I'rab of Surah An-Nazi'at Ayah 4: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah An-Nazi'at (النازعات) · Meccan · Ayah 4
فَٱلسَّٰبِقَٰتِ سَبْقًۭا TransliterationFas-sabiqati sabqa(n)
MeaningAnd by those who race ahead, outstripping.
Here the connective changes to the fa, indicating sequence. As-sabiqat is an active participle in the genitive, joined to the chain of oaths, and sabqan is an absolute object in the accusative emphasizing the act of racing ahead and outstripping others.
Word by word i'rab
connective particle of sequence (fa al-'atf)
This fa joins the phrase to the preceding oaths while conveying a sense of order or immediate succession in the action.
indeclinableobject of the oath (ma'tuf)
An active participle in the feminine plural, in the genitive by being connected to the earlier sworn-by nouns.
genitiveabsolute object (maf'ul mutlaq)
A verbal noun in the accusative that emphasizes the action of racing forward and outstripping expressed by the participle.
accusativeDetailed i'rab
This verse subtly shifts the connective from waw to fa. The fa is a connective particle of sequence (fa al-'atf), joining as-sabiqat to the previous sworn-by nouns while suggesting an ordered succession, an outstripping that follows naturally upon the prior actions. Because of this connection, as-sabiqat remains in the genitive, an active participle in the feminine plural meaning those who race ahead and surpass. The final word sabqan is in the accusative as an absolute object (maf'ul mutlaq), reinforcing the participle's meaning and stressing the decisiveness of getting ahead. The change of connective from waw to fa marks a rhetorical progression in the oath series, moving from drawing out and gliding to a climactic outstripping, all of which sustain the surah's mounting momentum toward its central message.
Frequently asked
Why does this verse begin with fa instead of waw?
The fa is a connective of sequence, joining the oath to the previous ones while implying ordered succession, that this action follows upon the preceding ones.
What case is as-sabiqat and why?
It is genitive, because it is connected by the fa to the earlier sworn-by nouns, all governed by the oath construction.