Ayahs 1–10 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah Al-Balad — Part 1 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.
Lesson
1. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 1
لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
Sentence structure
In one grammatical reading, لَآ negates أُقْسِمُ, a Form IV imperfect whose subject is understood أَنَا. بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ is linked to the verb; ٱلْبَلَدِ clarifies the demonstrative.
Ayah summary
Allah swears by this city of Makkah.
لَآ — Nay
Grammar: In one grammatical reading, a non-governing negative particle linked to أُقْسِمُ.
أُقْسِمُ — I swear
Grammar: A Form IV first-person singular indicative imperfect with understood subject أَنَا.
بِهَـٰذَا — by this
Grammar: بِ is a preposition and هَـٰذَا a masculine-singular demonstrative in the genitive position. This phrase is linked to «أُقْسِمُ».
ٱلْبَلَدِ — city
Grammar: ٱل defines the masculine genitive noun بَلَدِ, an appositional clarification of هَـٰذَا.
2. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 2
وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
Sentence structure
وَ resumes the nominal clause. أَنتَ is the topic and حِلٌّ its predicate; بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ is linked to the predicate, with ٱلْبَلَدِ clarifying the demonstrative.
Ayah summary
And the restriction in this city would not remain upon you, O Prophet ﷺ.
وَأَنتَ — And you
Grammar: وَ resumes/coordinates and أَنتَ is a second-person masculine-singular pronoun functioning as topic.
حِلٌّۢ — (are) free (to dwell)
Grammar: An indefinite masculine-singular nominative noun functioning as the predicate of أَنتَ.
بِهَـٰذَا — in this
Grammar: بِ is a preposition and هَـٰذَا a masculine demonstrative in the genitive position. This phrase is linked to «حِلٌّۢ».
ٱلْبَلَدِ — city
Grammar: ٱل defines the masculine genitive noun بَلَدِ, clarifying the demonstrative.
3. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 3
وَوَالِدٍۢ وَمَا وَلَدَ
Sentence structure
وَوَالِدٍ is coordinated as a genitive oath noun. وَمَا coordinates a relative noun, and وَلَدَ is its relative-clause verb with understood subject هُوَ.
Ayah summary
And He swears by a parent and the offspring he begot.
وَوَالِدٍۢ — And the begetter
Grammar: وَ coordinates and serves in the oath sequence; وَالِدٍ is an indefinite genitive active participle/noun.
وَمَا — and what
Grammar: وَ coordinates and مَا is a relative pronoun whose clause follows.
وَلَدَ — he begot
Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject هُوَ, forming the relative clause of مَا.
4. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 4
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ
Sentence structure
لَ emphasizes and قَدْ confirms the perfect خَلَقْنَا; attached نَا is its subject. ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ is the object, and فِى كَبَدٍ describes the state in which he was created.
Ayah summary
The human being was created amid hardship.
لَقَدْ — Certainly
Grammar: لَ is emphatic and قَدْ is a particle of certainty before the perfect.
خَلَقْنَا — We have created
Grammar: A first-person plural perfect; attached نَا is the subject.
ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ — man
Grammar: ٱل defines the masculine-singular accusative object of خَلَقْنَا. An omitted circumstantial element is associated with «ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ».
فِى — (to be) in
Grammar: A preposition governing the following noun and beginning a circumstantial phrase. This phrase is linked through an omitted element.
كَبَدٍ — hardship
Grammar: An indefinite masculine genitive noun governed by فِى.
5. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 5
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌۭ
Sentence structure
أَ opens the question; يَحْسَبُ has understood subject هُوَ. The clause أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ is its object; لَّن makes يَقْدِرَ subjunctive and أَحَدٌ is that verb's subject.
Ayah summary
Does he think that no one will be able to overpower him?
أَيَحْسَبُ — Does he think
Grammar: أَ is interrogative; يَحْسَبُ is a third-person masculine-singular indicative imperfect with understood subject هُوَ.
أَن — that
Grammar: A subordinating/source particle introducing the clause that functions as the object of يَحْسَبُ.
