The implied noun is دعوى (claim), كلمة (word), or جملة (sentence) — all feminine. Arabic often uses feminine pronouns for abstract concepts, speeches, or ideas.

 why qawluha in قَدْ قَالَهَا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَمَا أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ. Ha indicates feminine

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ChatGPT said:

Great question! The word in question is:

قَدْ قَالَهَا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
"Indeed, those before them had already said it..."
— Surah Az-Zumar (39:50)

You're asking: why is it "قَالَهَا" (qālahā), with "hā" referring to something feminine, even though it's referring to "a statement" or "saying"? Let’s break it down grammatically and contextually.

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🔍 Meaning of "قَالَهَا":

قَالَهَا = "they said it"

• قَالَ = he said

• هَا = it, feminine pronoun

So this means: “they said it”, where “it” is feminine. So we need to ask: what is the feminine noun being referred to?

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💡 Antecedent of "هَا" (feminine pronoun)

The pronoun "هَا" refers to a previous statement made by arrogant disbelievers. Specifically, this phrase from the previous verse:

إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ
“I was only given it because of knowledge I possess.”
(39:49)

That sentence, that claim, is being referred to as a whole. In Arabic, a statement or saying can be referred to as:

• قَوْل — masculine noun meaning “statement”

• But also implied: كلمة (word), مقالة (saying), or جملة (sentence), دعوى (claim), which are feminine nouns.

When Arabic refers back to a whole idea, phrase, or saying, it often treats it as feminine, especially if the implied noun is feminine.

📌 So هَا here is not referring to the word "قَوْل" itself, but to the content of the statement, i.e., the arrogant claim — which is often treated as feminine because:

• The implied noun is دعوى (claim), كلمة (word), or جملة (sentence) — all feminine.

• Arabic often uses feminine pronouns for abstract concepts, speeches, or ideas.

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🔁 Similar usage elsewhere

This is not unique to this verse. A similar structure appears in other verses too:

🔹 Surah Al-Qasas 28:78:

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِي
He said: "I was only given it because of knowledge I have."

This same claim is referred to in 39:50 as قَالَهَا.

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✅ Summary

• "هَا" in قَالَهَا refers to the statement: “I was only given it because of my knowledge.”

• Arabic uses feminine pronouns for:

  • Abstract statements

  • Entire phrases

  • Implied feminine nouns like دعوى, كلمة, or جملة

• Hence, قَالَهَا = "They said [that same arrogant claim]", referring to the same false statement made by previous people