I'rab of Surah Abasa Ayah 20: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Abasa (عبس) · Meccan · Ayah 20
ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ Transliterationthumma al-sabila yassarah
MeaningThen He made the way easy for him.
Continuing the account of God's favors, this ayah says He then made the path easy. The noun 'al-sabil' (the way) is fronted as an accusative object, while the following verb 'yassarahu' (He eased it) explains the suppressed governing verb. This construction, called ishtighal, gives emphasis to the path itself.
Word by word i'rab
conjunction (harf 'atf)
A conjunction meaning 'then', indicating succession with a sense of interval after the previous act.
indeclinabledirect object of an implied verb (maf'ul bihi)
It is accusative as the object of a deleted verb that the following 'yassarahu' explains, an ishtighal construction giving prominence to 'the way'.
accusativepast-tense verb explaining the implied verb
A past-tense verb with a hidden divine subject and the attached pronoun 'hu' as object, interpreting the suppressed governing verb.
indeclinableDetailed i'rab
'Thumma' is a conjunction signaling sequence with a pause, linking this favor to the preceding ones. 'Al-sabila' stands in the accusative case because it is the object of an unexpressed verb whose meaning is supplied by the verb that follows; grammarians call this pattern ishtighal, where a noun is fronted for emphasis and a later verb busies itself with a pronoun referring back to it. 'Yassarahu' is a past-tense verb, built on its ending, with a concealed subject 'He' denoting God and the attached pronoun 'hu' as its direct object. By placing 'the way' before its verb, the structure stresses that the very path of guidance and life was made easy by God's design.
Frequently asked
Why is 'al-sabil' accusative rather than nominative?
Because it is the object of a deleted verb that the visible verb 'yassarahu' interprets; in this ishtighal pattern the fronted noun is the accusative object.
What is the function of 'thumma' here?
It is a conjunction of sequence, joining this divine favor to the earlier ones and implying an interval between the stages.