Surah Al-‘Alaq — Part 2

Ayahs 11–19 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah Al-‘Alaq — Part 2 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 11

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ ۝١١ Sentence structure أَرَءَيْتَ opens another interrogation. إِن كَانَ introduces a condition; عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ is the predicate phrase of كَانَ. Ayah summary Consider how good it would be if the one who prevents prayer were himself upon guidance. أَرَءَيْتَ — Have you considered Grammar: Interrogative أَ plus perfect with attached subject تَ. إِن — if Grammar: A conditional particle. كَانَ — he is Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular incomplete perfect; its noun is understood. عَلَى — upon Grammar: A preposition introducing the predicate phrase of كَانَ. ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ — guidance Grammar: A defined masculine genitive noun after عَلَى.

2. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 12

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ ۝١٢ Sentence structure أَوْ coordinates an alternative. أَمَرَ is a perfect with understood subject and بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ is linked to it. Ayah summary It would also be better if he instructed others to remain mindful of Allah. أَوْ — or Grammar: A coordinating particle offering an alternative. أَمَرَ — he commands Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject. بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ — righteousness Grammar: بِ is a preposition and the defined feminine noun is genitive. This phrase is linked to «أَمَرَ».

3. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 13

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ۝١٣ Sentence structure أَرَءَيْتَ introduces the interrogation; إِن كَذَّبَ is conditional and وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ is coordinated with it. Ayah summary But the one who prevents him rejects the truth and turns away. أَرَءَيْتَ — Have you seen Grammar: Interrogative أَ plus perfect with attached subject تَ. إِن — if Grammar: A conditional particle. كَذَّبَ — he denies Grammar: A Form II third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject. وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ — and turns away Grammar: وَ coordinates; a Form V third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject.

4. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 14

أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ۝١٤ Sentence structure أَ interrogates and لَمْ negates and jussivizes يَعْلَمْ. بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ is its object clause; ٱللَّهَ is the noun of أَنَّ. Ayah summary Does he not know that Allah sees everything? أَلَمْ — Does he not Grammar: أَ is interrogative and لَمْ negates and jussivizes. يَعْلَم — know Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular imperfect, jussive after لَمْ, with understood subject. بِأَنَّ — that Grammar: بِ is a preposition and أَنَّ an accusative subordinating particle. ٱللَّهَ — Allah Grammar: The proper noun is the accusative noun of أَنَّ. يَرَىٰ — sees Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular imperfect with understood subject; its verbal clause is the predicate of أَنَّ.

5. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 15

كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ ۝١٥ Sentence structure كَلَّا deters; لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ is an emphatic condition. لَنَسْفَعًۢا is its emphatic result and بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ links to the verb. Ayah summary If he does not stop, he will be seized by the forelock. كَلَّا — No indeed Grammar: A deterrent and rebuke particle. لَئِن — surely if Grammar: لَ is oath-emphasis and إِنْ is conditional. لَّمْ — does not Grammar: A negative particle that jussivizes the following imperfect. يَنتَهِ — he desists Grammar: A Form VIII third-person masculine-singular imperfect, jussive after لَمْ, with understood subject. لَنَسْفَعًۢا — We will surely seize Grammar: لَ emphasizes; first-person-plural imperfect with emphatic light nūn and understood subject نَحْنُ. بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ — by the forelock Grammar: بِ is a preposition; the defined feminine noun is genitive. This phrase is linked to «نَسْفَعًۢ».

6. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 16

نَاصِيَةٍ كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ ۝١٦ Sentence structure نَاصِيَةٍۢ is a genitive apposition to the preceding noun; كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍۢ are two matching genitive adjectives. Ayah summary That forelock is lying and sinful. نَاصِيَةٍۢ — a forelock Grammar: An indefinite feminine genitive apposition to the preceding defined noun. كَـٰذِبَةٍ — lying Grammar: An indefinite feminine genitive active-participle adjective of نَاصِيَةٍۢ. خَاطِئَةٍۢ — sinful Grammar: A second indefinite feminine genitive active-participle adjective.

7. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 17

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ ۝١٧ Sentence structure فَ connects and imperative لْ jussivizes يَدْعُ. Its subject is understood and نَادِيَهُۥ is the object with possessive هُ. Ayah summary So let him call his council for help. فَلْيَدْعُ — Then let him call Grammar: فَ connects; imperative لْ jussivizes the third-person imperfect; subject is understood. نَادِيَهُۥ — his council Grammar: A masculine accusative object; attached هُ is possessive.

8. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 18

سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ ۝١٨ Sentence structure Future سَ precedes first-person-plural نَدْعُ; its subject is understood ‘we’ and ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ is the accusative object. Ayah summary We will also summon the angels of punishment. سَنَدْعُ — We will call Grammar: سَ marks future; first-person-plural imperfect with understood subject نَحْنُ. ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ — the guards Grammar: A defined masculine-plural accusative object of نَدْعُ.

9. Surah Al-‘Alaq · Ayah 19

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب ۩ ۝١٩ Sentence structure كَلَّا deters; prohibitive لَا jussivizes تُطِعْهُ. وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب are coordinated imperatives with understood subject ‘you’. Ayah summary Do not obey him; prostrate yourself and draw near to your Lord. كَلَّا — No indeed Grammar: A deterrent and rebuke particle. لَا — do not Grammar: A prohibitive particle that jussivizes the following imperfect. تُطِعْهُ — obey him Grammar: A Form IV second-person masculine-singular imperfect, jussive after لَا; subject is understood and هُ object. وَٱسْجُدْ — and prostrate Grammar: وَ coordinates; a masculine-singular imperative with understood subject. وَٱقْتَرِب ۩ — and draw near Grammar: وَ coordinates; a Form VIII masculine-singular imperative with understood subject.

Practice questions

Question 1

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ ۝١١ What is عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ with كَانَ?

  • Subject
  • Object
  • Predicate phrase
  • Adjective

Question 2

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ ۝١٢ What is بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ?

  • Subject
  • Object
  • Predicate
  • Genitive phrase

Question 3

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ۝١٣ What is وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ?

  • A coordinated Form V perfect
  • A passive imperfect
  • An imperative
  • A genitive noun

Question 4

أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ۝١٤ What is ٱللَّهَ after أَنَّ?

  • Predicate
  • Accusative noun of Anna
  • Subject
  • Genitive noun

Question 5

كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ ۝١٥ What does لَمْ do to يَنتَهِ?

  • Makes it nominative
  • Makes it accusative
  • Makes it jussive
  • Makes it imperative

Question 6

نَاصِيَةٍ كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ ۝١٦ What is كَـٰذِبَةٍ?

  • Accusative object
  • Nominative subject
  • Imperative
  • Genitive adjective

Question 7

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ ۝١٧ What is نَادِيَهُۥ with يَدْعُ?

  • Object
  • Subject
  • Predicate
  • Adjective

Question 8

سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ ۝١٨ What is ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ with نَدْعُ?

  • Subject
  • Object
  • Predicate
  • Genitive complement

Question 9

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب ۩ ۝١٩ What does prohibitive لَا do to تُطِعْهُ?

  • Makes it nominative
  • Makes it accusative
  • Makes it jussive
  • Makes it perfect

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