And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked." And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allāh [upon them]. That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allāh and killed the prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and were [habitually] transgressing.
Sahih International
Grammar, phrase by phrase
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ
(And [recall] when you said, "O Moses,)
Root قول — to say, speak, tell · 1,722 times in the Quran
وَإِذْword 1
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that ties words or sentences together. The prefix وَ joins this remembrance to what came before it. L4 · R4
Time Adverb · ظرف زمانA time adverb is a naming word that anchors a sentence to the time its action happens. إِذْ means 'when — back then', pointing to a moment already past: the day they spoke to Musa. L16 · R9
قُلْتُمْword 2
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. قُلْ names an action — saying — from the root قول, to say, speak, tell. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, and who did it is shown by an ending added to the verb. The ending تُمْ — the 'you all' marker — sits on قُلْتُمْ: 'you said', already done. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has و or ي among its root letters, and those weak letters love to vanish. قُلْ looks too short for a three-letter root — only the ق and ل of قول show; the weak middle و has dropped out, and the ḍammah ـُ — the small curl above the ق — is its leftover fingerprint. L24 · R13
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending تُمْ on قُلْتُمْ is such a suffix, standing for 'you all'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending تُمْ is that doer, 'you all' — the people who spoke; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
يَـٰمُوسَىٰword 3
Vocative Particle · حرف نداءA vocative particle is a calling word placed before a naming word to address someone directly. The prefix يَٰ 'O!' calls out to Musa by name. L4 · R8
Noun · اسمA noun names a person, place, thing, or idea — including proper names. مُوسَىٰ is the proper name of the prophet Musa. L1 · R6
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes as the subject or main topic of its sentence, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter. مُوسَىٰ ends in the bent letter ىٰ, which carries no vowel mark, so nothing shows on the page — the nominative is the role the name fills here. L2 · R10
Vocative · المُنَادَىThe vocative is the person being called, formed with يَا 'O!' plus the called name. مُوسَىٰ is that called one: the people address their prophet directly before making their demand. L21 · R2
لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ
(…we can never endure one [kind of] food.)
Root صبر — to be patient, endure with steadfastness · 103 times in the Quran
Root طعم — to eat, feed, food, taste · 48 times in the Quran
Root وحد — to be one, oneness, unity · 68 times in the Quran
لَنword 4
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. لَن is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Negation Particle · حرف نفيA negation particle flips a statement to its opposite, and each one is chosen by time: لَنْ means 'will not', denying the future, and it puts the verb after it into the mood typically marked by a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke above the last letter. Here لَن denies any future patience: we will never endure. L4 · R5
نَّصْبِرَword 5
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. نَّصْبِرَ names an action — enduring — from the root صبر, to be patient, endure with steadfastness. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb is identified by one of the four prefix letters remembered as أَنَيْتُ. نَّصْبِرَ opens with the letter ن — the 'we' prefix — standing before the root letters: 'we endure'. L8 · R3
Subjunctive Mood · الفعل المنصوبThe subjunctive is the mood a present tense verb takes when a particle like لَنْ 'never will' stands before it, and its marker is a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke — on the final letter. نَّصْبِرَ ends in exactly that fathah ـَ on its ر, put there by the لَن before it. L10 · R4
عَلَىٰword 6
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. عَلَىٰ 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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. عَلَىٰ 'on/upon' is one of the common prepositions: no patience 'upon' one food. L4 · R2
طَعَامٍۢword 7
Noun · اسمA word that accepts tanwīn — the doubled end-vowel marks ـٌ ـً ـٍ — is a noun, a naming word. طَعَامٍ carries the doubled kasrah ـٍ and names food, from the root طعم — to eat, feed, food, taste. 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
Indefinite Noun · نكرةAn indefinite noun means 'a' or 'any' — no particular one — and shows this with tanwīn, the doubled end-vowel mark. طَعَامٍ ends in the doubled kasrah ـٍ: one kind of food, unspecified. L2 · R8
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 — doubled to tanwīn ـٍ when the word is indefinite. طَعَامٍ ends in that doubled kasrah ـٍ because عَلَىٰ stands before it. L2 · R12
وَٰحِدٍۢword 8
Noun · اسمA word that accepts tanwīn — the doubled end-vowel marks ـٌ ـً ـٍ — is a noun, a naming word. وَٰحِدٍ carries the doubled kasrah ـٍ and names oneness — 'one' — from the root وحد, to be one, oneness, unity. L1 · R2
Indefinite Noun · نكرةAn indefinite noun means 'a' or 'any' — no particular one — and shows this with tanwīn, the doubled end-vowel mark. وَٰحِدٍ ends in the doubled kasrah ـٍ, matching the unspecified food it describes. L2 · R8
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is an ending shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter — doubled to tanwīn ـٍ when the word is indefinite. وَٰحِدٍ ends in that doubled kasrah ـٍ, wearing the same genitive ending as طَعَامٍ, the food-word it describes. L2 · R12
Adjective · صفةAn adjective is a describing word that follows its noun and matches it in all four characteristics: gender, number, case, and definiteness. وَٰحِدٍ 'one' follows طَعَامٍ 'food' and matches it point for point — both are treated as 'he', both speak of one thing, both end in the doubled kasrah ـٍ, and both carry that tanwīn of an unspecified word: 'ONE kind of food'. L7 · R1
"One kind of food" means the manna and quails, because they ate the same food day after day; Al-Hasan Al-Basri said they were bored and impatient with the food they were provided and remembered their old diet of lentils, onions, garlic and herbs.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
So far: “And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food.”
فَٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ
(…So call upon your Lord)
Root دعو — to call, invoke, pray to; supplication · 212 times in the Quran
Root ربب — Lord, Sustainer, Nourisher, Regulator, Perfector · 980 times in the Quran
فَٱدْعُword 9
Resumptive Particle · حرف استئنافA resumptive particle is a وَ or فَ that begins a fresh statement after a pause or shift. The prefix فَ here moves from the complaint to the demand: so pray. L14 · R1
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. ٱدْعُ names an action — calling, praying — from the root دعو: to call, invoke, pray to; supplication. L1 · R7
Imperative Verb · فعل أمرAn imperative verb is a direct command addressed to 'you', formed from the present-tense verb by removing its opening prefix and adding a helping ٱ when what remains starts with a vowelless letter. ٱدْعُ shows that helping ٱ at its front — a command to one man, Musa: call! L10 · R1
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has و or ي among its root letters, and when the weak letter ends the root it is dropped in the command shape, the short vowel left behind signalling which letter was deleted. ٱدْعُ is that clipped command of the root دعو: its final و is gone, and the ḍammah ـُ — the small curl above the ع — is the fingerprint of the deleted و. L24 · R8
لَنَاword 10
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix لَ 'to/for' is one of the common prepositions: pray 'for' us. L4 · R2
Detached Pronoun · ضمير منفصلA pronoun is a mini-word standing in for a name, here نَا 'us'. Though the label reads it as a standalone word, it is written joined after the preposition لَ and works like the glued-on endings for 'our/us', naming those the prayer is for: 'for us'. L3 · R7
رَبَّكَword 11
Noun · اسمA word whose final vowel mark changes with its job in the sentence is a noun, a naming word. رَبَّ names the Lord, from the root ربب — Lord, Sustainer, Nourisher, Regulator, Perfector. L1 · R5
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
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is the ending a naming word takes when the action lands on it, shown by a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke above the letter. رَبَّ ends in that fathah ـَ, sitting atop its doubled ب. L2 · R11
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the one the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, here the fathah ـَ above the doubled ب. 'Your Lord' is the One the commanded calling is directed to. L9 · R3
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ending كَ on رَبَّكَ is such a suffix, standing for 'your': YOUR Lord. L3 · R7
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains two naming words into an 'of' phrase, and the owner comes second, taking the genitive — the owner's ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The ending كَ fills that owner slot: 'the Lord OF you'; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the genitive is the role it fills. L5 · R5
يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ
(…to bring forth for us from the earth)
Root خرج — to go out, bring forth · 182 times in the Quran
Root نبت — grows · 26 times in the Quran
Root ارض — earth, land, ground · 461 times in the Quran
يُخْرِجْword 12
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. يُخْرِجْ names an action — bringing forth — from the root خرج, to go out, bring forth. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb is identified by one of the four prefix letters remembered as أَنَيْتُ. يُخْرِجْ opens with the letter ي — the 'he' prefix — standing before the root letters: 'that He bring forth'. L8 · R3
Jussive Mood · الفعل المجزومThe jussive is one of the three moods of a present tense verb — the cut-down mood, marked by a sukūn ـْ, the small circle above the last letter meaning the sound stops there. يُخْرِجْ ends in exactly that sukūn ـْ on its ج, standing as what follows on the asked-for prayer: He will bring forth. L10 · R8
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَA Form IV verb adds a hamzah to the front of the root, and in the present tense it is marked by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl — on the opening letter (يُـ). يُخْرِجْ carries that ḍammah ـُ on its يُ, the fingerprint of this form: the root speaks of going out, and this shape means bringing out — bringing forth the earth's produce. L12 · R7
لَنَاword 13
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix لَ 'to/for' is one of the common prepositions: bring forth 'for' us. L4 · R2
Detached Pronoun · ضمير منفصلA pronoun is a mini-word standing in for a name, here نَا 'us'. Though the label reads it as a standalone word, it is written joined after the preposition لَ and works like the glued-on endings for 'our/us', naming those the bringing-forth is for: 'for us'. L3 · R7
مِمَّاword 14
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. مِ 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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. مِنْ 'from/of' is one of the common prepositions, written here shortened as مِ and fused onto the word after it: 'from what the earth grows'. L4 · R2
