I'rab of Surah An-Naba Ayah 21: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah An-Naba (النبأ) · Meccan · Ayah 21
إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًۭا TransliterationInna jahannama kaanat mirsaada
MeaningIndeed, Hell is lying in wait.
This verse affirms that Hell is, and has always been, a place of ambush. 'Inna' emphatically governs 'Jahannam' as its noun, while the predicate is the clause 'kaanat mirsaadan,' with 'a place of ambush' standing as the accusative predicate of the defective verb 'was.'
Word by word i'rab
emphatic particle (harf tawkid wa nasb)
'Inna' stresses the statement and puts the following noun in the accusative as its subject.
indeclinablenoun of inna (ism inna)
As the subject governed by 'inna,' it is accusative; being a diptote proper noun, it takes a fatha without tanwin.
accusativedefective past verb (kana naqisa)
The verb 'was/has been' takes an implied subject referring to Hell, and its predicate that follows is accusative.
indeclinablepredicate of kana (khabar kana)
As the predicate of 'was,' 'a place of ambush' is accusative with tanwin; the whole 'kaanat' clause serves as the predicate of inna.
accusativeDetailed i'rab
'Inna' is the emphatic particle that introduces a strengthened nominal sentence; it places its noun in the accusative. 'Jahannama' is the noun of 'inna,' accusative, but because it is a diptote (forbidden full tanwin), its accusative shows as a bare fatha. The predicate of 'inna' is the verbal sentence 'kaanat mirsaadan.' 'Kana' is the defective verb 'was,' its subject an understood pronoun returning to Jahannam, while 'mirsaadan' is its accusative predicate carrying tanwin. This entire 'kaanat' clause occupies the place of the predicate of 'inna,' so the sentence states emphatically that Hell has always stood in readiness, an ambush awaiting those who pass.
Frequently asked
Why does 'Jahannam' not take tanwin in the accusative?
It is a diptote (mamnu' min al-sarf), a proper noun that refuses full tanwin, so its accusative is marked only by a single fatha.
What is the predicate of 'inna' in this verse?
The predicate is the whole verbal clause 'kaanat mirsaadan,' which sits in the place of the predicate of 'inna.'
What case is 'mirsaadan' and why?
It is accusative with tanwin because it is the predicate (khabar) of the defective verb 'kana' ('was').