Surah Al-A‘la — Part 1

Ayahs 1–10 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah Al-A‘la — Part 1 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 1

سَبِّحِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلْأَعْلَى Sentence structure سَبِّحِ is an imperative with understood subject أَنْتَ. ٱسْمَ is its object; رَبِّكَ completes the annexation, and ٱلْأَعْلَى is read here as a genitive adjective of رَبِّ. Ayah summary Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High. سَبِّحِ — Glorify Grammar: A second-person masculine-singular Form II imperative with obligatory understood subject أَنْتَ. Its final kasrah avoids two consonants meeting. ٱسْمَ — (the) name Grammar: A masculine-singular accusative noun functioning as the object of سَبِّحِ and annexed to رَبِّكَ. رَبِّكَ — (of) your Lord Grammar: رَبِّ is the genitive complement of ٱسْمَ; attached كَ is a second-person masculine-singular genitive possessor. ٱلْأَعْلَى — the Most High Grammar: ٱل is the definite article. In one grammatical reading, أَعْلَى is a masculine-singular genitive adjective of رَبِّ, with an estimated kasrah on the final alif.

2. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 2

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ Sentence structure ٱلَّذِى describes the preceding Lord; خَلَقَ is its relative clause. فَسَوَّىٰ is coordinated with the first verb; both verbs have an understood subject and an omitted object. Ayah summary Allah created everything and fashioned it perfectly according to wisdom. ٱلَّذِى — The One Who Grammar: A masculine-singular relative noun, read here as a genitive adjective explaining the preceding رَبِّكَ; its following clause is the relative clause. خَلَقَ — created Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject هُوَ. Its object is omitted. فَسَوَّىٰ — then proportioned Grammar: فَ coordinates; سَوَّىٰ is a third-person masculine-singular Form II perfect with understood subject هُوَ and omitted object.

3. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 3

وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ Sentence structure وَٱلَّذِى is coordinated with the preceding relative noun. قَدَّرَ is its relative clause, and فَهَدَىٰ is coordinated with that verb; both have understood subjects and omitted objects. Ayah summary Allah determined the measure of everything and guided it to its proper way. وَٱلَّذِى — And the One Who Grammar: وَ coordinates; ٱلَّذِى is a masculine-singular relative noun coordinated with the preceding relative noun. قَدَّرَ — measured Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular Form II perfect with understood subject هُوَ. Its object is omitted. فَهَدَىٰ — then guided Grammar: فَ coordinates; هَدَىٰ is a third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject هُوَ and omitted object.

4. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 4

وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَخْرَجَ ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ Sentence structure وَٱلَّذِىٓ continues the coordinated relative nouns. أَخْرَجَ is the relative-clause verb with an understood subject, and ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ is its object. Ayah summary Allah brings forth green pasture from the earth. وَٱلَّذِىٓ — And the One Who Grammar: وَ coordinates; ٱلَّذِىٓ is a masculine-singular relative noun coordinated with the preceding relative noun. أَخْرَجَ — brings forth Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular Form IV perfect with understood subject هُوَ. ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ — the pasture Grammar: ٱل is the definite article; مَرْعَىٰ is a masculine-singular accusative object of أَخْرَجَ, with an estimated fatḥah on the final alif.

5. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 5

فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحْوَىٰ Sentence structure فَجَعَلَهُۥ is coordinated with the preceding verb: its understood subject is هُوَ and attached هُۥ is the first object. غُثَآءً is the second object; أَحْوَىٰ is read here as its accusative adjective. Ayah summary Then He turns that pasture into dry, dark stubble. فَجَعَلَهُۥ — And then makes it Grammar: فَ coordinates; جَعَلَ is a third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject هُوَ. Attached هُۥ is its first object. غُثَآءً — stubble Grammar: An indefinite masculine-singular accusative noun functioning as the second object of جَعَلَ. أَحْوَىٰ — dark Grammar: In one grammatical reading, an indefinite masculine-singular accusative adjective of غُثَآءً, with an estimated fatḥah on the final alif.

6. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 6

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ Sentence structure سَنُقْرِئُكَ has the near-future prefix سَ, a first-person-plural verb with understood subject نَحْنُ, and object كَ. فَلَا resumes and negates; تَنسَىٰٓ is read as an indicative imperfect with understood subject أَنْتَ. Ayah summary Allah assures the Prophet ﷺ that He will teach him the Qur’an and preserve it in his memory. سَنُقْرِئُكَ — We will make you recite Grammar: سَ marks the near future; نُقْرِئُ is a first-person-plural Form IV indicative imperfect with understood subject نَحْنُ, and attached كَ is its first object. The second object is omitted. فَلَا — so not Grammar: فَ resumes the discourse and لَا is read here as a non-governing negative particle. تَنسَىٰٓ — you will forget Grammar: In one grammatical reading, a second-person masculine-singular indicative imperfect with understood subject أَنْتَ and omitted object; its ḍammah is estimated on the final alif.

7. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 7

إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ Sentence structure إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ forms the exception: مَا is the excepted relative noun, شَآءَ its relative-clause verb, and ٱللَّهُ the subject. إِنَّهُۥ begins a new emphatic clause; يَعْلَمُ and its objects form the predicate. Ayah summary Only what Allah wills may be forgotten, and He knows every open and hidden matter. إِلَّا — Except Grammar: An exception particle introducing the exception from the preceding statement. مَا — what Grammar: A relative noun meaning 'that which', in the accusative position as the excepted element after إِلَّا. شَآءَ — wills Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular perfect in the relative clause; its object is omitted. ٱللَّهُ ۚ — Allah Grammar: A proper noun functioning as the nominative subject of شَآءَ. The pause mark belongs to recitation, not the grammatical word. إِنَّهُۥ — Indeed, He Grammar: إِنَّ is an accusative/emphatic particle and attached هُۥ its third-person masculine-singular noun. يَعْلَمُ — knows Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular indicative imperfect with understood subject هُوَ. Its verbal clause is the predicate of إِنَّ. ٱلْجَهْرَ — the manifest Grammar: ٱل is the definite article; جَهْرَ is a masculine-singular accusative object of يَعْلَمُ. وَمَا — and what Grammar: وَ coordinates; مَا is a relative noun coordinated with ٱلْجَهْرَ in the accusative position. يَخْفَىٰ — is hidden Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular indicative imperfect in the relative clause, with understood subject هُوَ.

8. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 8

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ Sentence structure وَنُيَسِّرُكَ is coordinated with سَنُقْرِئُكَ: its understood subject is نَحْنُ and attached كَ is the object. لِلْيُسْرَىٰ is a prepositional phrase linked to the verb. Ayah summary Allah will make the path of ease readily accessible to the Prophet ﷺ. وَنُيَسِّرُكَ — And We will ease you Grammar: وَ coordinates; نُيَسِّرُ is a first-person-plural Form II indicative imperfect with understood subject نَحْنُ, and attached كَ is its object. لِلْيُسْرَىٰ — to the ease Grammar: لِ is a preposition, ٱل the definite article, and يُسْرَىٰ a feminine-singular genitive noun; the phrase is linked to نُيَسِّرُكَ.

9. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 9

فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ Sentence structure فَذَكِّرْ is an imperative with understood subject أَنْتَ and an omitted object. In one conditional reading, إِن introduces the condition, نَّفَعَتِ is its verb, and ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ the subject; the response is understood from the preceding command. Ayah summary Continue to remind, for there are people who will benefit from the reminder. فَذَكِّرْ — So remind Grammar: فَ resumes or links to the conditional sense; ذَكِّرْ is a second-person masculine-singular Form II imperative with understood subject أَنْتَ and omitted object. إِن — if Grammar: In one grammatical reading, a jussive conditional particle introducing the condition. نَّفَعَتِ — benefits Grammar: A third-person feminine-singular perfect functioning as the conditional verb in the jussive position. Final ت is the feminine marker, moved with kasrah to avoid two consonants meeting. ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ — the reminder Grammar: ٱل is the definite article; ذِّكْرَىٰ is the feminine-singular nominative subject of نَّفَعَتِ, with an estimated ḍammah on the final alif.

10. Surah Al-A‘la · Ayah 10

سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ Sentence structure سَيَذَّكَّرُ is an indicative imperfect preceded by future سَ. مَن is its subject; يَخْشَىٰ is the relative clause with an understood subject and omitted object. Ayah summary The one who fears Allah will heed the reminder. سَيَذَّكَّرُ — He will pay heed Grammar: سَ marks the future; يَذَّكَّرُ is a third-person masculine-singular Form V indicative imperfect. مَن — (one) who Grammar: A relative noun functioning as the nominative subject of سَيَذَّكَّرُ. يَخْشَىٰ — fears (Allah) Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular indicative imperfect in the relative clause with understood subject هُوَ and omitted object.

Practice questions

Question 1

سَبِّحِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلْأَعْلَى ۝١ What is ٱسْمَ with سَبِّحِ?

  • Accusative object
  • Subject
  • Predicate
  • Genitive complement

Question 2

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ ۝٢ What form is سَوَّىٰ?

  • Form IV
  • Form II
  • Form V
  • Form I

Question 3

وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ ۝٣ What does فَ do in فَهَدَىٰ?

  • Negates
  • Makes jussive
  • Coordinates
  • Introduces an oath

Question 4

وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَخْرَجَ ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ ۝٤ What is ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ with أَخْرَجَ?

  • Subject
  • Predicate
  • Genitive adjective
  • Accusative object

Question 5

فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحْوَىٰ ۝٥ What is attached هُۥ in فَجَعَلَهُۥ?

  • First object
  • Subject
  • Second object
  • Genitive possessor

Question 6

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ ۝٦ What does سَ mark in سَنُقْرِئُكَ?

  • Negation
  • Near future
  • Question
  • Oath

Question 7

إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ ۝٧ What is ٱللَّهُ with شَآءَ?

  • Object
  • Predicate
  • Nominative subject
  • Genitive complement

Question 8

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ ۝٨ What is attached كَ in وَنُيَسِّرُكَ?

  • Subject
  • Predicate
  • Genitive possessor
  • Object

Question 9

فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ ۝٩ What is ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ with نَّفَعَتِ?

  • Nominative subject
  • Object
  • Predicate
  • Genitive adjective

Question 10

سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ ۝١٠ What is مَن with سَيَذَّكَّرُ?

  • Object
  • Relative noun functioning as subject
  • Predicate
  • Preposition

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