اسم الإشارة
demonstrative pronoun
A demonstrative pronoun is a noun (اسم) which is used to point to something that has already been mentioned in some form or another. The pointing is either near (“this”), medial, or distant (“that”). For example:
هذا كتاب مبين
This is a clear book
And:
كلما رُزقوا منها ... قالوا هذا الذي رُزقنا من قبل
Whenever they are to be given sustenance therein,
they shall say, “this (i.e. this sustenance) is what we have been given prior.”
The demonstrative pronoun itself is definite.
The Demonstrative Pronouns and Their Meanings
The demonstrative pronouns are as follows. The purpose of displaying these is not for the reader to memorize them; they are simply presented here for reference and the ones that are popularly used are discussed further down.
ذا، ذاءِ، ذائِهِ، ذاؤُهُ، آلِكَ
Masculine
ذي، تي، ذِهْ، ذِهِ، تِهْ، تِهِ، تا، ذاتُ
Feminine