إِلَّexcept

Example sentences

• رُبَّ صَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ صَوْمِهِ إِلَّا الْجُوعُ وَالْعَطَشُ، وَرُبَّ قَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ إِلَّا السَّهَرُ

  'Perhaps a fasting person gains nothing from his fast except hunger and thirst, and perhaps one who prays gains nothing from his prayer except sleeplessness.'

  إِلَّا — except. An exception particle, 'except / save', that carves out the one thing left after the blanket denial. It links the 'nothing' to the sole remainder, hunger and thirst.

  From: Empty Fasting, Empty Prayer →