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.