Breakdown of ألا تشاور أباك قبل القرار؟
الal
the
أبabun
father
كka
your / you (object)
قبلqabla
before
قرارqarâr
decision
ألاalâ
don't / doesn't (question particle)
شاورshâwara
to consult
Questions & Answers about ألا تشاور أباك قبل القرار؟
In English, this translates as a question ('Won't you...'). Is ألا just a question word here, or does it have a special function?
In this sentence, ألا is used as a particle of gentle urging or suggestion (known as العرض). Because it is followed by a present tense verb (تشاور), it acts as a polite way to say 'Why don't you...?' or 'Shouldn't you...?' rather than just asking for a literal yes/no answer.
Does the particle ألا change the grammatical mood of the verb تشاور?
No, it doesn't. When ألا is used for urging or suggestion, it doesn't affect the case of the verb that follows it. The verb تشاور remains in the regular indicative mood (marfu'), meaning it would be pronounced with a damma at the end (تشاورُ).
Why is the word for 'your father' written as أباك instead of the more common أبوك?
The word for father belongs to a special group of Arabic grammar called the 'Five Nouns' (الأسماء الخمسة). When these nouns are the direct object of a verb—as 'your father' is here for the verb تشاور—they take an alif (أبا) instead of a waw (أبو) to show the accusative case (mansub).
Why does القرار (the decision) take the genitive case (majrur) here?
The word قبل (before) acts as the first part of an idafa (possessive construction). In Arabic, the noun immediately following spatial or temporal words like قبل and بعد is the second part of the idafa (mudaf ilayh), which means it must always be in the genitive case (القرارِ).
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