Arabic vocabulary
مَاthat
How to say “that” in Arabic, with pronunciation and real example sentences from OpenArabic texts.
Example sentences
فَيرى كل مَا يسرّه من فضل الله، وكل مَا يسوءه من ذنوبه وَعدل الله فِيهِ
Thus, he sees everything that pleases him as from the grace of Allah, and everything that displeases him as from his sins and the justice of Allah upon him.
مَا — that. ma = 'what, that which', opening a relative clause ('everything that…').
From: Returning to God →فَيرى كل مَا يسرّه من فضل الله، وكل مَا يسوءه من ذنوبه وَعدل الله فِيهِ
Thus, he sees everything that pleases him as from the grace of Allah, and everything that displeases him as from his sins and the justice of Allah upon him.
مَا — that. ma = 'what, that which', opening another relative clause.
From: Returning to God →وما علم أن هبوط الغائص في اللجّة خلف الدرّ صعود
And did not know that the diver's descent into the depth in pursuit of the pearl is an ascent.
وَمَا — and did not. wa- = 'and'; ma = 'not', negating the past-tense verb that follows — 'and did not'.
From: Adam's Descent →ما جرى على آدم هو المراد من وجوده
What happened to Adam was the purpose of his existence.
مَا — what. ma = 'what, that which'; here the subject 'what (happened)'.
From: Adam's Descent →قال فما جاء بك؟
He said: What brings you here?
فَمَا — so what. fa- = 'so, then'; ma = 'what' (question word) — together 'so what'.
From: Early Converts to Islam →قال فما بال السيف في عنقك؟
He said: What about the sword around your neck?
فَمَا — so what. fa- = 'so, then'; ma = 'what' (question word) — together 'so what'.
From: Early Converts to Islam →قال اصدقني ما الذي جئت له؟
He said: Tell me honestly, what have you come for?
مَا — what. ma = 'what' (question word).
From: Early Converts to Islam →قال ما جئت إلا لذلك
He said: I have come only for that.
مَا — not. ma = 'not', negating the verb that follows.
From: Early Converts to Islam →وقص له ما قالا
And he recounted to him what they said.
مَا — what. ma = 'what, that which' — 'what (they said)'.
From: Early Converts to Islam →وهذا أمر لم يحضره إلا أنا وصفوان فوالله لأعلم ما أتاك به إلا الله،
And this is a matter witnessed only by me and Safwan, and by Allah, I know that it was none but Allah who brought it to you,
مَا — that. ma = 'what, that which' — 'what (brought it to you)'.
From: Early Converts to Islam →وَمَا تَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ مَحْبُوبٌ
And what it calls to is beloved.
وَمَا — and what. wa- = 'and'; ma = 'what, that which' — together 'and what'.
From: Resisting Temptation →لِأَنَّهَا لَا تَدْعُو إِلا إِلَى مَا تَشْتَهِي
Because it only calls to what it desires.
مَا — what. ma = 'what, that which' — 'to what (it desires)'.
From: Resisting Temptation →وَإِنَّ الأَحْمَقَ يُخَيِّرُ نَفْسَهُ فِي الأَخْلاقِ فَمَا أَحَبَّتْ مِنْهَا أَحَبَّ وَمَا كَرِهَتْ مِنْهَا كَرِهَ
And indeed, the foolish lets his soul choose in matters of conduct, so what it likes, he likes, and what it dislikes, he dislikes.
فَمَا — so what. 'fa-' = 'so'; 'ma' = 'what, whatever'.
From: Faith as Light →وَإِنَّ الأَحْمَقَ يُخَيِّرُ نَفْسَهُ فِي الأَخْلاقِ فَمَا أَحَبَّتْ مِنْهَا أَحَبَّ وَمَا كَرِهَتْ مِنْهَا كَرِهَ
And indeed, the foolish lets his soul choose in matters of conduct, so what it likes, he likes, and what it dislikes, he dislikes.
وَمَا — and what. 'wa-' = 'and'; 'ma' = 'whatever'.
From: Faith as Light →هناك، في المسافة الخفية، تُعرَض عليك اختياراتك الأولى أن تستجيب لوطأة العادة، أو أن تؤثر ما يرفعك درجةً في البصيرة
There, in the hidden distance, your first choices are presented to you: to respond to the pressure of habit, or to prefer what elevates you a degree in insight.
مَا — what. 'ma' = 'what, that which'.
From: Small Daily Habits →اجعل لكل يوم وقفة محاسبة قصيرة ما الذي زادني قربًا من ربي اليوم، وما الذي زاد الغفلة سمكًا حول قلبي
Make a brief accounting each day: What brought me closer to my Lord today, and what increased the thickness of heedlessness around my heart.
مَا — what. 'ma' = 'what', opening a question.
From: Small Daily Habits →اجعل لكل يوم وقفة محاسبة قصيرة ما الذي زادني قربًا من ربي اليوم، وما الذي زاد الغفلة سمكًا حول قلبي
Make a brief accounting each day: What brought me closer to my Lord today, and what increased the thickness of heedlessness around my heart.
وَمَا — and what. 'wa-' = 'and'; 'ma' = 'what'.
From: Small Daily Habits →احفظ لسانك من الفضول، وعينك من التشتت، ويدك من العبث، فإن الجوارح أبواب القلب، وما يدخلها يستوطن سريرته
Guard your tongue from curiosity, your eyes from distraction, and your hands from trifling, for the senses are gateways to the heart, and what enters them takes root in its core.
وَمَا — and what. 'wa-' = 'and'; 'ma' = 'whatever'.
From: Small Daily Habits →ابدأ نهارك بمسحٍ داخلي سريع ما الذي يحركني الآن، خوف أم رجاء أم عادة عمياء
Start your day with a quick inner scan: what drives me now – fear, hope, or blind habit?
مَا — what. 'ma' = 'what', opening a question.
From: On Sincerity →فَقَالَ لَهُ القامر أشْرب مَا فِي النَّهر وَإِلَّا فافتد مِنْهُ
So the winner said to him, 'Drink what is in the river, or ransom yourself from it.'
مَا — what. 'ma' = 'what, that which'.
From: Luqman's Response to Injustice →قَالَ عَيْنَيْك أفقؤهما أَو جَمِيع مَا تملك
He said, 'Your eyes, gouge them out, or everything you own.'
مَا — what. 'ma' = 'what, that which'.
From: Luqman's Response to Injustice →ثمَّ وضع مَا مَعَه
Then he put down what he had with him.
مَا — what. 'ma' = 'what, that which', here the object.
From: Luqman's Response to Injustice →فَلَمَّا جلس إِلَيْهِ قَالَ لسَيِّده مَا لي أَرَاك كئيبًا حَزينًا فاعرض عَنهُ
So when he sat down with him, he said to his master, 'Why do I see you sad and sorrowful?' But he turned away from him.
مَا — why. 'ma' here = 'what (is the matter)', opening a question.
From: Luqman's Response to Injustice →قَالَ وَمَا هُوَ
He said, 'And what is it?'
وَمَا — and what. 'wa-' = 'and'; 'ma' = 'what', opening a question.
From: Luqman's Response to Injustice →
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