An imperative expression may be either a command or request (أمر), or else a negative prohibition (نهي). An example of an imperative verb used as a command can be found at the start of chapter 87, in verse (87:1) shown below:
| (87:1:4) the Most High, l-aʿlā | (87:1:3) (of) your Lord, rabbika | (87:1:2) (the) name is'ma | (87:1:1) Glorify sabbiḥi |
Fig 1. An imperative verb used as a command in verse (87:1).
An imperative may also be formed using an imperfect verb fiʿil mudāriʿ (فعل مضارع), by prefixing the verb with the imperative lām prefix. The dependency graph for verse (106:3) shown below describes the syntax of this imperative construction. The imperative lām prefix always precedes an imperfect verb which will be found in the jussive mood majzūm (مجزوم). In the dependency graph below the imperative lām prefix and the imperfect jussive verb are linked through an imperative dependency (أمر).
| (106:3:4) House, l-bayti | (106:3:3) (of) this hādhā | (106:3:2) (the) Lord rabba | (106:3:1) So let them worship falyaʿbudū |
Fig 2. The imperative lām prefix used with a jussive verb in verse (106:3).
Prohibition
The negative imperative (نهي) is used to specify prohibition. This is always formed using the prohibition particle (لا) followed by an imperfect jussive verb (فعل مضارع مجزوم). The negative imperative is usually translated as "do not". An example of prohibition can be found in verse (68:8). In the graph below the imperfect verb has been placed into the jussive mood majzūm (مجزوم) through a prohibition dependency:
| (68:8:3) the deniers. l-mukadhibīna | (68:8:2) obey tuṭiʿi | (68:8:1) So (do) not falā |
Fig 3. Prohibition (negative imperative) used with a jussive verb in verse (68:8).
The Imperative Result
The dependency relation known as jawāb amr (جواب أمر) links a resulting action to a preceding imperative verb. The pseudo-syntax used for this construction is:
do <imperative> then <result>
The result of an imperative will always be an imperfect verb found in the jussive mood majzūm (مجزوم). An example may be found in verse (70:42) shown below. In this verse the two verbs in the imperative result clause are both in the jussive mood (70:42:2) and (70:42:3):
| (70:42:3) and amuse themselves wayalʿabū | (70:42:2) (to) converse vainly yakhūḍū | (70:42:1) So leave them fadharhum |
Fig 4. An imperative verb with its result in verse (70:42).