I'rab of Surah An-Nas Ayah 3: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah An-Nas (الناس) · Meccan · Ayah 3
إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ Transliterationilāhi n-nās(i)
MeaningGod of mankind.
This short ayah is a two-word genitive construct (idafah). The noun "ilahi" (God) stands in apposition to the earlier "Rabb" / "Malik" as a substitute (badal), so it carries the same genitive case driven by the preposition "bi" back in ayah 1. "an-nas" is the second term of the construct (mudaf ilayh) and is therefore genitive too.
Word by word i'rab
substitute (badal) / appositive to the preceding noun
It is a substitute (badal) for "Malik" (and ultimately "Rabb") and so takes the same genitive case, marked by the kasra, that the preposition "bi" assigned earlier in the surah.
genitivegenitive noun (mudaf ilayh)
It is the second term of the construct phrase, made genitive by being possessed by "ilahi," its genitive shown by the kasra.
genitiveDetailed i'rab
The verse إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ is a single genitive construction (idafah) that continues the chain of divine names begun in ayah 1. The word إِلَٰهِ (God) is not the start of a new sentence; grammatically it functions as a substitute (badal) standing in for the earlier nouns مَلِكِ and رَبِّ. Because a badal copies the case of the word it replaces, إِلَٰهِ inherits the genitive case originally produced by the preposition بِ in بِرَبِّ, its ending shown by a visible kasra. إِلَٰهِ is also the first term (mudaf) of a construct phrase. The following word ٱلنَّاسِ (mankind) is the second term (mudaf ilayh) and is therefore genitive, again marked by the kasra. The two words together mean "God of mankind," reinforcing the preceding attributes of lordship and sovereignty.
Frequently asked
Why is إِلَٰهِ in the genitive case here?
It is a substitute (badal) for the earlier words مَلِكِ and رَبِّ, and a badal must agree in case with the noun it replaces. Those nouns were already genitive because of the preposition بِ in بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ (ayah 1), so إِلَٰهِ follows suit, with its genitive marked by the kasra.
What is the grammatical relationship between إِلَٰهِ and ٱلنَّاسِ?
They form a genitive construct (idafah). إِلَٰهِ is the possessed first term (mudaf) and ٱلنَّاسِ is the possessor second term (mudaf ilayh), which is why ٱلنَّاسِ is genitive.
Is this ayah a complete sentence on its own?
No. It has no verb or predicate of its own; it is a noun phrase in apposition to the divine names mentioned in the previous verses, so it depends on them grammatically rather than forming an independent clause.