I'rab of Surah An-Naba Ayah 13: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah An-Naba (النبأ) · Meccan · Ayah 13
وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًۭا وَهَّاجًۭا TransliterationWa ja'alnā sirājan wahhājā
MeaningAnd We made a blazing lamp.
Allah continues listing His favors and proofs of power. He says He has placed a blazing lamp, meaning the sun, which gives heat and light. The noun 'a lamp' is accusative as the object of the verb 'We made/placed,' and 'blazing' is its adjective, agreeing with it in case and indefiniteness, describing its intense radiance.
Word by word i'rab
conjunction + past verb with attached subject
The wāw connects to the preceding verses, and 'ja'alnā' is a past-tense verb meaning 'We made/placed,' with the attached pronoun 'nā' as its subject.
indeclinabledirect object (maf'ul bihi)
This is the direct object of 'ja'alnā,' here carrying the sense of 'We created,' and it refers to the sun.
accusativeadjective (na't)
An intensive adjective describing 'lamp,' meaning intensely blazing or radiant, agreeing with it in case and indefiniteness.
accusativeDetailed i'rab
The verse opens with the conjunction wāw linking it to the prior list of divine favors, followed by the past-tense verb ja'alnā ('We made'), whose subject is the attached pronoun nā. The verb here conveys the sense of creating or placing. Its direct object is sirājan ('a lamp'), in the accusative case as required of an object, and it denotes the sun. The final word wahhājan is an intensive adjective qualifying sirājan; it is accusative because an adjective follows its noun in case, and it is indefinite to match the indefinite noun. The pattern fa''āl signals intensity, so the meaning is a fiercely burning, brightly radiating lamp.
Frequently asked
Why is سِرَاجًا in the accusative case?
Because it is the direct object of the verb جَعَلْنَا ('We made/placed'), and direct objects in Arabic take the accusative case.
What does وَهَّاجًا describe and why is it accusative?
It is an adjective describing سِرَاجًا ('lamp'). Adjectives follow their noun in case, definiteness, gender, and number, so it is accusative and indefinite to match.