I'rab of Surah Al-Inshiqaq Ayah 24: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Inshiqaq (الانشقاق) · Meccan · Ayah 24
فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ TransliterationFabashshirhum bi'adhabin alim
MeaningSo give them tidings of a painful punishment.
A command to the Prophet to announce to them a painful punishment. The fa links the order to an implied condition, the imperative verb carries an attached object pronoun, and a prepositional phrase with its adjective specifies the painful torment being foretold.
Word by word i'rab
connective particle (answer to an implied condition)
The fa links this command to an unstated condition, as if 'since they deny, then announce...'.
indeclinableimperative verb
An imperative built on sukun; its subject is the implied 'you', addressed to the Prophet.
jussiveobject pronoun (maf'ul bihi)
The attached pronoun 'them' is the object of 'give tidings to'.
accusativeprepositional phrase (related to the verb)
The bi-preposition governs 'punishment', and the phrase attaches to the imperative 'announce to them of...'.
genitiveadjective (na't)
It describes 'punishment' and follows it in the genitive, meaning 'painful'.
genitiveDetailed i'rab
The فَ at the head is connective, serving as the link to an implied conditional clause, so the meaning runs 'and since they persist in denial, then give them tidings...'. The verb بَشِّرْ is an imperative, mabni (indeclinable) on sukun, with the addressee 'you' (the Prophet) as its understood subject. The attached pronoun هُم is its direct object (maf'ul bihi) in the accusative position. The prepositional phrase بِعَذَابٍ relates to the verb, specifying the content of the announcement, with عَذَابٍ genitive after the بِ. أَلِيمٍ is an adjective (na't) qualifying عَذَابٍ and, by agreement, also genitive, meaning 'painful'. The verse thus turns the rebuke into a stern, ironic 'glad tiding' of a grievous chastisement.
Frequently asked
Why is the verb بَشِّرْ (give tidings) used for a punishment?
Grammatically it is a normal imperative; rhetorically it is used ironically, since 'giving good tidings' is here applied to a painful punishment for emphasis and rebuke.
Why is أَلِيمٍ in the genitive?
It is an adjective describing عَذَابٍ and agrees with it in case; since عَذَابٍ is genitive after the preposition بِ, أَلِيمٍ is genitive too.