I'rab of Surah Al-Falaq Ayah 2: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Falaq (الفلق) · Meccan · Ayah 2
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ Transliterationmin sharri mā khalaq(a)
MeaningFrom the evil of what He created.
This verse is a prepositional phrase (min sharri) that attaches grammatically to the verb a'udhu (I seek refuge) in the previous ayah. Sharr is a noun in the genitive governed by min, and it is the first term of a genitive construction (idafa) whose second term is the relative noun ma (what), which takes a genitive position. The verb khalaqa forms the relative clause with an omitted returning pronoun.
Word by word i'rab
preposition (harf jarr)
A preposition meaning from that introduces the source of evil and governs the following noun in the genitive.
indeclinablegenitive noun (majrur bi-min) and first term of idafa (mudaf)
A noun put into the genitive by the preposition min; together with it the phrase links back to the verb a'udhu (I seek refuge) in the opening verse, and it heads a possessive construction.
genitiverelative noun in genitive position (mudaf ilayh)
An indeclinable relative pronoun (what / that which) occupying the genitive slot as the second term of the construction with sharr.
genitivepast-tense verb forming the relative clause (silat al-mawsul)
A past-tense verb built on fatha with a hidden subject pronoun (He, i.e. the Lord); it forms the relative clause whose omitted returning pronoun (that which He created [it]) completes the meaning of ma.
indeclinableDetailed i'rab
The verse opens with the preposition min (from), which places the noun sharr (evil) in the genitive. This prepositional phrase does not stand alone; it connects grammatically to the verb a'udhu (I seek refuge) stated in ayah 1, specifying what one seeks protection from. Sharr then functions as the first element of a genitive construction (idafa). Its second element is ma (what / that which), an indeclinable relative noun that holds the genitive position as the possessed-to term. The relative clause attached to ma is built on the verb khalaqa (He created), a past-tense verb fixed on fatha, with its subject an implied pronoun referring to the Lord. The returning pronoun linking the clause back to ma is omitted but understood, giving what He created [it].
Frequently asked
What does the prepositional phrase min sharri connect to grammatically?
It attaches to the verb a'udhu (I seek refuge) found in the previous verse (113:1). The phrase tells us the thing being sought refuge from, so the meaning runs continuously: I seek refuge... from the evil of what He created.
Why is sharr in the genitive case?
It is genitive for two reasons working together: it is the object of the preposition min, which always puts its noun in the genitive, and it is also the first term (mudaf) of a possessive construction with ma following it.
How does ma khalaqa work as a relative construction?
Ma is a relative noun meaning that which. The verb khalaqa (He created) forms its relative clause (silat al-mawsul). The pronoun that would refer back to ma is dropped but implied, so the sense is that which He created.