❖ Meaning and Concept of “ٱلْقُرْبٰى”: Singular or Plural? – Detailed Explanation
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Tafsir ka Bayan, Vol. 1, Page: 482
❀ The Question
Regarding the verse ﴿مَوَدَّۃَ فِی الْقُرْبٰى﴾, please explain whether the word ٱلْقُرْبٰى is used for a singular feminine entity or whether it is plural?
A Shia individual claims that ٱلْقُرْبٰى refers specifically to Sayyidah Fatimah (رضي الله عنها). Kindly clarify.
❀ The Answer
Alhamdulillah, was-salatu was-salamu ‘ala Rasoolillah, amma ba‘d!
The word ٱلْقُرْبٰى is a masdar (verbal noun), formed on the pattern of “al-Bushra”.
From this perspective, it is singular, not plural.
The meaning of the verse ﴿مَوَدَّۃَ فِی الْقُرْبٰى﴾ is close to the meaning in the verse:
﴿وَأَنذِرۡ عَشِيرَتَكَ ٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ﴾ — al-Shu‘ara: 214
“And warn your nearest kindred.”
Thus, ٱلْقُرْبٰى refers to close relatives or kinfolk, not to a single person.
Therefore, the claim that ٱلْقُرْبٰى refers only to Sayyidah Fatimah (رضي الله عنها) is incorrect, because linguistically the word does not support such a restricted meaning.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِی وَاللّٰہُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
(This is what I hold, and Allah knows best what is correct.)
