Ayahs 1–10 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah An-Nazi'at — Part 1 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.
Lesson
1. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 1
وَٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ غَرْقًا Ayah summary According to Tafsir Usmani, this is an oath by the angels who pull out the souls of disbelievers harshly. Sentence structure The opening oath begins with وَ. ٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ is the oath noun, and غَرْقًا intensifies the act of pulling out. وَٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ — by those who pull out Grammar: وَ is the preposition of oath. ٱلْ is the definite article, and نَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ is a feminine plural active participle, genitive after the oath wāw. غَرْقًۭا — forcefully / to the utmost Grammar: An indefinite accusative verbal noun functioning as مفعول مطلق for an understood verb from the same root, intensifying the pulling.
2. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 2
وَٱلنَّـٰشِطَـٰتِ نَشْطًا Ayah summary This is an oath by the angels who extract the souls of righteous people gently. Sentence structure This coordinated oath continues the opening series. ٱلنَّـٰشِطَـٰتِ is coordinated with the first oath noun, while نَشْطًا reinforces its action of drawing out readily. وَٱلنَّـٰشِطَـٰتِ — and those who draw out gently Grammar: وَ coordinates the oath. ٱلنَّـٰشِطَـٰتِ is a definite feminine plural active participle, genitive and coordinated with ٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ. نَشْطًۭا — with a gentle drawing Grammar: An indefinite accusative verbal noun functioning as مفعول مطلق for an understood verb of the same root.
3. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 3
وَٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ سَبْحًا Ayah summary The angels carry the souls toward the sky with great speed and ease. Sentence structure The oath series continues: ٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ is coordinated with the earlier oath nouns, and سَبْحًا emphasizes their swift gliding. وَٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ — and those who glide swiftly Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. ٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ is a definite feminine plural active participle, genitive by coordination in the oath series. سَبْحًۭا — with a swift gliding Grammar: An indefinite accusative verbal noun used as مفعول مطلق for an understood verb of the same root.
4. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 4
فَٱلسَّـٰبِقَـٰتِ سَبْقًا Ayah summary They then hasten to carry out the command given concerning those souls. Sentence structure فَ advances the ordered oath sequence. ٱلسَّـٰبِقَـٰتِ remains coordinated in the oath, and سَبْقًا emphasizes the act of outstripping. فَٱلسَّـٰبِقَـٰتِ — then those who race ahead Grammar: فَ is a conjunction expressing sequence. ٱلسَّـٰبِقَـٰتِ is a definite feminine plural active participle, genitive by coordination. سَبْقًۭا — with a decisive advance Grammar: An indefinite accusative verbal noun functioning as مفعول مطلق for an understood verb of the same root.
5. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 5
فَٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ أَمْرًا Ayah summary By Allah’s command, the angels arrange the affairs relating to those souls. Sentence structure The final oath phrase is coordinated by فَ. ٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ is the coordinated oath noun, and أَمْرًا is its object. The response to the oath is not explicitly stated in these ayahs. فَٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ — then those who arrange affairs Grammar: فَ expresses sequence. ٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ is a definite feminine plural form II active participle, genitive by coordination in the oath series. أَمْرًۭا — a matter / command Grammar: An indefinite masculine accusative noun and the object of the active participle ٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ.
6. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 6
يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ Ayah summary When the Trumpet is blown the first time, the earth will be violently shaken. Sentence structure يَوْمَ is a time adverb. The clause تَرْجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ follows it in the genitive position as its annexed clause; تَرْجُفُ is the verb and ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ its explicit subject. يَوْمَ — on the Day when Grammar: An accusative adverb of time and مضاف, linked to an understood governing expression. تَرْجُفُ — will quake Grammar: A third-person feminine singular imperfect verb in the indicative mood. Its explicit subject follows. ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ — the great convulsion Grammar: A definite feminine singular nominative active participle used substantivally and functioning as the subject of تَرْجُفُ.
7. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 7
تَتْبَعُهَا ٱلرَّادِفَةُ Ayah summary The second blowing of the Trumpet will follow it. Sentence structure تَتْبَعُ is the verb, attached هَا its object referring back to ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ, and ٱلرَّادِفَةُ the explicit subject. تَتْبَعُهَا — will follow it Grammar: A third-person feminine singular imperfect verb. Attached هَا is a feminine singular object pronoun referring back to ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ. ٱلرَّادِفَةُ — the following convulsion Grammar: A definite feminine singular nominative active participle used substantivally and functioning as the subject of تَتْبَعُ.
8. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 8
قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ Ayah summary On that day, many hearts will tremble with fear and anxiety. Sentence structure This is a nominal sentence. قُلُوبٌ is the subject, وَاجِفَةٌ describes it as trembling and serves as its adjective within the wider cross-ayah structure, while يَوْمَئِذٍ specifies the time. قُلُوبٌۭ — hearts Grammar: An indefinite feminine broken plural in the nominative, forming the subject of the description. يَوْمَئِذٍۢ — that Day Grammar: An adverb of time: يَوْمَ is مضاف and إِذٍ is in the genitive position as its annexed element. وَاجِفَةٌ — trembling Grammar: An indefinite feminine singular nominative active participle. It describes the non-human plural قُلُوبٌ and agrees with it as feminine singular.
9. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 9
أَبْصَـٰرُهَا خَـٰشِعَةٌ Ayah summary Their eyes will be lowered because of humiliation and regret. Sentence structure This nominal clause completes the description of those hearts. أَبْصَـٰرُهَا is a subject-predicate link in the wider structure, and خَـٰشِعَةٌ is its predicate: their eyes will be humbled. أَبْصَـٰرُهَا — their eyes Grammar: أَبْصَـٰرُ is a nominative broken plural and مضاف. Attached هَا is a feminine singular possessive pronoun in the genitive position, referring to the hearts' owners. خَـٰشِعَةٌۭ — humbled Grammar: An indefinite feminine singular nominative active participle functioning as the predicate of أَبْصَـٰرُهَا; feminine singular agreement is used with a non-human plural.
10. Surah An-Nazi'at · Ayah 10
يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِى ٱلْحَافِرَةِ Ayah summary The deniers asked in disbelief whether they would be restored to their former state after death. Sentence structure يَقُولُونَ introduces their incredulous question. Inside it, أَ is interrogative, إِنَّا has نَا as its noun, and لَمَرْدُودُونَ is its emphatic predicate; فِى ٱلْحَافِرَةِ is linked to that predicate. يَقُولُونَ — they say Grammar: A third-person masculine plural imperfect verb, indicative by retention of nūn; attached wāw is its subject. أَءِنَّا — are we indeed? Grammar: أَ is the interrogative hamzah. إِنَّ is a particle of emphasis, and attached نَا is its pronoun-noun in the accusative position. لَمَرْدُودُونَ — surely to be returned Grammar: لَ is the emphatic lām. مَرْدُودُونَ is a masculine sound plural passive participle, nominative as the predicate of إِنَّ. فِى — to / in Grammar: A preposition linked to مَرْدُودُونَ. ٱلْحَافِرَةِ — the former state Grammar: A definite feminine singular noun made genitive by فِى, idiomatically referring to return to the original state of life.
Practice questions
Question 1
وَٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ غَرْقًا ١ وَٱلنَّـٰشِطَـٰتِ نَشْطًا ٢ What shared role do غَرْقًا and نَشْطًا perform?
- Subjects
- Genitive adjectives
- Cognate accusatives
- Particles of oath
Question 2
وَٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ سَبْحًا ٣ فَٱلسَّـٰبِقَـٰتِ سَبْقًا ٤ فَٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ أَمْرًا ٥ Which word is an object rather than a cognate accusative?
- أَمْرًا
- سَبْحًا
- سَبْقًا
- All three are subjects
Question 3
يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ ٦ تَتْبَعُهَا ٱلرَّادِفَةُ ٧ To what does attached هَا in تَتْبَعُهَا refer?
- يَوْمَ
- ٱلرَّادِفَةُ
- An unstated heart
- ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ
Question 4
قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ ٨ أَبْصَـٰرُهَا خَـٰشِعَةٌ ٩ Why are وَاجِفَةٌ and خَـٰشِعَةٌ feminine singular?
- They are dual verbs
- They describe non-human broken plurals
- They follow prepositions
- They are masculine plurals
Question 5
يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِى ٱلْحَافِرَةِ ١٠ What is the role of مَرْدُودُونَ after emphatic لَ?
- Predicate of إِنَّ
- Object of فِى
- Imperative verb
- Adverb of time
Question 6
وَٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ غَرْقًا ١ How does initial وَ govern ٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ?
- It makes the noun accusative
- It is wāw of circumstance
- It is wāw of oath, so the oath noun is genitive
- It turns the noun into a direct object
Question 7
وَٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ سَبْحًا ٣ فَٱلسَّـٰبِقَـٰتِ سَبْقًا ٤ فَٱلْمُدَبِّرَٰتِ أَمْرًا ٥ What contrast between the connectors in these coordinated oath phrases is correct?
- Both are prepositions of oath here
- وَ simply coordinates, while فَ also conveys sequence
- Both make the following noun accusative
- فَ introduces a conditional clause
Question 8
يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ ٦ Which analysis correctly identifies يَوْمَ and ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ?
- Subject; direct object
- Genitive noun; adjective
- Conditional particle; predicate
- Accusative time adverb; nominative subject of تَرْجُفُ
Question 9
أَبْصَـٰرُهَا خَـٰشِعَةٌ ٩ What is the core nominal-sentence relation in this ayah?
- Both words are direct objects
- The first is a verb and the second its subject
- أَبْصَـٰرُهَا is the subject and خَـٰشِعَةٌ its predicate
- The second is genitive by annexation
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