فَقِيرًاa poor man

Example sentences

• وَإِذَا بَلَغَكَ أَنْ فَقِيرًا اِسْتَغْنَى فَصَدِّقْ،

  And if it reaches you that a poor man has become wealthy, then believe it.

  فقيرًا — a poor man. A describing word used as a stand-alone noun, 'a poor one', and the subject of what is reported. Its indefinite accusative ending, the doubled-vowel 'an' sound, marks it as one unspecified person. The case is set by its role in the reported clause.

  From: On Foolishness and Wisdom →

• وَإِنْ قِيلَ لَكَ إِنَّ رَجُلًا فَقِيرًا خَرَجَ إِلَى بَلَدٍ فَاسْتَفَادَ مَالًا فَصَدِّقْ،

  And if it is said to you that a poor man went to a land and gained money, then believe it.

  فقيرًا — poor. A describing word, 'poor', attached to the man and agreeing with him by also taking the accusative ending. Adjectives in Arabic copy the case of the noun they describe, which is why it matches. It narrows down which man is meant.

  From: On Foolishness and Wisdom →