I'rab of Surah An-Naba Ayah 23: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah An-Naba (النبأ) · Meccan · Ayah 23
لَّٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًۭا TransliterationLaabitheena feehaa ahqaaba
MeaningRemaining therein for ages.
The verse states that the transgressors remain in Hell for ages. 'Abiding' is a circumstantial accusative describing them, 'in it' attaches to that participle, and 'ages' functions as an accusative adverb of time, all completing the dreadful picture of their endless stay.
Word by word i'rab
circumstantial accusative (hal)
An active participle 'abiding,' it is a hal describing the transgressors, accusative by the yaa of the sound masculine plural.
accusativeprepositional phrase (jarr wa majrur)
'Fii' governs the attached pronoun 'haa' (Hell) in the genitive; the phrase attaches to the participle 'abiding.'
genitiveadverb of time (zarf zaman)
'Ages' is an accusative adverb of time with tanwin, attached to 'abiding,' marking the duration of their stay.
accusativeDetailed i'rab
'Laabitheena' is the active participle meaning 'those abiding,' functioning as a circumstantial accusative (hal) that describes the transgressors mentioned in the previous verse; being a sound masculine plural, its accusative shows through the yaa. 'Feehaa' is the preposition 'fii' joined to the pronoun 'haa,' which refers to Hell and is genitive as the object of the preposition; this phrase attaches grammatically to the participle 'laabitheena.' 'Ahqaaban' is an accusative adverb of time bearing tanwin, also attached to 'laabitheena,' indicating the long ages during which they remain. The verse thus draws a single, vivid scene of the transgressors lingering within the Fire for vast, successive stretches of time.
Frequently asked
What grammatical role does 'laabitheena' play?
It is a hal, a circumstantial accusative describing the state of the transgressors as 'abiding,' marked accusative by the plural yaa.
Why is 'ahqaaban' in the accusative?
It is an adverb of time (zarf zaman) indicating duration, attached to 'laabitheena,' and such adverbs take the accusative case.
To what does 'feehaa' refer and attach?
The pronoun 'haa' refers to Hell; the phrase 'in it' attaches to the participle 'laabitheena,' specifying where they abide.