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The Function Of The Coordinating "waw— A Foundational And Applied study This study addresses the problem of the Primary mean- ing attached to the coordinating particle "waw" and whether it functions as a general additive marker and signals a participatory relationship between the coordi- nated items with respect to the hukm (action), signals a participatory relationship with respect to both hukm and time, or is indicative of a sequential order between the conjoined items in a construction. To arrive at an opinion on this matter, the paper presented the opin- ions of Islamic legal theorists on this issue. After study- ing their opinions, it was possible to trace the matter to three opinions, namely that the coordinating "waw": (i)- Generally functions as an additive particle and sig- nals a participatory relationship between the coordi- nated items with respect to the hukm. (ii)- Functions as an additive particle and signals a par- ticipatory relationship between the coordinated items with respect to the hukm without any implication of temporal sequence. (iii)- Functions as an additive particle and signals a par- ticipatory relationship between the coordinated items with respect to the hukm without having a comitative function. And, if used in other than this sense, it is figu- rative. In the paper,I preponderated the opinion of the major- ity of scholars, namely that the coordinating "waw" is principally used in language to denote addition in gen- eral and signal a participatory relationship between the coordinated items with respect to the hukm. Following instances of its usage, it was observed that the particle occurs: - without the implication of sequence. - with a comitative function. - for a sequential function. We therefore conclude that the coordinating "waw" is not used for any of the above functions in particular but functions as a general additive marker. Conse- quently, the concrete shared element in all three is that of addition. The practical effect of this matter manifests itself in furu' al-fiqh (branches of jurisprudence) which have been based on the theoretical principle of the function of "waw" , whether in the exegesis of the primary legal texts (the Qur'an and Sunna) or in the furu' al-fiqhiyya. As will be mentioned in the paper, this is reflected in the different juristic opinions on the furu' based on the different opinions of Islamic legal theorists concerning the fanction of the particle "waw". some Islamic legal theorists have maintained that the coordinating 'waw' is used only for mutlaq al-jam' (re- stricted i.e. without having a comitative or sequential function) while others have maintained that it is used forjam' mutlaq (unrestricted i.e. has either an additive, comitative, or sequential function). A group of other scholars did not acknowledge the function of "waw" for jam' mutlaq and consider it erroneous. Later scholars did not concur the latter opinion, maintaining that Jam' al-mutlaq is tantamount to mutlaq al-jam' and there is no difference between them with respect to mean- ing—one should not pay attention to those who restrict or derestrict their meaning.
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