I'rab of Surah An-Naba Ayah 1: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah An-Naba (النبأ) · Meccan · Ayah 1
عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ Transliterationʿamma yatasāʾalūn(a)
MeaningAbout what are they asking one another?
This opening verse is a rhetorical question: "About what are they questioning one another?" The interrogative noun 'amma (originally 'an + ma) is fronted, attached to the verb yatasa'aluna. The construction signals astonishment at the disbelievers' disputes over the resurrection, drawing the listener in by asking and then immediately answering across the following verses.
Word by word i'rab
interrogative phrase (preposition + question word)
Originally 'an (about) plus ma (what); the final alif of ma is dropped because it is governed by a preposition, and the whole phrase is grammatically attached to the verb that follows.
genitiveverb with attached subject
An imperfect verb in the indicative (marfu'), with the attached pronoun waw as its subject, meaning "they question one another."
nominativeDetailed i'rab
The verse is built on a single interrogative clause. The word 'amma is a contraction of the preposition 'an ("about") and the interrogative pronoun ma ("what"); when ma follows a preposition in a question, its final long vowel is dropped, leaving 'amma. Because it is the object of a preposition, the phrase stands in the genitive position and is linked syntactically to the verb. The verb yatasa'aluna is imperfect and indicative, marked by the retained nun, and its subject is the attached plural pronoun (the waw of the group). The fronting of the question word ahead of the verb is normal Arabic word order for questions and lends the verse its rhetorical, attention-seizing force.
Frequently asked
Why is it written 'amma and not 'an ma?
When the interrogative ma follows a preposition, its long alif is usually deleted and it merges with the preposition; so 'an + ma becomes 'amma.
What is the subject of yatasa'aluna?
The subject is the attached pronoun waw, referring to the people who are questioning one another.