Arabic vocabulary
إِنَّمَاonly
How to say “only” in Arabic, with pronunciation and real example sentences from OpenArabic texts.
Example sentences
فمَن رجع إلى الله بتوفيقه فإنما رجع بها،
Whoever returns to Allah by His guidance, only truly returns through them.
فَإِنَّمَا — only truly. fa- = 'then'; innama = 'only, nothing but' — together 'then it is only', limiting the statement.
From: Knowledge, Reverence, Obedience →ومَن شرد عنه بخذلانه فإنما شرد بها
And whoever strays from Him by His forsaking, only truly strays through them.
فَإِنَّمَا — only truly. fa- = 'then'; innama = 'only, nothing but' — together 'then it is only'.
From: Knowledge, Reverence, Obedience →إِنَّمَا الْعجب من مَالك يتحبب إِلَى مَمْلُوكه بصنوف إنعامه،
Indeed, the wonder is of a Master who endears Himself to His servant with various kinds of His favors,
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. innama = 'only, nothing but', limiting and emphasizing — 'the wonder is only…'.
From: Seeds and Streams of Deeds →اعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا كَانَ جِهَادُ النَّفْسِ أَكْبَرَ مِنْ جِهَادِ الأَعْدَاءِ
Know that the struggle against one's self is indeed greater than the struggle against enemies.
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. innama = 'only, nothing but', emphasizing and limiting.
From: Resisting Temptation →إِنَّمَا تَتَبَيَّنُ فَضِيلَةُ الشَّيْءِ بِثَمْرَتِهِ وَفَائِدَتِهِ
Indeed, the virtue of a thing is demonstrated by its outcome and benefit.
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. 'innama' = 'only, none but', a restricting emphasis.
From: Intellect and Faith →وَإِنَّمَا أَرَادَ تَحْقِيق تَوْحِيد الربوبية وتوحيد الإلهية
Rather, he intended to realize tawhid al-rububiyyah (unity of lordship) and tawhid al-uluhiyyah (unity of worship).
وَإِنَّمَا — and indeed. 'innama' is a restriction word — 'the only thing is, rather'; it narrows the point to exactly one thing and brushes aside alternatives. With 'wa' before it, it pivots: 'and in fact, all he meant was...'.
From: Worship God Alone →إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِالْجُمْلَةِ التَّامَّة
It is only with complete statements.
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. 'innama' is the restriction word — 'only, nothing but'. It narrows the claim to exactly what follows and rules out everything else.
From: The Declaration of Faith →فَجَمِيع مَا شَرعه الله من الذّكر إِنَّمَا هُوَ كَلَام تَامّ لَا اسْم مُفْرد وَلَا مظهر وَلَا مُضْمر
For everything that Allah has prescribed as remembrance is complete speech, not a single word nor an explicit or implicit noun.
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. 'innama' — the restriction word, 'only, nothing but'; it narrows the predicate to exactly what follows.
From: The Declaration of Faith →وَكَذَلِكَ مَا شرع للْمُسلمين فِي صلَاتهم وأذانهم وحجهم وأعيادهم من ذكر الله تَعَالَى إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِالْجُمْلَةِ التَّامَّة كَقَوْل الْمُؤَذّن
Likewise, what has been legislated for Muslims in their prayers, calls to prayer, pilgrimage, and festivals, as a remembrance of Allah the Almighty, is indeed in complete sentences like the statement of the caller:
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. 'innama' — the restriction word, 'only, nothing but'. After the long subject it narrows the predicate to exactly what follows.
From: Small Deeds, Great Reward →فَجَمِيع مَا شَرعه الله من الذّكر إِنَّمَا هُوَ كَلَام تَامّ لَا اسْم مُفْرد وَلَا مظهر وَلَا مُضمر
Therefore, all that Allah has prescribed of remembrance is indeed complete speech, not a single noun, whether explicit or implicit.
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. 'innama' — the restriction word, 'only, nothing but'; it narrows the predicate to exactly what follows.
From: Small Deeds, Great Reward →وأمثال ذَلِك مِمَّا اسْتعْمل فِيهِ لفظ الْكَلِمَة من الْكتاب وَالسّنة بل وَسَائِر كَلَام الْعَرَب فَإِنَّمَا يُرَاد بِهِ الْجُمْلَة التَّامَّة
And similar uses of the term 'word' in the Book and the Sunnah, as well as in the rest of Arabic speech, refer to a complete sentence.
فَإِنَّمَا — so indeed. 'for indeed only' — 'fa' giving the reason plus 'innama' restricting it: 'for in all these, it is ONLY...'.
From: Small Deeds, Great Reward →فإنما أوجبه بعد التشهد الذي هو ثناء، وهو قول طاووس ووجه في مذهب أحمد
It is only obligated after the tashahhud, which is praise, according to Tawus and in one view within Ahmad's school.
فَإِنَّمَا — so indeed it is only. 'for it is only' — 'fa' (giving the reason) plus 'innama' (restriction); it narrows the obligation to one case.
