I'rab of Surah Al-Asr Ayah 2: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Asr (العصر) · Meccan · Ayah 2
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ TransliterationInna al-insana la-fi khusrin
MeaningIndeed, mankind is in loss.
This ayah is a nominal sentence governed by the emphatic particle inna, which puts its noun (al-insan) in the accusative and its predicate in the nominative. The predicate here is the prepositional phrase la-fi khusr, where the la- is the lam of emphasis and fi khusr attaches to an understood predicate, asserting that mankind is truly in loss.
Word by word i'rab
emphatic particle (harf tawkid wa nasb)
This is the particle of emphasis that introduces a nominal sentence, making its noun accusative and its predicate nominative.
indeclinablenoun of inna (ism inna)
This is the subject acted on by inna, so it takes the accusative, marked by the visible fatha on its end.
accusativeemphasis prefix (lam al-tawkid / al-muzahliqah)
This is the emphatic lam attached to the predicate, reinforcing the certainty already expressed by inna.
indeclinablepreposition (harf jarr)
This is a genitive preposition that puts the following noun in the genitive case.
indeclinableobject of preposition forming the predicate (khabar inna)
This noun is genitive after fi, and the whole phrase la-fi khusr serves as the nominative-position predicate of inna.
genitiveDetailed i'rab
The verse opens with إِنَّ, the particle of emphasis that governs a following nominal sentence: it renders its noun accusative and its predicate nominative. ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ is the noun of inna (ism inna) and is therefore accusative, shown by the plain fatha at its end. The لَ prefixed to the predicate is the lam of emphasis (often called al-lam al-muzahliqah, "the displaced lam"), which adds further weight to the assertion. فِى is a preposition that places خُسْرٍ in the genitive case, marked by kasra. Grammatically, the prepositional phrase لَفِى خُسْرٍ attaches to an omitted predicate, and together they occupy the nominative position as the khabar (predicate) of inna. The full meaning conveyed is the emphatic statement that humankind is genuinely in a state of loss.
Frequently asked
Why is al-insan in the accusative case?
Because it is the noun of inna (ism inna). The emphatic particle inna always puts the noun that follows it into the accusative case, which is why al-insan ends in a fatha.
What is the predicate (khabar) of inna in this ayah?
The predicate is the prepositional phrase la-fi khusr. The phrase fi khusr relates to an understood predicate (such as 'situated' or 'placed'), and this implied predicate occupies the nominative position required for the khabar of inna.
What is the function of the lam in la-fi?
It is the lam of emphasis (lam al-tawkid), sometimes called al-muzahliqah because it shifts onto the predicate. It strengthens the certainty of the statement, working together with inna to stress that mankind is truly in loss.