I'rab of Surah Al-Falaq Ayah 5: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Falaq (الفلق) · Meccan · Ayah 5
وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ TransliterationWa min sharri hasidin idha hasad(a)
MeaningAnd from the evil of an envier when he envies.
This ayah is coordinated by the conjunction wa onto the earlier "min sharri" phrases, so "min sharri hasidin" is again a prepositional phrase tied to the verb "a'udhu" in ayah 1. "Hasidin" is an indefinite genitive added to "sharr." The clause "idha hasada" is an adverbial of time governing a following conditional-style verb.
Word by word i'rab
conjunction (harf 'atf)
This is the connecting particle wa, joining this phrase to the previous "min sharr" phrases in the surah.
indeclinablepreposition (harf jarr)
The preposition min puts the noun after it in the genitive and, with its object, attaches back to the verb a'udhu in ayah 1.
indeclinablenoun governed by the preposition (majrur bi-min)
Sharr is genitive because of the preceding min, and it is itself the first term of a possessive (idafa) construction.
genitivegenitive noun / second term of idafa (mudaf ilayh)
Hasidin is an indefinite genitive noun completing the idafa with sharr, its tanwin kasra marking the genitive case.
genitiveadverb of time (zarf)
Idha is a fixed time adverb in the accusative position, here functioning adverbially and linked to the verbal idea of envying.
indeclinablepast-tense verb (fi'l madi)
Hasada is a past-tense verb built on fatha, with its subject a hidden pronoun "he" referring back to the envier.
indeclinableDetailed i'rab
The verse opens with the conjunction wa, which links the whole phrase to the parallel "min sharr" expressions running through Surah Al-Falaq. The preposition min governs sharr in the genitive, and this prepositional phrase relates back to the main verb a'udhu ("I seek refuge") stated in the first ayah. Sharr then heads a possessive (idafa) construction: hasidin is its second term, an indefinite genitive noun marked by the kasra of its tanwin. The word idha is an indeclinable adverb of time occupying an accusative position; it points to the moment of the action rather than functioning as a full conditional here. Finally, hasada is a past-tense verb fixed on fatha, whose doer is an implied pronoun referring to the envier. The clause idha hasada thus specifies when the envier's harm is feared.
Frequently asked
Why is hasidin in the genitive case?
Hasidin is genitive because it is the second term (mudaf ilayh) of the possessive construction with sharr; an idafa always places its second noun in the genitive, shown here by the kasra of the tanwin.
What does the wa at the start of the ayah connect to?
It is a coordinating conjunction joining this "min sharr" phrase to the earlier "min sharr" phrases in the surah, all of which ultimately depend on the verb a'udhu in ayah 1.
How is idha hasada analyzed grammatically?
Idha is an indeclinable adverb of time in an accusative position pointing to the moment of action, and hasada is a past-tense verb built on fatha with a hidden subject pronoun referring back to the envier.