How can you disbelieve in Allāh when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned.
Sahih International
Grammar, phrase by phrase
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ
(How can you disbelieve in Allāh)
Root كيف — how · 83 times in the Quran
Root كفر — to disbelieve, reject faith; disbelief, ingratitude · 525 times in the Quran
Root اله — god · 2,851 times in the Quran
كَيْفَword 1
Interrogative Particle · حرف استفهامAn interrogative particle turns a statement into a question. كَيْفَ means 'how?' — and like most questions in the Quran it does not seek information but challenges the listener: 'How can you disbelieve?'. L17 · R5
تَكْفُرُونَword 2
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. تَكْفُرُ names an action — disbelieving — from the root كفر, to disbelieve, reject faith. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb describes an ongoing action and opens with one of the four prefixes أ ن ي ت. تَكْفُرُونَ opens with تَ, the 'you' marker together with its plural ending: 'you disbelieve'. L8 · R3
The Five Verbs · الأفعال الخمسةThe Five Verbs are the five present shapes ending in نَ, one being تَفْعَلُونَ 'you all do'; for these shapes that final نَ itself is the mood sign — kept in the plain mood, dropped after words like لَمْ or لَنْ. تَكْفُرُونَ keeps its نَ, showing the plain, unaltered mood. L10 · R10
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. In the ending ونَ of تَكْفُرُونَ, the و is that mini-word, standing for 'you all' — those addressed. L3 · R6
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, so it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The و in the ending ونَ of تَكْفُرُونَ is that doer, 'you all'; on this attached pronoun the shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one. L9 · R4
بِٱللَّهِword 3
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word that relates one thing to another and pulls the naming word right after it into the genitive — the after-preposition ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix بِ means 'in': disbelieve 'in Allāh'. L4 · R1
Noun · اسمA noun is a naming word — it covers proper names as well as things and ideas. ٱللَّهِ is the proper name of Allah, from the root اله, god. L1 · R6
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is the ending a naming word takes after a preposition, shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. ٱللَّهِ carries that kasrah ـِ because the preposition بِ stands before it. L2 · R12
Allah testifies that He exists and that He is the Creator and Sustainer with full authority over His servants: how can anyone deny Allah's existence or worship others with Him?
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:28
وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَٰتًۭا
(…when you were lifeless)
Root كون — to be, exist, happen · 1,390 times in the Quran
Root موت — to die, expire · 165 times in the Quran
وَكُنتُمْword 4
Circumstantial Particle · واو الحالThe circumstantial particle is a وَ meaning 'while/when', introducing a mini-sentence that describes the state in which the main statement stands. Here it introduces 'you were lifeless and He gave you life' — the state that makes the disbelief so strange. L14 · R3
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action or state tied to a time. كُنتُمْ names a state — being — from the root كون, to be, exist, happen. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes a completed state, marking who by an ending glued to the base. The ending تُمْ on كُنتُمْ marks 'you all': 'you were'. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to soften or vanish. The root of كُنتُمْ is كون; its weak middle و has dropped away in this shape, leaving the short كُن. L24 · R2
Kāna Verb · كان وأخواتهاكَانَ 'was' is an incomplete verb: it needs both a topic and a comment, keeping its topic nominative — the ḍammah ـُ form — while pushing its comment into the accusative, usually a fathah ـَ. Here its topic is the attached تُمْ 'you all', and its comment is أَمْوَٰتًۭا 'lifeless', which takes that accusative ending. L18 · R3
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending تُمْ on كُنتُمْ is such a suffix, standing for 'you all' — the topic كَانَ speaks about, a slot that stays in the nominative, the ḍammah ـُ form; the pronoun's fixed written shape carries that role. L3 · R6
أَمْوَٰتًۭاword 5
Noun · اسمA word that accepts tanwīn — the doubled end-vowel marks ـٌ ـً ـٍ — is a noun, a naming word. أَمْوَٰتًۭا ends in the doubled fathah ـً and names a condition: dead ones, from the root موت, to die, expire. L1 · R2
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more — made either by adding an ending or by reshaping the word from the inside, which is called a broken plural. أَمْوَٰت is such a broken plural: the singular word for a dead one is reshaped from within rather than given a plural ending. L2 · R6
