
Introduction to the active participle – اِسْمُ الفاعِلِ
In Arabic, the noun used for the doer of an action (subject), is called اِسْمُ الفاعِلِ. It is formed by adding an alif – ا to the first radical of the verb فَعَلَ. The middle letter is given a kasrah -ِ and the last radical is given a tanween. The active participle pattern will be فَاعِلٌ.
Example:
سَجَدَ / سَاجِدٌ
one who prostrates / to prostrate
حَمِدَ / حَامِدٌ
one who praises / to praise
كَفَرَ / كَافِرٌ
A disbeliever / to disbelieve
Active participle table for masculine gender:
Nominative case – حَالَةُ الرَّفَعِ
Singular
فَاعِلٌ
A doer
Dual
فَاعِلانِ
Two doers
Plural
فَاعِلُوْنَ
Doers
Accusative – حَالَةُ النَصَبِ
Singular
فَاعِلًا
A doer
Dual
فَاعِلَيْنِ
Two doers
Plural
فَاعِلَيْنِ
Doers
Genitive – حَالَةُ الجَرِّ
Singular
فَاعِلٍ
A doer
Dual
فَاعِلَيْنِ
Two doers
Plural
فَاعِلَيْنِ
Doers
Active participle table for feminine gender:
Nominative case – حَالَةُ الرَّفَعِ
Singular
فَاعِلَةٌ
A doer
Dual
فَاعِلَتَانِ
Two doers
Plural
فَاعِلاتٌ
Doers
Accusative – حَالَةُ النَصَبِ
Singular
فَاعِلَةً
A doer
Dual
فَاعِلَتَيْن
Two doers
Plural
فَاعِلات
Doers
Genitive – حَالَةُ الجَرِّ
Singular
فَاعِلَةٍ
A doer
Dual
فَاعِلَتَيْن
Two doers
Plural
فَاعِلات
Doers
Examples of active participles used in the Holy Quran
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ
Say, “O disbelievers, (109:1)
وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ
Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (109:4)
وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ
Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. (109:5)
فَيُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا أَسَرُّوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ نَادِمِينَ
and they will become, over what they have been concealing within themselves, regretful. (5:52)
وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. (2:25)
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Hamzated and assimilated verb
Hamzated verbs on the pattern of أَكَلَ – سَأَلَ and قَرَأَ or assimilated verbs on the pattern of وَعَدَ and يَسِرَ take their active participle on the pattern of فَاعِلٌ.
Examples:
أَكَلَ / آكِلٌ
One who eats
سَأَلَ / سَائِلٌ
Questioner
قَرَأَ / قَارِئٌ
One who reads
وَعَدَ / وَاعِدٌ
One who promises
يَسِرَ / يَاسِرٌ
One who becomes easy
Examples:
سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ
A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen (70:1)
Note: Some active participles are on the pattern of فَعِيْلٌ. These come as adjectives and describe eternal, everlasting qualities.
Example:
عَظِيْكٌ – Great one
حَسِيْنٌ – Good one
كَبِيْرٌ – Big one
قَالَ فَاخْرُجْ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّكَ رَجِيمٌ
[Allah] said, “Then get out of it, for indeed, you are expelled. (15:34)
إِنْ هَـٰذَا إِلَّا مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ
this is none but a noble angel.” (12:31)
الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, (1:3)
Hollow verbs
When the second radical is the weak letter و or ى, then their active participle will be on the pattern of فَاعِلٌ.
Examples:
قَالَ / قَائِلٌ
one who speaks
بَاغَ / بائِغٌ
One who sells
Defective verbs
When the third radical is the weak letter و or ى, e.g., دَعَا and رَمَى, the active participle will be on the pattern of دَاعِوٌ and دَامِوٌ as per the pattern فَاعِلٌ. However, we observe a change in its formation.