لَّن — not
Grammar: A particle of future negation and subjunctive governing يَقْدِرَ.
يَقْدِرَ — has power
Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular imperfect, subjunctive after لَّن.
عَلَيْهِ — over him
Grammar: عَلَىٰ is a preposition and attached هِ a masculine-singular pronoun in the genitive position. This phrase is linked to «يَقْدِرَ».
أَحَدٌۭ — anyone
Grammar: An indefinite masculine-singular nominative subject of يَقْدِرَ.
6. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 6
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًۭا لُّبَدًا
Sentence structure
يَقُولُ has understood subject هُوَ. أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًا is the quoted object clause: attached تُ is subject, مَالًا object, and لُّبَدًا its adjective.
Ayah summary
He boasts that he has spent heaps of wealth.
يَقُولُ — He will say
Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular indicative imperfect with understood subject هُوَ; the next clause is its quoted object.
أَهْلَكْتُ — I have squandered
Grammar: A Form IV first-person singular perfect; attached تُ is the subject.
مَالًۭا — wealth
Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative object of أَهْلَكْتُ.
لُّبَدًا — abundant
Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative adjective of مَالًا.
7. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 7
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Sentence structure
أَ asks and يَحْسَبُ has understood subject. The clause after أَن is its object: لَّمْ makes يَرَ jussive, attached هُۥٓ is the object, and أَحَدٌ the subject.
Ayah summary
Does he think that no one has seen him?
أَيَحْسَبُ — Does he think
Grammar: أَ is interrogative; يَحْسَبُ is a third-person masculine-singular indicative imperfect with understood subject.
أَن — that
Grammar: A subordinating/source particle introducing the clause that functions as the object of يَحْسَبُ.
لَّمْ — not
Grammar: A particle of negation and jussive governing the following imperfect.
يَرَهُۥٓ — sees him
Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular jussive imperfect after لَّمْ; attached هُۥٓ is the object and final yā is omitted for jussive.
أَحَدٌ — anyone
Grammar: An indefinite masculine-singular nominative subject of يَرَ.
8. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 8
أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ
Sentence structure
In أَلَمْ, the hamzah asks and لَمْ negates and makes نَجْعَل jussive; its subject is understood نَحْنُ. عَيْنَيْنِ is its dual object and لَّهُۥ is linked to the verb.
Ayah summary
Allah granted him two eyes.
أَلَمْ — Have not
Grammar: أَ is interrogative and لَمْ negates and makes the following imperfect jussive.
نَجْعَل — We made
Grammar: A first-person plural jussive imperfect governed by لَمْ, with understood subject نَحْنُ.
لَّهُۥ — for him
Grammar: لِ is a preposition and attached هُۥ a masculine-singular pronoun in the genitive position. This phrase is linked to «نَجْعَل».
عَيْنَيْنِ — two eyes
Grammar: A feminine dual accusative object of نَجْعَل, marked by yā.
9. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 9
وَلِسَانًۭا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
Sentence structure
This continues the objects of نَجْعَل: وَلِسَانًا is coordinated with عَيْنَيْنِ, and وَشَفَتَيْنِ is coordinated with لِسَانًا. Both are accusative.
Ayah summary
And He granted him a tongue and two lips.
وَلِسَانًۭا — And a tongue
Grammar: وَ coordinates; لِسَانًا is an indefinite masculine accusative noun coordinated with the preceding object.
وَشَفَتَيْنِ — and two lips
Grammar: وَ coordinates; شَفَتَيْنِ is a feminine dual accusative noun marked by yā.
10. Surah Al-Balad · Ayah 10
وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ
Sentence structure
وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُ is a perfect verb: attached نَا is subject and هُ the first object. ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ is the definite dual second object.
Ayah summary
Allah showed him both the paths of good and evil.
وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُ — And shown him
Grammar: وَ coordinates; هَدَيْ is a first-person-plural perfect, attached نَا subject and هُ first object.
ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ — the two ways
Grammar: ٱل defines the masculine dual accusative second object, marked by yā.