I'rab of Surah At-Takwir Ayah 15: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah At-Takwir (التكوير) · Meccan · Ayah 15
فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ TransliterationFa-laa uqsimu bil-khunnas
MeaningSo I swear by the stars that recede.
A new section begins with an oath. "So I swear by the receding stars." The faa restarts the discourse, laa is an emphatic extra particle, and uqsimu is the verb of swearing. Bi-l-khunnas is the prepositional phrase naming what is sworn by, attached to the verb uqsimu.
Word by word i'rab
resumptive particle (isti'naf)
The faa opens a fresh statement, marking the start of the oath section rather than connecting to a prior clause grammatically.
indeclinableextra particle for emphasis (zaa'ida)
This laa is additional and does not negate; it strengthens the oath rather than denying it.
indeclinablepresent-tense verb of swearing
Uqsimu is a present verb meaning "I swear," with the speaker as its implied subject and laam-less oath emphasis.
indeclinableprepositional phrase (object of the oath)
The bi governs al-khunnas in the genitive, and the whole phrase is attached to uqsimu as the thing sworn by.
genitiveDetailed i'rab
This verse begins the oath section of the surah. The faa is resumptive (isti'nafiyya), launching a new statement rather than linking grammatically to the verses before it. The laa here is an extra particle (zaa'ida); it carries no negation but adds emphasis to the oath, a recognized usage in oath formulas. Uqsimu is a present-tense verb, "I swear," whose subject is the implied first-person pronoun. The prepositional phrase bi-l-khunnas consists of the preposition bi plus al-khunnas in the genitive; the whole phrase is grammatically attached (muta'alliq) to the verb uqsimu and names the object sworn by. Al-khunnas refers to the stars that recede or hide by day. The structure sets up a series of sworn-by items that continue through the next verses, all building toward the oath's response about the truthfulness of the revelation.
Frequently asked
Does laa here negate the act of swearing?
No. This laa is an extra (zaa'ida) particle used in oath constructions for emphasis. The verb uqsimu still means "I swear," and laa simply intensifies the statement rather than negating it.
What does bi-l-khunnas attach to grammatically?
The prepositional phrase bi plus al-khunnas (genitive) is linked to the verb uqsimu. It identifies what the oath is sworn by, namely the receding stars.