Questions That Ask for Agreement

Level 5

The الاستفهام التقريري (Affirmative Rhetorical Question) uses a negative question to strongly affirm a fact. It is formed by placing the interrogative Hamza (أ) before a negative particle like لم or ليس.

How It Works

The term الاستفهام التقريري (al-istifhām al-taqrīrī) comes from the root q-r-r, meaning to establish or confirm. Unlike a standard question, the speaker is not seeking new information but is seeking confirmation (taqrīr) of a known fact.

1. Structural Requirements:

  • It almost exclusively uses the particle أ (the interrogative Hamza). The particle هل is generally avoided because it is strictly for seeking unknown information.
  • The Hamza is immediately followed by a negative particle such as لم, ليس, لا, or ما.

2. Rhetorical Functions:

  • Emphasis (Tawkīd): To make a point undeniable.
  • Reproach (ʿItāb): To remind someone of a duty or a past event (e.g., 'Didn't I tell you?').
  • Praise (Madḥ): To highlight a virtue (e.g., 'Is he not the most generous?').

3. The Response Rule:
Because the question is negative, answering with نعم (Yes) would actually confirm the negation. To agree with the speaker's intended affirmation, one must use the particle بَلَى (balā), which cancels the negation and confirms the fact.

Examples (5)

  1. أَلَيْسَ اللهُ بِأَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَ؟

    Is not Allah the most just of judges?

    Word by Word: Is not Allah with most-just (of) the judges?

    This is a classic Quranic example where the negative question is used to affirm Allah's absolute justice.

  2. أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ؟

    Did We not expand for you your chest?

    Here, the negative particle 'lam' follows the Hamza to remind the listener of a favor already granted, functioning as an affirmation.

  3. أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّ الصَّبْرَ مِفْتَاحُ الفَرَجِ؟

    Did I not tell you that patience is the key to relief?

    Word by Word: Did not I say to you that the patience (is) key (of) the relief?

    Used here for reproach or to emphasize a previously stated truth.

  4. أَلَيْسَ الوَقْتُ ثَمِيناً؟

    Is not time precious?

    A common formal expression used to gain the listener's agreement on a universal value.

  5. أَمَا رَأَيْتَ كَيْفَ تَطَوَّرَتِ المَدِينَةُ؟

    Haven't you seen how the city has developed?

    Uses the negative particle 'mā' with the past tense to affirm a visible change.

Common Mistakes

  • Answering with 'Na'am' to agree with the speaker.

    أَلَيْسَ الجَوُّ جَمِيلاً؟ نَعَمْ.
    أَلَيْسَ الجَوُّ جَمِيلاً؟ بَلَى.

    Traditionally, after a negative question, بلى confirms the positive ('Yes, it is beautiful') and نعم confirms the negative. Many speakers also say نعم to agree, but بلى is the clear choice.

  • Using 'Hal' instead of the Hamza for rhetorical affirmation.

    هَلْ لَمْ نُسَاعِدْكَ؟
    أَلَمْ نُسَاعِدْكَ؟

    Traditional grammar dictates that 'Hal' is for genuine inquiries where the answer is unknown. For rhetorical affirmation (Taqriri), the Hamza (أ) is required.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Questions That Ask for AgreementLevel 5

Learn This First

To understand 'Questions That Ask for Agreement' (الاستفهام التقريري), you first need to know how to form basic yes-no questions using the particle 'أ'. Since these questions are almost always phrased negatively to invite confirmation (e.g., 'Isn't it...?' or 'Didn't you...?'), you must also be familiar with negation tools like 'ليس' for nominal sentences and 'لم' for past-tense meanings.

Words in This Pattern

ألا