maṣdarزَيْلٌmuḍāriʿأَزِيلُهُ يَزِيلُهُ
Core sense — he separated it, he removed it; he did not cease, he continuedgenerated
1.1
Synonymous with أَزَالَهُ; see that word.
1.1.1
زال زَوَالَهُ or زال ٱللّٰهُ زَوَالَهُ, and زال زَوَالَهَا: see زَوَالٌ in art. زول.
And زِيلَ زَوِيلُهُ and زَوِيلُهَا and زَوَالُهُ: see زَوِيلٌ in art. زول; and for the first see also زَوَالٌ in that article.
1.1.2I put it apart, away, or aside; I removed it, or separated it, one thing from another—زِلْتُهُ
. [First person of زَالَهُ.]
ازالهُ also means he separated it, like زَالَهُ. See also Form 4.
Separate your sheep from your goats—زِلْ ضَأْنَكَ مِنْ مِعْزَاكَ
I separated it [partly], but it did not become [wholly] separated—زِلْتُهُ فَلَمْ يَنْزَلْ
1.2he did not cease to do such a thing, he continued to do such a thing—مَا زَالَ يَفْعَلُ كَذَا
It is mentioned in art. زول.
It is like مَا بَرِحَ both in its original measure — مَا زَيِلَ, according to most authorities — and in its meaning, for it denotes the continuing to do a thing, and a constant state.
Zeyd did not cease to be, or continued to be, standing—مَا زَالَ زَيْدٌ قَائِمًا
I did not cease to do it, I continued to do it—مَا زِلْتُ أَفْعَلُهُ
Also مَا زَلْتُ, as appears from what follows; meaning مَا بَرِحْتُ.
Muḍāriʿ أَزَالُ, if the measure of the past tense is taken to be originally فَعِلْتُ, and أَزِيلُ, if it is taken to be originally فعَلْتُ.
The verb is seldom used without a negative particle; the Msb says never. One says زِلْتُ أَفْعَلُ, meaning مَا زِلْتُ أَفْعَلُ, but this is rare.
مَا زِيلَ يَفْعَلُ كَذَا is a phrase used by some of the Arabs, mentioned by Akh, as is meant in the K by the addition عَنْهُ in some of the copies, though Akh is not named in what comes before.
Er-Rāghib: the verb in مَا زَالَ and لَا يَزَالُ is used in the manner of كَانَ, putting the noun that is its subject in the nominative and the predicate in the accusative, as in مَا زَالَ زَيْدٌ قَائِمًا, explained above. But one may not say مَا زَالَ زَيْدٌ إِلَّا مُنْطَلِقًا as one says مَا كَانَ زَيْدٌ إِلَّا مُنْطَلِقًا, because زَالَ denotes a negation — he did not do a thing, or he was not doing it — and مَا and لَا denote negation as well, and two negations together denote an affirmation; so ما زال is affirmative like كَانَ, and just as one may not say كَانَ زَيْدٌ إِلَّا مَنْطَلِقًا, one may not say مَا زَالَ زَيْدٌ إِلَّا مُنْطَلِقًا.
I did not desist with Zeyd until he did that—مَا زِلْتُ بِزَيْدٍ حَتَّى فَعَلَ ذٰلِكَ
Also مَا زِلْتُ وَزَيْدًا; maṣdar زِيَالٌ.
He has not ceased to be, that is, He has always been—لَمْ يَزَلْ
Said of God: He has never been nonexistent. See أَزَلٌ.
He will never be nonexistent—لَا يَزَالُ
Said of God.
This incomplete, that is non-attributive, verb and the complete one — which means it ceased to be, or to exist — differ in their components: the complete is made up of ل و ز, and this one of ل ى ز. Or the incomplete is altered from the complete, being given kesr to its middle radical letter [for it is generally held to be from زَيِلَ or زَوِلَ] after having been زَوَلَ with fet-h. Or it is from زَالَهُ, meaning he put it, or set it, apart.
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 1 4 shown of 8
9:110
لَا يَزَالُ بُنْيَـٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَنَوْا۟ رِيبَةً فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌThe foundation of those who so build is never free from suspicion and shakiness in their hearts, until their hearts are cut to pieces. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.
11:118
وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً ۖ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَIf thy Lord had so willed, He could have made mankind one people: but they will not cease to dispute.
21:15
فَمَا زَالَت تِّلْكَ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ حَصِيدًا خَـٰمِدِينَAnd that cry of theirs ceased not, till We made them as a field that is mown, as ashes silent and quenched.
22:55
وَلَا يَزَالُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّنْهُ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمٍ عَقِيمٍThose who reject Faith will not cease to be in doubt concerning (Revelation) until the Hour (of Judgment) comes suddenly upon them, or there comes to them the Penalty of a Day of Disaster.
