JAMB Arabic Studies 2021
Questions & Answers

Sound feminine plural nouns in Arabic take the 'ـات' ending in the accusative case with tanwin, e.g., 'طالباتٍ' (students). 'ـين' is used for masculine plural accusative/genitive, 'ـون' for masculine plural nominative, and 'ـان' for dual nominative. Option A is correct.

'نحن' (we) is a detached pronoun used independently, e.g., 'نحن ندرس' (We study). 'ك' (you) and 'ي' (me) are attached pronouns, used as suffixes, e.g., 'كتابك' (your book). 'هم' (they) is also detached but 'نحن' is the clearest example here. Option B is correct.

The particle 'عن' indicates separation, e.g., 'ابتعد عن الخطر' (Stay away from danger), or topic, e.g., 'تحدث عن الكتاب' (He spoke about the book). It does not denote direction ('إلى'), possession ('لـ'), or emphasis ('إن'). Option B is correct.

In the sentence 'الأطفال يلعبون في الحديقة' (The children play in the garden), 'الأطفال' (the children) is the subject performing the action 'يلعبون' (play). 'في الحديقة' is a prepositional phrase, and 'يلعبون' is the verb. Option B is correct.

The genitive case for an indefinite singular noun is marked by 'كسرة' with tanwin, e.g., 'كتابٍ' (a book). 'ضمة' indicates nominative, 'فتحة' accusative, and 'سكون' denotes a vowelless state, not a case marker. Option C is correct.

The dual form of 'أخت' (sister) in the nominative case is 'أختان' (two sisters). 'أخوات' is the plural, 'أختون' is incorrect, and 'أختين' is the accusative/genitive dual. Option A is correct.

A hollow verb has a weak middle letter (و or ي), e.g., 'باع' (to sell), where the middle 'ا' derives from 'و'. 'نام' (to sleep) is a defective verb with a weak final letter. 'كتب' (to write) and 'ضرب' (to hit) are sound verbs. Option B is correct.

The past tense third person singular masculine form of 'جاء' (to come) is 'جاء' (he came). 'جاءت' is feminine, 'يجيء' is present tense, and 'جاؤوا' is plural. Option A is correct.

'كي' (in order to) expresses purpose, e.g., 'درست كي أنجح' (I studied to succeed). 'إلا' denotes exception, 'و' is for coordination, and 'إن' is for emphasis or condition. Option A is correct.

In 'قرأت الكتاب في المكتبة' (I read the book in the library), 'الكتاب' (the book) is the direct object receiving the action of 'قرأت' (read). The subject is the speaker ('أنا' implied), 'في المكتبة' is a prepositional phrase, and 'قرأت' is the verb. Option B is correct.

'سوق' means 'market' in Arabic. 'مسجد' is mosque, 'مدرسة' is school, and 'مستشفى' is hospital. Option B is correct.

'أنا أكل التفاح' translates to 'I eat apples,' where 'أكل' means 'eat' and 'التفاح' means 'apples.' The other fruits are 'برتقال' (oranges), 'موز' (bananas), and 'عنب' (grapes). Option B is correct.

'شجرة' means 'tree' in English. 'Flower' is 'زهرة,' 'grass' is 'عشب,' and 'leaf' is 'ورقة.' Option B is correct.

'The window is open' translates to 'النافذة مفتوحة,' where 'مفتوحة' means 'open.' 'مغلقة' means closed, 'كبيرة' means big, and 'صغيرة' means small. Option B is correct.

The opposite of 'طويل' (tall/long) is 'قصير' (short). 'كبير' means big, 'صغير' means small, and 'ثقيل' means heavy. Option A is correct.

'I am cold' translates to 'أنا بارد,' where 'بارد' means 'cold.' 'ساخن' means hot, 'جائع' means hungry, and 'سعيد' means happy. Option B is correct.

'رقص' means 'to dance' in English. Other verbs are 'غنى' (to sing), 'سبح' (to swim), and 'قفز' (to jump). Option B is correct.

'البذور' (seeds) logically completes 'زرعت ___ في الأرض' (I planted seeds in the ground). 'الكتاب' (book), 'القلم' (pen), and 'السيارة' (car) are not suitable for planting. Option A is correct.

'The bed is in the bedroom' translates to 'السرير في غرفة النوم,' where 'غرفة النوم' means 'bedroom.' 'المطبخ' (kitchen), 'الحديقة' (garden), and 'الفصل' (classroom) are incorrect. Option B is correct.

The plural of 'باب' (door) is 'أبواب' (doors), an irregular plural. 'بابان' is the dual, 'بابات' is incorrect, and 'أباب' is non-existent. Option A is correct.

Hassan ibn Thabit is renowned for his poetry praising the Prophet Muhammad during the early Islamic period. Ibn Zaydun wrote love poetry, Abu Nuwas focused on wine and humor, and Al-Mutanabbi on praise and politics. Option A is correct.