Indefinite Noun · نكرةAn indefinite noun is general and unspecified, shown by tanwīn, the doubled end-vowel mark. أَمْوَٰتًۭا ends in the doubled fathah ـً: 'lifeless ones'. L2 · R8
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is the ending shown by a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke above the last letter — doubled to tanwīn ـً when the word is indefinite. أَمْوَٰتًۭا ends in that doubled fathah ـً as the comment of كُنتُمْ 'you were', for كَانَ pushes its comment into the accusative. L2 · R11
فَأَحْيَـٰكُمْ ۖ
(…and He brought you to life;)
Root حيي — to live, give life, revive; life, living · 184 times in the Quran
فَأَحْيَـٰكُمْ ۖword 6
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word; فَ means 'and then', joining what follows in close sequence. The prefix فَ joins 'He gave you life' straight onto 'you were lifeless'. L4 · R4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. أَحْيَٰ names an action — giving life — from the root حيي, to live, give life, revive. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb in its base shape is the bare 'he' form with no added person ending, naming a completed action. أَحْيَٰ is that bare form — 'He gave life' — and the أَ at its front belongs to the verb's Form IV pattern, not to any present-tense prefix. L8 · R1
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to soften into long vowels. The root of أَحْيَٰ is حيي; its weak final ي softens here into the long 'ā' sound that closes the word. L24 · R2
Doubled Verb · فعل مضاعفA doubled verb is one whose second and third root letters are the same letter — normally written once with the shaddah ـّ, the small w-shaped doubling mark. The root حيي repeats its ي as both second and third letters, placing this verb in the doubled family; because that repeated letter is also weak, no shaddah shows here. L24 · R10
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَA Form IV verb is identified by a hamza added to the front of the root letters in the past tense, usually giving a causing sense. أَحْيَٰ opens with exactly that added hamza أَ before its root حيي: He CAUSED you to live — 'He gave you life'. L12 · R5
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb; attached to a verb it names the one the action lands on. The ending كُمْ on فَأَحْيَـٰكُمْ stands for 'you all': 'He gave YOU life'. L3 · R6
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the one the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter. The ending كُمْ 'you all' is that object: the giving of life lands on you. A pronoun keeps its fixed written shape, so no fathah appears — the accusative is the role it fills. L9 · R5
Ibn Abbas said: you did not exist beforehand — you were nothing until Allah created you; He brought them from the state of non-existence to life.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:28
So far: “How can you disbelieve in Allāh when you were lifeless and He brought you to life;”
ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ
(…then He will cause you to die,)
Root موت — to die, expire · 165 times in the Quran
ثُمَّword 7
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. ثُمَّ is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word; ثُمَّ means 'then', joining events in order with a step between them. Here it moves from your first life to the death that follows it. L4 · R4
يُمِيتُكُمْword 8
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. يُمِيتُ names an action — causing death — from the root موت, to die, expire. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb points to an action now or ahead and opens with one of the four prefixes أ ن ي ت. يُمِيتُ opens with يُ, the 'He' marker: 'He will cause you to die'. L8 · R3
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to change shape or vanish. The root of يُمِيتُ is موت; its weak middle و shifts here into the long 'ī' sound of مِيتُ. L24 · R2
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَIn the present tense a Form IV verb is identified by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl — on its prefix letter. يُمِيتُ carries exactly that ḍammah on its prefix يُ, marking the causing pattern: He CAUSES death. L12 · R7
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb; attached to a verb it names the one the action lands on. The ending كُمْ on يُمِيتُكُمْ stands for 'you all'. L3 · R6
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the one the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter. The ending كُمْ 'you all' is that object of يُمِيتُ. A pronoun keeps its fixed written shape, so no fathah appears — the accusative is the role it fills. L9 · R5
ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ
(…then He will bring you [back] to life,)
Root حيي — to live, give life, revive; life, living · 184 times in the Quran
ثُمَّword 9
