Grammar term · Nahw · syntax
حَال
hal
Circumstantial accusative (hal)
Nahw · syntaxSyntactic rolecore term1,791+ in the Qur'an
In one line
The circumstantial accusative — a noun in nasb describing the state of someone during the action.
Classical definition
الحَالُ هُوَ الاسْمُ المَنْصُوبُ المُفَسِّرُ لِمَا انْبَهَمَ مِنَ الهَيْئَاتِ.
“The hal is the nasb-state noun that explains an unclear circumstance (how things were at the time).”
(الآجرّومية)
Key words in the Arabic
الْمُفَسِّرthat which explains
انْبَهَمَwas left unclear, vague
الْهَيْئَاتthe circumstances, states
Understand it
The hal freezes the moment of the verb and tells you how its subject looked in it: he came — running (جَاءَ يَعْدُو / جَاءَ مُسْرِعًا). It is typically an indefinite noun in nasb, while its owner is definite; that mismatch is your signal. The Quran uses hal constantly to paint states: humble, hurrying, in ranks.
How to spot it
Recognition test
It answers “in what state?” or “how?” at the moment of the verb, and is in nasb — e.g. “he came running.”
In the Qur'an
وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا
Al-Isra 17:37 — “And do not walk upon the earth exultantly”
مَرَحًا is a haal in nasb — describing the manner of walking.
Don't confuse it with
The haal is indefinite and describes a state; the نعت is usually definite-matching and describes a permanent quality.
Related terms