Antara ibn Shaddad is celebrated for his chivalric poetry, especially about his love for Abla and his warrior life in the Mu’allaqa. Imru’ al-Qays focused on love and nature, Zuhayr on tribal peace, and Al-Nabigha on praise. Option A is correct.

Al-Jahiz’s 'Kitab al-Bukhala' humorously studies misers and greed. 'Kitab al-Hayawan' discusses animals, 'Kitab al-Bayan' focuses on rhetoric, and 'Risalat al-Ghufran' is by Al-Ma’arri on divine forgiveness. Option A is correct.

Tarafa ibn al-Abd’s Mu’allaqa emphasizes youth, pleasure, and fleeting joys, celebrating life’s indulgences. Love and nature are more prominent in Imru’ al-Qays, war and honor in Antara, and religious devotion is not a pre-Islamic theme. Option B is correct.

Naguib Mahfouz wrote the 'Cairo Trilogy,' a landmark in modern Arabic literature depicting Egyptian life. Taha Hussein wrote 'Al-Ayyam,' Tayeb Salih wrote 'Season of Migration to the North,' and Haykal wrote 'Zaynab.' Option A is correct.

The Maqama, pioneered by Al-Hamadhani, features short, witty narratives mixing prose and poetry, often with social commentary. Qasida is a long ode, Ghazal is love poetry, and Rubai is a quatrain. Option B is correct.

Mahmoud Darwish is celebrated for his poetry on exile and Palestine, reflecting displacement and identity. Ahmad Shawqi focused on neoclassical themes, Ibn Zaydun on love, and Al-Mutanabbi on praise and politics. Option A is correct.

Al-Farabi’s 'Al-Madina al-Fadila' discusses political philosophy and the ideal state. 'Tahafut al-Falasifa' is by Al-Ghazali, 'Kitab al-Shifa' by Ibn Sina, and 'Ihya Ulum al-Din' by Al-Ghazali. Option A is correct.

Al-Farazdaq is known for his satirical exchanges (naqa’id) with Jarir in the Umayyad period. Umar ibn Abi Rabi’a wrote love poetry, Abu Nuwas focused on wine and humor, and Al-Ma’arri was later and philosophical. Option A is correct.

Taha Hussein’s 'Fi al-Shi’r al-Jahili' critically analyzes pre-Islamic poetry, questioning its authenticity. 'Al-Ayyam' is his autobiography, 'The Call of the Curlew' is a novel, and 'Zaynab' is by Haykal. Option A is correct.

'Sawm' refers to fasting, particularly during Ramadan, one of the Five Pillars of Islam. 'Salah' is prayer, 'Hajj' is pilgrimage, and 'Zakat' is charity. Option B is correct.

Uthman ibn Affan was the third Caliph (644–656 CE), succeeding Abu Bakr (first) and Umar ibn al-Khattab (second). Ali ibn Abi Talib was the fourth. Option C is correct.

'Fajr' is the dawn prayer, one of the five daily prayers in Islam. 'Zuhr' is at noon, 'Asr' in the afternoon, and 'Maghrib' at sunset. Option A is correct.

'Fath Makkah' (Conquest of Mecca, 630 CE) was the peaceful takeover of Mecca by Muslims led by the Prophet Muhammad. 'Hijra' is the migration to Medina, 'Battle of Badr' was in 624 CE, and 'Treaty of Hudaybiyyah' was a truce. Option B is correct.

'Sira' refers to the biography of the Prophet Muhammad, e.g., Ibn Hisham’s work. 'Hadith' is his sayings and actions, 'Tafsir' is Quranic interpretation, and 'Fiqh' is Islamic jurisprudence. Option A is correct.

Baghdad was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 CE), established as a cultural and political center. Damascus was the Umayyad capital, while Medina and Mecca were religious centers. Option B is correct.

'Sadaqah' is voluntary charity in Islam, given freely beyond obligations. 'Zakat' is obligatory charity, 'Jizya' is a tax on non-Muslims, and 'Khums' is a Shia-specific tax. Option B is correct.

The Battle of Khandaq (627 CE), or Battle of the Trench, involved Muslims defending Medina with a trench against a confederate army. 'Badr' (624 CE), 'Uhud' (625 CE), and 'Yarmuk' (636 CE) were different battles. Option C is correct.

'Ijma' refers to the consensus of Islamic scholars on legal or doctrinal issues, a source of Islamic law. 'Qiyas' is analogy, 'Fatwa' is a legal ruling, and 'Tafsir' is Quranic exegesis. Option B is correct.

Uthman ibn Affan is called 'Dhu al-Nurayn' (Possessor of Two Lights) for marrying two of the Prophet Muhammad’s daughters, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum. The others have different titles, e.g., Abu Bakr as 'Al-Siddiq.' Option C is correct.