Surah An-Naba — Part 5

Ayahs 33–40 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah An-Naba — Part 5 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 33

وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا Sentence structure This ayah continues the preceding list of the rewards of Paradise. كَوَاعِبَ is an accusative noun joined to the earlier items, and أَتْرَابًا is its agreeing adjective. وَكَوَاعِبَ — and splendid companions Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. كَوَاعِبَ is an accusative feminine plural noun, coordinated with the preceding rewards. أَتْرَابًۭا — well-matched in age Grammar: An indefinite accusative feminine plural adjective describing كَوَاعِبَ.

2. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 34

وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا Sentence structure The list of rewards continues. كَأْسًا is another coordinated accusative noun, and دِهَاقًا is its accusative adjective, describing the cup as full. وَكَأْسًۭا — and a cup Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. كَأْسًا is an indefinite masculine singular accusative noun, coordinated with كَوَاعِبَ. دِهَاقًۭا — full Grammar: An indefinite masculine singular accusative adjective describing كَأْسًا.

3. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 35

لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّٰبًا Sentence structure لَّا negates يَسْمَعُونَ, whose attached “و” (wāw al-jamāʿah) functions as the subject. فِيهَا is linked to the verb; لَغْوًا is its object, and كِذَّٰبًا is coordinated with that object under a repeated negation. لَّا — not Grammar: A particle of negation that does not change the indicative form of the following verb. يَسْمَعُونَ — they will hear 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: فِي is a preposition; هَا is a third-person feminine singular pronoun in the genitive position. The phrase is linked to يَسْمَعُونَ. لَغْوًۭا — vain talk Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative noun and the object of يَسْمَعُونَ. وَلَا — and no Grammar: وَ is a conjunction and لَا repeats the negation for emphasis. كِذَّٰبًۭا — falsehood Grammar: An indefinite accusative form II verbal noun, coordinated with لَغْوًا.

4. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 36

جَزَآءً مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابًا Sentence structure جَزَآءً is an accusative verbal noun dependent on an understood verb: they are rewarded as a reward from your Lord. عَطَآءً restates that reward, and حِسَابًا describes the gift as ample and sufficient. جَزَآءًۭ — as a reward Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative verbal noun functioning as a cognate object of an understood verb. مِّن — from Grammar: A preposition beginning the phrase that identifies the source of the reward. رَّبِّكَ — your Lord Grammar: رَبِّ is genitive after مِّن. The attached كَ is a second-person masculine singular possessive pronoun in the genitive position. عَطَآءً — a gift Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative noun in apposition to جَزَآءً. حِسَابًۭا — ample and sufficient Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative adjective describing عَطَآءً; morphologically it is a form III verbal noun used adjectivally.

5. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 37

رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًا Sentence structure The first phrase further identifies رَبِّكَ in the preceding ayah: He is Lord of the heavens, the earth, and whatever lies between them—the Most Merciful. A new clause then states that they possess no right to address Him. رَّبِّ — Lord Grammar: A masculine genitive noun in apposition to رَبِّكَ in ayah 36; it is also مضاف. ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ — of the heavens Grammar: A definite feminine plural genitive noun and the مضاف إليه of رَّبِّ. وَٱلْأَرْضِ — and the earth Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. ٱلْأَرْضِ is a definite feminine genitive noun coordinated with ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ. وَمَا — and whatever Grammar: وَ links another part of the possessive phrase. مَا is an invariable relative pronoun. بَيْنَهُمَا — is between them both Grammar: بَيْنَ is an accusative locative adverb and مضاف. The attached dual pronoun هُمَا is its مضاف إليه and refers to the heavens and earth. ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۖ — the Most Merciful Grammar: A definite masculine singular genitive noun in apposition to رَبِّكَ. لَا — not Grammar: A particle negating the following imperfect verb. يَمْلِكُونَ — they possess 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. مِنْهُ — from Him Grammar: مِنْ is a preposition and هُ a third-person masculine singular genitive pronoun. The phrase is linked to يَمْلِكُونَ. خِطَابًۭا — any address Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative noun and the object of يَمْلِكُونَ.

6. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 38

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ صَفًّا ۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا Sentence structure يَوْمَ introduces the time when the Spirit and angels will stand in rows. None will speak except the one whom the Most Merciful permits and who speaks correctly. يَوْمَ — the Day when Grammar: An accusative adverb of time. The following verbal clause specifies that day. يَقُومُ — will stand Grammar: A third-person masculine singular imperfect verb; its explicit subject follows. ٱلرُّوحُ — the Spirit Grammar: A definite masculine nominative noun and the subject of يَقُومُ. وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ — and the angels Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ is a definite nominative plural noun coordinated with ٱلرُّوحُ. صَفًّۭا ۖ — in rows Grammar: An indefinite accusative verbal noun functioning circumstantially as حال and describing how they stand. لَّا — not Grammar: A particle negating the following imperfect verb. يَتَكَلَّمُونَ — they will speak Grammar: A form V, 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. إِلَّا — except Grammar: A particle of exception introducing the permitted person. مَنْ — the one whom Grammar: An invariable relative pronoun forming the exception; its relative clause begins with أَذِنَ. أَذِنَ — permitted Grammar: A third-person masculine singular perfect verb; its explicit subject is ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ. لَهُ — for him Grammar: لَ is a preposition and هُ a third-person masculine singular pronoun in the genitive position. The phrase is linked to أَذِنَ. ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ — the Most Merciful Grammar: A definite masculine singular nominative noun and the subject of أَذِنَ. وَقَالَ — and he spoke Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. قَالَ is a third-person masculine singular perfect verb; its understood subject هُوَ refers to the permitted person. صَوَابًۭا — what is correct Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative noun and the object of قَالَ.

7. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 39

ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ مَـَٔابًا Sentence structure The first nominal sentence declares that this is the true Day. The second is conditional: whoever wills may take a path of return to his Lord. ذَٰلِكَ — that Grammar: An invariable masculine singular demonstrative pronoun functioning as the subject of the nominal sentence. ٱلْيَوْمُ — is the Day Grammar: A definite masculine nominative noun and the predicate of ذَٰلِكَ. ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ — the true Grammar: A definite masculine nominative noun in apposition to ٱلْيَوْمُ. فَمَن — so whoever Grammar: فَ resumes the conclusion. مَن is an invariable conditional noun. شَآءَ — wills Grammar: A third-person masculine singular perfect verb forming the condition; its subject is the understood هُوَ. ٱتَّخَذَ — may take Grammar: A form VIII, third-person masculine singular perfect verb forming the result of the condition; its subject is the understood هُوَ. إِلَىٰ — towards Grammar: A preposition linked to ٱتَّخَذَ. رَبِّهِۦ — his Lord Grammar: رَبِّ is genitive after إِلَىٰ. The attached هِۦ is a third-person masculine singular possessive pronoun in the genitive position. مَـَٔابًا — a return Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative noun and the object of ٱتَّخَذَ.

8. Surah An-Naba · Ayah 40

إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا Sentence structure The emphatic clause warns of a near punishment. On that Day each person sees what his two hands sent ahead, while the disbeliever voices the wish that he had been dust. إِنَّآ — indeed We Grammar: إِنَّ is a particle of emphasis and نصب. The attached first-person plural pronoun نَا is its subject. أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ — We have warned you Grammar: أَنذَرْ is a form IV perfect verb. نَا is its first-person plural subject and كُمْ its second-person masculine plural object. The verbal clause is the predicate of إِنَّ. عَذَابًۭا — of a punishment Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative noun and the second object of أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ. قَرِيبًۭا — near Grammar: An indefinite masculine singular accusative adjective describing عَذَابًا. يَوْمَ — the Day when Grammar: An accusative adverb of time linked to أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ. The following verbal clause specifies the Day. يَنظُرُ — will see Grammar: A third-person masculine singular imperfect verb; its explicit subject follows. ٱلْمَرْءُ — the person Grammar: A definite masculine nominative noun and the subject of يَنظُرُ. مَا — what Grammar: An invariable relative pronoun functioning as the object of يَنظُرُ. Its relative clause is قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ. قَدَّمَتْ — sent forth Grammar: A form II, third-person feminine singular perfect verb. The feminine singular form precedes its explicit dual subject يَدَاهُ. يَدَاهُ — his two hands Grammar: يَدَا is a feminine dual nominative noun and the subject of قَدَّمَتْ. The attached هُ is a possessive pronoun in the genitive position. وَيَقُولُ — and will say Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. يَقُولُ is a third-person masculine singular imperfect verb; its explicit subject follows. ٱلْكَافِرُ — the disbeliever Grammar: A definite masculine nominative active participle and the subject of يَقُولُ. يَـٰلَيْتَنِى — O, I wish that I Grammar: يَا introduces the cry. لَيْتَ is a particle expressing an unattainable wish, and نِي is its first-person singular subject pronoun. كُنتُ — I were Grammar: A first-person singular perfect ناقص verb from كَانَ. The attached تُ is its subject. تُرَٰبًۢا — dust Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative noun and the predicate of كُنتُ.

Practice questions

Question 1

وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا ۝٣٣ وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا ۝٣٤ What shared grammatical relationship do أَتْرَابًا and دِهَاقًا have?

  • Both are subjects of hidden verbs
  • Both are accusative adjectives of the preceding nouns
  • Both are genitive possessors
  • Both are particles of conjunction

Question 2

لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّٰبًا ۝٣٥ Which analysis correctly explains لَغْوًا and كِذَّٰبًا?

  • Both are subjects of يَسْمَعُونَ
  • Both are genitive after فِيهَا
  • لَغْوًا is the object, and كِذَّٰبًا is coordinated with it
  • كِذَّٰبًا is an adjective of لَغْوًا

Question 3

جَزَآءً مِّن رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابًا ۝٣٦ رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًا ۝٣٧ How is the opening رَّبِّ of ayah 37 linked to رَّبِّكَ in ayah 36?

  • It is a genitive apposition that further identifies the Lord
  • It is the subject of يَمْلِكُونَ
  • It is an accusative object of عَطَآءً
  • It is unrelated to the preceding ayah

Question 4

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ صَفًّا ۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا ۝٣٨ Which Quran word is the explicit subject of أَذِنَ?

  • مَنْ
  • ٱلرُّوحُ
  • صَوَابًا
  • ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ

Question 5

ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ مَـَٔابًا ۝٣٩ إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا ۝٤٠ Which combined analysis is correct?

  • مَن is a preposition, and يَدَاهُ is an accusative object
  • مَن is conditional, and يَدَاهُ is the dual nominative subject of قَدَّمَتْ
  • مَن is an adjective, and يَدَاهُ is a singular subject
  • Both words are particles with no case role

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