Relative Pronoun · اسم موصولA relative pronoun hooks a whole describing sentence onto something, and مَا is the neutral form for non-human things: 'that which / what'. The مَّا in مِمَّا carries the describing sentence 'the earth grows': from WHAT the earth grows. L5 · R13
تُنۢبِتُword 15
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. تُنۢبِتُ names an action — growing — from the root نبت: grows. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb is identified by one of the four prefix letters remembered as أَنَيْتُ. تُنۢبِتُ opens with the letter ت — the prefix used for 'she', and the earth is spoken of as 'she' — standing before the root letters: 'she grows'. L8 · R3
Form IV Verb · أَفْعَلَA Form IV verb adds a hamzah to the front of the root, and in the present tense it is marked by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl — on the opening letter (تُـ). تُنۢبِتُ carries that ḍammah ـُ on its تُ, the fingerprint of this form: the earth grows its plants. L12 · R7
ٱلْأَرْضُword 16
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ال attached to the front of a naming word to mean 'the' — one specific, known one. ٱلْأَرْضُ wears that prefix: 'the earth'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that accepts ال — the prefix meaning 'the' — is a noun, a naming word. أَرْضُ names the earth, from the root ارض — earth, land, ground. L1 · R1
Feminine Noun · اسم مؤنثA feminine noun is a naming word Arabic treats as 'she'. أَرْض 'earth' carries no visible marker like ة, yet is one of the words simply known to be feminine — it must be memorized. L2 · R2
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes as the subject of its sentence, shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter. أَرْضُ ends in that ḍammah ـُ. L2 · R10
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action in a verb-first sentence, standing in the nominative — shown here by the ḍammah ـُ, the small curl above the ض. The earth is what does the growing. L9 · R2
مِنۢ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّآئِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا ۖ
(…its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions.")
Root بقل — herbs, vegetables, greens · 1 times in the Quran
Root قثا — cucumbers · 1 times in the Quran
Root فوم — garlic · 1 times in the Quran
Root عدس — lentils · 1 times in the Quran
Root بصل — onion · 1 times in the Quran
مِنۢword 17
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. مِنۢ 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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. مِنْ 'of' is one of the common prepositions, here opening the list of the produce they want: 'of its herbs…'. L4 · R2
بَقْلِهَاword 18
Noun · اسمA word whose final vowel mark changes with its job in the sentence is a noun, a naming word. بَقْلِ names green herbs, from the root بقل — herbs, vegetables, greens. L1 · R5
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
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. بَقْلِ ends in that kasrah ـِ because مِنۢ stands before it. L2 · R12
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ending هَا on بَقْلِهَا is such a suffix, standing for 'its' — the earth, spoken of as 'she': ITS herbs. L3 · R7
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains two naming words into an 'of' phrase, and the owner comes second, taking the genitive — the owner's ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The ending هَا fills that owner slot: 'the herbs OF it' — of the earth; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the genitive is the role it fills. L5 · R5
وَقِثَّآئِهَاword 19
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that connects items in a list, and the joined word takes the same case as the one before it. The prefix وَ adds the cucumbers to the herbs — both end in the kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. L4 · R4
Noun · اسمA word whose final vowel mark changes with its job in the sentence is a noun, a naming word. قِثَّآئِ names cucumbers, from the root قثا — cucumbers. L1 · R5
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
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is an ending shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. قِثَّآئِ carries that kasrah ـِ under its final hamza, the same 'of' ending as the herbs it is joined to in the list after مِنۢ. L2 · R12
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ending هَا on وَقِثَّآئِهَا is such a suffix, standing for 'its' — the earth's: ITS cucumbers. L3 · R7
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains two naming words into an 'of' phrase, and the owner comes second, taking the genitive — the owner's ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The ending هَا fills that owner slot: 'the cucumbers OF it' — of the earth; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the genitive is the role it fills. L5 · R5
وَفُومِهَاword 20
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that connects items in a list, and the joined word takes the same case as the one before it. The prefix وَ adds the garlic to the list — it too ends in the kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. L4 · R4
Noun · اسمA word whose final vowel mark changes with its job in the sentence is a noun, a naming word. فُومِ names garlic, from the root فوم — garlic. L1 · R5
