Disambiguating Devices of the Present Tense Verb for Past Time Reference in some Qur'anic Surahs: A Semantico-grammatical Study

Abstract

This study investigates the time indicators (mukhlisāt) that shift the present verb to a past-time reference in the seven surahs which begin with "Ha Meem" (Arabic: Ḥawāmīm), highlighting the role of Qur’anic context in directing temporal meaning. The term mukhlisāt denotes the verbal and non-verbal cues that disambiguate the temporal value of the present verb and determine its intended reference beyond its inherent grammatical tense. The study adopts a descriptive–analytical approach based on close observation and contextual analysis of Qur’anic evidence from the Ḥawāmīm surahs.

The findings reveal that while the present tense form constitutes the default grammatical indicator of time, it may be reinterpreted as denoting past time when accompanied by specific determiners that remove temporal ambiguity. The Ḥawāmīm surahs demonstrate a distinctive pattern in this regard, showing a notable reliance on contextual and syntactic cues-both verbal and non-verbal-to establish past-time reference with precision. At the same time, the absence of certain theoretically attested determiners underscores the textual specificity of these surahs and suggests avenues for further comparative research in other Qur’anic contexts. Overall, the study offers a focused linguistic model that illustrates the accuracy of Arabic in expressing temporal relations and emphasizes the interplay between morphological form and contextual cues in shaping verbal meaning. It thus contributes to bridging grammatical theory with applied Qur’anic analysis and deepens the understanding of temporal interpretation in Arabic verbs.