Conditional Structures in the Verses of Schism in the Holy Qur'an: A Syntactic and Semantic Study

Abstract

Conditionality is one of the grammatical structures in Arabic. For a conditional sentence to be complete, three essential elements must be present: the conditional particle, the conditional verb, and the result of the condition .This study examines the conditional structures found in the Qur’anic verses that contain the Arabic root (shīn, qāf, qāf) and its derivatives occurring in the Holy Qur’an, including shiqāq (discord), shāqqa (to oppose), shāqqaqa (to dispute or oppose), yushāqqiq (to dispute or oppose), inshaqqa (to split or divide), and al-shuqqah (a portion or distance). The study explains the meanings of these forms in their lexical usage among the Arabs and examines their usage in the Holy Qur’an .One of the most significant findings concerning the lexical usage of this root is that the Arabs employed it in two ways: literally and figuratively. In the Qur’anic expression, however, this root is used in its literal sense. The study then examines the conditional sentences occurring in the Qur’anic verses related to the concept of splitting or division. The conditional particles used in the Qur’anic expression in this context are in (“if”), idhā (“when/if”), and law (“if”). The most significant finding of this section is the variation in the forms of the conditional clause and its result. In some instances, both verbs are in the imperfect tense; in others, both are in the perfect tense; while in other cases, the result clause takes the form of a nominal sentence. This variation is determined by the requirements of the context and the meaning intended by the Qur’anic discourse