Deviation in the Forms of the Active Participle and the Passive Participle: Examples from the Interpretation of Abd al-Rahman al-Tha‘alabi

Abstract

Linguists have devoted considerable attention to morphological forms because of their importance in interpreting linguistic structures and stylistic expression. Differences in morphological strength may produce semantic variation, particularly when a form departs from the meaning of its original pattern, a phenomenon known as morphological deviation. This study examines deviation in active and passive participle forms in Abd al-Rahman al-Tha‘alabi’s Qur’anic exegesis. It investigates the selection of these forms, the reasons for their departure from standard patterns, and their rhetorical, stylistic, and pragmatic functions. Such deviation is intentional and context-dependent, serving specific communicative purposes in relation to the addressed audience. The study also presents al-Tha‘alabi’s explanations and the views of earlier linguists and exegetes cited in his commentary. The findings reveal eighteen deviated forms: nine active participles and nine passive participles. Al-Tha‘alabi further explains the relevant morphological rules and how these deviations contribute to determining Qur’anic meaning.