I'rab of Surah Al-Falaq Ayah 3 - word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Falaq (الفلق) · Meccan · Ayah 3
وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ Transliterationwa min sharri ghaasiqin idhaa waqaba
MeaningAnd from the evil of the darkening night when it settles in.
This verse opens with a coordinating wa- joining a prepositional phrase (min sharri) that attaches to the earlier verb a'udhu (I seek refuge). Sharr governs the indefinite ghasiq as a genitive possessed construction. The adverbial idha then introduces a conditional-type time clause whose verb is waqaba, the whole clause qualifying ghasiq.
Word by word i'rab
coordinating conjunction (harf atf)
The wa- links this phrase to the preceding min sharri ma khalaq in verse 2, repeating the request for refuge.
indeclinablepreposition (harf jarr)
This particle puts the following noun in the genitive and, with it, attaches to the verb a'udhu (I seek refuge) from verse 1.
indeclinablenoun governed by min (majrur), first term of an idafa
Made genitive by min and shown by the kasra; it is also the possessed term in a genitive construction with the noun that follows.
genitivepossessor noun (mudaf ilayh)
This indefinite noun is genitive as the second term of the idafa with sharr, its tanwin kasra marking the case.
genitiveadverb of time (zarf) in the accusative position
An indeclinable time adverb, here stripped of full conditional force, occupying an accusative slot and linked to the implied meaning of the verbal noun (the evil).
indeclinablepast-tense verb (fi'l madi) within the idha clause
A past-tense verb built on fatha; its agent is a hidden pronoun (it) referring back to the darkening night, and the clause defines when its evil is feared.
indeclinableDetailed i'rab
The verse begins with the conjunction wa-, which ties it to the previous appeals for refuge, followed by the preposition min. The genitive sharrin (evil) is governed by min and forms the head of a possessive (idafa) construction, while the indefinite ghasiqin (darkening night) stands as its genitive second term, marked by tanwin kasra. Together, min sharri ghasiqin reattaches to the verb a'udhu (I seek refuge) stated at the start of the surah. The adverb idha is an indeclinable particle of time set in an accusative slot; although it normally carries conditional sense, here it functions chiefly as a time marker. Its clause contains the past verb waqaba (it settled in), built on fatha, whose unspoken subject it points back to the night. This whole idha-clause restricts the verse: the evil sought refuge from is specifically that of the night as it descends.
Frequently asked
Why is ghasiq in the genitive case?
It is the second term (mudaf ilayh) of the possessive construction sharri ghasiqin, the evil of a darkening night. Nouns in this possessor position always take the genitive, here shown by the tanwin kasra on an indefinite noun.
What does the preposition min sharri attach to grammatically?
The phrase min sharri attaches to the verb a'udhu (I seek refuge) in verse 1. This same verb governs the parallel min sharri phrases in verses 2, 3, 4, and 5, each adding another source of evil sought refuge from.
How does idha function in this verse?
Idha is an indeclinable adverb of time placed in an accusative position. Though it can introduce conditions, here it mainly marks the moment, and its verb waqaba (settles in) specifies the time at which the night's evil is feared.