I'rab of Surah Al-Mutaffifin Ayah 20: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Mutaffifin (المطففين) · Meccan · Ayah 20
كِتَٰبٌۭ مَّرْقُومٌۭ TransliterationKitaabum marqoom
MeaningIt is a written record.
This brief verse answers the wonder raised before it. Kitab is the predicate of an omitted subject understood as 'it is,' standing in the nominative, and marqum is its adjective, also nominative, agreeing with it in case, number, and indefiniteness, describing the record as inscribed and sealed.
Word by word i'rab
predicate (khabar) of an omitted subject
Kitab is nominative as the predicate of a deleted subject understood as 'it,' so the sense is 'it is a record.'
nominativeadjective (na't)
Marqum is a passive participle in the nominative describing kitab, agreeing with it in case, indefiniteness, and number.
nominativeDetailed i'rab
This verse functions as the reply to the rhetorical question of the previous ayah. Kitab is in the nominative case because it serves as the predicate (khabar) of a suppressed subject (mubtada'), the implied pronoun being 'it,' giving the reading 'it is a record.' Such omission of the obvious subject is common after a preceding interrogative that has set up the topic. Marqum, a passive participle meaning 'written' or 'inscribed,' follows as an adjective (na't) qualifying kitab; it matches its noun in being nominative, indefinite, and singular. Together the two words form a concise nominal description, identifying the register named earlier and emphasizing that it is a fixed, recorded document.
Frequently asked
Where is the subject of this sentence?
The subject is omitted but understood as the pronoun 'it,' referring back to what was asked about. Kitab then stands as the predicate, so the clause means 'it is a written record.'
What is the relationship between kitab and marqum?
Marqum is an adjective describing kitab. As an adjective it follows its noun in case, number, and definiteness, so both are nominative, singular, and indefinite.