إذا ما

Arabic

Etymology

إِذَا (ʔiḏā, “when; if”) +‎ ـمَا (-mā, “soever”).

Conjunction

إِذَا مَا • (ʔiḏā mā) [with past or jussive]

1. when; whenever
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 9:127:

     وَإِذَا مَا أُنْزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ نَظَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ هَلْ يَرَاكُم مِنْ أَحَدٍ ثُمَّ ٱنْصَرَفُوا

     waʔiḏā mā ʔunzilat sūratun naẓara baʕḍuhum ʔilā baʕḍin hal yarākum min ʔaḥadin ṯumma nṣarafū

     And when a verse was revealed, they would look at one another, "Is there anybody who can see you?" Then they would walk away.

   • 10th century, Al-Mutanabbī, أَيَدْرِي الرَبعُ أَيَّ دَمٍ أَرَاقَا:

     إِذَا مَا ٱلنَّاسُ جَرَّبَهُمْ لَبِيبٌ / فَإِنِّي قَدْ أَكَلْتُهُمُ وَذَاقَا / فَلَمْ أَرَ وُدَّهُمْ إِلَّا خِدَاعًا / وَلَمْ أَرَ دِينَهُمْ إِلَّا نِفَاقَا

     ʔiḏā mā n-nāsu jarrabahum labībun / faʔinnī qad ʔakaltuhumu waḏāqā / falam ʔara wuddahum ʔillā ḵidāʕan / walam ʔara dīnahum ʔillā nifāqā

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)