I'rab of Surah Abasa Ayah 42: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Abasa (عبس) · Meccan · Ayah 42
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَفَرَةُ ٱلْفَجَرَةُ TransliterationUla'ika humu al-kafaratu al-fajarah
MeaningThose are the disbelievers, the wicked.
This concluding verse identifies the owners of those gloomy faces as the disbelievers, the wicked. 'Those' is the subject, 'they' is a separating pronoun, and 'the disbelievers' is the predicate, followed by 'the wicked' as its attribute.
Word by word i'rab
subject (mubtada')
A demonstrative pronoun, indeclinable, in the nominative position as the subject of the sentence.
indeclinableseparating pronoun (damir fasl)
It is a pronoun of separation with no case role, emphasizing and distinguishing the subject from the predicate.
indeclinablepredicate (khabar)
It is the predicate of 'ula'ika' in the nominative, identifying those faces' owners as the disbelievers.
nominativeattribute (na't) of 'al-kafarah'
It is an adjective describing 'al-kafarah' in the nominative, characterizing them further as the wicked, immoral ones.
nominativeDetailed i'rab
This is a nominal sentence closing the sura's contrast. 'Ula'ika' is a demonstrative pronoun, indeclinable but occupying the nominative position as the subject (mubtada'). 'Humu' is a separating pronoun (damir fasl) carrying no independent case role; it adds emphasis and marks off the subject from the predicate, also stressing exclusivity. 'Al-kafaratu' is the predicate (khabar) in the nominative, identifying those people as the disbelievers. 'Al-fajaratu' follows as an attribute (na't) of 'al-kafarah,' also nominative, further describing them as the wicked and corrupt. The verse thus names the owners of the dust-covered, gloomy faces, sealing the contrast with the radiant believers.
Frequently asked
What is the role of 'humu' in this verse?
It is a separating pronoun (damir fasl) with no case ending of its own; it emphasizes the sentence and distinguishes the subject from the predicate, conveying exclusivity.
Why is 'al-fajaratu' nominative?
It is an attribute (na't) describing 'al-kafarah,' so it follows that word in case, which is nominative as the predicate.
Is 'ula'ika' declinable?
No. As a demonstrative pronoun it is indeclinable, but it occupies the nominative position functioning as the subject of the sentence.