أَمَاbut

Example sentences

• قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ قَدْ كَذَبَكَ وَسَيَعُودُ

  He said, "But indeed he has lied to you and he will return."

  أَمَا — but. An opening attention-particle, 'now then / mark this', flagging that an important correction follows. It does not link two nouns but braces the whole statement after it, sharpening the contrast with the speaker's mistaken trust.

  From: The Verse of the Throne →

• أَمَا نَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ مَنْزِلَهُ فَأَقَامَهُ،

  Could the man not have known his station and remained there?

  أَمَا — Did not. A question particle fused with negation, opening a rhetorical 'is it not high time…?'. It carries no real request for information; its job is to prod or reproach through a negative question.

  From: A Stranger Finds the Prophet →

• أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَوْلَا أَنَّكَ مَعَ أَبِي صَفْوَانِ مَا رَجَعْتَ إِلَى أَهْلِكَ سَالِمًا

  By God, had you not been with Abu Sufyan, you would not have returned safely to your family.

  أَمَا — indeed. An attention-grabbing opener — 'now then, listen' — that flags the solemn oath about to be sworn. It primes the listener for emphasis rather than adding content of its own.

  From: Warning Before the Battle of Badr →

• فَقُلْتُ أَمَا تَسْتَحِيُ مِنَ النَّاسِ

  So I said, "Aren't you ashamed of the people?"

  أَمَا — Aren't you. An interrogative particle that opens a rhetorical, reproachful question expecting agreement, 'do you not...?'. It does not name a thing; its job is to frame the whole following statement as a pointed question. It sets the scolding tone of the dreamer's words.

  From: Seeking Refuge from the Devil →