Ayahs 38–46 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah An-Nazi‘at — Part 5 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.
Lesson
1. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 38
وَءَاثَرَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا Ayah summary He preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter. Sentence structure وَءَاثَرَ is coordinated with طَغَىٰ. ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ is its object and ٱلدُّنْيَا describes that object. وَءَاثَرَ — And preferred Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. form IV third-person masculine singular perfect verb; it is coordinated with the preceding verb. ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ — the life Grammar: ٱلْ is the definite article. accusative noun functioning as the object. ٱلدُّنْيَا — (of) the world Grammar: ٱل is the definite article. A accusative adjective describing the preceding noun.
2. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 39
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ Ayah summary Hell will be the dwelling place of such a person. Sentence structure فَإِنَّ introduces the response to the first أَمَّا branch. ٱلْجَحِيمَ is the accusative noun of إِنَّ. In the primary parse, هِىَ is the subject and ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ its predicate; the whole nominal clause is the predicate of إِنَّ. A recognized alternative treats هِىَ as a separating pronoun. فَإِنَّ — Then indeed Grammar: فَ introduces the response to the first أَمَّا branch, and إِنَّ is an accusative particle resembling a verb. ٱلْجَحِيمَ — the Hellfire Grammar: A definite accusative noun functioning as the noun of إِنَّ. هِىَ — it Grammar: In the primary parse, a third-person feminine singular detached pronoun functioning as subject, with ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ as its predicate. It may alternatively be parsed as a separating pronoun. ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ — (is) the refuge Grammar: ٱلْ is the definite article. nominative noun functioning as the predicate.
3. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 40
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ Ayah summary He feared standing before Allah for judgment and restrained the self from unlawful desire. Sentence structure وَأَمَّا opens the second branch. مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ identifies the person who feared standing before his Lord, and وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ adds his restraint of the self. The response follows in ayah 41. وَأَمَّا — But as for Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. أَمَّا is a particle of detailed division. مَنْ — (him) who Grammar: An indeclinable expression identifying “the one who”; خَافَ begins the description in this second أَمَّا branch. خَافَ — feared Grammar: A third-person masculine singular perfect verb completing the description of مَنْ. مَقَامَ — standing Grammar: accusative noun functioning as the object. رَبِّهِۦ — (before) his Lord Grammar: genitive noun functioning as the genitive complement. Attached هِۦ is a third-person masculine singular pronoun functioning as genitive complement. وَنَهَى — and restrained Grammar: وَ is a conjunction. third-person masculine singular perfect verb; it is coordinated with the preceding verb. ٱلنَّفْسَ — his soul Grammar: ٱل is the definite article. accusative noun functioning as the object. عَنِ — from Grammar: عَنِ is a preposition; the resulting prepositional phrase is linked to its governing word. ٱلْهَوَىٰ — the vain desires Grammar: ٱلْ is the definite article. A genitive noun governed by the preceding preposition.
4. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 41
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَنَّةَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ Ayah summary Paradise will be the dwelling place of such a person. Sentence structure فَإِنَّ introduces the response to the second أَمَّا branch. ٱلْجَنَّةَ is the accusative noun of إِنَّ. In the primary parse, هِىَ is the subject and ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ its predicate; the whole nominal clause is the predicate of إِنَّ. A recognized alternative treats هِىَ as a separating pronoun. فَإِنَّ — Then indeed Grammar: فَ introduces the response to the second أَمَّا branch, and إِنَّ is an accusative particle resembling a verb. ٱلْجَنَّةَ — Paradise Grammar: A definite accusative noun functioning as the noun of إِنَّ. هِىَ — it (is) Grammar: In the primary parse, a third-person feminine singular detached pronoun functioning as subject, with ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ as its predicate. It may alternatively be parsed as a separating pronoun. ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ — the refuge Grammar: ٱلْ is the definite article. nominative noun functioning as the predicate.
5. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 42
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا Ayah summary The deniers asked when the Resurrection would finally take place. Sentence structure The verbal clause states that they ask you about the Hour. أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا is the quoted question: when will its appointed occurrence be? يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ — They ask you Grammar: third-person masculine plural imperfect verb. In the ending ونَ, “و” is wāw al-jamāʿah, the attached subject pronoun, while “نَ” is the indicative nūn. Attached كَ is a second-person masculine singular pronoun functioning as object. عَنِ — about Grammar: عَنِ is a preposition; the resulting prepositional phrase is linked to its governing word. ٱلسَّاعَةِ — the Hour Grammar: ٱل is the definite article. A genitive noun governed by the preceding preposition. أَيَّانَ — when Grammar: An interrogative time adverb meaning “when,” linked to an omitted fronted predicate; مُرْسَىٰهَا is the delayed subject. مُرْسَىٰهَا — its appointed occurrence Grammar: مُرْسَىٰ is a nominative verbal noun meaning the appointed occurrence and functions as the delayed subject; attached هَا is its genitive complement referring to the Hour.
6. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 43
فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَىٰهَآ Ayah summary Determining and announcing the time of the Resurrection is not the responsibility of the Messenger of Allah. Sentence structure فِيمَ is formed from فِى and interrogative مَا, whose alif is omitted after the preposition. In the standard parse, فِيمَ is linked to an omitted fronted predicate, أَنتَ is the delayed subject, and مِن ذِكْرَىٰهَا is linked to that predicate. فِيمَ — In what Grammar: Formed from preposition فِى and interrogative مَا, whose alif is omitted after the preposition; the phrase is linked to an omitted fronted predicate. أَنتَ — (are) you Grammar: أَنتَ is a pronoun. مِن — [of] Grammar: مِن is a preposition; the resulting prepositional phrase is linked to its governing word. ذِكْرَىٰهَآ — (to) mention it Grammar: A genitive noun governed by the preceding preposition. Attached هَآ is a third-person feminine singular pronoun functioning as genitive complement.
7. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 44
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَىٰهَآ Ayah summary Exact knowledge of the time of the Resurrection belongs to Allah alone. Sentence structure The prepositional phrase إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ is the fronted predicate, while nominative مُنتَهَىٰهَآ is the delayed subject. إِلَىٰ — To Grammar: إِلَىٰ is a preposition; the resulting prepositional phrase is linked to its governing word. رَبِّكَ — your Lord Grammar: A genitive noun governed by the preceding preposition. Attached كَ is a second-person masculine singular pronoun functioning as genitive complement. مُنتَهَىٰهَآ — (is) its finality Grammar: nominative noun. Attached هَآ is a third-person feminine singular pronoun functioning as genitive complement.
8. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 45
إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰهَا Ayah summary The Messenger warns of the Resurrection; those who fear the Hereafter benefit from the warning. Sentence structure إِنَّمَآ creates restriction. أَنتَ is the subject, مُنذِرُ its predicate, and the relative construction مَن يَخْشَىٰهَا is in the genitive position after مُنذِرُ. إِنَّمَآ — only Grammar: Attached مَآ is kāffah: it prevents إِنَّ from governing. Together, إِنَّمَآ expresses restriction, meaning “only.” أَنتَ — you Grammar: أَنتَ is a pronoun. مُنذِرُ — (are) a warner Grammar: nominative noun functioning as the predicate. مَن — (for him) who Grammar: مَن is a relative pronoun functioning as the genitive complement. يَخْشَىٰهَا — fears it Grammar: third-person masculine singular imperfect verb; it functions as the relative clause. Attached هَا is a third-person feminine singular pronoun functioning as object.
