What is the difference between the general (Am), the specific (Khas), the restricted (Muqayyad), the absolute (Mutlaq), and the ambiguous (Mujmal)?
The general term (al-ʿāmm) is that which encompasses everything it is fit for at once. The specific term (al-khāṣṣ) is the word indicating a single entity, or that which applies to some, but not all, of a group it is suitable for, or it is the restriction of the general term to some of its individuals. As for the absolute term (al-muṭlaq), it is a generic noun indicating the essence without restriction. The restricted term (al-muqayyad) is the word whose meaning has been augmented beyond its original sense for a purpose other than its meaning. The ambiguous term (al-mujmal) is that which can bear two or more meanings without one being preferred over the other in the listener's perception.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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