s statements in the Qur’aan:

These two verses confirm the fact that all things have a beginning point at which they were created and every living soul must come to an end of its existence

Hence, Islaam rejects as false the Biblical figure ‘Melchizedek,” 59 concerning whom a chapter of unknown authorship called “The Letter to the Hebrews” says, “He (Melchizedek) is without father or mother or genealogy and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the son of God he continues a priest forever.”60

2. Al (of definiteness, not in reference to something known to the readers): Although “al” is normally translated as “the,” in this case it translates as “all” or “every.” For example, the verse:

the Muslim community—and, more specifically, their rulers, who have been delegated the responsibility of establishing justice and legal punishments—would not be in compliance with this order until they cut the hand of every male and female thief.

3. An-Nakirah (the indefinite in a negative or prohibitive construction): Normally, “a” or “an” is put before the Arabic indefinite form when it is translated into English; however, in an expression containing a negation, the indefinite should be translated in such a way as to indicate its generality. For example, the literally translated verse,

should read, “So there should be no vulgarity, obscenity, or argumentation during hajj.” Likewise, in the verse,

“a one” would be better translated as “anyone.”

4. Allathee and its Arabic derivatives (the relative pronouns) when acting as subject of the sentence, in which case they would translate as “whoever.” An example of this usage can be found in the following verse condemning those who mistreat their parents:

“Whoever” in this verse is general, ‘aam, and refers to anyone who would speak disrespectfully to his or her parents.

5. Asmaa’ ash-shart (subordinators which begin conditional clauses: whoever (man), whatever (maa), wherever (aynamaa), whichever (ayyumaa), etc.): All of these expressions convey a generality in English in virtually the same way that they do in Arabic; for example, Allaah’s statement in the Qur’aan about Safaa and Marwah, the two hills near the Ka‘bah:

Other examples can be found in the verses,

and,

6. Ismul-jins (a generic noun in the mudaaf [possessive] construction with a definite noun or pronoun): The following verses are examples of this type of generality:

The generic noun amr is related to the possessive pronoun hi, making it general.

The warning is directed at those who oppose any of the Prophet’s instructions.

Likewise, the verse,

refers to inheritance laws for all children.