دَعَا = دَاعِوٌ – دَاعٍ
One who calls
رَمَى = رامِوُ – رامٍ
One who throws
لَقِيَ = لاقِوٌ – لاقٍ
One who meets
This is because when و or ى bear dammah tanween and is preceded by kasrah, then the و and ى are dropped, and the harakah of the previous letter is changed to tanween kasrah -ِ.
Active participle table for masculine gender – دَاعٍ:
Nominative case – حَالَةُ الرَّفَعِ
Singular
دَاعٍ
A caller
Dual
دَاعِيَانِ
Two caller
Plural
دَاعُوْنَ
Callers
Accusative – حَالَةُ النَصَبِ
Singular
دَاعِيًا
A caller
Dual
دَاعِيَيْنِ
Two caller
Plural
دَاعِيْنَ
Callers
Genitive – حَالَةُ الجَرِّ
Singular
دَاعٍ
A caller
Dual
دَاعِيَيْنِ
Two caller
Plural
دَاعِيْنَ
Callers
Active participle table for feminine gender:
Nominative case – حَالَةُ الرَّفَعِ
Singular
دَاعِيَةٌ
A caller
Dual
دَاعِيَتَانِ
Two caller
Plural
دَاعِيَاتٌ
Callers
Accusative – حَالَةُ النَصَبِ
Singular
دَاعِيَةً
A caller
Dual
دَاعِيَتَيْنِ
Two caller
Plural
دَاعِيَاتٍ
Callers
Genitive – حَالَةُ الجَرِّ
Singular
دَاعِيَةٍ
A caller
Dual
دَاعِيَتَيْنِ
Two caller
Plural
دَاعِيَاتٍ
Callers
Note: When اَلْ is added to the singular of active participles like دَاعٍ, the ى will be written as الدَّاعِي.
Double lettered verbs – الْمُضاعَفُ
According to the pattern فَاعِلٌ, the active participle of verbs on the pattern of ظَنَّ should be ظَانِنٌ. But they will be written with a shaddah -ّ as ظَآنٌّ.
Examples:
ظَنَّ =ظَانِنٌ – ظَآنٌّ
One who suspects.
ضَلَّ = ضّالِلٌ – ضَالٌّ
One who goes astray
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray. (1:7)
Active participle table for masculine gender – ظَنَّ:
Nominative case – حَالَةُ الرَّفَعِ
Singular
ظَآنٌّ
One who suspects
Dual
ظَآنَّانِ
Those two who suspects
Plural
ظَآنُّوْنَ
Those who suspect
Accusative – حَالَةُ النَصَبِ
Singular
ظَآنَّا
One who suspects
Dual
ظَآنَّيْنِ
Those two who suspects
Plural
ظَآنَّيْنَ
Those who suspect
Genitive – حَالَةُ الجَرِّ
Singular
ظَآنٍّ
One who suspects
Dual
ظَآنَّيْنِ
Those two who suspects
Plural
ظَآنَّيْنَ
Those who suspect
Active participle table for feminine gender:
Nominative case – حَالَةُ الرَّفَعِ
Singular
ظَآنَّةٌ
One who suspects
Dual
ظَآنَّتَانِ
Those two who suspects
Plural
ظَآنَّاتٌ
Those who suspect
Accusative – حَالَةُ النَصَبِ
Singular
ظَآنَّةً
One who suspects
Dual
ظَآنَّتَانِ
Those two who suspects
Plural
ظَآنَّاتٌ
Those who suspect
Genitive – حَالَةُ الجَرِّ
Singular
ظَآنَّةٍ
One who suspects
Dual
ظَآنَّتَانِ
Those two who suspects
Plural
ظَآنَّاتٌ
Those who suspect
Examples of Active participle used in the Holy Quran
تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّـهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ
The revelation of the Qur’an is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (39:1)
أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَائِمًا يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ
Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? (39:9)
وَأَرْضُ اللَّـهِ وَاسِعَةٌ ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.” (39:10)
التَّائِبُونَ الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[Such believers are] the repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allah], the travelers [for His cause], those who bow and prostrate [in prayer], those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allah. And give good tidings to the believers. (9:112)
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