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. ثُمَّ is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word; ثُمَّ means 'then', joining events in order with a step between them. Here it moves from death to the life that follows it. L4 · R4
يُحْيِيكُمْword 10
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. يُحْيِي names an action — giving life — from the root حيي, to live, give life, revive. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb points to an action now or ahead and opens with one of the four prefixes أ ن ي ت. يُحْيِي opens with يُ, the 'He' marker: 'He will give you life'. L8 · R3
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to soften into long vowels. The root of يُحْيِي is حيي; its weak ي is plainly visible, closing the word with a long 'ī' sound. L24 · R2
Doubled Verb · فعل مضاعفA doubled verb is one whose second and third root letters are the same letter — normally written once with the shaddah ـّ, the small w-shaped doubling mark. The root حيي repeats its ي as both second and third letters, placing this verb in the doubled family; because that repeated letter is also weak, no shaddah shows here. L24 · R10
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَIn the present tense a Form IV verb is identified by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl — on its prefix letter. يُحْيِي carries exactly that ḍammah on its prefix يُ, marking the causing pattern: He CAUSES you to live again. L12 · R7
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb; attached to a verb it names the one the action lands on. The ending كُمْ on يُحْيِيكُمْ stands for 'you all'. L3 · R6
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the one the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter. The ending كُمْ 'you all' is that object of يُحْيِي. A pronoun keeps its fixed written shape, so no fathah appears — the accusative is the role it fills. L9 · R5
ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
(…and then to Him you will be returned.)
Root رجع — to return, bring back, turn back · 104 times in the Quran
ثُمَّword 11
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. ثُمَّ is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word; ثُمَّ means 'then', joining events in order with a step between them. Here it moves to the final step: the return to Him. L4 · R4
إِلَيْهِword 12
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. إِلَيْ is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word that relates one thing to another and pulls the naming word after it into the genitive — the after-preposition standing, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. إِلَىٰ 'to/toward' — written إِلَيْ before its attached pronoun — points the return: 'to Him'. L4 · R2
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word; glued to a particle, it is governed by that particle. The ending هِ on إِلَيْهِ stands for 'Him': 'to Him'. L3 · R6
تُرْجَعُونَword 13
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. تُرْجَعُ names an action — returning — from the root رجع, to return, bring back. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb points to an action now or ahead and opens with one of the four prefixes أ ن ي ت. تُرْجَعُونَ opens with تُ, the 'you' marker together with its plural ending: 'you will be returned'. L8 · R3
The Five Verbs · الأفعال الخمسةThe Five Verbs are the five present shapes ending in نَ, one being تَفْعَلُونَ 'you all do'; for these shapes that final نَ itself is the mood sign — kept in the plain mood, dropped after words like لَمْ or لَنْ. تُرْجَعُونَ keeps its نَ, showing the plain, unaltered mood. L10 · R10
Passive Voice · المبني للمجهولA passive voice verb leaves the doer unnamed by reshaping its inner vowels; in the present tense the pattern carries a ḍammah ـُ (a small curl) on the prefix and a fathah ـَ (a small stroke) on the second root letter. تُرْجَعُونَ shows both — the ḍammah on تُ and the fathah on جَ: 'you will BE returned', the return happening to you. L11 · R4
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. In the ending ونَ of تُرْجَعُونَ, the و is that mini-word, standing for 'you all'. L3 · R6
Passive Subject · نائب فاعلThe passive subject is the one the action happens to, lifted into the subject spot of a passive verb and carrying the nominative — the subject's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The و in the ending ونَ of تُرْجَعُونَ names those who are returned, 'you all'; a pronoun's written shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. Who returns you is left unnamed by the verb itself. L11 · R5
Ibn Abbas said: He will bring death to you and then bring you back to life during Resurrection — like the saying, 'Our Lord! You have made us to die twice and You have given us life twice.'
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:28
So far: “How can you disbelieve in Allāh when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned.”