I'rab of Surah Abasa Ayah 5: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Abasa (عبس) · Meccan · Ayah 5
أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰ TransliterationAmmaa mani istaghnaa
MeaningAs for the one who regards himself self-sufficient,
A conditional-detailing clause begins here with amma, "as for." The relative noun man ("whoever") is the subject, and the verb istaghna ("considered himself free of need") forms its relative clause. The answer to amma comes in the next verse, linked by the fa.
Word by word i'rab
particle of condition and detail (harf shart wa tafsil)
Introduces a section detailing different cases; its answer-clause appears in the next verse joined by fa.
indeclinablerelative noun as subject (mubtada')
A relative noun "whoever" in the nominative position serving as the subject, with its relative clause following.
nominativepast-tense verb forming the relative clause (silah)
A past-tense verb fixed on an estimated vowel over its weak ending; its hidden subject is the relative pronoun's referent.
indeclinableDetailed i'rab
The verse begins with amma, a particle combining the senses of condition and detailed elaboration; it signals that the speech will now treat distinct cases one by one. Following it, man ("whoever") is a relative noun standing in the nominative position as the subject (mubtada'). Its predicate is delayed until the next verse, where it is connected by the linking fa that answers amma. The verb istaghna ("regarded himself as needing nothing") is a past-tense verb; because its root ends in a weak letter, its ending is fixed on an estimated vowel rather than an audible fatha. The hidden subject within istaghna refers back to man, and the verb together with its subject forms the relative clause that completes the meaning of "the one who." The grammatical sentence remains open, awaiting its predicate in verse 6.
Frequently asked
What kind of word is amma?
It is a particle of condition and detailing. It introduces a case and requires an answer-clause, which here appears in verse 6 attached by the linking fa.
What is the grammatical role of man?
Man is a relative noun ("whoever") functioning as the subject in the nominative position; the verb istaghna forms its relative clause, and the predicate follows in the next verse.