I'rab of Surah Al-Falaq Ayah 1: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Falaq (الفلق) · Meccan · Ayah 1
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ TransliterationQul aʿūdhu bi-rabbi l-falaq(i)
MeaningSay: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak.
The verse opens with the imperative verb qul ("say") whose subject is a hidden "you." Its unstated object is the whole quoted sentence that follows: a'udhu ("I seek refuge"), a present-tense verb with a concealed "I." The preposition bi plus rabbi forms a phrase attached to a'udhu, and rabbi governs al-falaq as its genitive possessive complement.
Word by word i'rab
imperative verb (fi'l amr)
A command verb built on a silent ending, with an implied subject pronoun "you" (anta); its spoken object is the entire sentence that follows.
indeclinable (jussive form)present-tense verb (fi'l mudari') with concealed subject
An indicative present-tense verb marked nominative by a damma, its subject being a hidden "I" (ana), and the clause functions as the quoted speech.
nominativepreposition (harf jarr)
A genitive particle that, together with its noun, forms a prepositional phrase linked to the verb a'udhu.
indeclinablegenitive noun governed by the preposition (majrur), also possessor (mudaf)
Made genitive by the preceding preposition with a kasra, and it is the first term of a possessive construction with al-falaq.
genitivepossessive complement (mudaf ilayh)
The second term of the construct, put in the genitive with a kasra to complete the phrase "Lord of the daybreak."
genitiveDetailed i'rab
The verse begins with qul, an imperative verb fixed on a silent ending; its doer is a hidden pronoun "you," addressing the Prophet, and its object is the quoted statement that follows. That statement is aʿūdhu, an indicative present-tense verb in the nominative (shown by the damma), whose subject is a concealed "I." The particle bi is a preposition governing the genitive; with the noun it forms a prepositional phrase that attaches to the verb aʿūdhu, conveying the one in whom refuge is sought. Rabbi is dragged into the genitive by this preposition (marked by a kasra) and simultaneously serves as the first member of a possessive construct (mudaf). Al-falaq is its possessive complement (mudaf ilayh), also genitive with a kasra, completing the phrase "the Lord of the daybreak."
Frequently asked
What is the grammatical object of the verb qul in this verse?
Its object is not a single noun but the entire sentence spoken after it: "aʿūdhu bi-rabbi l-falaq." In Arabic, a quoted statement following "say" occupies the accusative position as the object of qul, even though the words inside that quote keep their own internal grammar.
Why are both rabbi and al-falaq in the genitive case?
They are genitive for two linked reasons. Rabbi is genitive because the preposition bi governs it, and it is also the first term of a possessive construct. Al-falaq is genitive as the possessive complement (mudaf ilayh) of rabbi. Both endings appear as a kasra, giving "the Lord of the daybreak."
Where do the subjects of qul and aʿūdhu come from if no pronouns are written?
Both subjects are concealed (mustatir) pronouns. The imperative qul carries an implied "you" (anta), since commands inherently address a listener. The present-tense aʿūdhu carries an implied "I" (ana), because verbs beginning with the hamza prefix in the present tense signal a first-person singular doer.