LessonsSupplementary Practice 23: Comparative Rhetorical Study of Sūrat al-Masad and al-IkhlāṣQuiz

تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
May Abu Lahab’s hands perish, and he himself perished. (111:1)

In the first clause tabbat is a perfect verb and yadā is its subject. The second tabba has an understood subject, 'he', referring to Abu Lahab. The wording moves from the hands to the individual as a whole: the second predication makes the total outcome unmistakable.

The wāw joins two meaningful clauses, not merely two decorative sound patterns. The relation is close yet the second clause contributes an explicit judgment on the person himself.

Opening interactive controls...

Tabbat and wa-tabba: two connected clauses

Supplementary Practice 23: Comparative Rhetorical Study of Sūrat al-Masad and al-Ikhlāṣ

تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
May Abu Lahab’s hands perish, and he himself perished. (111:1)

In the first clause tabbat is a perfect verb and yadā is its subject. The second tabba has an understood subject, 'he', referring to Abu Lahab. The wording moves from the hands to the individual as a whole: the second predication makes the total outcome unmistakable.

The wāw joins two meaningful clauses, not merely two decorative sound patterns. The relation is close yet the second clause contributes an explicit judgment on the person himself.