Surah Ash-Shams — Part 1

Ayahs 1–8 · word-by-word grammatical analysis Read the bilingual lesson for Surah Ash-Shams — Part 1 and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Surah Ash-Shams · Ayah 1

وَٱلشَّمْسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا Sentence structure وَٱلشَّمْسِ is a genitive oath phrase. وَضُحَىٰهَا is coordinated with it; ضُحَىٰ is genitive and attached هَا its possessor. Ayah summary Allah swears by the sun and its rising brightness. وَٱلشَّمْسِ — By the sun Grammar: وَ is the oath preposition; ٱل defines the feminine genitive noun شَّمْسِ. The oath phrase is linked to an omitted oath verb. وَضُحَىٰهَا — and its brightness Grammar: وَ coordinates; ضُحَىٰ is a masculine genitive noun with attached feminine-singular possessor هَا.

2. Surah Ash-Shams · Ayah 2

وَٱلْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا Sentence structure وَٱلْقَمَرِ is coordinated as another genitive oath noun. إِذَا introduces a temporal clause; تَلَىٰ is a perfect with understood subject هُوَ and attached هَا as object. Ayah summary And by the moon as it appears after the sun. وَٱلْقَمَرِ — And the moon Grammar: وَ coordinates, ٱل defines, and قَمَرِ is a masculine genitive oath noun. An omitted circumstantial element is associated with «ٱلْقَمَرِ». إِذَا — when Grammar: A non-governing temporal adverb introducing the following time clause. This phrase is linked through an omitted element. تَلَىٰهَا — it follows it Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject هُوَ and attached feminine-singular object هَا.

3. Surah Ash-Shams · Ayah 3

وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا Sentence structure وَٱلنَّهَارِ is a coordinated genitive oath noun. إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا is its temporal clause: جَلَّىٰ is Form II, its subject is understood هُوَ, and هَا is the object. Ayah summary And by the day as it reveals the sun in full brightness. وَٱلنَّهَارِ — And the day Grammar: وَ coordinates, ٱل defines, and نَّهَارِ is a masculine genitive oath noun. An omitted circumstantial element is associated with «ٱلنَّهَارِ». إِذَا — when Grammar: A non-governing temporal adverb introducing the following time clause. This phrase is linked through an omitted element. جَلَّىٰهَا — it displays it Grammar: A Form II third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject هُوَ and attached object هَا.

4. Surah Ash-Shams · Ayah 4

وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰهَا Sentence structure وَٱلَّيْلِ is coordinated as a genitive oath noun. إِذَا يَغْشَىٰهَا is the temporal clause; يَغْشَىٰ is an imperfect with understood subject هُوَ and هَا as object. Ayah summary And by the night as it covers the sun. وَٱلَّيْلِ — And the night Grammar: وَ coordinates, ٱل defines, and لَّيْلِ is a masculine genitive oath noun. An omitted circumstantial element is associated with «ٱلَّيْلِ». إِذَا — when Grammar: A non-governing temporal adverb introducing the following time clause. This phrase is linked through an omitted element. يَغْشَىٰهَا — it covers it Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular indicative imperfect with understood subject هُوَ and attached object هَا.

5. Surah Ash-Shams · Ayah 5

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَىٰهَا Sentence structure وَٱلسَّمَآءِ continues the genitive oath sequence. وَمَا coordinates a relative noun, and بَنَىٰهَا is its relative clause with understood subject هُوَ and attached object هَا. Ayah summary And by the sky and its magnificent construction. وَٱلسَّمَآءِ — And the heaven Grammar: وَ coordinates, ٱل defines, and سَّمَآءِ is a feminine genitive oath noun. وَمَا — and (He) Who Grammar: وَ coordinates and مَا is a relative noun whose clause follows. بَنَىٰهَا — constructed it Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject هُوَ and attached object هَا, forming the relative clause.

6. Surah Ash-Shams · Ayah 6

وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَىٰهَا Sentence structure وَٱلْأَرْضِ is a coordinated genitive oath noun. وَمَا coordinates a relative noun; طَحَىٰهَا is its relative clause with understood subject and attached object هَا. Ayah summary And by the earth and its wisely ordered expanse. وَٱلْأَرْضِ — And the earth Grammar: وَ coordinates, ٱل defines, and أَرْضِ is a feminine genitive oath noun. وَمَا — and by (He) Who Grammar: وَ coordinates and مَا is a relative noun whose clause follows. طَحَىٰهَا — spread it Grammar: A third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject and attached feminine-singular object هَا, forming the relative clause.

7. Surah Ash-Shams · Ayah 7

وَنَفْسٍۢ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا Sentence structure وَنَفْسٍ is an indefinite genitive oath noun. وَمَا coordinates a relative noun; سَوَّىٰهَا is its Form II relative clause with understood subject and attached object هَا. Ayah summary And by the soul and the balance given to it. وَنَفْسٍۢ — And (the) soul Grammar: وَ coordinates/oath-links; نَفْسٍ is an indefinite feminine-singular genitive noun. وَمَا — and (He) Who Grammar: وَ coordinates and مَا is a relative noun. سَوَّىٰهَا — proportioned it Grammar: A Form II third-person masculine-singular perfect with understood subject and attached object هَا, forming the relative clause.

8. Surah Ash-Shams · Ayah 8

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَىٰهَا Sentence structure فَأَلْهَمَهَا is coordinated with the preceding verb: فَ connects, أَلْهَمَ is Form IV with understood subject, and هَا is its first object. فُجُورَهَا is another object and وَتَقْوَىٰهَا is coordinated with it. Ayah summary Then Allah granted it recognition of wickedness and piety. فَأَلْهَمَهَا — And He inspired it Grammar: فَ coordinates; أَلْهَمَ is Form IV with understood subject هُوَ, and attached هَا is its first object. فُجُورَهَا — (to distinguish) its wickedness Grammar: A masculine accusative object of أَلْهَمَ; attached هَا is the feminine-singular possessor. وَتَقْوَىٰهَا — and its righteousness Grammar: وَ coordinates; تَقْوَىٰ is accusative in position, coordinated with فُجُورَ, and هَا is possessor.

Practice questions

Question 1

وَٱلشَّمْسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا ۝١ What is attached هَا in ضُحَىٰهَا?

  • Genitive possessor
  • Subject
  • Object
  • Predicate

Question 2

وَٱلْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا ۝٢ What is attached هَا in تَلَىٰهَا?

  • Subject
  • Object
  • Possessor
  • Predicate

Question 3

وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا ۝٣ What form is جَلَّىٰ?

  • Form IV
  • Form VII
  • Form II
  • Form I

Question 4

وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰهَا ۝٤ What is the grammatical role of the attached هَا in يَغْشَىٰهَا?

  • A prefixed preposition
  • A definite article
  • A dual noun ending
  • A feminine singular attached object pronoun

Question 5

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَىٰهَا ۝٥ What is attached هَا in بَنَىٰهَا?

  • Object
  • Subject
  • Possessor
  • Predicate

Question 6

وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَىٰهَا ۝٦ What is طَحَىٰهَا relative to مَا?

  • Predicate
  • Relative clause
  • Subject
  • Adjective

Question 7

وَنَفْسٍۢ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا ۝٧ What form is سَوَّىٰ?

  • Form I
  • Form IV
  • Form II
  • Form VII

Question 8

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَىٰهَا ۝٨ What is وَتَقْوَىٰهَا coordinated with?

  • سَوَّىٰهَا
  • هَا
  • فَ
  • فُجُورَهَا

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