I'rab of Surah An-Naba Ayah 2: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah An-Naba (النبأ) · Meccan · Ayah 2
عَنِ ٱلنَّبَإِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ Transliterationʿani n-nabaʾi l-ʿaẓīm(i)
MeaningAbout the great tiding,
This verse answers the question of verse 1: "About the tremendous tiding." The preposition 'an governs al-naba' in the genitive, and al-'azim is its adjective, also genitive. The phrase clarifies the object of their disputing, namely the momentous news of resurrection and judgment.
Word by word i'rab
preposition
A preposition meaning "about"; its noun follows in the genitive, and the phrase explains the subject of the questioning.
indeclinableobject of the preposition (majrur)
Governed by the preposition 'an and therefore genitive; it names "the tiding" they dispute about.
genitiveadjective (na't)
An adjective describing al-naba', agreeing with it in being genitive, definite, and singular.
genitiveDetailed i'rab
This verse provides the implied answer to the question posed in verse 1, with the preposition 'an introducing the matter being questioned. The noun al-naba' ("the tiding") is in the genitive because it is the object of the preposition, its kasra being the visible sign of that case. The following word al-'azim ("the tremendous") is an adjective qualifying al-naba'; it agrees with its noun in case (genitive), definiteness (carrying the definite article), gender, and number. Grammarians often understand this whole prepositional phrase to relate to an unstated repetition of the verb "they question," so the sense is "they are questioning about the tremendous tiding." The adjective intensifies the gravity of the subject under dispute.
Frequently asked
Why is al-naba' in the genitive case?
Because it is the object of the preposition 'an; nouns governed by a preposition take the genitive (majrur).
What does al-'azim modify?
It is an adjective modifying al-naba', agreeing with it in case, definiteness, gender, and number.