Grammar term · Nahw · syntax
أَدَاة اسْتِثْنَاء
adat istithna'
Exception particle (illa…)
Nahw · syntaxParticle typeadvanced term664+ in the Qur'an
In one line
The exception words — إِلَّا and its seven fellows, carving something out of a statement.
The classical list
وَحُرُوفُ الِاسْتِثْنَاءِ ثَمَانِيَةٌ وَهِيَ: إِلَّا، وَغَيْرُ، وَسِوَى، وَسُوَى، وَسَوَاءٌ، وَخَلَا، وَعَدَا، وَحَاشَا.
“The exception words are eight: illa (except), ghayr, siwa, suwa, sawa' (other than), khala, 'ada, hasha (excluding).”
(الآجرّومية)
Key words in the Arabic
غَيْر / سِوَى'other than' — nouns, so their excepted follows in jarr (idafa)
خَلَا / عَدَا / حَاشَا'excluding' — may act as verbs or prepositions
Understand it
Eight words, three grammars: إِلَّا is a pure particle (the excepted after it takes nasb in a full affirmative sentence); غَيْر and سِوَى are nouns, so the excepted follows them in jarr; خَلَا، عَدَا، حَاشَا waver between verb and preposition. The meaning is identical — “except” — the machinery differs, and the entry for mustathna covers the case rules.
How to spot it
Recognition test
Any “except / other than” word — then check which of the three grammars it runs.
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