Surah An-Naba — Part 3

Ayahs 17–24 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah An-Naba — Part 3 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 17

إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَـٰتًا Sentence structure إِنَّ introduces an emphatic nominal sentence. يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ is its noun, while the complete clause كَانَ مِيقَـٰتًا is its predicate: the Day of Decision has always been an appointed time. إِنَّ — indeed Grammar: A particle of emphasis resembling a verb. It makes its noun accusative and its predicate nominative in position. يَوْمَ — the Day Grammar: An accusative masculine noun, the noun of إِنَّ, and مضاف. ٱلْفَصْلِ — of Decision Grammar: A definite genitive masculine noun and the مضاف إليه of يَوْمَ. كَانَ — was / has been Grammar: A third-person masculine singular perfect deficient verb. Its noun is the understood pronoun هُوَ, referring to the Day. مِيقَـٰتًۭا — an appointed time Grammar: An indefinite accusative masculine noun and the predicate of كَانَ. The whole كَانَ clause is the predicate of إِنَّ.

2. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 18

يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا Sentence structure This يَوْمَ explains the Day mentioned in the preceding ayah. The passive clause يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ is attached to it, and فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا states the resulting gathering in crowds. يَوْمَ — the Day when Grammar: An accusative adverb of time and مضاف. It is an apposition explaining يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ in the preceding ayah. يُنفَخُ — it will be blown Grammar: A third-person masculine singular imperfect passive verb. The prepositional phrase فِى ٱلصُّورِ fills the passive-subject relation. فِى — in Grammar: A preposition linked to يُنفَخُ. ٱلصُّورِ — the Trumpet Grammar: A definite masculine noun made genitive by فِى. The prepositional phrase completes the passive clause. فَتَأْتُونَ — then you will come Grammar: فَـ marks sequence. تَأْتُونَ is a second-person masculine plural imperfect verb and one of the five verbs. “و” is wāw al-jamāʿah: an attached subject pronoun. The final “نَ” is the indicative nūn; its retention marks the verb as indicative. أَفْوَاجًۭا — in crowds Grammar: An indefinite accusative plural noun functioning as حال, describing how you will come. فَوْج is its singular.

3. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 19

وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَٰبًا Sentence structure Two passive-event descriptions are joined. ٱلسَّمَآءُ is the passive subject of فُتِحَتْ, then كَانَتْ takes an understood pronoun referring to the sky and أَبْوَٰبًا as its predicate. وَفُتِحَتِ — and the sky will be opened Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. فُتِحَتْ is a third-person feminine singular perfect passive verb; the final kasrah facilitates pronunciation before ٱلـ. ٱلسَّمَآءُ — the sky Grammar: A definite nominative feminine noun and the passive subject نائب فاعل of فُتِحَتْ. فَكَانَتْ — then it will become Grammar: فَـ links the result. كَانَتْ is a third-person feminine singular perfect deficient verb; its noun is the understood هِيَ. أَبْوَٰبًۭا — gateways Grammar: An indefinite accusative broken plural and the predicate of كَانَتْ. Its singular is بَاب.

4. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 20

وَسُيِّرَتِ ٱلْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا Sentence structure This statement parallels the preceding ayah. ٱلْجِبَالُ is the passive subject of سُيِّرَتْ, and the clause فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا states that the mountains will then become a mirage. وَسُيِّرَتِ — and the mountains will be moved Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. سُيِّرَتْ is a form II, third-person feminine singular perfect passive verb; the feminine singular agrees with a non-human plural. ٱلْجِبَالُ — the mountains Grammar: A definite nominative broken plural and the passive subject نائب فاعل of سُيِّرَتْ. فَكَانَتْ — then they will become Grammar: فَـ marks the resulting state. كَانَتْ is a feminine singular perfect deficient verb whose understood noun هِيَ refers to the mountains collectively. سَرَابًا — a mirage Grammar: An indefinite accusative masculine noun and the predicate of كَانَتْ.

5. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 21

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا Sentence structure إِنَّ emphasizes the statement. جَهَنَّمَ is its noun, and كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا is its predicate clause, describing Hell as a place lying in wait. إِنَّ — indeed Grammar: A particle of emphasis resembling a verb; it makes جَهَنَّمَ accusative. جَهَنَّمَ — Hell Grammar: A proper noun in the accusative case and the noun of إِنَّ. It is diptote ممنوع من الصرف. كَانَتْ — has been / is Grammar: A third-person feminine singular perfect deficient verb. Its noun is the understood هِيَ, referring to Hell. مِرْصَادًۭا — a place lying in wait Grammar: An indefinite accusative masculine noun and the predicate of كَانَتْ. The whole كَانَتْ clause is the predicate of إِنَّ.

6. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 22

لِّلطَّـٰغِينَ مَـَٔابًا Sentence structure This ayah completes the preceding description of Hell. لِّلطَّـٰغِينَ specifies for whom it lies in wait, while مَـَٔابًا is another predicate of the preceding كَانَتْ: a place of return for the transgressors. لِّلطَّـٰغِينَ — for the transgressors Grammar: لِـ is a preposition. ٱلطَّـٰغِينَ is a definite sound masculine plural made genitive with يَاء; the phrase is linked to the preceding كَانَتْ. مَـَٔابًۭا — a place of return Grammar: An indefinite accusative masculine noun functioning as another predicate of the preceding كَانَتْ. It is a noun of place from the root أ و ب.

7. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 23

لَّـٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًا Sentence structure لَّـٰبِثِينَ describes the transgressors' state as they remain in Hell. فِيهَآ is linked to this participle, and أَحْقَابًا specifies the duration: ages upon ages. لَّـٰبِثِينَ — remaining Grammar: An accusative sound masculine plural active participle functioning as حال of the transgressors. Its singular is لَابِث. فِيهَآ — therein Grammar: فِى is a preposition, and هَا is a third-person feminine singular pronoun in the genitive position referring to Hell. The phrase is linked to لَّـٰبِثِينَ. أَحْقَابًۭا — for ages Grammar: An indefinite accusative broken plural functioning as an adverb of time. Its singular is حُقُب.

8. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 24

لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا Sentence structure This negative verbal clause describes the ages mentioned previously: throughout them, the inhabitants will taste neither coolness nor drink. بَرْدًا is the object of يَذُوقُونَ, and شَرَابًا is coordinated with it. لَّا — not Grammar: A particle of negation that does not change the indicative mood of the following verb. يَذُوقُونَ — they will taste Grammar: A third-person masculine plural imperfect verb and one of the five verbs. “و” is wāw al-jamāʿah: an attached subject pronoun. The final “نَ” is the indicative nūn; its retention marks the verb as indicative. فِيهَا — therein Grammar: فِى is a preposition and هَا is a feminine singular pronoun in the genitive position referring to Hell. The phrase is linked to يَذُوقُونَ. بَرْدًۭا — coolness Grammar: An indefinite accusative masculine noun and the object of يَذُوقُونَ. وَلَا — and no Grammar: وَ is a conjunction and لَا repeats and reinforces the negation. شَرَابًا — drink Grammar: An indefinite accusative masculine noun coordinated with بَرْدًا, so it shares its object role and case.

Practice questions

Question 1

إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَـٰتًا ۝١٧ يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا ۝١٨ What is the relationship of the second ayah's يَوْمَ to يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ?

  • It is an apposition explaining it
  • It is its predicate
  • It is a preposition
  • It is its adjective in the genitive

Question 2

وَفُتِحَتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَٰبًا ۝١٩ وَسُيِّرَتِ ٱلْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا ۝٢٠ Which pair consists of passive subjects نائب فاعل?

  • أَبْوَٰبًا and سَرَابًا
  • ٱلسَّمَآءُ and ٱلْجِبَالُ
  • فُتِحَتْ and سُيِّرَتْ
  • كَانَتْ and كَانَتْ

Question 3

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا ۝٢١ لِّلطَّـٰغِينَ مَـَٔابًا ۝٢٢ Which analysis correctly describes مَـَٔابًا?

  • A genitive noun after لِـ
  • The subject of كَانَتْ
  • An accusative predicate of the preceding كَانَتْ
  • An adjective of ٱلطَّـٰغِينَ

Question 4

لَّـٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًا ۝٢٣ What grammatical role does أَحْقَابًا perform?

  • Adverb of time
  • Passive subject
  • Genitive noun
  • Predicate of إِنَّ

Question 5

لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا ۝٢٤ Why is شَرَابًا accusative?

  • It is the subject of يَذُوقُونَ
  • It follows the preposition فِى
  • It is coordinated with the accusative object بَرْدًا
  • It is the predicate of لَا

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