I'rab of Surah Abasa Ayah 40: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Abasa (عبس) · Meccan · Ayah 40
وَوُجُوهٌۭ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَيْهَا غَبَرَةٌۭ TransliterationWa wujoohun yawma'idhin 'alayha ghabarah
MeaningAnd other faces, that Day, will have dust upon them.
This verse describes another set of faces on that Day having dust upon them. 'Faces' is a subject, and the prepositional phrase 'upon them' functions as a fronted predicate before the delayed subject 'dust.'
Word by word i'rab
subject (mubtada')
Preceded by the connective 'wa,' it is a subject in the nominative introducing the second, contrasting group of faces.
nominativeadverb of time (zarf)
An adverb of time in the accusative, linked to the predicate of the sentence.
accusativeprepositional phrase (fronted predicate)
The prepositional phrase 'alay-ha' is placed first to serve as the predicate of the delayed subject.
genitivedelayed subject (mubtada' mu'akhkhar)
It is the delayed subject in the nominative, since the prepositional predicate preceded it.
nominativeDetailed i'rab
The connective 'wa' joins this sentence to the previous description. 'Wujoohun' is the subject (mubtada') in the nominative, introducing a second, contrasting group. 'Yawma'idhin' is an adverb of time in the accusative, tied to the sentence's predicate. The phrase 'alay-ha' (a preposition plus attached pronoun, in the genitive) is fronted to act as the predicate; consequently 'ghabaratun' (dust) comes after it as the delayed subject in the nominative. So the structure is a nominal sentence within the larger one: 'alay-ha ghabaratun' ('upon them is dust') itself serves as the predicate describing 'wujooh,' contrasting these dust-covered faces with the radiant ones before.
Frequently asked
Why is 'ghabaratun' the delayed subject?
Because its predicate, the prepositional phrase 'alay-ha,' was placed before it. When the predicate is fronted, the noun that follows becomes the delayed subject and stays nominative.
What does the inner sentence 'alay-ha ghabaratun' do?
It is itself a nominal sentence ('upon them is dust') that serves as the predicate describing the main subject 'wujooh.'
What is the function of 'wa' at the start?
It is a connective joining this verse to the preceding description, introducing the contrasting second group of faces.