From: Required Remembrance →فإنما أوجبه بعد التشهد الذي هو ثناء،
It is made obligatory after the Tashahhud, which is a form of praise,
فَإِنَّمَا — so indeed it. 'Fa-' (so) leads into a tight little tool meaning 'only / none other than': it restricts the statement to exactly what follows, ruling out alternatives. So this is not mere emphasis but a fence — it was made obligatory only in this way.
From: Praise and Petition in Prayer →إنما مثَّل ﷺ ذلك بصاحب الصُّرة التي فيها المسك؛
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used the example of the person with a bag containing musk;
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. The restriction tool — 'only / none other than'; it fences the statement to exactly what follows. The Prophet drew the comparison with one specific image and no other.
From: The Meaning of Fasting →إِنَّمَا الْعجب من قَوْله يُحِبهُمْ
The true wonder is from His saying, 'He loves them.'
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. The restriction tool 'only / none other than' — it fences the wonder to exactly what follows. The real marvel is only this.
From: The Path to God's Love →إِنَّمَا الْعجب من محسن يحب فَقِيرا مِسْكينا
The true wonder is that a kind one loves a poor, needy person.
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. The restriction tool 'only' — the true marvel is just this. It fences the wonder to what follows.
From: The Path to God's Love →عمل شاق إِنَّمَا هُوَ عمل قلب
It is not strenuous work; rather, it is the work of the heart.
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. This particle restricts: 'it is nothing but...'. It cancels the option just floated (strenuous bodily work) and pins the truth to a single answer, the work of the heart that follows.
From: Repentance and Resolve →وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ عزم وَنِيَّة جازمة تريح بدنك وقلبك وسرك
Rather, it is firm resolve and intention that brings ease to your body, heart, and mind.
وَإِنَّمَا — And rather. 'And it is only', the restrictive turn that follows the denial. Having said what the matter is not, the speaker now confines it to a single true description: firm resolve and intention.
From: Repentance and Resolve →أقسام ١ منهم من يحتج بأنه على تصحيح مذهبه وتقوية خاطره مع أنه لا يغلب على ظنه أن ذلك هو المراد بالآية وإنما يقصد الظهور على خصمه
Categories: 1 - Among them are those who argue to support their position and reinforce their view, even though they do not truly believe it is the intended meaning of the verse, but rather they aim to triumph over their opponent.
وَإِنَّمَا — but rather. This word means 'it is only / rather' — it restricts and corrects. After conceding he has no real conviction, it pivots to his true motive: 'rather, he only aims...'. It limits his goal to one thing, named next.
From: How Scholars Read Scripture →وإن كان الذي يبدو عليه في الدنيا إنما هو عمله لا سريرته
And if what appears of him in this world is only his deed and not his inner state,
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. A restricting particle meaning 'only/merely', which limits the statement to exactly one thing: it asserts that what appears is nothing but his deed. This little word does the exclusive work English spreads across 'only' or 'nothing but'.
From: Preparing for Judgment Day →وهو سبحانه إنما يستدل على أمر واقع ولا بد إما قد وقع ووجد أو سيقع
And He, glorified be He, uses evidence only for an actual matter that must have either already occurred or will occur.
إِنَّمَا — indeed only. This is a restriction particle, the tool Arabic uses to mean 'only' or 'nothing but'. It fences the statement so that what follows is presented as the sole truth, ruling out alternatives. English would carry this with stress or the word 'only'; Arabic packs it into one particle at the head of the clause.
From: Ten Proofs of Resurrection →ليس الشديد بالصرعة، إنما الشديد الذي يملك نفسه عند الغضب
"The strong is not the one who overcomes others, but the strong is one who controls himself at the time of anger."
إِنَّمَا — but rather. A particle 'rather/only' that restricts and corrects: but truly the strong is. It cancels the wrong idea and pins the real definition that follows.
From: Restraining Anger →فإذا عطلها مدعيًا للتوكل كان جهلًا بالتوكل وردًّا لحكمة الواضع لأن التوكل إنما هو اعتماد القلب على الله سبحانه وليس من ضرورته قطع الأسباب،
So if someone neglects them claiming reliance on God, it is ignorance of true trust and a rejection of the Creator's wisdom, because reliance is the heart's dependence on Allah, Exalted is He, and does not require abandoning means.
إِنَّمَا — is only. This is an emphatic restrictive particle, 'is only/nothing but', that confines the predicate to exactly what follows. It sharpens the definition to 'trust is purely...', excluding other senses.
From: Trust in God →وإنما يراد من ذكرهم شرْح أحوالهم وأخلاقهم ليقتدي بها السالك،
The purpose of mentioning them is to explain their states and morals, so that the seeker may emulate them.
وَإِنَّمَا — and the purpose. The connector 'and' joined to a two-part restrictive particle, 'only / nothing but', fencing off the point: the aim of mentioning them is only this. It carries that exclusive force while tying the clause to what came before.
From: Gaps in a Collection of Pious Lives →
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