9. Surah An-Nazi‘at · Ayah 46
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا Ayah summary When people see the Resurrection, their life in this world will seem no longer than one evening or one morning. Sentence structure كَأَنَّهُمْ introduces a comparison. يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا gives the time, and لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا... is its predicate: it will seem that they stayed only an evening or its morning. كَأَنَّهُمْ — As though they Grammar: كَأَنَّ is a particle resembling a verb that expresses comparison; attached هُمْ is its noun. يَوْمَ — (the) Day Grammar: يَوْمَ is a time adverb functioning as the linked complement. يَرَوْنَهَا — they see it Grammar: third-person masculine plural imperfect verb. In the ending وْنَ, “و” is wāw al-jamāʿah, the attached subject pronoun, while “نَ” is the indicative nūn. Attached هَا is a third-person feminine singular pronoun functioning as object. لَمْ — not Grammar: لَمْ is a negative and jussive particle. The complete verbal clause لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا functions as the predicate of كَأَنَّ. يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ — they had remained Grammar: A third-person masculine plural imperfect verb in the jussive mood, forming the verb of the predicate clause of كَأَنَّ. In the ending وٓا۟, “و” is wāw al-jamāʿah and the subject pronoun; the indicative nūn is omitted because of لَمْ, and the final alif is orthographic. إِلَّا — except Grammar: إِلَّا is a particle of restriction. عَشِيَّةً — an evening Grammar: An indefinite feminine accusative noun functioning as an adverb of time: an evening. أَوْ — or Grammar: أَوْ is a conjunction. ضُحَىٰهَا — or its morning Grammar: ضُحَىٰ is an accusative time expression coordinated with عَشِيَّةً; attached هَا is a genitive pronoun.
Practice questions
Question 1
وَءَاثَرَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ٣٨ فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ ٣٩ What is ٱلدُّنْيَا in relation to ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ?
- Its subject
- A preposition
- Its adjective
- A verb
Question 2
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ ٤٠ فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَنَّةَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ ٤١ What do ayahs 40–41 form together?
- An oath and its object
- The second أَمَّا branch and its response
- Two unrelated questions
- Only a prepositional phrase
Question 3
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا ٤٢ فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَىٰهَآ ٤٣ Which two elements form the surface word فِيمَ?
- فِى + مَنْ
- فَ + مَا
- مِن + مَا
- فِى + مَا
Question 4
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَىٰهَآ ٤٤ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰهَا ٤٥ In ayah 45, what does إِنَّمَآ contribute?
- Restriction: you are only a warner
- Past-tense negation
- A command
- An oath
Question 5
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا ٤٦ Why is the nūn omitted from يَلْبَثُوٓا۟?
- Because it is a perfect verb
- Because لَمْ makes the verb jussive
- Because it is singular
- Because it is passive
Question 6
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ ٣٩ What is the grammatical role of ٱلْجَحِيمَ after إِنَّ?
- The direct object of إِنَّ
- The predicate of إِنَّ
- A preposition
- The accusative noun of إِنَّ
Question 7
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا ٤٢ How is أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا analyzed in the quoted question?
- Both words are direct objects
- أَيَّانَ is a negative particle
- أَيَّانَ is an interrogative time adverb linked to an omitted fronted predicate; مُرْسَىٰهَا is the delayed subject.
- مُرْسَىٰهَا is an imperative verb
Question 8
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَىٰهَآ ٤٤ Which analysis of إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَىٰهَآ is correct?
- إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ is the fronted predicate and مُنتَهَىٰهَآ the delayed subject
- رَبِّكَ is a direct object
- مُنتَهَىٰهَآ is a past verb
- The entire ayah is a conditional clause
Question 9
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا ٤٦ What is the predicate of كَأَنَّ in this ayah?
- Only the particle لَمْ
- Only يَوْمَ
- Attached هُمْ
- The whole verbal clause لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا
Question 10
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا ٤٦ What are the roles of عَشِيَّةً and ضُحَىٰهَا?
- Both are subjects
- Both are accusative time expressions; ضُحَىٰهَا is coordinated with عَشِيَّةً
- Both are genitive after إِلَّا
- The first is a verb and the second its object
Open the interactive quiz