I'rab of Surah Al-Fatihah Ayah 1: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Fatiha (الفاتحة) · Meccan · Ayah 1
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ TransliterationBismi llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm
MeaningIn the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.
This verse is a prepositional phrase (بِ + اسْم) leading a genitive construct chain. The preposition with its noun attaches to an omitted predicate, and the subject (mubtada') is likewise understood, roughly "my beginning is." اللَّه is the second term of the construct (genitive), and the two divine attributes that follow are adjectives agreeing with it in the genitive case.
Word by word i'rab
preposition + genitive noun (jarr wa-majrur)
The prefixed بِ is a preposition and اسْم is its object in the genitive case (shown by the kasra), and the phrase links to an implied predicate of an unstated subject (e.g. "my beginning is in the name of...").
genitivegenitive noun of the construct (mudaf ilayh)
The divine name is the second term of the genitive construct after اسْم, hence it is genitive, marked by the kasra.
genitiveadjective (na't)
This is an adjective qualifying the divine name and so follows it in the genitive case.
genitivesecond adjective (na't thanin)
A second adjective describing the divine name, likewise agreeing with it in the genitive case.
genitiveDetailed i'rab
The verse opens with بِ, a preposition, joined to اسْم, which becomes genitive (kasra) as its object. Together they form a prepositional phrase that, on the standard analysis, attaches to a suppressed predicate while the subject itself is also left unstated and understood as something like "my beginning," giving the sense "my starting is in the name of God." The divine name ٱللَّه functions as the second element of a genitive construct (idafa) governed by اسْم, so it too is genitive. The two following words, ٱلرَّحْمَٰن and ٱلرَّحِيم, are descriptive adjectives (na't) of the divine name; as adjectives they match their noun in case and therefore both appear in the genitive, ٱلرَّحِيم being a second adjective added after the first.
Frequently asked
Why is the word اسْم (in بِسْمِ) in the genitive case?
Because it is the object of the attached preposition بِ. Any noun directly governed by a preposition takes the genitive case, here shown by the kasra under the final mim.
Where are the subject and predicate of this sentence?
Both are omitted but understood. The prepositional phrase "in the name of God" attaches to an implied predicate, and the subject (mubtada') is also suppressed, estimated as something like "my beginning," so the full sense is "my beginning is in the name of God."
Why are ٱلرَّحْمَٰن and ٱلرَّحِيم genitive?
They are adjectives describing the divine name ٱللَّه, which is genitive. An adjective in Arabic agrees with the noun it qualifies in case, so both attributes follow it into the genitive.