I'rab of Surah Al-Mutaffifin Ayah 35: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah Al-Mutaffifin (المطففين) · Meccan · Ayah 35
عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ يَنظُرُونَ Transliteration'Alā al-arā'iki yanẓurūn
MeaningOn adorned couches, looking on.
The believers in Paradise watch from raised couches. The prepositional phrase 'alaa al-araa'ik attaches to a circumstantial state of the subject of 'yanzuroon', and 'yanzuroon' is the present-tense verb meaning 'they look on', completing the scene of the rewarded believers observing.
Word by word i'rab
preposition
This preposition governs the following noun in the genitive and connects to a circumstantial state.
indeclinableobject of the preposition
Made genitive by 'alaa; the phrase 'on the couches' relates to a haal from the subject of 'yanzuroon'.
genitivepresent-tense verb with its subject
A present-tense verb with the attached waaw as subject, meaning the believers 'look on' or 'gaze'.
indeclinableDetailed i'rab
This short verse completes the picture begun in the previous one. The prepositional phrase 'alaa al-araa'ik consists of the preposition 'alaa governing al-araa'ik (the adorned couches) in the genitive; this phrase relates to a haal (circumstantial qualifier) drawn from the subject of the verb yanzuroon, meaning the believers are reclining upon couches as they watch. The verb yanzuroon (they look) is a present-tense verb whose attached waaw is its subject. The implied scene is that the believers, having entered bliss, observe:perhaps the fate of the disbelievers or the reward around them:from their elevated seats. Grammatically the verse functions as a continuation of the believers' description, with the prepositional phrase fronted for vividness before the verb.
Frequently asked
What does 'alā al-arā'ik' grammatically attach to?
It attaches to a haal (circumstantial state) taken from the subject of 'yanzuroon', describing the believers as being upon couches while they look on.
Why is the prepositional phrase placed before the verb?
Fronting 'alaa al-araa'ik before 'yanzuroon' draws attention to the setting:the adorned couches:giving prominence to the believers' restful, honored position.