Surah Al-Ma‘un — Part 1

Ayahs 1–7 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah Al-Ma‘un — Part 1 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Surah Al-Ma‘un · Ayah 1

أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ ۝١ Sentence structure Interrogative أَ prefixes the second-person perfect رَءَيْتَ. Masculine relative pronoun ٱلَّذِى is its object. Its relative clause contains Form II imperfect يُكَذِّبُ and linked phrase بِٱلدِّينِ. Ayah summary Have you seen the one who denies the Dīn? أَرَءَيْتَ — Have you seen Grammar: Interrogative أَ with second-person masculine-singular perfect رَءَيْتَ; attached تَ is the visible subject. ٱلَّذِى — the one who Grammar: A masculine-singular relative pronoun functioning as the object of أَرَءَيْتَ. يُكَذِّبُ — denies Grammar: A Form II third-person masculine-singular imperfect in the relative clause; its subject is the hidden pronoun «هُوَ». بِٱلدِّينِ — the Judgment Grammar: Preposition بِ governs the defined masculine genitive noun ٱلدِّينِ; the phrase is linked to يُكَذِّبُ.

2. Surah Al-Ma‘un · Ayah 2

فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ ۝٢ Sentence structure فَ connects the answer and ذَٰلِكَ is a masculine demonstrative. ٱلَّذِى begins its relative clause, in which يَدُعُّ is an imperfect verb and ٱلْيَتِيمَ its accusative object. Ayah summary This is the one who harshly repels the orphan. فَذَٰلِكَ — Then that Grammar: فَ connects the answer and ذَٰلِكَ is the topic; its predicate is a nominal sentence with hidden subject «هُوَ» and the following ٱلَّذِى as that subject's predicate. ٱلَّذِى — (is) the one who Grammar: A masculine-singular relative pronoun beginning its relative clause. يَدُعُّ — repulses Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular imperfect in the relative clause; its subject is the hidden pronoun «هُوَ». ٱلْيَتِيمَ — the orphan Grammar: A defined masculine accusative object of يَدُعُّ.

3. Surah Al-Ma‘un · Ayah 3

وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ ۝٣ Sentence structure وَ coordinates and لَا negates the imperfect يَحُضُّ. عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ is linked to the verb, and ٱلْمِسْكِينِ is the genitive complement of طَعَامِ. Ayah summary And he does not encourage feeding the needy. وَلَا — And (does) not Grammar: وَ coordinates and لَا is a negating particle for the following imperfect. يَحُضُّ — feel the urge Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular imperfect negated by لَا; its subject is the hidden pronoun «هُوَ». عَلَىٰ — to Grammar: A preposition linked to يَحُضُّ and governing the following noun. طَعَامِ — feed Grammar: A masculine genitive noun governed by عَلَىٰ and annexed to the next noun. ٱلْمِسْكِينِ — the poor Grammar: A defined masculine-singular genitive complement of طَعَامِ.

4. Surah Al-Ma‘un · Ayah 4

فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ ۝٤ Sentence structure فَ introduces the consequence and وَيْلٌۭ is an indefinite nominative noun. In لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ, لِ governs the defined masculine-plural genitive Form II active participle ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ. Ayah summary So woe to those who pray. فَوَيْلٌۭ — So woe Grammar: فَ connects the consequence; وَيْلٌۭ is an indefinite masculine nominative topic with an omitted predicate. لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ — to those who pray Grammar: Preposition لِ governs ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ; the phrase is linked to the omitted predicate of وَيْلٌۭ.

5. Surah Al-Ma‘un · Ayah 5

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ ۝٥ Sentence structure Plural relative pronoun ٱلَّذِينَ describes ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ in the preceding ayah. In its relative clause, هُمْ is the subject, سَاهُونَ the nominative active-participle predicate, and عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ is linked to the predicate. Ayah summary They are heedless of their prayer. ٱلَّذِينَ — Those who Grammar: A masculine-plural relative pronoun functioning as adjective of ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ in the preceding ayah. هُمْ — [they] Grammar: An explicit third-person masculine-plural pronoun serving as subject of the nominal clause. عَن — about Grammar: A preposition linked to سَاهُونَ and governing the following noun. صَلَاتِهِمْ — their prayers Grammar: صَلَاتِ is a feminine genitive noun governed by عَن; attached هِمْ is its possessive pronoun. سَاهُونَ — (are) neglectful Grammar: An indefinite masculine-plural nominative active participle serving as predicate of هُمْ.

6. Surah Al-Ma‘un · Ayah 6

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ ۝٦ Sentence structure The second ٱلَّذِينَ is apposition to the preceding relative pronoun. هُمْ is the subject of the nominal clause, while Form III masculine-plural imperfect يُرَآءُونَ forms its predicate; the visible group-wāw is the verb's subject and final nūn marks the indicative. Ayah summary They perform their deeds to be seen by people. ٱلَّذِينَ — Those who Grammar: A masculine-plural relative pronoun in apposition to the preceding ٱلَّذِينَ. هُمْ — [they] Grammar: An explicit third-person masculine-plural pronoun serving as subject of the nominal clause. يُرَآءُونَ — make show Grammar: A Form III third-person masculine-plural indicative imperfect. Visible group-wāw is the subject, and final nūn is the indicative marker of the five-verbs pattern.

7. Surah Al-Ma‘un · Ayah 7

وَيَمْنَعُونَ ٱلْمَاعُونَ ۝٧ Sentence structure وَ coordinates يَمْنَعُونَ to the preceding verb. It is a masculine-plural indicative imperfect with visible group-wāw as subject and final nūn as the indicative marker; ٱلْمَاعُونَ is its accusative object. Ayah summary And they withhold even ordinary useful things. وَيَمْنَعُونَ — And they deny Grammar: وَ coordinates a third-person masculine-plural indicative imperfect. Visible group-wāw is the subject, and final nūn is the indicative marker. ٱلْمَاعُونَ — [the] small kindnesses Grammar: A defined masculine accusative object of يَمْنَعُونَ.

Practice questions

Question 1

أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ ۝١ What is the role of ٱلَّذِى?

  • Object of أَرَءَيْتَ
  • Nominative subject
  • Genitive noun
  • Negative particle

Question 2

فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ ۝٢ What is the role of ٱلْيَتِيمَ?

  • Subject of يَدُعُّ
  • Accusative object of يَدُعُّ
  • Genitive adjective
  • Conjunction

Question 3

وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ ۝٣ What is the role of ٱلْمِسْكِينِ?

  • Accusative object
  • Nominative predicate
  • Genitive complement of طَعَامِ
  • Interrogative noun

Question 4

فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ ۝٤ What is the case of ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ after لِ?

  • Nominative
  • Accusative
  • Jussive
  • Genitive

Question 5

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ ۝٥ What is the role of سَاهُونَ?

  • Nominative predicate of هُمْ
  • Accusative object
  • Preposition
  • Relative pronoun

Question 6

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ ۝٦ Which form describes يُرَآءُونَ?

  • Form II perfect
  • Form III imperfect
  • Form IV imperative
  • Passive participle

Question 7

وَيَمْنَعُونَ ٱلْمَاعُونَ ۝٧ What is the role of ٱلْمَاعُونَ?

  • Subject
  • Genitive complement
  • Accusative object of يَمْنَعُونَ
  • Adverb

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