1
When it follows كُلّ, إِنَّ, أَيْنَ or أَىّ, and has the meaning of الَّذِى, it is written separately. (El-Ḥareeree)
1.1wherever—أَيْنَمَا
مَا added to certain adverbial nouns is not merely redundant: it gives them a conditional and general meaning.
wherever, and whenever—حَيْثُمَا
on this sense See Qur 2:143, 145, and so on; and see De Sacy's Grammar, 1:537 and 538.
1.2while—مَا
and as much as—مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا
See Qur 64:16.
1.3because—بِمَا
because they transgressed; or for that they transgressed—بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ
From the Qur'ān.
1.4
إِنَّكَ مَا وَخَيْرًا stands for مَعَ خَيْرٍ. See خَيْرٌ.
1.5some little want—أَرَبٌ مَّا
مَا is also added to a noun to show that the thing named by the noun is small.
IAth, under ارب.
1.6
مَا in أَمَّا and in إِمَّا — of which last إِمَّا لَا is an instance — I have mentioned under أَمَّا and إِمَّا.
1.7
بَالِغًا مَا بَلَغَ: see بَلَغَ.
1.8[What are you?]—مَا أَنْتَ
That is, what are your qualities, or attributes?
مَا رَبُّ العَالَمِينَ, in Qur 26:22, means أَىٌّ شَىْءٍ هُوَ.
See also an example under فَىّ.
1.9What is the matter with you?—مَا لَكَ
IbrD: أَىُّ شَىْءٍ ثَبَتَ لَكَ.
1.10some particular thing; something—شَىْءٌ مَّا
See إِيهِ.
IbrD: also, any particular thing?
See an example cited under صَبَاحٌ.
1.11an excellent youth is such a one—فَتًى مَّا فُلَانٌ
IbrD. See Kull, p. 336; see also Bd, middle of p. 42.
1.12as long as—مَا
Sometimes put for مَا دَامَ, مَا دَامُوا and the like.
See examples under كَاظَّ, التُّرْكُ and جَلَّ.
1.13the form inclines somewhat to length—الشَّكْلُ إِلَى الطُّولِ مَا هُوَ
This agrees with a rendering given under عُقْرٌ. See De Sacy's Grammar, 2nd ed., 1:543 and 539; see also شَىْءٌ مَّا above.
In Qur 38:23, ما is redundant, marking vagueness and wonder (Ksh), or strengthening the idea of fewness: it means somewhat, whether great or little in degree or importance.
Qur’ān 38:24 approximate — somewhere between 38:6 and 38:32 Lane cites “Kur xxxviii. 23”
Qur’ān 38:24 the verse Lane’s citation points to, and it uses this word
قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِۦ ۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْخُلَطَآءِ لَيَبْغِى بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَّا هُمْ ۗ وَظَنَّ دَاوُۥدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّـٰهُ فَٱسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُۥ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ ۩(David) said: "He has undoubtedly wronged thee in demanding thy (single) ewe to be added to his (flock of) ewes: truly many are the partners (in business) who wrong each other: Not so do those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and how few are they?"... and David gathered that We had tried him: he asked forgiveness of his Lord, fell down, bowing (in prostration), and turned (to Allah in repentance).Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)
2the negative particle—مَا
When followed by a past tense, it often requires that verb to be rendered in English by the perfect.
I have not seen him for two days—مَا رَأَيْتُهُ مُذْ يَوْمَان
See De Sacy's Anthol. Gram. Ar., p. 253.
Show Lane's original text
when following كُلّ or إِنَّ or أَيْنَ or أَىّ , if having the signification of الَّذِى , is written separately. (El-Hareeree, in De Sacy's Anthol. Gram. Ar., p. 67 of the Ar. text.) مَا added to certain adverbial nouns is not merely redundant, but gives to them a conditional and general signification; as in أَيْنَمَا Wherever; and حَيْثُمَا Wherever, and whenever; &c.: see Kur, ii. 143, 145, &c.: and see De Sacy's Gram., i. 537 and 538. مَا While; as in مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا : and as much as; see Kur, lxiv. 16. بِمَا Because بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ Because they did transgress; or for that they did transgress. (Kur.) إِنَّكَ مَا وَخَيْرًا , for مَعَ خَيْرٍ . See خَيْرٌ . مَا is also added to a noun to denote the littleness of that which is signified by the noun; as in أَرَبٌ مَّا Some little want. (IAth in TA, art. ارب .) مَا in أَمَّا and إِمَّا (of which latter إِمَّا لَا is an instance) I have mentioned in arts. أَمَّا and إِمَّا . بَالِغًا مَا بَلَغَ : see بَلَغَ . مَا أَنْتَ [What art thou?] means what are thy qualities, or attributes? (Har, p. 155.) مَا رَبُّ العَالَمِينَ , in the Kur, xxvi. 22, means أَىٌّ شَىْءٍ هُوَ . (Jel.) See also an ex. voce فَىّ . مَا لَكَ signifies أَىُّ شَىْءٍ ثَبَتَ لَكَ (IbrD) and may be rendered What aileth thee? شَىْءٌ مَّا Some particular thing: something. (See إِيهِ .) Also, Any particular thing? (IbrD.) See an ex. cited voce صَبَاحٌ . فَتًى مَّا فُلَانٌ An excellent youth is such a one. (IbrD.) See Kull, p. 336. See also Bd, middle p. 42. مَا is sometimes put for مَا دَامَ , مَا دَامُوا , and the like; i. e. As long as: see an ex. voce كَاظَّ , and التُّرْكُ , and جَلَّ . الشَّكْلُ إِلَى الطُّولِ مَا هُوَ The form inclines somewhat to length; agreeably with a rendering voce عُقْرٌ : see De Sacy's Gr., sec. ed., i. 543 and 539: see also شَىْءٌ مَّا above: in the Kur xxxviii. 23, ما is redundant, (Bd,) denoting vagueness and wonder, (Ksh, Bd,) or a corroborative of fewness: (Jel:) it means somewhat whether great or little in degree or importance. مَا , the negative particle, followed by a pret., often requires the latter to be rendered in English by the preterperfect: ex. مَا رَأَيْتُهُ مُذْ يَوْمَان I have not seen him for two days. See De Sacy's Anthol. Gram. Ar., p. 253.