I'rab of Surah At-Takwir Ayah 29: word by word Arabic grammar
Surah At-Takwir (التكوير) · Meccan · Ayah 29
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ TransliterationWa mā tashā'ūna illā an yashā'a Allāhu rabbu-l-'ālamīn
MeaningAnd you do not will unless God, the Lord of the worlds, wills.
The surah closes by anchoring all human willing in God's will: you cannot will unless God wills. 'Ma' negates, 'illa' restricts, and 'an yasha'a' is an interpreted verbal noun tied to an implied preposition. 'Allah' is the subject of 'yasha'a', and 'rabbu' is His attribute, the Lord of the worlds.
Word by word i'rab
conjunction + negating particle
The 'waw' begins a new clause and 'ma' is a simple negating particle here.
indeclinablepresent-tense verb with subject pronoun
'Tasha'una' is an indicative present verb; the attached 'waw' is its subject pronoun standing for the addressees.
nominativerestrictive particle
'Illa' provides restriction, giving the sense 'except / unless'.
indeclinablesubordinating particle (masdariyyah) of subjunctive
'An' introduces a verbal-noun clause and makes the following verb subjunctive.
indeclinablesubjunctive verb (within the interpreted verbal noun)
'Yasha'a' is subjunctive because of 'an'; the interpreted verbal noun stands in the genitive after an implied preposition 'bi' relating to 'tasha'una'.
accusativesubject (fa'il) of yasha'a
The name 'Allah' is the nominative subject of the verb 'yasha'a'.
nominativeadjective / apposition (na't)
'Rabb' describes the name 'Allah' and agrees with it in the nominative.
nominativepossessive complement (mudaf ilayh)
'Al-'alamin' is the genitive second term of the construct 'rabbu-l-'alamin' (Lord of the worlds).
genitiveDetailed i'rab
The final verse subordinates human will to divine will. The opening 'waw' starts a fresh sentence and 'ma' is a plain negating particle. 'Tasha'una' is an indicative present verb (marfu' with the preserved nun), its attached 'waw' being the subject pronoun of the addressees. 'Illa' is the restrictive particle giving the sense of 'unless'. 'An' is a subordinating particle that forms an interpreted verbal noun and renders the next verb subjunctive; 'yasha'a' is thus subjunctive (mansub). The interpreted verbal noun 'an yasha'a' stands in the genitive after an implied preposition 'bi', and that phrase relates to 'tasha'una'. The name 'Allah' is the nominative subject of 'yasha'a', 'rabbu' is its adjective in apposition (nominative), and 'al-'alamin' is the genitive construct complement, naming Him as Lord of all the worlds.
Frequently asked
How does 'an yasha'a' fit into the sentence?
'An' plus 'yasha'a' forms an interpreted verbal noun ('God's willing'). It sits in the genitive after an implied preposition 'bi', and the whole phrase relates back to the verb 'tasha'una', producing the meaning 'you do not will except by God's willing'.
What is the relationship between 'Allah' and 'rabbu'?
'Allah' is the subject of the verb 'yasha'a', and 'rabbu' is its describing word (na't) in apposition, also nominative. 'Rabbu-l-'alamin' then forms a construct phrase meaning 'the Lord of the worlds'.