مُخَالِفopponent

Example sentences

• يُحسنُ الظنَّ بمخالفه، فيُفسِّر كلامَه على أفضلِ محاملِه ما دام يحتمل، ويُفرّق بين نقضِ القولِ وإهانةِ القائل

  He thinks well of his opponent, interpreting his words in the best possible light as long as they can bear it, and distinguishes between refuting the statement and insulting the speaker.

  بِمُخَالِفِهِ — with his opponent. The idiom 'think well' marks its target with 'bi-' — 'thinks well OF his opponent.' The noun is an active participle, 'the one who differs,' with 'his' attached. He extends good faith to the very person he disagrees with.

  From: Mercy in Disagreement →

• جد سيدنا ومولانا الإمام الواجبة ومخالفه جاهلي في مذهبي

  The ancestor of our master and lord, the Imam whose obedience is obligatory, and whoever opposes him is ignorant in my view.

  وَمُخَالِفُهُ — and his opposer. This is wa- joined to a doer-noun, 'the one who opposes', with the attached -hu adding 'him'. The wa- starts a fresh clause, and the suffix fastens the object 'him' onto the agent-noun, so one word means 'his opposer'.

  From: The Story of Prophet Joseph →