Occurrences of this form in the Qur’ān, not Lane’s choice of verse. They show the word in use; they do not say which sense above applies. Where more occur than are shown, the shortest āyāt are chosen.
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is syn. with أَزَالَهُ , q. v. (S, Msb, K.) زال زَوَالَهُ , or زال ٱللّٰهُ زَوَالَهُ ; and زال زَوَالَهَا : see زَوَالٌ , in art. زول . And زِيلَ زَوِيلُهُ and زَوِيلُهَا and زَوَالُهُ : see زَوِيلٌ , in art. زول ; and for the first, see also زَوَالٌ , in that art. زِلْتُهُ , (S, K,) aor. أَزِيلُهُ , inf. n. زَيْلٌ , (S,) [first pers. of زَالَهُ ,] signifies also I put it, or set it, apart, away, or aside; removed it; or separated it; (S, K, TA;) namely, a thing, (S, TA,) from another thing: (TA:) and ازالهُ also signifies he separated it; like زَالَهُ . (TA.) See also 4. One says, زِلْ ضَأْنَكَ مِنْ مِعْزَاكَ Remove, or separate, thy sheep from thy goats. (S, * TA.) And زِلْتُهُ فَلَمْ يَنْزَلْ I separated it [partly], but it did not become [wholly] separated. (S, K.) مَا زَالَ يَفْعَلُ كَذَا (S in art. زول , and Msb,) is like مَا بَرِحَ , both in its [original] measure, [which is مَا زَيِلَ accord. to most authorities,] and in its meaning, which is [He ceased not to do such a thing, or he continued to do such a thing, for it denotes] the continuing to do a thing [as in the ex. above], and a constant state [as in the phrase مَا زَالَ زَيْدٌ قَائِمًا Zeyd ceased not to be, or continued to be, standing]: (Msb:) [using the first pers.,] one says, مَا زِلْتُ أَفْعَلُهُ [and مَا زَلْتُ , as appears from what follows], meaning مَا بَرِحْتُ [i. e. I ceased not to do it, or I continued to do it], (K,) aor. أَزَالُ [supposing the measure of the pret. to be originally فَعِلْتُ ] (Msb, K) and أَزِيلُ [supposing the measure of the pret. to be originally فعَلْتُ ]: (K:) the verb is seldom [in the Msb “ never ”] used without a negative particle: (Az, TA:) one says زِلْتُ أَفْعَلُ meaning مَا زِلْتُ أَفْعَلُ ; but this is rare: (K:) and مَا زِيلَ يَفْعَلُ كَذَا , (S, Msb, K,) a phrase used by some of the Arabs, (Msb,) mentioned by Akh, (S, TA,) as is meant in [some of the copies of] the K by the addition عَنْهُ , though Akh is not mentioned in what precedes. (TA.) The verb in مَا زَالَ and لَا يَزَالُ is used in the manner of كَانَ in governing the noun [which is its subject] in the nom. case and the predicate in the accus. case [as in مَا زَالَ زَيْدٌ قَائِمًا , expl. above]; but one may not say, مَا زَالَ زَيْدٌ إِلَّا مُنْطَلِقًا , like as one says, مَا كَانَ زَيْدٌ إِلَّا مُنْطَلِقًا ; for زَالَ denotes a negation, [meaning he did not a thing, or he was not doing &c.,] and مَا and لَا denote negation, and two negations together denote an affirmation; so that ما زال is affirmative like كَانَ ; and as one may not say, كَانَ زَيْدٌ إِلَّا مَنْطَلِقًا , so one may not say, مَا زَالَ زَيْدٌ إِلَّا مُنْطَلِقًا . (Er-Rághib, TA.) One says also, مَا زِلْتُ بِزَيْدٍ حَتَّى فَعَلَ ذٰلِكَ and مَا زِلْتُ وَزَيْدًا [I desisted not with Zeyd until he did that], (Sb, K, * TA,) inf. n. زِيَالٌ . (Sb, TA.) لَمْ يَزَلْ [He, or it, has not ceased to be &c., i. e., has ever been &c., (see أَزَلٌ ,)] is said of God, as meaning He has never been nonexistent; and لَا يَزَالُ , said of Him, He will never be nonexistent. (Kull p. 31.) This [incomplete i. e. non-attributive] verb and the complete [i. e. attributive, which signifies “ it ceased to be ” or “ exist, ” &c.,] differ in their components; the latter being composed of ل و ز ; and this, of ل ى ز : or the incomplete is altered from the complete; being made to be with kesr to its medial radical letter, [for it is generally held to be from زَيِلَ or زَوِلَ ,] after its having been [originally زَوَلَ ,] with fet-h: or it is from زَالَهُ , aor. يَزِيلُهُ , meaning “ he put it, ” or “ set it, apart, ” &c. (K.)