Surah Al-Mutaffifin — Part 3

Ayahs 16–22 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah Al-Mutaffifin — Part 3 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Surah Al-Mutaffifin · Ayah 16

ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُوا۟ ٱلْجَحِيمِ Sentence structure ثُمَّ coordinates the clause. Attached هُمْ is the noun of إِنَّ, and لَصَالُوا۟ ٱلْجَحِيمِ is its emphatic predicate in an annexation construction. Ayah summary Then they will enter Hell. ثُمَّ — Then Grammar: a conjunction. إِنَّهُمْ — indeed, they Grammar: إِنَّ is accusative/emphatic; attached هُمْ is its accusative noun. لَصَالُوا۟ — (surely) will burn Grammar: لَ is emphatic. صَالُوا۟ is not a perfect verb here: it is a nominative masculine-plural active participle functioning as the predicate of إِنَّ; its nūn is omitted because it is annexed to ٱلْجَحِيمِ. ٱلْجَحِيمِ — (in) the Hellfire Grammar: A definite genitive noun functioning as the genitive complement of صَالُوا۟.

2. Surah Al-Mutaffifin · Ayah 17

ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ Sentence structure Passive يُقَالُ introduces reported speech, and the complete reported nominal clause occupies its deputy-subject position. Within that clause هَـٰذَا is the topic; in one grammatical reading ٱلَّذِى is its predicate and كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ the relative clause. Ayah summary They will be told that this is the very punishment they used to deny. ثُمَّ — Then Grammar: a conjunction. يُقَالُ — it will be said Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular passive imperfect; the reported nominal clause fills its deputy-subject position. هَـٰذَا — This Grammar: A masculine-singular demonstrative functioning internally as the topic; the whole reported clause occupies the deputy-subject position of يُقَالُ. ٱلَّذِى — (is) what Grammar: A masculine-singular relative pronoun, used as the predicate of هَـٰذَا in this grammatical reading; its relative clause follows. كُنتُم — you used to Grammar: A deficient second-person masculine-plural perfect; attached تُم is its nominative noun. بِهِۦ — [of it] Grammar: بِ is a preposition and attached هِۦ its genitive pronoun; the phrase is linked to تُكَذِّبُونَ. تُكَذِّبُونَ — deny Grammar: A Form II second-person masculine-plural imperfect forming the predicate of كُنتُم. Attached و is the subject and final ن marks the indicative.

3. Surah Al-Mutaffifin · Ayah 18

كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ Sentence structure This parallels ayah 7: كِتَـٰبَ is the noun of إِنَّ, ٱلْأَبْرَارِ its genitive complement, and لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ the emphatic predicate. Ayah summary The wicked and the righteous cannot have the same end; the record of the righteous is in Illiyyin. كَلَّآ — Nay Grammar: a deterrent particle. إِنَّ — Indeed Grammar: An accusative and emphatic particle. كِتَـٰبَ is its accusative noun and لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ its emphatic predicate. كِتَـٰبَ — (the) record Grammar: An accusative noun functioning as the noun of إِنَّ and annexed to ٱلْأَبْرَارِ. ٱلْأَبْرَارِ — (of) the righteous Grammar: A definite genitive plural noun functioning as the genitive complement of كِتَـٰبَ. لَفِى — (will be) surely in Grammar: لَ is the displaced emphatic lām and فِى a preposition; the phrase forms the predicate of إِنَّ. عِلِّيِّينَ — Illiyin Grammar: genitive noun functioning as the genitive complement.

4. Surah Al-Mutaffifin · Ayah 19

وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ Sentence structure The first interrogative مَآ is the topic and أَدْرَىٰكَ its predicate. The inner nominal question مَا عِلِّيُّونَ supplies what is made known. Ayah summary A person cannot know by themselves what Illiyyin is. وَمَآ — And what Grammar: وَ resumes/coordinates; interrogative مَآ functions as the topic. أَدْرَىٰكَ — can make you know Grammar: A Form IV perfect with an understood subject; attached كَ is the first object and the following question supplies the second. مَا — what Grammar: An interrogative pronoun functioning as the topic of the inner nominal question. عِلِّيُّونَ — (is) Illiyun Grammar: A nominative plural noun functioning as the predicate of the inner interrogative مَا.

5. Surah Al-Mutaffifin · Ayah 20

كِتَـٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ Sentence structure كِتَـٰبٌ is the nominative predicate of an omitted topic, and مَّرْقُومٌ is its nominative adjective. Ayah summary Illiyyin is a written register containing the names and deeds of the people of Paradise. كِتَـٰبٌۭ — A book Grammar: An indefinite nominative noun functioning as the predicate of an omitted topic. مَّرْقُومٌۭ — written Grammar: An indefinite nominative passive-participle adjective describing كِتَـٰبٌ.

6. Surah Al-Mutaffifin · Ayah 21

يَشْهَدُهُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ Sentence structure The verbal clause is a second adjective for كِتَـٰبٌ. Attached هُ is the object of يَشْهَدُ, while ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ is its subject. Ayah summary Those brought near witness this record and are present at that station. يَشْهَدُهُ — Witness it Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular imperfect in a clause describing كِتَـٰبٌ; attached هُ is its object. ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ — those brought near Grammar: A definite Form II masculine-plural passive participle functioning as the subject of يَشْهَدُ, nominative with wāw; final nūn is nominal.

7. Surah Al-Mutaffifin · Ayah 22

إِنَّ ٱلْأَبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ Sentence structure إِنَّ makes ٱلْأَبْرَارَ accusative as its noun. The emphatic prepositional phrase لَفِى نَعِيمٍ is its predicate. Ayah summary The righteous will be amid the blessings and comforts of Paradise. إِنَّ — Indeed Grammar: an accusative and emphatic particle. ٱلْأَبْرَارَ — the righteous Grammar: A definite accusative plural noun functioning as the noun of إِنَّ. لَفِى — (will be) surely in Grammar: لَ is the displaced emphatic lām and فِى a preposition; the phrase forms the predicate of إِنَّ. نَعِيمٍ — bliss Grammar: genitive noun functioning as the genitive complement.

Practice questions

Question 1

ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُوا۟ ٱلْجَحِيمِ ۝١٦ Why is the nūn absent from صَالُوا۟ here?

  • Because it is jussive
  • Because it is accusative
  • Because it is a perfect verb
  • Because the plural active participle is annexed

Question 2

ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ ۝١٧ What voice is يُقَالُ?

  • Active perfect
  • Passive imperfect
  • Active imperative
  • Deficient perfect

Question 3

كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ ۝١٨ What is كِتَـٰبَ after إِنَّ?

  • Predicate
  • Subject
  • Accusative noun of inna
  • Adjective

Question 4

وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ ۝١٩ What is عِلِّيُّونَ in the inner question?

  • The nominative predicate of mā
  • An object
  • A genitive noun
  • A verb

Question 5

كِتَـٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ ۝٢٠ What is مَرْقُومٌ in relation to كِتَـٰبٌ?

  • Object
  • Nominative adjective
  • Genitive complement
  • Circumstance

Question 6

يَشْهَدُهُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ ۝٢١ What is attached هُ in يَشْهَدُهُ?

  • Subject
  • Predicate
  • Object
  • Genitive possessor

Question 7

إِنَّ ٱلْأَبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ ۝٢٢ What is ٱلْأَبْرَارَ after إِنَّ?

  • Predicate
  • Subject
  • Adjective
  • Accusative noun of inna

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