بِأَيِّfor what

Example sentences

• صَاحَ مُسْتَغِيثًا بِهِمْ تَرَى هَذَا بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ؟

  Someone calling to them for help cried out: "Do you see this? For what sin?!"

  بِأَيِّ — for what. A 'bi-' fused to the question word 'which/what', together asking 'for what...?' or 'on account of which...?'. The preposition gives the question a 'by reason of' slant, and it governs the noun after it into the 'of'-style ending, so the unit demands the specific sin that could justify the suffering.

  From: Preparing for Death and Repentance →