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ثَمَّ

place adverb  ·  1 entry  ·  Qur'ānic frequency 4

This is Lane’s article on ثَمَّ. In the printed Lexicon he files it under ثم — that is where it appears on the page, not the word’s root.

Lane’s articleثَمَّ2 senses · 1 main
1thereهُنَاكَ

A noun of indication denoting a place remote from the speaker, as هُنَا denotes a place that is near; or denoting a place other than that of the speaker. This is Zj's account.

[And we brought near, there, the others]وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ الآخَرِينَ

It is an adverbial noun, and is not used in any other way.

It is indeclinable because of its vagueness, and ends in fet-h so that two sākin letters do not come together.

In the Qur'ān 26:64.

Anyone who treats it as declinable, as an objective complement, in this example and in the saying in the Qur'ān 76:20, وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيْتَ نَعِيمًا, is in error.

Zj says the meaning is: And when you cast your eyes there, you will see [scenes of] enjoyment.

Fr asserted that the meaning is إِذَا رَأَيْتَ مَا ثَمَّ [when you see what is there]; but this is an error, because ما, on that interpretation, is a conjunct noun, and a conjunct noun may not be suppressed while its complement is left standing.

Lane cites “Kur xxvi. 64” — Flügel numbering, not yet mapped
1.1therefore; for that reason; on that accountمِنْ ثَمَّ

Used in this way by postclassical writers.

Show Lane's original text
There; syn. هُنَاكَ ; (Zj, S, M, K;) a noun of indication, (Zj, T, M, Msb, Mughnee, K,) denoting a place that is remote (Zj, T, S, M, Mughnee, K) from the speaker, (Zj, T, M,) like as هُنَا denotes that which is near; (Zj, T, S;) or denoting a place other than that of the speaker: (Msb:) it is an adverbial noun, not to be used otherwise than as such; (Mughnee, K;) indecl. because of its vagueness, and with fet-h for its termination to avoid the concurrence of two quiescent letters. (Zj, T, M.) Thus in the saying [in the Kur xxvi. 64], وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ الآخَرِينَ [And we brought near, there, the others]. (Mughnee.) He who makes it decl. as an objective complement (Mughnee, K) in this ex., (Mughnee,) and in the saying in the Kur [lxxvi. 20], وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيْتَ نَعِيمًا , is in error: (Mughnee, K: *) Zj says that the meaning is, And when thou castest thine eyes, or thy sight, there, thou shalt behold [scenes of] enjoyment: that Fr asserted the meaning to be, إِذَا رَأَيْتَ مَا ثَمَّ [when thou seest what is there]; but that this is an error; for ما , accord. to this interpretation, is a conjunct noun, and it is not allowable to suppress a conjunct noun and leave its complement. (T.) [ مِنْ ثَمَّ is used by postclassical writers as meaning Therefore; for that reason; on that account.]