Grammar term · I'rab · Position
In place of jarr
fi mahall jarr
فِي مَحَلّ جَرّ
I'rabPositioncore term
In one line
“In the place of jarr” (فِي مَحَلّ جَرّ) describes a mabni word or a whole sentence filling a jarr slot — after a preposition, or as mudaf ilayh.
Classical definition
تَكُونُ الكَلِمَةُ المَبْنِيَّةُ أَوِ الجُمْلَةُ فِي مَحَلِّ جَرٍّ إِذَا وَقَعَتْ مَوْقِعَ المَجْرُورِ، كَالجُمْلَةِ بَعْدَ الظَّرْفِ.
“A mabni word or a sentence is “in the place of jarr” when it stands where a jarr word would stand — like a sentence after a time-adverb.”
Understand it
In مِنْهُ the preposition takes the pronoun ـهُ, which cannot show a kasra, so it sits fi mahall jarr. Likewise the sentence after a time-zarf counts as its mudaf ilayh: in يَوْمَ يَنفَعُ الصَّادِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ (al-Ma'ida 5:119), the whole sentence after يَوْمَ occupies the jarr slot.
How to spot it
Recognition test
A pronoun after a preposition, or a sentence after a time-zarf — fi mahall jarr.
Related terms
فِي مَحَلّ جَزْم · fi mahall jazm
فِي مَحَلّ نَصْب · fi mahall nasab
فِي مَحَلّ رَفْع · fi mahall rafa
لَا مَحَلّ لَهُ مِنَ الْإِعْرَاب · la mahall lahu min al-i'rab
Common questions
Why say in the place of jarr rather than simply jarr?
Because nothing on the word can show it. A mabni word or a whole sentence cannot take a kasra, yet it occupies a slot that demands jarr. The phrase records the role while admitting the ending is not there to be read.
Next in the guideفِي مَحَلّ جَزْمIn place of jazm →Updated