Saying "JazakAllah" vrs "JazakAllah khairn"

[DanyalSAC]

Asalaamu alaikum -

I'm under the impression that saying "JazakAllah" by itself is considered poor grammar and is frowned upon by Arabic speakers. Indeed it seems the habit of saying "JazakAllah" by itself is done mostly by people from non-Arabic speaking countries (South Asia, Turkey, USA, etc). Here at my masjid I've been singled out & corrected the couple of times I've slipped and forgotten the "khairn" part, but then I'm a convert and subjected to constant scrutiny.

Am I correct - IS saying "jazakAllah" by itself poor grammar and "frowned on" or is it just something converts should avoid? I ask because I've never - EVER - seen or heard someone correct anyone else for saying this.

Thank you!
JazakALLAH KHAIRN

D

p.s. sidebar - is this a gender specific statement? Meaning, if I say it to man or to a woman is it the same?

 

[Aisya al-Humaira]

Wa'alaykummusalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh,

Yes, they are frowned upon when not included with khaayran [goodness] because Jazaaka Allaah simply means "May Allaah recompense you" that can either means "May Allaah recompense you with goodness" or the other way around -- "May Allaah recompense you with un-goodness". [Though we know that of course, the one wishing that to us means only khaayr, inshaAllaah].

There was a thread some time ago discussing about it. Alhamdulillah I found it:

http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36977

Brother Ayman actually posted a very good answer with regards to your question but sadly, its not there anymore. However, I do remember bits of whats been posted.

Yes, there are differences when it comes to gender in Arabic language.

Jazaaka Allaahu khaayr = used when you say it to a man

Jazaaki Allaahu khaayr = used when saying it to a woman

Jazaakum Allaahu khaayr = used when addressing it to a few people [that may consists of men and women in the crowd].

Hope that enlightens you a bit, inshaAllaah.

Some time ago, you posted regarding you pursuing in learning the Arabic language. How did it go?

Was-salaam.

 

[thariq2005]

Wa `alaykum salaam wa rahmatullaah

Yes- correct... saying JazaakAllaah by itself is not complete. 'Cos " Jazaa' " in the arabic language does not exactly translate as 'reward'. That is only one of the meanings- it can carry the meaning of 'Thawaab' (reward), the meaning of `Iqaab (Punishment) etc.

Thus, saying 'Khayran' completes the meaning.

P.S As a side note it is meant to be JazaakAllaahu khayraa as the word khayr ends with a fathatayn (two fathah's) and according to the majority of grammarians it is a grammatical error to stop it as JazaakAllaahu khayr, instead of JazaakAllaahu khayraa. This is what was mentioned by the ustaadh who taught us.

 

[thariq2005]

Forgot to mention. As Sister Aisya mentioned: it is gender specific depending on the pronoun you use- which in this case is the 'ka' in JazaakAllaahu khayraa. Changing it to ki makes it 2nd person singular feminine, changing it to hu makes it 3rd person singular masculine (may Allaah reward him with good), changing it to kum makes it 2nd person plural masculine (may Allaah reward all of you with good- directed at a group of men)... and so and so forth.

 

[Aisya al-Humaira]

Wa `alaykum salaam wa rahmatullaah

Yes- correct... saying JazaakAllaah by itself is not complete. 'Cos " Jazaa' " in the arabic language does not exactly translate as 'reward'. That is only one of the meanings- it can carry the meaning of 'Thawaab' (reward), the meaning of `Iqaab (Punishment) etc.

Thus, saying 'Khayran' completes the meaning.

P.S As a side note it is meant to be JazaakAllaahu khayraa as the word khayr ends with a fathatayn (two fathah's) and according to the majority of grammarians it is a grammatical error to stop it as JazaakAllaahu khayr, instead of JazaakAllaahu khayraa. This is what was mentioned by the ustaadh who taught us.

If we wish to continue with the long version of it, that would be:

Jazaaka Allaahu khaayran katheeran.

But since one wishes to stop at the khaayr, we only take one fathah: Jazaaka Allaahu khaayraa.

If you notice, its exactly the same when reading the Quraan when it comes to the end of an ayaat, isn't it Brother Thariq? When there's two fathah, we read it as one because it is the end of the ayaat.

 

[DanyalSAC]

Thank you both for your replies... jazakumAllah khayran

I am learning slowly but surely - I am learning how to say "what is this? This is a...<random noun here>." Alhamdulillah. We have an Arabic class at my masjid but its only for one hour on Wednesdays.

I can read now though, I can read the Qur'an but not interpret it so I have no idea what I am reading.

 

[thariq2005]

If you notice, its exactly the same when reading the Quraan when it comes to the end of an ayaat, isn't it Brother Thariq? When there's two fathah, we read it as one because it is the end of the ayaat.

Erm, maybe you didn't mean to say the above. We stop it like there is a fathah on the letter and is followed by an alif.

 

[Aisya al-Humaira]

No, I meant what I said. Or it might be that my sentence wasn't nicely arranged that caused the confusion.

But yes, we read as one fathah and it is followed with an aalif. Example in Surah Al-Waqiah: 25. As for ayaat 35 in the same suraah, it reads with one fathah too. This applies only to the kaalimah at the end of an ayaat because if one reads it continuously with the later kalimaah of the next ayaat, the two fathah is preserved.

So, I was saying that in Arabic daily sentences are also the same. Or I am incorrect in my understanding?

 

[Janaan]

Wa `alaykum salaam wa rahmatullaah


P.S As a side note it is meant to be JazaakAllaahu khayraa as the word khayr ends with a fathatayn (two fathah's) and according to the majority of grammarians it is a grammatical error to stop it as JazaakAllaahu khayr, instead of JazaakAllaahu khayraa. This is what was mentioned by the ustaadh who taught us.

