I'rab of Surah An-Naba Ayah 28: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah An-Naba (النبأ) · Meccan · Ayah 28
وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا كِذَّابًۭا Transliterationwa-kadhdhabū bi-āyātinā kidhdhābā(n)
MeaningAnd they denied Our signs with utter denial,
This verse continues the indictment: they utterly denied Our signs. The waw connects it to the previous statement, bi-ayatina is a prepositional phrase linked to the verb of denial, and kidhdhaban is an absolute object intensifying how thoroughly they rejected the signs.
Word by word i'rab
connective waw plus past verb with subject
The waw links this clause to the previous one, and "they denied" is a past verb with "they" as its subject.
indeclinableprepositional phrase linked to the verb (jar wa-majrur)
The preposition bi puts "Our signs" in the genitive, and the phrase attaches to the verb "they denied."
genitiveabsolute object (maf'ul mutlaq)
This verbal noun reinforces the verb "denied," taking the accusative to emphasize the intensity of their denial.
accusativeDetailed i'rab
The verse begins with a connective waw joining it to the preceding indictment, followed by the past verb kadhdhabu ("they denied") with its subject pronoun "they." The prepositional phrase bi-ayatina ("in Our signs") is governed by the preposition bi, which places "signs" in the genitive; this whole phrase is linked to the verb of denial, identifying what they rejected. The closing word kidhdhaban is an absolute object: it is the intensive verbal noun of the same verb kadhdhaba, set in the accusative to emphasize the thoroughness of their rejection. Grammatically the verse stacks the verb, its object of denial, and an intensifier, painting their disbelief as deliberate and emphatic.
Frequently asked
Why is ayatina in the genitive?
The preposition bi governs it, and any noun following a preposition takes the genitive case, so "Our signs" is genitive within the prepositional phrase.
What is the role of kidhdhaban at the end?
It is an absolute object, the verbal noun of the verb "denied," used in the accusative to intensify and stress how completely they rejected the signs.