I'rab of Surah Al-Mutaffifin Ayah 24: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Mutaffifin (المطففين) · Meccan · Ayah 24
تَعْرِفُ فِى وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ ٱلنَّعِيمِ TransliterationTa'rifu fee wujoohihim nadratan-na'eem
MeaningYou will recognize in their faces the radiance of bliss.
Here a present verb ta'rif takes an unstated 'you' as its subject; the prepositional phrase fi wujuhihim relates to that verb, and nadrata is its direct object in the accusative, governing al-na'im as a genitive possessive. The verse says one will recognize on their faces the radiance of bliss.
Word by word i'rab
present verb with concealed subject
Ta'rif is a present verb in the indicative whose subject is a hidden 'you,' addressing any observer.
indeclinablepreposition
Fi is a preposition introducing the place where the radiance is perceived.
indeclinableobject of preposition with possessive pronoun
Wujuh is genitive after fi, and the attached him is a possessive pronoun referring to the righteous; the phrase relates to the verb ta'rif.
genitivedirect object (maf'ul bihi)
Nadra is the direct object of ta'rif in the accusative, shown by the fatha, and it stands as the first term of a possessive construction.
accusativesecond term of construct (mudaf ilayhi)
Al-na'im is genitive as the second term of the construct phrase with nadra, meaning 'the radiance of bliss.'
genitiveDetailed i'rab
This verse is a verbal sentence opening with ta'rif, a present-tense verb in the indicative whose subject is a concealed pronoun 'you,' addressing any onlooker. The prepositional phrase fi wujuhihim: the preposition fi, its genitive object wujuh, and the attached possessive pronoun him referring to the righteous: relates to the verb ta'rif and specifies where the recognition takes place. Nadra is the direct object (maf'ul bihi) of the verb in the accusative, marked by the fatha, and it forms the first term of a genitive construct (idafa). Al-na'im is the second term of that construct (mudaf ilayhi) in the genitive, yielding 'the radiance of bliss.' The sentence thus conveys that an observer will perceive on the faces of the righteous the visible glow of their delight.
Frequently asked
Who is the subject of the verb ta'rif?
The subject is a hidden pronoun meaning 'you,' addressing any observer in general. The verb is indicative and means 'you recognize' or 'you perceive.'
Why is nadrata in the accusative while al-na'im is genitive?
Nadra is the direct object of ta'rif, so it takes the accusative. It then forms a construct phrase with al-na'im, which becomes genitive as the second term, giving 'the radiance of bliss.'