I think it'll take quite sometime for us non-Arabs to fix that 'khayR' into 'khayraa'...
But how is it that your ustaadh didn't point out the error in JazaakAlaah, as well? the word, if i'm not mistaken, is jazaa'- جزاء - ends with a hamzah. yet, most of us write it out as 'JazAA' instead..

 

[msmoorad]

salaams to all

i still say jazakallah
insha allah everyone understands what im saying & Allah ta'ala definitely knows what i mean by those words

i now know its proper to add "khayr" at the end but ive been doing it this way all my life so far & its a bit awkward to change.

and Allah ta'ala knows best
jazakallah(see)

 

[Absolute truth]

If we wish to continue with the long version of it, that would be:

Jazaaka Allaahu khaayran katheeran.

But since one wishes to stop at the khaayr, we only take one fathah: Jazaaka Allaahu khaayraa.

If you notice, its exactly the same when reading the Quraan when it comes to the end of an ayaat, isn't it Brother Thariq? When there's two fathah, we read it as one because it is the end of the ayaat.

Jazaak Allaahu khaayraa :ma:

 

[Aapa]

Assalaam walaikum,

Well...I am the slow one..can we start using it on the threads until I catch on.

 

[alf2]

Thank you both for your replies... jazakumAllah khayran

I am learning slowly but surely - I am learning how to say "what is this? This is a...<random noun here>." Alhamdulillah. We have an Arabic class at my masjid but its only for one hour on Wednesdays.

I can read now though, I can read the Qur'an but not interpret it so I have no idea what I am reading.

LOL! The phrase "what is this?" Is very useful to know!
That was one of the first phrases i learned in spanish. So i would go around asking......Que es eso? (what is this?) Helped to build my vocabulary.

Another good phrase to learn is "How do you say this in Arabic?"

 

[Mabsoot]

Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullah,

Barak Allahu Feek!

 

[thariq2005]

But yes, we read as one fathah and it is followed with an aalif. Example in Surah Al-Waqiah: 25. As for ayaat 35 in the same suraah, it reads with one fathah too.

No- both of those verses are meant to be pronounced as although there is an alif at the end. Basically- it is elongated for 2 harakah at the end. You can hear this clearly with a slow paced recitation.

I think it'll take quite sometime for us non-Arabs to fix that 'khayR' into 'khayraa'...
But how is it that your ustaadh didn't point out the error in JazaakAlaah, as well? the word, if i'm not mistaken, is jazaa'- جزاء - ends with a hamzah. yet, most of us write it out as 'JazAA' instead..

The hamzah is actually dropped when you add a dameer (pronoun) to it. So when you write it, it is written as: جزاك الله خيرا

 

[Aisya al-Humaira]

This is from a native Arabic speaker:

The “n” in Khayran may be dropped if you pause after it. In fact, it’s more proper Arabic to drop it in that case. But if you continue talking, the “n” must be pronounced, e.g., Jazaaka Allaahu Khayran Katheera (may God recompense you with plenty of good). That “n” is called Tanween in Arabic grammar.

Edit/Addition: Therefore, when I mentioned about when there's two fathah (a tanween) we read it as one, I was referring to dropping the "n".

As for in reciting the Quran, it is in the rules of tajweed. Perhaps you might want to check it again - - about how tanween is read when it is at the end of an ayaat or when one wishes to pause, inshaAllaah.

 

[thariq2005]

This is from a native Arabic speaker:

Yup that is correct

 

[Seeking Allah's Mercy]

Forgot to mention. As Sister Aisya mentioned: it is gender specific depending on the pronoun you use- which in this case is the 'ka' in JazaakAllaahu khayraa. Changing it to ki makes it 2nd person singular feminine, changing it to hu makes it 3rd person singular masculine (may Allaah reward him with good), changing it to kum makes it 2nd person plural masculine (may Allaah reward all of you with good- directed at a group of men)... and so and so forth.

Asalamoalaikom wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh.

Can you please clarify:

a) Where does this 'hu' fit in? After Jazaak or after Allah?

b)I understood the others as JazaakiAllahu Khayraa for Female, JazaakAllaahu khayraa for male. JazaakumAllahu Khayraa for prular musculine, what about prular feminine?

JazaakAllahu khayraa.

 

[thariq2005]

Wa `alaykum salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

a) You replace it with the 'Kaaf'... so basically you would pronounce it like this: "Jazaahullaahu khayraa" (The Hu is connected to Allaah)

b) It will be Jazaakillaahu khayraa (the ki is connected to Allaah like before).

For plural masculine is Hum (3rd Person), Plural Feminine is Hunna (3rd Person), Plural Masculine is Kum (2nd Person), Plural Feminine is Kunna (2nd Person)

 

[Seeking Allah's Mercy]

Just to confirm I got it right:

Jazaakillahu Khayraa = 2nd person feminine. (May Allah reward you with good).

JazaakAllaahu khayraa = 2nd person musculine. (May Allaah reward you (male) with good).

JazaakumAllahu Khayraa = plural 2nd person musculine. (May Allah reward you (plural musculine) with good).

JazaakunnAllah Khayraa = plural 2nd person feminine. (May Allah reward you (plural feminine) with good).

Jazaahullaahu khayraa = 3rd person Musculine (May Allaah reward him with good).

Jazaahallahu Khayraa = 3rd person Feminine (May Allaah reward her with good).

JazaahumAllahu Khayraa = plural 3rd person musculine. (May Allah reward them with good).

JazaahunnAllahu Khayraa = plural 3rd person feminine. (May Allah reward them with good).

Corrections??