Surah Al-‘Asr — Part 1

Ayahs 1–3 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah Al-‘Asr — Part 1 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Surah Al-‘Asr · Ayah 1

وَٱلْعَصْرِ ۝١ Sentence structure In وَٱلْعَصْرِ, oath وَ is a preposition and the defined noun ٱلْعَصْرِ is genitive. Ayah summary Allah swears by Al-'Asr. وَٱلْعَصْرِ — By Al-‘Asr Grammar: Oath وَ is a preposition and defined masculine ٱلْعَصْرِ is its genitive noun; the oath phrase is linked to an omitted oath verb.

2. Surah Al-‘Asr · Ayah 2

إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ۝٢ Sentence structure إِنَّ is an accusative particle. ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ is its accusative noun, and the emphatic prepositional phrase لَفِى خُسْرٍ is its predicate. Ayah summary Surely the human being is in loss if his diminishing lifetime is not used for good. إِنَّ — Indeed Grammar: An accusative particle introducing an emphasized nominal sentence. ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ — mankind Grammar: A defined masculine accusative noun of إِنَّ. لَفِى — is surely in Grammar: Emphatic لَ precedes preposition فِى; فِى خُسْرٍ is linked to the omitted predicate of إِنَّ. خُسْرٍ — loss Grammar: An indefinite masculine genitive noun governed by فِى.

3. Surah Al-‘Asr · Ayah 3

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ۝٣ Sentence structure إِلَّا introduces an exception and ٱلَّذِينَ is a masculine-plural relative pronoun. Its relative clause coordinates four actions: ءَامَنُوا۟, عَمِلُوا۟, and the two occurrences of تَوَاصَوْا۟. ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ is an object; both بِٱلْحَقِّ and بِٱلصَّبْرِ are prepositional phrases. Ayah summary But those who have faith, do righteous deeds, counsel truth and counsel patience are saved from this loss. إِلَّا — except Grammar: An exceptive particle. ٱلَّذِينَ — those who Grammar: A masculine-plural relative pronoun introducing its relative clause. ءَامَنُوا۟ — believed Grammar: A Form IV third-person masculine-plural perfect; attached واو الجماعة is its subject. وَعَمِلُوا۟ — and did Grammar: وَ coordinates a third-person masculine-plural perfect; attached واو الجماعة is subject. ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ — righteous deeds Grammar: A defined feminine-plural accusative active-participle noun functioning as object of عَمِلُوا۟. وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ — and urged one another Grammar: وَ coordinates a Form VI third-person masculine-plural perfect; attached واو الجماعة is subject. بِٱلْحَقِّ — to the truth Grammar: Preposition بِ governs defined masculine genitive ٱلْحَقِّ; the phrase links to تَوَاصَوْا۟. وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ — and urged one another Grammar: وَ coordinates a Form VI third-person masculine-plural perfect; attached واو الجماعة is subject. بِٱلصَّبْرِ — to patience Grammar: Preposition بِ governs defined masculine genitive ٱلصَّبْرِ; the phrase links to تَوَاصَوْا۟.

Practice questions

Question 1

وَٱلْعَصْرِ ۝١ What is وَ in وَٱلْعَصْرِ?

  • Oath preposition
  • Conjunction
  • Object pronoun
  • Future particle

Question 2

إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ۝٢ What is the role of ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ?

  • Predicate of إِنَّ
  • Accusative noun of إِنَّ
  • Genitive complement
  • Conjunction

Question 3

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ۝٣ What is the role of ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ?

  • Subject
  • Prepositional noun
  • Accusative object
  • Exceptive particle

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