muqayyadah

Muqayyadah (Arabic: مقيدة) is a linguistic and scholarly term used in Arabic language and Islamic studies to denote restriction or qualification. The word derives from the root q-y-d meaning to bind or tie, and the feminine form muqayyadah conveys the sense of “the restricted one” or “the bound.” In a broad sense, muqayyadah refers to presenting a statement, law, or definition as subject to a condition, exception, or limit, thereby narrowing its scope. In contrast to muṭlaq (an absolute, unrestricted form), muqayyadah signals that the proposition applies only under specified circumstances.

In Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and its principles (usul al-fiqh), the concept is used to describe rules that are qualified by conditions or exceptions. A muqayyad rule is valid only when the stated condition holds; without the condition, a different ruling may apply. Classical discussions examine how muqayyadah interacts with general terms, textual evidence, and competing sources to determine applicability.

In hadith studies and Qur’anic exegesis, scholars may describe certain reports or interpretations as muqayyadah when their application is restricted to particular times, places, or audiences, or when constrained by other evidence. This usage helps reconcile apparent general statements with specific determinations.

Terminology varies by author and field, and muqayyadah may carry additional technical nuances in grammar, rhetoric, or theology. The term remains a general descriptor for a restricting qualifier that narrows the applicability of an assertion.

See also: Arabic grammar, usul al-fiqh, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis.