Nahw Path
005

Content review

For teachers: every question, its correct answer and its one-line explanation. The source of truth is the JSON files in src/data/ — one file per unit.

Salah X-Ray track · published

Salah X-Ray

Everything you say in prayer, taken apart word by word: the takbir, Al-Fatiha, the short surahs most people recite, the tasbih of ruku' and sujud, the tashahhud and the salawat.

Takbir and rising (sx-takbir)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Greater than what?

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Takbir

أَكْبَرُ is an elative, the form that normally means "greater than". But nothing is named after it. Leaving out the comparison makes it open-ended: greater than anything you could put there. That is why each takbir leaves the world behind.

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Allah is greater (than everything)

  • اللَّهُ — Mubtada (subject of a nominal sentence); Marfu' — damma
  • أَكْبَرُ — Khabar (predicate). An elative: "greater" with no comparison named, so greater than everything; Marfu' — damma
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ

Allah hears the one who praises Him

  • سَمِعَ — Past-tense fi'l, here expressing a du'a and a promise; Mabni (fixed) on fatha
  • اللَّهُ — Fa'il (doer); Marfu' — damma
  • لِمَنْ — لِ harf jarr + مَنْ relative noun; مَنْ is majrur in position (mabni)
  • حَمِدَهُ — Past fi'l + هُ attached object pronoun; Mabni
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ

Our Lord, and to You belongs all praise

  • رَبَّنَا — Munada (one being called), mudaf + نَا mudaf ilayh; Mansub — fatha
  • وَلَكَ — وَ + لِ harf jarr + كَ; brought forward as khabar; كَ majrur in position
  • الْحَمْدُ — Mubtada, placed after its khabar; Marfu' — damma

  • In اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ, what role does أَكْبَرُ play?

    mcq
    اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

    Answer: Khabar

    اللَّهُ is the mubtada, and أَكْبَرُ is the khabar telling us something about Him.

    id: sx-takbir-e1

  • Choose the ending: who does the hearing?

    harakah

    Answer: اللَّهُ

    Allah is the fa'il of سَمِعَ, so the name is marfu' with a damma.

    id: sx-takbir-e2

  • Why is لَكَ placed before الْحَمْدُ in رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ?

    mcq

    Answer: Bringing the khabar forward stresses: to You (alone)

    Putting the khabar first narrows the praise to Allah: to You, specifically, belongs the praise.

    id: sx-takbir-e3

Al-Fatiha (sx-fatiha)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful

  • بِسْمِ — بِ harf jarr + اسْمِ majrur, mudaf; Majrur — kasra
  • اللَّهِ — Mudaf ilayh; Majrur — kasra
  • الرَّحْمَٰنِ — Na't (describing word) following اللَّهِ; Majrur — kasra
  • الرَّحِيمِ — Second na't; Majrur — kasra
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds

  • الْحَمْدُ — Mubtada; Marfu' — damma
  • لِلَّهِ — لِ harf jarr + اللَّهِ; together the khabar; Majrur — kasra
  • رَبِّ — Na't of اللَّهِ, and mudaf; Majrur — kasra
  • الْعَالَمِينَ — Mudaf ilayh (sound masculine plural); Majrur — ي instead of kasra
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

Master of the Day of Judgement

  • مَالِكِ — Na't of اللَّهِ, and mudaf; Majrur — kasra
  • يَوْمِ — Mudaf ilayh, and itself mudaf; Majrur — kasra
  • الدِّينِ — Mudaf ilayh; Majrur — kasra
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help

  • إِيَّاكَ — Detached pronoun, maf'ul bihi brought before its verb; Mansub in position (mabni)
  • نَعْبُدُ — Present fi'l; its fa'il is the hidden "we"; Marfu' — damma
  • وَإِيَّاكَ — وَ + maf'ul bihi brought forward again; Mansub in position
  • نَسْتَعِينُ — Present fi'l; Marfu' — damma
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Guide us to the straight path

  • اهْدِنَا — Imperative used as a du'a + نَا first object; Mabni on dropping the final ي
  • الصِّرَاطَ — Second maf'ul bihi; Mansub — fatha
  • الْمُسْتَقِيمَ — Na't of الصِّرَاطَ; Mansub — fatha
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ

the path of those You have blessed

  • صِرَاطَ — Badal (restating الصِّرَاطَ), and mudaf; Mansub — fatha
  • الَّذِينَ — Relative noun, mudaf ilayh; Majrur in position (mabni)
  • أَنْعَمْتَ — Past fi'l + تَ as fa'il; Mabni
  • عَلَيْهِمْ — عَلَىٰ harf jarr + هِمْ; Majrur in position

  • Tap the maf'ul bihi that comes before its verb.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: إِيَّاكَ

    إِيَّاكَ is the object, brought before نَعْبُدُ to mean "You alone".

    id: sx-fatiha-e1

  • Choose the ending of the mudaf ilayh.

    harakah

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: يَوْمِ

    يَوْمِ is mudaf ilayh after مَالِكِ, so it is majrur with a kasra.

    id: sx-fatiha-e2

  • Why does الْعَالَمِينَ end in ـِينَ rather than a kasra?

    mcq
    رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

    Answer: Sound masculine plurals show jarr with ي

    A sound masculine plural shows nasb and jarr with ي, and raf' with و.

    id: sx-fatiha-e3

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: Kasra ـِ

    مَالِكِ describes اللَّهِ from ayah 2, which is majrur, so it takes a kasra.

    id: sx-fatiha-e4

Al-Ikhlas (sx-ikhlas)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

"Anyone" saved for last

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

Al-Ikhlas 112:4

The usual order would put أَحَدٌ straight after يَكُن. Instead لَهُ and كُفُوًا come first, and the case endings keep the roles clear. Saving أَحَدٌ, "anyone at all", for the very end makes the denial complete: not a single one.

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

Say: He is Allah, One

  • قُلْ — Imperative fi'l; Mabni on sukun
  • هُوَ — Detached pronoun, mubtada; Marfu' in position
  • اللَّهُ — Khabar (scholars give more than one analysis here); Marfu' — damma
  • أَحَدٌ — Second khabar; Marfu' — damma with tanween
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

Allah, the Eternal Refuge

  • اللَّهُ — Mubtada; Marfu' — damma
  • الصَّمَدُ — Khabar, made definite with الْ; Marfu' — damma
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ

He did not beget, nor was He begotten

  • لَمْ — Harf that negates the past and makes the verb majzum; —
  • يَلِدْ — Present fi'l; Majzum — sukun
  • وَلَمْ — وَ + لَمْ; —
  • يُولَدْ — Passive present fi'l; Majzum — sukun
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

And there is none comparable to Him

  • يَكُن — Kana, majzum after لَمْ; Majzum — sukun
  • لَّهُ — لِ + هُ; Majrur in position
  • كُفُوًا — Khabar of kana, brought forward; Mansub — fatha with tanween
  • أَحَدٌ — Ism of kana, placed last; Marfu' — damma with tanween

  • Why is يَلِدْ ending in a sukun?

    mcq
    لَمْ يَلِدْ

    Answer: لَمْ makes the verb majzum

    لَمْ negates the past and makes the present verb after it majzum, shown by a sukun.

    id: sx-ikhlas-e1

  • Tap the ism of kana (the one that "is").

    tap

    Al-Ikhlas 112:4

    Answer: أَحَدٌ

    أَحَدٌ is marfu', the ism of kana. كُفُوًا is its mansub khabar.

    id: sx-ikhlas-e2

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Ikhlas 112:4

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    كُفُوًا is the khabar of kana, so it is mansub: fatha, here with tanween.

    id: sx-ikhlas-e3

Al-Kawthar (sx-kawthar)

إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ

Indeed, We have granted you al-Kawthar

  • إِنَّا — إِنَّ + نَا as its ism; نَا mansub in position
  • أَعْطَيْنَاكَ — Past fi'l + نَا fa'il + كَ first object; Mabni
  • الْكَوْثَرَ — Second maf'ul bihi; Mansub — fatha
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ

Indeed, it is your enemy who is cut off

  • إِنَّ — Emphasis particle; —
  • شَانِئَكَ — Ism of inna, mudaf + كَ; Mansub — fatha
  • هُوَ — Separating pronoun (damir fasl) for emphasis; No i'rab position
  • الْأَبْتَرُ — Khabar of inna; Marfu' — damma

  • Choose the ending of the ism of إِنَّ.

    harakah

    Al-Kawthar 108:3

    Answer: شَانِئَ

    إِنَّ makes its ism mansub, so شَانِئَ takes a fatha.

    id: sx-kawthar-e1

  • What does هُوَ add in إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ?

    mcq

    Answer: Emphasis: he, and no one else, is cut off

    A separating pronoun (damir fasl) narrows and emphasises the khabar.

    id: sx-kawthar-e2

Al-'Asr (sx-asr)

وَالْعَصْرِ

By time

  • وَالْعَصْرِ — وَ of oath (works like a harf jarr) + الْعَصْرِ; Majrur — kasra
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ

Indeed, mankind is surely in loss

  • إِنَّ — Emphasis particle; —
  • الْإِنسَانَ — Ism of inna; Mansub — fatha
  • لَفِي — لَ of emphasis + فِي harf jarr; —
  • خُسْرٍ — Majrur after فِي; together the khabar; Majrur — kasra with tanween

  • How many signs of emphasis are in إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ?

    mcq

    Answer: Two: إِنَّ and لَ

    إِنَّ and the لَ on لَفِي both add emphasis to the warning.

    id: sx-asr-e1

  • Choose the ending after the oath وَ.

    harakah

    Answer: الْعَصْرِ

    The وَ of oath acts like a harf jarr, so الْعَصْرِ is majrur.

    id: sx-asr-e2

Al-Falaq and An-Nas (sx-falaq-nas)

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ

Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak

  • قُلْ — Imperative fi'l; Mabni on sukun
  • أَعُوذُ — Present fi'l; fa'il is the hidden "I"; Marfu' — damma
  • بِرَبِّ — بِ harf jarr + رَبِّ, mudaf; Majrur — kasra
  • الْفَلَقِ — Mudaf ilayh; Majrur — kasra
مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ۝ إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ

the King of mankind, the God of mankind

  • مَلِكِ — Follows رَبِّ from ayah 1 (badal or na't); Majrur — kasra
  • النَّاسِ — Mudaf ilayh; Majrur — kasra
  • إِلَٰهِ — Also follows رَبِّ; Majrur — kasra
  • النَّاسِ — Mudaf ilayh; Majrur — kasra

  • Why are مَلِكِ and إِلَٰهِ majrur?

    mcq

    Answer: They follow رَبِّ, which is majrur after بِ

    Words that describe or restate a majrur word follow it in case.

    id: sx-fn-e1

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    An-Nas 114:1

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    أَعُوذُ is a present verb with nothing acting on it, so it is marfu' with a damma.

    id: sx-fn-e2

Ruku' and sujud (sx-tasbih)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Why "the Most High" in sujud

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَىٰ

Tasbih of sujud

الْأَعْلَىٰ is an elative, "the Highest". It is said at the moment your forehead is at its lowest. The grammar sets the two against each other: the lowest posture of the servant, the highest description of the Lord.

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent

  • سُبْحَانَ — Maf'ul mutlaq (verbal noun) standing in for an unspoken verb "I glorify"; mudaf; Mansub — fatha
  • رَبِّيَ — Mudaf ilayh + يَ "my"; Majrur (kasra before the ي)
  • الْعَظِيمِ — Na't of رَبِّ; Majrur — kasra
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَىٰ

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High

  • سُبْحَانَ — Maf'ul mutlaq, mudaf; Mansub — fatha
  • رَبِّيَ — Mudaf ilayh; Majrur
  • الْأَعْلَىٰ — Na't of رَبِّ, an elative; Majrur — kasra implied (it ends in alif)

  • What case is الْعَظِيمِ in, and why?

    mcq
    سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

    Answer: Majrur, it describes رَبِّ

    الْعَظِيمِ is a na't of رَبِّ, which is majrur as mudaf ilayh, so it follows with a kasra.

    id: sx-tasbih-e1

  • Match each word to its meaning.

    match

    Answer: سُبْحَانَ = glory be · رَبِّيَ = my Lord · الْعَظِيمِ = the Magnificent · الْأَعْلَىٰ = the Most High

    These four words are the whole tasbih of ruku' and sujud.

    id: sx-tasbih-e2

Tashahhud (sx-tashahhud)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Deny everything, then affirm One

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

Tashahhud

The لَا here denies the whole category: no god of any kind. Only then does إِلَّا bring back one name. Denying first and affirming second is the strongest way Arabic has to say "only". That is the grammar of tawhid.

التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ

All greetings, prayers and good things are for Allah

  • التَّحِيَّاتُ — Mubtada; Marfu' — damma
  • لِلَّهِ — Jarr and majrur; the khabar; Majrur — kasra
  • وَالصَّلَوَاتُ — Joined to التَّحِيَّاتُ with وَ (ma'tuf); Marfu' — damma
  • وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ — Also joined (ma'tuf); Marfu' — damma
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ

Peace be upon you, O Prophet

  • السَّلَامُ — Mubtada; Marfu' — damma
  • عَلَيْكَ — عَلَىٰ + كَ; the khabar; Majrur in position
  • أَيُّهَا — Munada (one being called); Mabni on damma
  • النَّبِيُّ — Describes أَيُّ; Marfu' — damma
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah

  • أَشْهَدُ — Present fi'l; Marfu' — damma
  • أَنْ — Harf introducing the content of the witness; —
  • لَا — Negates the whole category (la of absolute negation); —
  • إِلَٰهَ — Ism of لَا; Mabni on fatha
  • إِلَّا — Particle of exception; —
  • اللَّهُ — Badal (the only one left); Marfu' — damma

  • In لَا إِلَٰهَ, what kind of لَا is this?

    mcq

    Answer: It denies the whole category: no god at all

    This لَا negates the entire category. Nothing is left except what إِلَّا brings back: Allah.

    id: sx-tash-e1

  • Choose the ending of the mubtada.

    harakah

    Answer: السَّلَامُ

    السَّلَامُ starts a nominal sentence as mubtada, so it is marfu'.

    id: sx-tash-e2

The salawat (sx-salawat)

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad

  • اللَّهُمَّ — Munada; the مَّ at the end replaces يَا; Mabni on damma
  • صَلِّ — Imperative used as a du'a; Mabni on dropping the final ي
  • عَلَىٰ — Harf jarr; —
  • مُحَمَّدٍ — Majrur after عَلَىٰ; Majrur — kasra with tanween
  • آلِ — Majrur after عَلَىٰ, mudaf; Majrur — kasra
إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious

  • إِنَّكَ — إِنَّ + كَ as its ism; كَ mansub in position
  • حَمِيدٌ — Khabar of inna; Marfu' — damma with tanween
  • مَجِيدٌ — Second khabar; Marfu' — damma with tanween

  • Why is مُحَمَّدٍ majrur in صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ?

    mcq

    Answer: It comes after the harf jarr عَلَىٰ

    عَلَىٰ is a harf jarr, so the ism after it is majrur.

    id: sx-sal-e1

  • Tap the khabar of إِنَّ.

    tap

    Answer: حَمِيدٌ

    حَمِيدٌ is the first khabar, marfu'. مَجِيدٌ is a second khabar.

    id: sx-sal-e2

Unit 1 · published

Building blocks

Every single word in the Quran is one of three kinds: a noun (ism), a verb (fi'l) or a particle (harf). Learn to tell them apart, and to spot the signs that mark an ism.

The three word types (u1l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

One letter, a whole intention

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Al-Fatiha 1:1

The harf بِ is a single letter, yet it turns a name into an act: "with" or "by means of" the name of Allah. A harf has no meaning on its own, but it binds words together. Here it tells us that every action begins by seeking help and blessing through Allah's name.

  • What type of word is this?

    mcq
    الْكِتَابُ

    Answer: Ism (noun)

    الْكِتَابُ names a thing and carries الْ, so it is an ism.

    id: u1l1e1

  • What type of word is this?

    mcq
    نَعْبُدُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: Fi'l (verb)

    نَعْبُدُ describes an action tied to a time, so it is a fi'l (verb).

    id: u1l1e2

  • What type of word is this?

    mcq
    فِي

    Answer: Harf (particle)

    فِي has no meaning standing alone — it only links words. That makes it a harf.

    id: u1l1e3

  • Match each grammar term with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: اِسْم = noun — names a person, thing or idea · فِعْل = verb — an action tied to a time · حَرْف = particle — a linking word, no meaning alone

    Ism, fi'l and harf are the three categories every Arabic word belongs to.

    id: u1l1e4

  • Tap the fi'l (verb) in this ayah.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: نَعْبُدُ

    نَعْبُدُ is a present-tense verb: 'we worship'.

    id: u1l1e5

  • Which of these is a harf?

    mcq

    Answer: مِنْ

    مِنْ ('from') is a preposition — a harf. The others name things, so they are asma'.

    id: u1l1e6

  • Tap the harf in this phrase.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: لِ

    لِ is the harf al-jarr 'for'. It joins الْحَمْدُ to اللَّهِ.

    id: u1l1e7

  • A fi'l tells you something an ism never does. What is it?

    mcq

    Answer: A time: past, present or command

    A verb carries time. An ism names something without telling you when.

    id: u1l1e8

  • What type of word is this?

    mcq
    رَبِّ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: Ism (noun)

    رَبِّ names the Lord — an ism. Its kasrah is a grammar ending, not part of the root.

    id: u1l1e9

Signs of an ism (u1l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

All praise, not some praise

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Al-Fatiha 1:2

The الْ on الْحَمْدُ is a sign of an ism, and here it takes in every kind of praise. It does not say "a praise" or "some praise". It says all praise, wherever it is found, belongs to Allah.

  • Which of these proves a word is an ism?

    mcq

    Answer: It starts with الْ

    Only an ism can carry الْ (the definite article). Verbs and particles never do.

    id: u1l2e1

  • Why do we know this word is an ism?

    mcq
    كِتَابٌ

    Answer: It carries tanween (ـٌ)

    Tanween — the doubled ending ـٌ ـً ـٍ — only ever appears on an ism.

    id: u1l2e2

  • Can one word carry both الْ and tanween?

    mcq

    Answer: No — never both

    الْ makes a word definite and tanween makes it indefinite. A word is one or the other.

    id: u1l2e3

  • Tap the ism that carries الْ.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: الْحَمْدُ

    الْحَمْدُ carries الْ, so it is a definite ism: 'the praise'.

    id: u1l2e4

  • Which word is an ism?

    mcq

    Answer: رَحْمَةٌ

    رَحْمَةٌ carries tanween, the clearest sign of an ism. يَعْلَمُ and قَالَ are verbs; لَمْ is a harf.

    id: u1l2e5

  • Match each sign with what it tells you.

    match

    Answer: الْ = a definite ism · ـٌ ـً ـٍ = tanween — an indefinite ism · بِ ، فِي ، مِنْ = the next word is an ism, and majrur

    Any one of these three signs is enough to prove a word is an ism.

    id: u1l2e6

  • Tap the ism that must be an ism because a harf al-jarr comes before it.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:1

    Answer: اسْمِ

    بِ is a harf al-jarr, so the word straight after it — اسْمِ — is an ism and is majrur.

    id: u1l2e7

  • A word comes directly after مِنْ. What do you know about it?

    mcq

    Answer: It is an ism, and majrur

    Huruf al-jarr are always followed by an ism, and they put that ism in the majrur state.

    id: u1l2e8

  • Which word is NOT an ism?

    mcq

    Answer: أَعُوذُ

    أَعُوذُ ('I seek refuge') is a present-tense verb. The other three are asma' from Surah An-Nas.

    id: u1l2e9

Telling them apart (u1l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Praise that never stops

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

Al-Fatiha 1:2

The ayah could have used a verb, as in نَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ, "we praise Allah". A verb is tied to time and to whoever does it. By starting with an ism, the sentence is nominal, and nominal sentences express permanence. Praise belongs to Allah always, whether or not anyone is saying it.

  • Tap the word carrying tanween.

    tap

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: أَحَدٌ

    أَحَدٌ ends in ـٌ, tanween — so it is an indefinite ism.

    id: u1l3e1

  • What type of word is this?

    mcq
    قُلْ

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: Fi'l

    قُلْ is a command (fi'l amr) — a verb.

    id: u1l3e2

  • What type of word is this?

    mcq
    عَلَىٰ

    Answer: Harf

    عَلَىٰ is one of the huruf al-jarr — a particle.

    id: u1l3e3

  • Pick the three-letter root of this word, in order.

    root
    الْعَالَمِينَ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: ع ل م

    Strip الْ and the extra letters ا ، ي ، ن and the root ع ل م remains — the root of knowing.

    id: u1l3e4

  • Which sign tells you an ism is definite?

    mcq

    Answer: الْ

    الْ makes an ism definite: كِتَابٌ 'a book' becomes الْكِتَابُ 'the book'.

    id: u1l3e5

  • Tap the ism in this ayah.

    tap

    Al-Asr 103:1

    Answer: الْعَصْرِ

    وَ here is a harf of oath ('by'), and الْعَصْرِ after it is an ism — majrur, hence the kasrah.

    id: u1l3e6

  • Build the phrase: 'All praise belongs to Allah'.

    build

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

    الْحَمْدُ (an ism with الْ) comes first, then لِلَّهِ, which is the harf لِ joined to اللَّهِ.

    id: u1l3e7

  • Match each Quranic word with its type.

    match

    Answer: يَوْمِ = ism — 'day of' · نَعْبُدُ = fi'l — 'we worship' · إِلَىٰ = harf — 'to'

    Naming the type of each word is the first step of i'rab.

    id: u1l3e8

  • How many word types exist in Arabic?

    mcq

    Answer: Three

    Three, and only three: ism, fi'l and harf.

    id: u1l3e9

Unit 2 · published

Al- and tanween

الْ makes an ism definite; tanween leaves it indefinite. Then learn why الشَّمْسُ is read ash-shams but الْقَمَرُ is read al-qamar.

The definite article (u2l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

The path, not a path

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Al-Fatiha 1:6

Both words carry الْ. We are not asking for "a straight path" among many. We ask for the one known path, which the next ayah goes on to describe. The definite article turns the du'a into a request for something specific.

  • What does الْ add to an ism?

    mcq

    Answer: It makes it definite — 'the'

    الْ is the definite article: بَيْتٌ 'a house' → الْبَيْتُ 'the house'.

    id: u2l1e1

  • Which word means 'the path'?

    mcq

    Answer: الصِّرَاطَ

    الصِّرَاطَ carries الْ, so it is definite: 'the path' (Al-Fatiha 1:6).

    id: u2l1e2

  • What happens to tanween when الْ is added?

    mcq

    Answer: It disappears

    Definite and indefinite cannot combine: كِتَابٌ → الْكِتَابُ, with a single damma.

    id: u2l1e3

  • Tap the indefinite ism (no الْ).

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:6

    Answer: اهْدِنَا

    اهْدِنَا is a verb with an attached pronoun, not an ism at all — the other two both carry الْ.

    id: u2l1e4

  • Match each pair: indefinite ↔ definite.

    match

    Answer: كِتَابٌ = a book · الْكِتَابُ = the book · بَيْتٌ = a house

    Tanween marks 'a', الْ marks 'the'.

    id: u2l1e5

  • In الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, which word is definite?

    mcq
    الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: Both — اللَّه is definite by itself

    الْحَمْدُ is definite through الْ, and اللَّه is a proper name, definite without needing it.

    id: u2l1e6

  • Which of these can never take الْ?

    mcq

    Answer: A fi'l

    Verbs never carry الْ. Seeing الْ is instant proof the word is an ism.

    id: u2l1e7

  • Build: 'the straight path'.

    build

    Al-Fatiha 1:6

    Answer: الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

    In Arabic the described ism comes first, then the description — and both carry الْ to match.

    id: u2l1e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:6

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    الصِّرَاطَ is the object of اهْدِنَا (guide us), so it is mansub with a fatha.

    id: u2l1e9

Tanween (u2l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A loss beyond measure

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ

Al-'Asr 103:2

Three signals stack up here. إِنَّ means "indeed", the لَ adds "surely", and the tanween on خُسْرٍ leaves the loss indefinite and vast. Emphasis particles and indefiniteness together make the warning weighty before the next ayah names who is saved.

  • What does tanween tell you?

    mcq

    Answer: The ism is indefinite — 'a'

    Tanween is a doubled short vowel at the end of an indefinite ism: رَجُلٌ 'a man'.

    id: u2l2e1

  • Which ending is tanween for the marfu' (raf') state?

    mcq

    Answer: ـٌ

    Doubled damma ـٌ = raf'; doubled fatha ـً = nasb; doubled kasra ـٍ = jarr.

    id: u2l2e2

  • What does أَحَدٌ mean?

    mcq
    قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: One (indefinite)

    أَحَدٌ has tanween, so it is indefinite — and its ـٌ shows it is marfu'.

    id: u2l2e3

  • Tap the word with tanween.

    tap

    Al-Falaq 113:1

    Answer: الْفَلَقِ

    Careful — none of these carry tanween. الْفَلَقِ is definite with الْ and majrur after بِ; this one is a trap for the eye.

    id: u2l2e4

  • This indefinite ism is the subject. Choose its ending.

    harakah

    Answer: كِتَابٌ

    As the khabar of a nominal sentence it is marfu', so indefinite tanween damma: كِتَابٌ.

    id: u2l2e5

  • After a harf al-jarr — choose the ending.

    harakah

    Answer: بَيْتٍ

    فِي makes the next ism majrur, and an indefinite majrur ism takes tanween kasra: بَيْتٍ.

    id: u2l2e6

  • Match each tanween with its state.

    match

    Answer: ـٌ = raf' — subject state · ـً = nasb — object state · ـٍ = jarr — after a preposition or in idafa

    The doubled vowel does two jobs at once: indefinite, plus the i'rab state.

    id: u2l2e7

  • Which word is indefinite?

    mcq

    Answer: خَيْرٌ

    خَيْرٌ ends with tanween, so it is indefinite: 'something better'.

    id: u2l2e8

Sun and moon letters (u2l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Written, silent, still there

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Al-Fatiha 1:3

With a sun letter, the لْ is written but not pronounced, and the ر is doubled instead. The word is still fully definite. Careful recitation keeps the sound as it was passed down, while the spelling keeps the grammar visible.

  • How is الشَّمْسُ pronounced?

    mcq
    الشَّمْسُ

    Answer: ash-shamsu

    ش is a sun letter: the ل of الْ is not pronounced and the next letter doubles (shaddah).

    id: u2l3e1

  • How is الْقَمَرُ pronounced?

    mcq
    الْقَمَرُ

    Answer: al-qamaru

    ق is a moon letter, so the ل is pronounced clearly and carries a sukun.

    id: u2l3e2

  • What written sign shows a sun letter?

    mcq

    Answer: A shaddah on the letter after الْ

    Sun letter: الرَّحْمَٰنِ has a shaddah on ر and no sukun on ل.

    id: u2l3e3

  • Is ر in الرَّحِيمِ a sun letter or a moon letter?

    mcq
    الرَّحِيمِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:1

    Answer: Sun letter

    Sun. We read ar-rahim, with the ل silent and ر doubled.

    id: u2l3e4

  • Is ح in الْحَمْدُ a sun letter or a moon letter?

    mcq
    الْحَمْدُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: Moon letter

    Moon. The ل keeps its sukun and we read al-hamdu.

    id: u2l3e5

  • Match each word with how it is read.

    match

    Answer: النَّاسِ = an-nas — sun letter ن · الْعَالَمِينَ = al-'alamin — moon letter ع · الدِّينِ = ad-din — sun letter د

    The spelling never changes; only the reading of ل does.

    id: u2l3e6

  • How many sun letters are there?

    mcq

    Answer: 14

    14 sun letters and 14 moon letters — exactly half the alphabet each.

    id: u2l3e7

  • Tap the word that begins with a sun letter after الْ.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: الدِّينِ

    د is a sun letter, so الدِّينِ is read ad-din with a shaddah on the د.

    id: u2l3e8

Unit 3 · published

I'rab basics

Arabic endings carry meaning. Damma signals raf', fatha signals nasb, kasra signals jarr — and those three states tell you the job each ism is doing in the sentence.

The three states (u3l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

How one vowel protects meaning

أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرِيءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ۙ وَرَسُولُهُ

At-Tawbah 9:3

وَرَسُولُهُ ends in a damma (raf'), so it joins Allah as someone who is free of the polytheists. Reading it with a kasra would wrongly attach it to الْمُشْرِكِينَ and turn the meaning upside down. Scholars tell this story to show why the endings were preserved so carefully: i'rab protects meaning.

  • Match each state with its sign.

    match

    Answer: رَفْع = damma ـُ — the subject state · نَصْب = fatha ـَ — the object state · جَرّ = kasra ـِ — after a preposition or in idafa

    These three states are the heart of i'rab for an ism.

    id: u3l1e1

  • An ism ends in a damma. Which state is it in?

    mcq

    Answer: Marfu' (raf')

    Damma is the default sign of raf' — typically the doer or the subject.

    id: u3l1e2

  • Which state does a harf al-jarr always cause?

    mcq

    Answer: Jarr

    That is what the name says: huruf al-jarr put the following ism in jarr — majrur.

    id: u3l1e3

  • In this ayah, why does الْحَمْدُ end in a damma?

    mcq
    الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: It is the mubtada — the subject, so marfu'

    الْحَمْدُ starts the nominal sentence as the mubtada, and a mubtada is always marfu'.

    id: u3l1e4

  • Why does اللَّهِ end in a kasra in لِلَّهِ?

    mcq
    لِلَّهِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: Because لِ is a harf al-jarr

    لِ is a preposition, so اللَّه after it is majrur and takes a kasra.

    id: u3l1e5

  • Tap the majrur ism.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: لِلَّهِ

    لِلَّهِ is majrur because of لِ. (رَبِّ and الْعَالَمِينَ are majrur too — they follow on from it.)

    id: u3l1e6

  • Which state is the usual state of the maf'ul bihi (the object)?

    mcq

    Answer: Nasb

    The object of a verb is mansub and takes a fatha.

    id: u3l1e7

  • What is i'rab, in one line?

    mcq

    Answer: The change of an ending to show a word's job in the sentence

    I'rab is grammar written on the end of the word.

    id: u3l1e8

  • Which word is marfu'?

    mcq

    Answer: اللَّهُ

    اللَّهُ ends in a damma, the sign of raf'. The others end in kasra.

    id: u3l1e9

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: Kasra ـِ

    رَبِّ follows اللَّهِ, which is majrur after لِ, so it is majrur too: kasra.

    id: u3l1e10

Choosing the ending (u3l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Who fears whom?

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ

Fatir 35:28

Allah's name comes first but carries a fatha, so it is the one who is feared (maf'ul bihi). الْعُلَمَاءُ comes last but carries a damma, so it is the doer (fa'il). Word order alone would mislead. The endings tell you who does what.

  • Choose the correct ending for the ism after this preposition.

    harakah

    Answer: الْبَيْتِ

    فِي is a harf al-jarr, so الْبَيْتِ is majrur — kasra.

    id: u3l2e1

  • Choose the ending for the mubtada (subject).

    harakah

    Answer: الْكِتَابُ

    A mubtada is marfu', so الْكِتَابُ takes a damma.

    id: u3l2e2

  • Choose the ending for the object of the verb.

    harakah

    Answer: الْكِتَابَ

    الْكِتَابَ is the maf'ul bihi (object), so it is mansub — fatha.

    id: u3l2e3

  • Choose the ending after مِنْ.

    harakah

    An-Nas 114:6

    Answer: الْجِنَّةِ

    مِنْ makes the following ism majrur: مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ.

    id: u3l2e4

  • Choose the ending for the doer of the verb.

    harakah

    Answer: الْوَلَدُ

    The fa'il (doer) is marfu' — الْوَلَدُ with a damma.

    id: u3l2e5

  • Which ending does an ism take after بِ?

    mcq

    Answer: Kasra

    بِ is a harf al-jarr: بِاسْمِ، بِرَبِّ — always a kasra.

    id: u3l2e6

  • Which harf makes النَّاسِ majrur here?

    blank

    An-Nas 114:1

    Answer: بِ

    بِ in بِرَبِّ makes رَبِّ majrur, and النَّاسِ is majrur in turn through idafa.

    id: u3l2e7

  • Tap the mansub ism (ending in fatha).

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:6

    Answer: الصِّرَاطَ

    الصِّرَاطَ is the object of اهْدِ, so it is mansub with a fatha (and its description matches).

    id: u3l2e8

  • Choose the ending for the second word of this idafa.

    harakah

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: الدِّينِ

    In an idafa the second ism is always majrur: يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.

    id: u3l2e9

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Ikhlas 112:2

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    اللَّهُ is the mubtada of a nominal sentence, so it is marfu' with a damma.

    id: u3l2e10

I'rab in the ayah (u3l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

You alone

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Al-Fatiha 1:5

The normal order would be نَعْبُدُكَ, "we worship You". Bringing the object إِيَّاكَ before the verb narrows it: You, and no one else. Repeating إِيَّاكَ before the second verb keeps that exclusivity for asking help too.

  • Tap the marfu' ism.

    tap

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: اللَّهُ

    اللَّهُ ends in a damma — marfu'. (أَحَدٌ is marfu' too, with tanween damma.)

    id: u3l3e1

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

    Al-Fatiha 1:6

    Answer: ق و م

    Remove الْ and the prefix مُسْتَ and the root ق و م shows through — the root of standing upright.

    id: u3l3e2

  • Build: 'Master of the Day of Judgement'.

    build

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

    A chain of idafa: each ism after the first is majrur, so every ending is a kasra.

    id: u3l3e3

  • Why is الْعَالَمِينَ not ending in a simple kasra?

    mcq
    رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: It is a sound masculine plural: majrur is shown by ـِينَ

    Sound masculine plurals show raf' with ـُونَ and both nasb and jarr with ـِينَ.

    id: u3l3e4

  • Choose the ending for this ism after عَلَىٰ.

    harakah

    Answer: الْمَكْتَبِ

    عَلَىٰ is a harf al-jarr, so الْمَكْتَبِ is majrur.

    id: u3l3e5

  • Match each term with its i'rab state.

    match

    Answer: مُبْتَدَأ = marfu' — the subject of a nominal sentence · مَفْعُول بِهِ = mansub — the object of a verb · مَجْرُور = majrur — after a preposition or in idafa

    Naming the job tells you the ending, and the ending tells you the job.

    id: u3l3e6

  • Which harf is making الْفَلَقِ majrur?

    mcq
    قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ

    Al-Falaq 113:1

    Answer: None — it is majrur through idafa with رَبِّ

    بِ makes رَبِّ majrur; الْفَلَقِ is majrur because it is the second part of the idafa.

    id: u3l3e7

  • Tap the ism that is majrur because of a preposition.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:1

    Answer: اسْمِ

    اسْمِ comes straight after بِ, so بِ is what makes it majrur. اللَّهِ is majrur through idafa.

    id: u3l3e8

  • You see an ism ending in fatha with no preposition before it. What is the most likely job?

    mcq

    Answer: Maf'ul bihi (object)

    A fatha usually signals nasb, and the most common mansub role is the object of a verb.

    id: u3l3e9

  • Listen: what role does the highlighted word play?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:6

    Answer: Maf'ul bihi (object)

    You hear a fatha on الصِّرَاطَ: it is what we ask to be guided to, an object of اهْدِنَا, so it is mansub.

    id: u3l3e10

Unit 4 · published

Huruf al-jarr

The seven most common prepositions of the Quran, what each one adds to the meaning, and how every one of them makes the ism that follows majrur.

Meet the seven (u4l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A whole surah opens with a harf al-jarr

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Al-Fatiha 1:1

The very first letter of the Quran as commonly recited is a harf al-jarr: بِ. It ties the believer's every action to Allah's name before anything else is said. Recognizing بِ here is the doorway into recognizing all seven huruf al-jarr throughout the Book.

  • Match each harf al-jarr with its basic meaning.

    match

    Answer: بِ = with / by means of · لِ = for / belonging to · فِي = in / within · مِنْ = from

    These four are among the most frequent huruf al-jarr in the Quran.

    id: u4l1e1

  • What does harf al-jarr mean literally?

    mcq

    Answer: A letter that pulls the following ism into jarr

    Jarr means 'pulling' or 'dragging' — these letters pull the following ism into the kasra state.

    id: u4l1e2

  • Which word means 'to' or 'towards', as a destination?

    mcq

    Answer: إِلَىٰ

    إِلَىٰ marks the end point of motion — 'to' or 'until'.

    id: u4l1e3

  • Which word means 'on' or 'upon'?

    mcq

    Answer: عَلَىٰ

    عَلَىٰ signals being on top of, or having an obligation upon someone.

    id: u4l1e4

  • Which word means 'from' or 'away from', often 'about'?

    mcq

    Answer: عَنْ

    عَنْ carries the sense of moving away from something, or speaking about it.

    id: u4l1e5

  • Tap the harf al-jarr in this ayah.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:1

    Answer: بِسْمِ

    بِ is attached to the front of اسْمِ, forming بِسْمِ — 'with the name of'.

    id: u4l1e6

  • Which harf al-jarr completes this phrase meaning 'I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind'?

    blank

    An-Nas 114:1

    Answer: بِ

    أَعُوذُ بِ — 'I seek refuge in/with' — uses بِ to attach the object of refuge.

    id: u4l1e7

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    اهْدِنَا

    Al-Fatiha 1:6

    Answer: ه د ي

    The root ه د ي means guidance — اهْدِنَا is a command form addressed to us.

    id: u4l1e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:1

    Answer: Kasra ـِ

    اللَّهِ is the mudaf ilayh of اسْمِ (which is itself majrur by بِ), so it is majrur with a kasra.

    id: u4l1e9

What each one adds (u4l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Reliance placed exactly on Allah

وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

Ibrahim 14:11

عَلَى is fronted before the verb, and its object اللَّهِ is pulled into jarr immediately after it. The preposition of 'upon' places the weight of reliance squarely on Allah before the sentence even names who is relying. Word order and jarr work together to place the emphasis exactly where it belongs.

  • Choose the ending for the ism after فِي.

    harakah

    Answer: الْأَرْضِ

    فِي always makes the following ism majrur — kasra.

    id: u4l2e1

  • In مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ, which harf al-jarr is used?

    mcq
    مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: None — this jarr comes from idafa, not a harf

    There is no harf al-jarr here; the kasra on يَوْمِ and الدِّينِ comes from a chain of idafa, a second source of jarr.

    id: u4l2e2

  • Choose the ending after إِلَىٰ.

    harakah

    Answer: الْمَسْجِدِ

    إِلَىٰ marks a destination and makes the ism majrur — kasra.

    id: u4l2e3

  • Choose the closest meaning of مِنَ in مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ.

    mcq
    مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ

    An-Nas 114:6

    Answer: from / from among

    مِنْ marks origin or a source — here, the source of the whisperer.

    id: u4l2e4

  • Choose the ending after عَنْ.

    harakah

    Answer: الْمُنكَرِ

    عَنْ makes the following ism majrur — kasra.

    id: u4l2e5

  • What extra sense does لِ often carry beyond simple 'for'?

    mcq

    Answer: Ownership or belonging

    لِلَّهِ does not just mean 'for Allah' but 'belonging to Allah' — لِ often marks possession or purpose.

    id: u4l2e6

  • Build: 'and upon Allah let the believers rely' — word order.

    build

    Ibrahim 14:11

    Answer: عَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ

    عَلَى is fronted before اللَّهِ for emphasis, and فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ (let them rely) follows.

    id: u4l2e7

  • Tap the majrur ism caused by مِنْ.

    tap

    An-Nas 114:6

    Answer: الْجِنَّةِ

    الْجِنَّةِ is majrur directly after مِنَ, ending in a kasra.

    id: u4l2e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    An-Nas 114:6

    Answer: Kasra ـِ

    الْجِنَّةِ follows مِنَ, a harf al-jarr, so it is majrur with a kasra.

    id: u4l2e9

Spotting jarr in ayat (u4l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Refuge built letter by letter

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ

Al-Falaq 113:1

A single harf al-jarr, بِ, launches a chain: رَبِّ becomes majrur because of بِ, and الْفَلَقِ becomes majrur because of its idafa with رَبِّ. Once the seven huruf al-jarr are familiar, this chain becomes visible at a glance, and the ayah opens up as a structure of dependence — the servant seeking refuge, anchored in Allah's Lordship.

  • Tap the harf al-jarr in this ayah.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: إِيَّاكَ

    Trick question: there is no harf al-jarr in this ayah — إِيَّاكَ is a detached object pronoun, not majrur. (Selecting it highlights that not every word is majrur.)

    id: u4l3e1

  • Which harf al-jarr appears in أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ؟

    mcq
    أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ

    Al-Falaq 113:1

    Answer: بِ

    بِ is attached to رَبِّ, making it majrur; الْفَلَقِ is majrur too, through idafa.

    id: u4l3e2

  • Choose the ending for the ism after عَلَىٰ.

    harakah

    Al-Baqarah 2:20

    Answer: كُلِِّ

    عَلَىٰ makes كُلِّ majrur; كُلِّ is then in idafa with شَيْءٍ.

    id: u4l3e3

  • Which harf al-jarr fits: 'and We have not sent you except ___ mankind'?

    blank

    Saba 34:28

    Answer: لِ

    لِ here marks purpose — sent 'for' or 'to' mankind, so لِلنَّاسِ is majrur.

    id: u4l3e4

  • Match each ayah phrase with the harf al-jarr it contains.

    match

    Answer: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ = بِ · أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ = بِ · مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ = مِنْ · لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ = لِ

    Spotting the harf al-jarr is the first step to reading the majrur ism correctly.

    id: u4l3e5

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    الْفَلَقِ

    Al-Falaq 113:1

    Answer: ف ل ق

    The root ف ل ق means to split or cleave — the daybreak splits the darkness of night.

    id: u4l3e6

  • In إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ, is either إِيَّاكَ majrur?

    mcq
    إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: No — there is no harf al-jarr present

    إِيَّاكَ is a separate object pronoun and carries no case ending; no harf al-jarr appears here.

    id: u4l3e7

  • Build: 'I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak'.

    build

    Al-Falaq 113:1

    Answer: قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ

    بِ attaches to رَبِّ making it majrur, and الْفَلَقِ follows it in idafa, also majrur.

    id: u4l3e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Falaq 113:1

    Answer: Kasra ـِ

    بِرَبِّ carries a kasra because بِ is a harf al-jarr pulling رَبِّ into the majrur state.

    id: u4l3e9

Unit 5 · published

Idafa

Two nouns joined into one meaning, as in رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ — no الْ on the first, always majrur on the second.

Mudaf and mudaf ilayh (u5l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

One meaning from two words

رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Al-Fatiha 1:2

رَبِّ carries no الْ or tanween of its own; it borrows its definiteness entirely from الْعَالَمِينَ that follows it. This small grammatical dependence mirrors a larger truth: every description of Allah's lordship is completed and made specific by what He is Lord over — every world, without exception.

  • In an idafa, what is the first ism called?

    mcq

    Answer: Mudaf

    The mudaf is the first ism of the pair; it is defined by what follows it.

    id: u5l1e1

  • What is the second ism of an idafa called, and what state is it in?

    mcq

    Answer: Mudaf ilayh — majrur

    The mudaf ilayh always takes jarr, whatever the state of the mudaf itself.

    id: u5l1e2

  • Which rule applies to the mudaf (first ism) in an idafa?

    mcq
    رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: It never takes الْ or tanween

    رَبِّ has neither الْ nor tanween because it is the mudaf; its definiteness comes from الْعَالَمِينَ.

    id: u5l1e3

  • Tap the mudaf ilayh (the second ism of the idafa).

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: الْعَالَمِينَ

    الْعَالَمِينَ is the mudaf ilayh, majrur — shown here by ـِينَ.

    id: u5l1e4

  • Choose the ending for the mudaf ilayh.

    harakah

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: الْعَالَمِينِينَ

    الْعَالَمِينَ is a sound masculine plural; majrur is shown by the ending ـِينَ.

    id: u5l1e5

  • Match each idafa term with its description.

    match

    Answer: مُضَاف = the first ism — never takes الْ or tanween · مُضَاف إِلَيْهِ = the second ism — always majrur · إِضَافَة = the whole possessive construction

    Idafa joins two isms into a single meaning, like 'the Lord of the worlds'.

    id: u5l1e6

  • Which word cannot appear in this idafa, since الْبَيْت is a mudaf?

    blank

    Answer: الْبَيْتُ

    الْبَيْتُ with الْ cannot itself be a mudaf; بَيْتُ must drop الْ to be first in an idafa.

    id: u5l1e7

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    الْعَالَمِينَ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: ع ل م

    The root ع ل م (knowledge) underlies الْعَالَمِينَ — the worlds, that which is known.

    id: u5l1e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: Kasra ـِ

    رَبِّ is a mudaf, majrur because it follows اللَّهِ; its idafa partner الْعَالَمِينَ is majrur too.

    id: u5l1e9

Chains of idafa (u5l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A single Day, named three times

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

Al-Fatiha 1:4

Three isms chain together into a single, tightly bound description: mastery, a day, and judgement all folded into one phrase. Because each mudaf drops its own الْ and tanween, the words cannot stand apart — grammatically enacting the truth that on that Day, ownership belongs to no one but the One described.

  • In a chain of three isms joined by idafa, how many are mudaf ilayh?

    mcq
    مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: Two

    يَوْمِ is mudaf ilayh to مَالِكِ, and also mudaf to الدِّينِ; الدِّينِ is the final mudaf ilayh. So two isms (يَوْمِ، الدِّينِ) sit as mudaf ilayh in this chain — one of them, يَوْمِ, is both mudaf and mudaf ilayh at once.

    id: u5l2e1

  • Build: 'Master of the Day of Judgement'.

    build

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

    A chain of idafa: each ism after the first is majrur, giving a kasra all the way through.

    id: u5l2e2

  • Choose the ending for يَوْمِ in this chain.

    harakah

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: يَوْمِ

    يَوْمِ is majrur, being the mudaf ilayh of مَالِكِ, even though it is itself a mudaf to الدِّينِ.

    id: u5l2e3

  • Why does مَالِكِ end in a kasra here, if it is a description of اللَّه?

    mcq
    مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: It is majrur as an attribute following الرَّحِيمِ, which is majrur

    مَالِكِ describes اللَّه through the preceding attributes and matches their majrur state, then itself becomes a mudaf.

    id: u5l2e4

  • Tap the word that is both a mudaf and a mudaf ilayh at once.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:4

    Answer: يَوْمِ

    يَوْمِ is mudaf ilayh to مَالِكِ, and mudaf to الدِّينِ — one word playing two roles.

    id: u5l2e5

  • Match each idafa with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ = Lord of the worlds · مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ = Master of the Day of Judgement · بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ = in the Lord of mankind

    Each phrase is an idafa chain, with kasra running through every mudaf ilayh.

    id: u5l2e6

  • Which word correctly completes this idafa chain: 'the Lord of mankind'?

    blank

    An-Nas 114:1

    Answer: النَّاسِ

    النَّاسِ is majrur as the mudaf ilayh — كسرة is the required ending.

    id: u5l2e7

  • In مَلِكِ النَّاسِ, why is مَلِكِ without الْ or tanween?

    mcq
    مَلِكِ النَّاسِ

    An-Nas 114:2

    Answer: It is a mudaf, and a mudaf never takes الْ or tanween

    As the first ism of the idafa, مَلِكِ gets its definiteness from النَّاسِ and drops both الْ and tanween.

    id: u5l2e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    An-Nas 114:2

    Answer: Kasra ـِ

    مَلِكِ is majrur, being an attribute of رَبِّ النَّاسِ in the previous ayah; it also functions as a mudaf here.

    id: u5l2e9

Idafa with pronouns (u5l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Closeness written into grammar

فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَٰذَا الْبَيْتِ

Quraish 106:3

رَبَّ, though mansub as the object of worship, is a mudaf that leans on هَٰذَا الْبَيْتِ, binding the command to a specific, named place. Idafa with pronouns works the same way in daily speech — رَبُّهُ, رَبُّنَا — each attached pronoun drawing the noun into a close, personal bond, exactly as this ayah draws worship toward one particular House.

  • When a pronoun suffix like هُ is attached to a noun, what kind of idafa is formed?

    mcq

    Answer: The noun is the mudaf, and the pronoun is the mudaf ilayh

    Attached pronouns act as the mudaf ilayh; the noun before them is the mudaf and drops الْ and tanween.

    id: u5l3e1

  • Choose the ending on رَبّ before the pronoun هُ.

    harakah

    Answer: رَبُّ

    Here رَبُّهُ is the subject of its sentence, so the mudaf رَبّ is marfu' with a damma; the state of the mudaf still depends on its own job, not on the pronoun.

    id: u5l3e2

  • In كِتَابُكَ, which part is the mudaf ilayh?

    mcq

    Answer: كَ

    The attached pronoun كَ ('your') is the mudaf ilayh; كِتَاب is the mudaf and has neither الْ nor tanween.

    id: u5l3e3

  • Why can كِتَابُكَ not become الْكِتَابُكَ?

    mcq

    Answer: Because a mudaf never takes الْ, even one attached to a pronoun

    The mudaf rule holds even for idafa with pronouns: the noun before an attached pronoun never takes الْ.

    id: u5l3e4

  • Tap the mudaf ilayh in this idafa with a pronoun.

    tap

    Answer: هَا

    هَا, the attached pronoun 'her', is the mudaf ilayh in بَيْتُهَا, 'her house'.

    id: u5l3e5

  • Match each idafa-with-pronoun phrase with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: رَبُّهُ = his Lord · كِتَابُكَ = your book · بَيْتُهَا = her house · رَبُّنَا = our Lord

    An attached pronoun always plays the mudaf ilayh, so the noun before it never carries الْ or tanween.

    id: u5l3e6

  • Which is the correct form of 'their Lord', joining رَبّ with the pronoun هُمْ?

    blank

    Answer: رَبُّهُمْ

    رَبُّهُمْ drops both الْ and tanween on رَبّ, since it is the mudaf to the pronoun هُمْ.

    id: u5l3e7

  • What state is the mudaf ilayh pronoun always in?

    mcq

    Answer: Majrur

    Like any mudaf ilayh, an attached possessive pronoun is majrur — though with pronouns this majrur state does not change the pronoun's spelling.

    id: u5l3e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Quraish 106:3

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    رَبَّ is mansub, the object of فَلْيَعْبُدُوا, and is a mudaf to the idafa phrase هَٰذَا الْبَيْتِ that follows it.

    id: u5l3e9

Unit 6 · published

The nominal sentence

Sentences with no verb at all, such as الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ: a subject in raf' and something said about it.

Mubtada and khabar (u6l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A sentence with no action, only being

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

Al-Ikhlas 112:2

This ayah has no verb at all: اللَّهُ is the mubtada and الصَّمَدُ is its khabar, both marfu'. A nominal sentence describes a lasting state rather than an event that happens and passes. By choosing this shape, the ayah speaks of Allah's attribute of being the Eternal Refuge as something constant, not as an action confined to a moment.

  • What is a jumlah ismiyyah (nominal sentence)?

    mcq

    Answer: A sentence with no verb, made of a mubtada and a khabar

    A nominal sentence has a topic (mubtada) and what is said about it (khabar), with no verb required.

    id: u6l1e1

  • What state (i'rab) does the mubtada take?

    mcq

    Answer: Marfu'

    The mubtada is always marfu', typically ending in a damma.

    id: u6l1e2

  • What state (i'rab) does the khabar take?

    mcq

    Answer: Marfu'

    The khabar agrees with the mubtada in raf' — it too is marfu'.

    id: u6l1e3

  • Choose the ending for the mubtada.

    harakah

    Answer: اللَّهُ

    اللَّهُ is the mubtada, so it is marfu' with a damma.

    id: u6l1e4

  • Choose the ending for the khabar.

    harakah

    Answer: غَفُورٌ

    غَفُورٌ is the khabar and is marfu', shown here by tanween damma.

    id: u6l1e5

  • Tap the mubtada.

    tap

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: هُوَ

    هُوَ is the mubtada (the pronoun 'He'), and اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ is its khabar, itself a nominal sentence.

    id: u6l1e6

  • Match each term with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: مُبْتَدَأ = the topic a nominal sentence opens with, marfu' · خَبَر = what is said about the mubtada, marfu' · جُمْلَة اسْمِيَّة = a sentence built from an ism, not a fi'l

    Mubtada and khabar together make the simplest kind of Arabic sentence.

    id: u6l1e7

  • Why is الْحَمْدُ marfu' in الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ?

    mcq
    الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: It is the mubtada of a nominal sentence

    الْحَمْدُ opens the sentence as the mubtada, so it takes raf'.

    id: u6l1e8

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    غَفُورٌ

    Answer: غ ف ر

    The root غ ف ر carries the meaning of covering and forgiving.

    id: u6l1e9

Khabar as a phrase (u6l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A whole phrase standing in for one word

لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ

Al-Baqarah 2:2

فِيهِ, a mere preposition and pronoun, carries the full weight of the khabar here. Arabic allows a phrase to do the work of a single descriptive word, so the sentence can say 'no doubt lies in it' as directly and firmly as if it were one adjective. The economy of the phrase mirrors the certainty of the claim: nothing extra is needed.

  • Besides a single word, what else can a khabar be?

    mcq

    Answer: A prepositional phrase (jarr and majrur) or another sentence

    A khabar can be one word, a jarr-majrur phrase, or a full clause that describes the mubtada.

    id: u6l2e1

  • In الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, what is the khabar of الْحَمْدُ?

    mcq
    الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: لِلَّهِ, a jarr-majrur phrase

    لِلَّهِ is a khabar shibh jumlah (phrase-khabar): a preposition plus a majrur ism standing in for a single word.

    id: u6l2e2

  • Which word is the khabar here?

    blank

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: لِلَّهِ

    لِلَّهِ completes the meaning of الْحَمْدُ as its khabar.

    id: u6l2e3

  • Tap the mubtada.

    tap

    Al-Baqarah 2:2

    Answer: ذَٰلِكَ

    ذَٰلِكَ is the mubtada, and الْكِتَابُ is its khabar; the rest is a further description.

    id: u6l2e4

  • What kind of khabar is فِيهِ in لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ?

    mcq
    لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ

    Al-Baqarah 2:2

    Answer: A jarr-majrur khabar (khabar shibh jumlah)

    فِيهِ is a preposition plus pronoun, filling the role of khabar as a phrase rather than one bare word.

    id: u6l2e5

  • Choose the ending after the preposition in this khabar phrase.

    harakah

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: اللَّهِ

    لِ is a harf al-jarr, so اللَّهِ is majrur even though the whole phrase functions as the khabar.

    id: u6l2e6

  • Build: 'All praise belongs to Allah.'

    build

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

    الْحَمْدُ is the mubtada and لِلَّهِ, a jarr-majrur phrase, is its khabar.

    id: u6l2e7

  • Match each khabar type with its example.

    match

    Answer: خَبَر مُفْرَد = a single-word khabar, like غَفُورٌ · خَبَر شِبْه جُمْلَة = a phrase khabar, like لِلَّهِ or فِيهِ · خَبَر جُمْلَة = a whole clause acting as khabar

    The khabar can take several shapes, but it always completes the meaning of the mubtada.

    id: u6l2e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:2

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    الْحَمْدُ is the mubtada of this nominal sentence, so it is marfu' with a damma.

    id: u6l2e9

Emphasis with إِنَّ (u6l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Double emphasis on Allah's mercy

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

An-Nur 24:22

إِنَّ puts اللَّهَ into nasb and stamps the sentence with certainty, and the لَ before لَغَفُورٌ adds a second layer of emphasis on top, while the khabar stays marfu' as usual. Two tools of tawkid work together in one short ayah so that forgiveness and mercy are affirmed not once but doubly, leaving no room for doubt about Allah's attributes.

  • What does إِنَّ do to a nominal sentence?

    mcq

    Answer: It adds emphasis and puts the mubtada (now called its ism) into nasb

    إِنَّ is a harf that emphasizes the sentence, and it makes its ism mansub instead of marfu'.

    id: u6l3e1

  • What happens to the khabar after إِنَّ?

    mcq

    Answer: It stays marfu', as before

    Only the ism of إِنَّ changes to nasb; the khabar of إِنَّ remains marfu'.

    id: u6l3e2

  • Choose the ending for اللَّه after إِنَّ.

    harakah

    Answer: اللَّهَ

    إِنَّ makes its ism mansub, so اللَّهَ takes a fatha here.

    id: u6l3e3

  • What does the لَ before a khabar (as in إِنَّ...لَ) add?

    mcq

    Answer: Further emphasis, often translated 'indeed' or 'surely'

    This لَ, called lam al-tawkid, strengthens the emphasis that إِنَّ already gives, without changing any i'rab.

    id: u6l3e4

  • Tap the ism of إِنَّ (mansub).

    tap
    إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

    Answer: اللَّهَ

    اللَّهَ carries a fatha as the ism of إِنَّ, mansub.

    id: u6l3e5

  • Why does رَبَّكَ end in fatha here?

    mcq
    إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ

    Al-Fajr 89:14

    Answer: It is the ism of إِنَّ, so it is mansub

    رَبَّكَ is the ism of إِنَّ and so is mansub, ending in a fatha.

    id: u6l3e6

  • Which word is the ism of إِنَّ, mansub?

    blank

    Answer: اللَّهَ

    After إِنَّ the ism takes a fatha: اللَّهَ.

    id: u6l3e7

  • Match each part of إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ with its state.

    match

    Answer: إِنَّ = harf of emphasis, no i'rab of its own · اللَّهَ = ism of إِنَّ, mansub · لَغَفُورٌ = khabar of إِنَّ, still marfu', with lam of emphasis

    إِنَّ shifts only the ism into nasb; the khabar keeps its original raf'.

    id: u6l3e8

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    رَحِيمٌ

    Answer: ر ح م

    The root ر ح م carries the meaning of mercy and kinship.

    id: u6l3e9

Unit 7 · published

Pronouns

هُوَ ، أَنْتَ ، إِيَّاكَ and the little endings like ـهُ and ـنَا that attach to nouns, verbs and prepositions.

Detached pronouns (u7l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A pronoun that names the Divine

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

Al-Ikhlas 112:1

The surah opens not with a name but with هُوَ, a simple detached pronoun. Grammatically it is the mubtada, waiting for اللَّهُ to complete its meaning. This order draws attention first to the reality being pointed to, then reveals the Name — a small grammatical choice carrying immense weight.

  • Match each detached pronoun with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: هُوَ = he · هِيَ = she · أَنْتَ = you (masc. singular) · أَنَا = I

    These are damir munfasil — detached pronouns that stand alone as words.

    id: u7l1e1

  • Which pronoun means 'we'?

    mcq

    Answer: نَحْنُ

    نَحْنُ is the detached pronoun for 'we'.

    id: u7l1e2

  • Tap the detached pronoun in this ayah.

    tap

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: هُوَ

    هُوَ is a detached pronoun referring to Allah, standing as the mubtada.

    id: u7l1e3

  • What is a damir munfasil?

    mcq

    Answer: A pronoun that stands alone as its own word

    Munfasil means 'detached' — it is a free-standing word, unlike an attached pronoun.

    id: u7l1e4

  • Which pronoun means 'they' (masc. plural)?

    mcq

    Answer: هُمْ

    هُمْ is the detached pronoun for 'they' (masculine plural).

    id: u7l1e5

  • Choose the final vowel of هُوَ.

    harakah

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: هُوَ

    هُوَ ends fixed with a fatha; detached pronouns like this are mabni (built), not declined.

    id: u7l1e6

  • Build: 'Say, He is Allah, the One.'

    build

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

    هُوَ is the mubtada and اللَّهُ its khabar, with أَحَدٌ describing Allah further.

    id: u7l1e7

  • Pick the three-letter root of أَحَدٌ, in order.

    root
    أَحَدٌ

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: أ ح د

    أَحَدٌ comes from the root أ ح د, meaning oneness or uniqueness.

    id: u7l1e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Ikhlas 112:1

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    هُوَ is mabni on a fatha; detached pronouns keep a fixed ending regardless of their position.

    id: u7l1e9

Attached pronouns on nouns and verbs (u7l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

One letter, a complete object

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

Al-Ikhlas 112:4

The attached pronoun ـهُ in لَّهُ packs an entire meaning, 'to Him', into a single letter fused onto the preposition لِ. Arabic's attached pronouns let a sentence stay compact while still naming exactly who is meant, keeping the declaration of Allah's incomparability both concise and precise.

  • Match each attached pronoun with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: ـهُ = his / him · ـهَا = her / its · ـنَا = our / us · ـكَ = your (masc. singular)

    These damir muttasil attach directly onto nouns, verbs or huruf without a space.

    id: u7l2e1

  • On a noun, what does the attached pronoun ـهُ show?

    mcq

    Answer: Possession — 'his'

    Attached to a noun, ـهُ makes an idafa-like meaning: 'his ___'.

    id: u7l2e2

  • Tap the word carrying an attached pronoun.

    tap

    Al-Ikhlas 112:4

    Answer: لَّهُ

    لَّهُ carries the attached pronoun ـهُ, 'Him', joined to the preposition لِ.

    id: u7l2e3

  • In رَبُّكُمْ, what does the ending ـكُمْ mean?

    mcq
    رَبُّكُمْ

    Answer: your (plural)

    ـكُمْ is the attached pronoun for 'you' (masculine plural).

    id: u7l2e4

  • Choose the vowel that begins the attached pronoun ـهِ after a kasra, as in بِهِ.

    harakah

    Answer: بِهِ

    After a kasra or ي, the pronoun ـهُ shifts to ـهِ for smoother pronunciation.

    id: u7l2e5

  • Which attached pronoun completes 'guide us'?

    blank

    Al-Fatiha 1:6

    Answer: نَا

    اهْدِنَا attaches ـنَا, 'us', to the imperative verb اهْدِ.

    id: u7l2e6

  • On a verb, what job does an attached pronoun usually do?

    mcq

    Answer: It is the maf'ul bihi (object) of the verb

    When attached to a verb, the pronoun is normally the object: نَعْبُدُهُ means 'we worship Him'.

    id: u7l2e7

  • Build: 'You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.'

    build

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

    إِيَّاكَ is the attached pronoun's independent form, used for emphasis when the object is fronted.

    id: u7l2e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    نَعْبُدُ is a present-tense verb marfu' by default, so it ends in a damma.

    id: u7l2e9

إِيَّا and pronouns on huruf (u7l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Fronted for exclusivity

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Al-Fatiha 1:5

The attached pronoun ـكَ cannot begin a sentence, so when the object must come first for emphasis, Arabic supplies the independent carrier إِيَّا. By placing إِيَّاكَ ahead of the verb, the worshipper declares that worship and reliance belong to Allah alone, a restriction that the normal word order alone could not express.

  • When is إِيَّاكَ used instead of just ـكَ?

    mcq

    Answer: When the object pronoun is fronted before the verb, for emphasis

    A verb's object pronoun cannot stand alone at the front of a sentence, so the independent form إِيَّا carries it there.

    id: u7l3e1

  • Tap the word built from إِيَّا plus an attached pronoun.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: إِيَّاكَ

    إِيَّاكَ = إِيَّا + ـكَ, the emphatic object pronoun 'You'.

    id: u7l3e2

  • In مِنْهُ, what has happened to the attached pronoun?

    mcq
    مِنْهُ

    Answer: ـهُ has attached directly onto the harf مِنْ

    Pronouns attach onto huruf (particles) just as they do onto nouns and verbs: مِنْ + هُ = مِنْهُ.

    id: u7l3e3

  • Match each phrase with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ = You alone we worship · مِنْهُ = from him · لَهَا = for her / it · بِهِمْ = with them

    Pronouns attach onto huruf al-jarr to show 'from/for/with' plus a person.

    id: u7l3e4

  • Choose the ending vowel on the harf لِ before the pronoun ـهُ.

    harakah

    Al-Ikhlas 112:4

    Answer: لَّهَ

    لِ takes a fatha (لَ) specifically before an attached pronoun, unlike before an open noun.

    id: u7l3e5

  • Pick the three-letter root of نَعْبُدُ, in order.

    root
    نَعْبُدُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: ع ب د

    نَعْبُدُ comes from the root ع ب د, meaning to worship or serve.

    id: u7l3e6

  • What does Fronting إِيَّاكَ before نَعْبُدُ add to the meaning?

    mcq
    إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: Exclusivity — worship is directed to You alone

    Fronting the object with إِيَّاكَ signals restriction: worship belongs to Allah alone, no one else.

    id: u7l3e7

  • Build: 'from him' using a harf and an attached pronoun.

    build

    Answer: مِنْ هُ

    Joined together, مِنْ and ـهُ form مِنْهُ, 'from him'.

    id: u7l3e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Ikhlas 112:4

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    كُفُوًا is the khabar of يَكُن, so it is mansub and ends in a fatha shown with tanween.

    id: u7l3e9

Unit 8 · published

The verbal sentence

Verb first, then the doer in raf', then the object in nasb — the backbone of Quranic narrative.

Verb, doer, object (u8l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

The doer named after the deed

وَإِذِ ابْتَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ

Al-Baqarah 2:124

The verb ابْتَلَىٰ comes first, then إِبْرَاهِيمَ the object, then رَبُّهُ the fa'il — the doer named last. Only the damma on رَبُّهُ tells us who is truly acting, since word order alone would suggest otherwise. The ending protects the meaning even when the order seems reversed for emphasis.

  • What is the normal word order of an Arabic verbal sentence (jumla fi'liyya)?

    mcq

    Answer: Fi'l, then fa'il, then maf'ul bihi

    A verbal sentence normally opens with the verb, then the doer, then the object.

    id: u8l1e1

  • What is a fa'il?

    mcq

    Answer: The doer of the verb's action

    The fa'il is the doer, and it is always marfu'.

    id: u8l1e2

  • What state (i'rab) does the fa'il take?

    mcq

    Answer: Marfu'

    The fa'il, like the mubtada, is always marfu'.

    id: u8l1e3

  • What state does the maf'ul bihi (object) take?

    mcq

    Answer: Mansub

    The maf'ul bihi is mansub, typically ending in a fatha.

    id: u8l1e4

  • Choose the ending for the fa'il.

    harakah

    Answer: اللَّهُ

    اللَّهُ is the fa'il here, so it is marfu' with a damma.

    id: u8l1e5

  • Tap the fa'il (doer) in this ayah.

    tap
    وَإِذِ ابْتَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ

    Al-Baqarah 2:124

    Answer: رَبُّهُ

    رَبُّهُ ends in a damma — it is the fa'il, the one doing the trying, even though it comes after the object.

    id: u8l1e6

  • Which word is the maf'ul bihi in رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ ابْتَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (rearranged for study)?

    blank

    Al-Baqarah 2:124

    Answer: إِبْرَاهِيمَ

    إِبْرَاهِيمَ ends in a fatha and is the one tried — the maf'ul bihi.

    id: u8l1e7

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    خَلَقَ

    Al-Baqarah 2:29

    Answer: خ ل ق

    خَلَقَ is a simple past-tense verb built straight on the root خ ل ق, meaning to create.

    id: u8l1e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Baqarah 2:29

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    خَلَقَ is a past-tense verb form ending in a fatha; it has no case ending, but its final vowel is fatha.

    id: u8l1e9

Verb-first order (u8l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A whole creation in three words

خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

Al-Alaq 96:2

The verb خَلَقَ opens the ayah, carrying the whole event of creation before we even hear who or what is created. The hidden fa'il, Allah, needs no name because the verb form itself points to Him. This verse shows how a verbal sentence can compress an entire act of creation into a tightly ordered structure of action, object and source.

  • A verbal sentence (jumla fi'liyya) is named for which part coming first?

    mcq

    Answer: The fi'l (verb)

    A jumla fi'liyya opens with a fi'l, unlike a jumla ismiyya which opens with an ism.

    id: u8l2e1

  • Tap the fi'l (verb) that opens this ayah.

    tap
    خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

    Al-Alaq 96:2

    Answer: خَلَقَ

    خَلَقَ is the fi'l, opening the sentence as expected in a jumla fi'liyya.

    id: u8l2e2

  • Choose the ending for the maf'ul bihi.

    harakah

    Al-Alaq 96:2

    Answer: الْإِنسَانَ

    الْإِنسَانَ is the object of خَلَقَ, so it is mansub with a fatha.

    id: u8l2e3

  • In خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ, where is the fa'il (doer)?

    mcq
    خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

    Al-Alaq 96:2

    Answer: It is hidden in the verb itself: 'He'

    The fa'il here is a hidden pronoun huwa (He), built into the verb form خَلَقَ, referring to Allah.

    id: u8l2e4

  • Match each term with its role.

    match

    Answer: فِعْل = the verb, the action · فَاعِل = the doer, marfu' · مَفْعُول بِهِ = the object, mansub

    These three parts make up the standard jumla fi'liyya, in that order.

    id: u8l2e5

  • Build: 'He created man from a clinging clot'.

    build

    Al-Alaq 96:2

    Answer: خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

    Fi'l, then maf'ul bihi, then the phrase مِنْ عَلَقٍ — standard verb-first order.

    id: u8l2e6

  • Why does the verb usually come before the fa'il in Arabic, unlike in English?

    mcq

    Answer: This is simply the default, unmarked order of Arabic; the doer's identity is confirmed by the verb ending and the fa'il's damma

    Verb-first order is the neutral order in Classical Arabic; the case endings, not word order, make meaning clear.

    id: u8l2e7

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    الْإِنسَانَ

    Al-Alaq 96:2

    Answer: ا ن س

    الْإِنسَان shares the root ا ن س with terms of familiarity and companionship, describing the human being.

    id: u8l2e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Alaq 96:2

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    الْإِنسَانَ is the maf'ul bihi of خَلَقَ, so it is mansub with a fatha.

    id: u8l2e9

Bringing the object forward (u8l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Worship with nothing shared

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Al-Fatiha 1:5

By placing إِيَّاكَ before the verb instead of saying نَعْبُدُكَ, the ayah restricts worship and reliance to Allah alone, with nothing else sharing that place. Grammar itself becomes a declaration of tawhid: the object named first is the object meant exclusively. A verbal sentence renews this act of worship each time it is spoken, since a fi'l points to an event happening anew, not a fixed, permanent state.

  • In إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ, what is unusual about the word order?

    mcq
    إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: The maf'ul bihi إِيَّاكَ is brought before the fi'l نَعْبُدُ

    Normally the verb comes first, but here the object إِيَّاكَ is placed before نَعْبُدُ for emphasis.

    id: u8l3e1

  • Why is the maf'ul bihi brought forward in إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ?

    mcq

    Answer: To emphasise exclusivity — worship is directed to Him alone, not shared with anyone else

    Fronting the object is a deliberate device (taqdim) for restriction and emphasis: 'You alone, and none other, we worship.'

    id: u8l3e2

  • What is the fa'il (doer) in نَعْبُدُ?

    mcq
    إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: A hidden pronoun 'we', built into the verb form

    نَعْبُدُ already carries 'we' as its fa'il, since it is the first-person plural present-tense form.

    id: u8l3e3

  • Tap the maf'ul bihi in this ayah.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: إِيَّاكَ

    إِيَّاكَ is the maf'ul bihi of نَعْبُدُ, fronted before the verb for emphasis. (وَإِيَّاكَ plays the same role for نَسْتَعِينُ.)

    id: u8l3e4

  • What does bringing إِيَّاكَ before نَعْبُدُ (instead of نَعْبُدُكَ) convey?

    blank

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: We worship You, and You alone — exclusivity

    Fronting the object restricts the action to that object alone: worship belongs to Allah exclusively.

    id: u8l3e5

  • Match each term with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: تَقْدِيم = bringing a word forward for emphasis · إِيَّاكَ = the fronted maf'ul bihi in Al-Fatiha 1:5 · نَعْبُدُ = present-tense verb, 'we worship'

    Taqdim (fronting) is a well-known device across the Quran for restriction and stress.

    id: u8l3e6

  • Build: 'You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help'.

    build

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

    Both objects are fronted before their verbs, giving the whole ayah its emphatic, exclusive tone.

    id: u8l3e7

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    نَعْبُدُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: ع ب د

    نَعْبُدُ is built on the root ع ب د, meaning to worship or serve.

    id: u8l3e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    نَعْبُدُ is a present-tense verb in the marfu' mood, ending in a damma when nothing causes nasb or jazm.

    id: u8l3e9

Unit 9 · published

Verb conjugation

How فَعَلَ and يَفْعَلُ change for he, she, you, I and we — and how to read those changes in an ayah.

The past tense (al-madi) (u9l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

The Creator speaks in the first person

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

Adh-Dhariyat 51:56

The single letter تُ at the end of خَلَقَ shifts the whole ayah from a general statement into Allah's direct address about His own act of creation. Recognising that suffix lets a reader hear the verse as it truly is: a purpose stated by the Creator Himself, not a report about someone else.

  • What does the suffix تُ on a past-tense verb mean?

    mcq
    فَعَلْتُ

    Answer: I (the speaker) did it

    تُ attached to a madi verb marks the first-person speaker: أَنَا.

    id: u9l1e1

  • What does the suffix تَ mean on فَعَلْتَ?

    mcq

    Answer: You (masculine singular) did

    تَ with a fatha marks أَنْتَ, the masculine 'you' who acted.

    id: u9l1e2

  • Match each past-tense form with its meaning.

    match

    Answer: فَعَلَ = he did · فَعَلَتْ = she did · فَعَلْتَ = you (m.) did · فَعَلْتُ = I did

    The past-tense stem فَعَلَ changes only at its ending to show who acted.

    id: u9l1e3

  • Choose the final mark for 'he did' — no suffix at all, just the bare stem.

    harakah

    Answer: فَعَلَ

    The third-person masculine singular past verb ends simply in a fatha: فَعَلَ.

    id: u9l1e4

  • Tap the verb that means 'she said'.

    tap

    Answer: قَالَتْ

    قَالَتْ carries the تْ suffix that marks the feminine 'she' subject.

    id: u9l1e5

  • In this ayah, what does the ending تُ on خَلَقْتُ show?

    mcq
    وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

    Adh-Dhariyat 51:56

    Answer: Allah, speaking of Himself, is the doer of خَلَقَ

    تُ is the first-person suffix, so the verse speaks in Allah's own voice as the Creator.

    id: u9l1e6

  • Which suffix completes 'We sent' — نَحْنُ أَرْسَلْ ___؟

    blank

    Answer: نَا

    نَا is the past-tense suffix for 'we': أَرْسَلْنَا, we sent.

    id: u9l1e7

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order, of خَلَقْتُ.

    root
    خَلَقْتُ

    Adh-Dhariyat 51:56

    Answer: خ ل ق

    Remove the pronoun suffix تُ and the root خ ل ق, meaning 'to create', remains.

    id: u9l1e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Adh-Dhariyat 51:56

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    The suffix تُ (I) ends in a damma, marking the speaker as the doer of خَلَقَ.

    id: u9l1e9

The present tense (al-mudari') (u9l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

One letter that gathers a whole community

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Al-Fatiha 1:5

The prefix نَ turns a private prayer into a shared one: every worshipper reciting Al-Fatiha says 'we', not 'I'. Seeing how a single present-tense prefix carries that meaning shows how precisely Arabic verb forms shape the sense of the whole ayah.

  • What does the prefix يَ mark on a present-tense verb?

    mcq
    يَفْعَلُ

    Answer: He or it (masculine, third person)

    يَ before the stem marks the absent masculine subject: هُوَ.

    id: u9l2e1

  • Which prefix marks 'I' on a present-tense verb?

    mcq

    Answer: أَ

    أَ is the first-person singular prefix: أَفْعَلُ, I do.

    id: u9l2e2

  • Match each present-tense prefix with who it marks.

    match

    Answer: يَفْعَلُ = he does · تَفْعَلُ = she does / you (m.) do · أَفْعَلُ = I do · نَفْعَلُ = we do

    The four letters أ ن ي ت, remembered together, open every present-tense verb.

    id: u9l2e3

  • Choose the final mark on a present-tense verb standing alone, such as يَعْبُدُ.

    harakah

    Answer: يَعْبُدُ

    A present-tense verb is marfu' by default, shown with a damma on its last letter.

    id: u9l2e4

  • Tap the verb that means 'we worship'.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: نَعْبُدُ

    نَعْبُدُ begins with the prefix نَ, marking نَحْنُ, 'we', as the doer.

    id: u9l2e5

  • In إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ, who is worshipping?

    mcq
    إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: We (the speakers), shown by the prefix نَ

    نَعْبُدُ opens with نَ, the present-tense marker for نَحْنُ, 'we'.

    id: u9l2e6

  • Which prefix completes 'you worship' — ___عْبُدُ؟

    blank

    Answer: تَ

    تَ marks the addressee أَنْتَ: تَعْبُدُ, you worship.

    id: u9l2e7

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order, of نَسْتَعِينُ.

    root
    نَسْتَعِينُ

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: ع و ن

    Remove the prefix نَسْتَ and the root ع و ن, meaning 'to help', is revealed.

    id: u9l2e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    نَعْبُدُ is a present-tense verb in raf', so it ends in a damma.

    id: u9l2e9

Past and present together (u9l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A mission stated in the past, a call renewed in the present

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ

Nuh 71:1

أَرْسَلْنَا reports Noah's mission as a completed event in the past tense, fixed and certain. Yet the very next ayat shift into present-tense verbs describing Noah's ongoing call to his people. Noticing that shift between فَعَلَ and يَفْعَلُ lets a reader feel the difference between a settled fact and a living, continuing effort.

  • Which is the past-tense (madi) verb?

    mcq

    Answer: كَتَبَ

    كَتَبَ, ending simply in a fatha with no prefix, is the past tense: he wrote.

    id: u9l3e1

  • Which is the present-tense (mudari') verb?

    mcq

    Answer: يَسْمَعُ

    يَسْمَعُ opens with the prefix يَ, marking it as present tense: he hears.

    id: u9l3e2

  • Tap the present-tense verb in this ayah.

    tap
    قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُن بِدُعَائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا

    Maryam 19:4

    Answer: أَكُن

    أَكُن carries the present-tense prefix أَ (I); the others are past-tense verbs ending in a plain fatha.

    id: u9l3e3

  • Build: 'and We sent Noah' — a past-tense verb with its subject suffix and object.

    build

    Nuh 71:1

    Answer: إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا

    أَرْسَلْنَا carries the past-tense suffix نَا, 'we', and نُوحًا follows as the object in nasb.

    id: u9l3e4

  • In أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا, who did the sending?

    mcq
    إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ

    Nuh 71:1

    Answer: We, shown by the past-tense suffix نَا

    نَا attached to a madi verb marks نَحْنُ, 'we', as the one who acted.

    id: u9l3e5

  • Match each verb with its tense.

    match

    Answer: خَلَقْتُ = past tense — I created · نَعْبُدُ = present tense — we worship · أَرْسَلْنَا = past tense — we sent · يَسْمَعُ = present tense — he hears

    Past-tense verbs take suffixes for the doer; present-tense verbs take prefixes.

    id: u9l3e6

  • Which ending completes 'they went' — past tense, plural?

    blank

    Answer: وا

    وا is the past-tense suffix for a plural group: ذَهَبُوا, they went.

    id: u9l3e7

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order, of أَرْسَلْنَا.

    root
    أَرْسَلْنَا

    Nuh 71:1

    Answer: ر س ل

    Remove the present-tense-looking أَ and the suffix نَا, and the root ر س ل, meaning 'to send', remains.

    id: u9l3e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Nuh 71:1

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    إِلَىٰ ends in a fatha-like alif maqsura, a fixed ending that does not change with i'rab.

    id: u9l3e9

Unit 10 · published

Roots and patterns

How one three-letter root grows into a family of words, and what each of the ten forms adds to the meaning.

One root, many words (u10l1)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

A family of meaning

إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ

Al-Baqarah 2:32

الْعَلِيمُ shares its root ع ل م with عِلْم (knowledge), عَالَم (world) and يَعْلَمُ (He knows). Once a root is learned, dozens of Quranic words open up together instead of one at a time. This is why Arabic rewards learning roots: a single seed of meaning grows an entire orchard of words across the whole Quran.

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    الْعَلِيمُ

    Al-Baqarah 2:32

    Answer: ع ل م

    Every word built from عَلِيمٌ, عِلْمٌ, يَعْلَمُ and عَالَمِينَ shares the same three root letters ع ل م, the root meaning of knowledge.

    id: u10l1e1

  • الْعَالَمِينَ (the worlds) and يَعْلَمُ (He knows) share the same root. What idea binds them?

    mcq

    Answer: Knowledge — a world is a sign by which its Maker is known

    عَالَم (world) comes from the same root ع ل م as عِلْم (knowledge): the world is that through which the Creator is known.

    id: u10l1e2

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    الرَّحِيمِ

    Al-Fatiha 1:3

    Answer: ر ح م

    الرَّحْمَٰنِ and الرَّحِيمِ both come from ر ح م, the root of mercy, each pattern shading its meaning differently.

    id: u10l1e3

  • الرَّحْمَٰنُ and الرَّحِيمُ come from the same root. What is the root's core meaning?

    mcq

    Answer: Mercy

    ر ح م is the root of mercy; the two names differ in pattern, not in root.

    id: u10l1e4

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    الْكِتَابَ

    Al-Baqarah 2:2

    Answer: ك ت ب

    كِتَابٌ, كَاتِبٌ and يَكْتُبُ all come from ك ت ب, the root meaning of writing and recording.

    id: u10l1e5

  • Match each root with its core meaning.

    match

    Answer: ع ل م = knowledge · ر ح م = mercy · ك ت ب = writing

    A root carries one core meaning; every word grown from it, whatever the pattern, keeps a trace of that meaning.

    id: u10l1e6

  • Tap the word built from the root ك ت ب.

    tap

    Al-Baqarah 2:2

    Answer: الْكِتَابُ

    الْكِتَابُ is built from ك ت ب, the root of writing.

    id: u10l1e7

  • What is the difference between a root (jidhr) and a pattern (wazn)?

    mcq

    Answer: The root carries the core meaning; the pattern shapes how that meaning is expressed

    Arabic words are built by fitting a root's letters, like ع ل م, into a pattern, like فَعِيل or فَاعِل, which adds its own shade of meaning.

    id: u10l1e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Baqarah 2:32

    Answer: Fatha ـَ

    عِلْمَ is the noun of لَا الَّتِي لِنَفْيِ الْجِنْسِ, so it is built on a fatha with no tanween.

    id: u10l1e9

The ten verb forms (u10l2)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

We seek, not we worship alone

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Al-Fatiha 1:5

نَسْتَعِينُ is built on Form X of ع و ن, the form of seeking or asking, so the verse does not just say 'You help us' but 'we actively seek Your help.' Recognising the pattern reveals a posture of humble asking built into the grammar itself, worship paired with an admission of need.

  • Form I عَلِمَ means 'he knew'. What does Form II عَلَّمَ add?

    mcq

    Answer: Intensity or causation: he taught (made someone know, thoroughly)

    Form II (فَعَّلَ, doubled middle letter) often intensifies or makes the root's action happen to another: عَلِمَ (knew) becomes عَلَّمَ (taught).

    id: u10l2e1

  • Fill the gap: Form II of ك ت ب, meaning 'he made someone write / he dictated'.

    blank

    Answer: كَتَّبَ

    Doubling the middle letter ت gives Form II كَتَّبَ, carrying the sense of causing writing to happen.

    id: u10l2e2

  • Form IV often adds a causative sense. What does أَعْلَمَ mean, from the root ع ل م?

    mcq

    Answer: He informed (made known)

    Form IV (أَفْعَلَ, prefixed hamza) is commonly causative: عَلِمَ (knew) becomes أَعْلَمَ (informed, made to know).

    id: u10l2e3

  • Choose the ending for the verb: 'We ask You alone for help.'

    harakah

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: نَسْتَعِينُ

    نَسْتَعِينُ is a present-tense (mudari') verb with no cause for nasb or jazm, so it stays marfu' with a damma.

    id: u10l2e4

  • نَسْتَعِينُ comes from the root ع و ن in Form X (اسْتَفْعَلَ). What sense does Form X typically add?

    mcq

    Answer: Seeking or requesting: 'we seek help'

    Form X (اسْتَفْعَلَ, prefix اسْتَـ) very often carries the meaning of asking for or seeking the root's action: عَوْن (help) becomes اسْتَعَانَ / نَسْتَعِينُ, 'to seek help'.

    id: u10l2e5

  • Match each verb form with the sense it commonly adds.

    match

    Answer: فَعَّلَ — Form II = intensive or causative: عَلَّمَ, he taught · أَفْعَلَ — Form IV = causative: أَعْلَمَ, he informed · اسْتَفْعَلَ — Form X = seeking: نَسْتَعِينُ, we seek help

    Recognising the pattern on a verb tells you what shade of meaning has been added to its root.

    id: u10l2e6

  • Build the phrase: 'You alone we ask for help.'

    build

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

    إِيَّاكَ (You alone) is fronted for emphasis before the Form X verb نَسْتَعِينُ, we seek help.

    id: u10l2e7

  • Form III often gives a sense of doing something toward or with another. What would كَاتَبَ (from ك ت ب) mean?

    mcq

    Answer: He corresponded with (wrote to) someone

    Form III (فَاعَلَ, long alif after the first letter) often implies an action directed at another party: كَاتَبَ, he exchanged letters with someone.

    id: u10l2e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    نَعْبُدُ is a present-tense verb with nothing to cause nasb or jazm, so it remains marfu' with a damma.

    id: u10l2e9

Forms across the Quran (u10l3)

Why it matters cardneeds teacher review

Love answered with love

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ

Aal-Imran 3:31

تُحِبُّونَ and يُحْبِبْكُمُ both come from the Form IV root ح ب ب, أَحَبَّ, to love intensely and give love in turn. Seeing the same root repeated in condition and result shows that the ayah is built as an exchange: your love is answered with His love, and the grammar itself mirrors that reciprocity.

  • Form VIII often adds a reflexive sense. What might اجْتَمَعَ, from ج م ع (to gather), mean?

    mcq

    Answer: They gathered themselves together

    Form VIII (افْتَعَلَ, infix ت) often turns an action back on its doer: جَمَعَ, he gathered (something), becomes اجْتَمَعَ, they gathered together.

    id: u10l3e1

  • Form VII often marks a passive or automatic result. What would انْكَتَبَ suggest, if used, from ك ت ب?

    mcq

    Answer: It got written (by itself, without a clear agent)

    Form VII (انْفَعَلَ, prefix ان) typically shows an action happening to its subject rather than being done by it.

    id: u10l3e2

  • Pick the three-letter root, in order.

    root
    يَرْحَمُكُمُ

    Aal-Imran 3:132

    Answer: ر ح م

    Removing the prefix يَ and the object suffix كُمُ leaves ر ح م, the root of mercy, shared with الرَّحْمَٰنِ and الرَّحِيمِ.

    id: u10l3e3

  • Tap the verb built from Form X of the root ع و ن.

    tap

    Al-Fatiha 1:5

    Answer: نَسْتَعِينُ

    نَسْتَعِينُ carries the اسْتَفْعَلَ pattern, Form X, the form of seeking.

    id: u10l3e4

  • Which sense does the causative Form IV أَعْلَمَ add to the root ع ل م?

    mcq

    Answer: Causing another to know: he informed

    أَفْعَلَ (Form IV) transfers the root's meaning onto an object: عَلِمَ (knew) becomes أَعْلَمَ (informed, made known).

    id: u10l3e5

  • Match each Form number with its typical pattern.

    match

    Answer: Form II = فَعَّلَ — doubled middle letter · Form IV = أَفْعَلَ — prefixed hamza · Form X = اسْتَفْعَلَ — prefix اسْتَـ, seeking

    Each form has its own recognisable shape, and its own family of added meanings.

    id: u10l3e6

  • Build: 'and He will forgive you your sins' — root غ ف ر, Form I يَغْفِرْ.

    build

    Aal-Imran 3:31

    Answer: وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ

    يَغْفِرْ is a simple Form I present-tense verb, jazm here because it follows a conditional command.

    id: u10l3e7

  • Why is it useful to memorise the ten verb forms and their common meanings?

    mcq

    Answer: One root can then unlock ten related meanings, multiplying vocabulary quickly

    Once a root's meaning and a form's added sense are both known, a learner can often guess a new word's meaning correctly on sight.

    id: u10l3e8

  • Listen: which vowel ends the highlighted word?

    listen

    Aal-Imran 3:31

    Answer: Damma ـُ

    تُحِبُّونَ is a present-tense verb in a sound plural form; here it stays marfu', shown by the fixed ن before the pause, pronounced with damma throughout the word.

    id: u10l3e9