Kalām
Kalām, speech, in the usage of the grammarians is any spoken word that conveys a complete meaning.
الكلام لفظٌ مفيدٌ
Kalām is a spoken word that is beneficial.
Lafẓ is what a person utters with the tongue. This rules out anything that may stand in for it, such as:
- Indication: a person may gesture for someone to leave. A gesture does not count as lafẓ.
- Writing: it is beneficial in the way a spoken word is beneficial, but it is not lafẓ.
Mufīd is what is beneficial: enough has been said for the listener to remain silent without expecting more.
For example, if it is said:
أذَّنَ المؤذِّنُ
The muʾadhdhin did adhān.
The sentence is complete. The listener needs no further clarification.
If, however, it is said:
إنْ أذَّنَ المؤذِّنُ
If the muʾadhdhin did adhān…
the sentence is incomplete, and so it is not beneficial. The listener will wait to hear what follows: what will happen if the muʾadhdhin does adhān? It would not be right for him to remain silent.
Kalām, then, is every spoken word that conveys a complete meaning.