FatwaFederal TerritoriesQuran & Hadith
AL-KAFI #1291: MENGAPAKAH DIGUNAKAN PERKATAAN "سنة" DAN "عام" DALAM AYAT KE-14 SURAH AL-‘ANKABUT?
Why are both "سنة" and "عام", which both mean year, used together in verse 14 of Surah al-'Ankabut?
Short answer
Exegetes give two reasons. First, the exception form (a thousand years minus fifty) states the number more precisely and makes a stronger impression on listeners, fitting the warning context of the verse.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Quran & Hadith
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Exegetes give two reasons. First, the exception form (a thousand years minus fifty) states the number more precisely and makes a stronger impression on listeners, fitting the warning context of the verse. Second, using different words avoids a pointless repetition that goes against Arabic eloquence; al-Maraghi and al-Asfahani also note that "عام" usually denotes a period of ease and fertility while "سنة" denotes hardship and drought, as seen in Surah Yusuf verses 47 to 49.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Istisna' (pengecualian) yang digunakan dalam ayat ini adalah untuk menetapkan dan menegaskan bilangan sesuatu perkara tersebut dengan lebih tepat
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1291: MENGAPAKAH DIGUNAKAN PERKATAAN "سنة" DAN "عام" DALAM AYAT KE-14 SURAH AL-‘ANKABUT?”, 18 June 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/3494-al-kafi-1291-mengapakah-digunakan-perkataan-dan-dalam-ayat-ke-14-surah-al-ankabut. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/why-sanah-and-am-used-surah-ankabut-verse-14/