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
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is an ending shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. فُومِ ends in that kasrah ـِ, the same 'of' ending as the other items in the list after مِنۢ. L2 · R12
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ending هَا on وَفُومِهَا is such a suffix, standing for 'its' — the earth's: ITS garlic. L3 · R7
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains two naming words into an 'of' phrase, and the owner comes second, taking the genitive — the owner's ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The ending هَا fills that owner slot: 'the garlic OF it' — of the earth; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the genitive is the role it fills. L5 · R5
وَعَدَسِهَاword 21
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that connects items in a list, and the joined word takes the same case as the one before it. The prefix وَ adds the lentils to the list — it too ends in the kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. L4 · R4
Noun · اسمA word whose final vowel mark changes with its job in the sentence is a noun, a naming word. عَدَسِ names lentils, from the root عدس — lentils. L1 · R5
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
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is an ending shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. عَدَسِ ends in that kasrah ـِ, the same 'of' ending as the other items in the list after مِنۢ. L2 · R12
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ending هَا on وَعَدَسِهَا is such a suffix, standing for 'its' — the earth's: ITS lentils. L3 · R7
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains two naming words into an 'of' phrase, and the owner comes second, taking the genitive — the owner's ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The ending هَا fills that owner slot: 'the lentils OF it' — of the earth; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the genitive is the role it fills. L5 · R5
وَبَصَلِهَا ۖword 22
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that connects items in a list, and the joined word takes the same case as the one before it. The prefix وَ adds the onions, closing the list — it too ends in the kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. L4 · R4
Noun · اسمA word whose final vowel mark changes with its job in the sentence is a noun, a naming word. بَصَلِ names onions, from the root بصل — onion. L1 · R5
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
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is an ending shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. بَصَلِ ends in that kasrah ـِ, the same 'of' ending as the other items in the list after مِنۢ. L2 · R12
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ending هَا on وَبَصَلِهَا is such a suffix, standing for 'its' — the earth's: ITS onions. L3 · R7
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains two naming words into an 'of' phrase, and the owner comes second, taking the genitive — the owner's ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The ending هَا fills that owner slot: 'the onions OF it' — of the earth; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the genitive is the role it fills. L5 · R5
Ibn 'Abbas said that Fum means garlic; others said it is wheat, the kind used for bread. The lentils, onions and herbs are all known types of foods.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
So far: “And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions."”
قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ ۚ
(…[Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less?)
Root قول — to say, speak, tell · 1,722 times in the Quran
Root بدل — to exchange, to alter · 44 times in the Quran
Root دنو — to be near, to approach · 133 times in the Quran
Root خير — good, better, best, goodness · 196 times in the Quran
قَالَword 23
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. قَالَ names an action — saying — from the root قول, to say, speak, tell. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed; its base shape is the 'he' form with no ending added. قَالَ is exactly that bare base shape: 'he said', already spoken — Musa answering his people. L8 · R1
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has و or ي among its root letters, and a middle weak letter hides behind a long alif in the past tense. قَالَ 'he said' is really the root قول — the long ا in its middle is the weak و in disguise. L24 · R4
أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَword 24
Interrogative Particle · حرف استفهامAn interrogative particle turns a statement into a question. The prefix أَ (a hamza) at the front of أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ forms a yes/no question: 'Would you exchange…?' L17 · R1
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. تَسْتَبْدِلُ names an action — exchanging — from the root بدل, to exchange, to alter. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb is identified by one of the four prefix letters remembered as أَنَيْتُ. After the question-hamza, تَسْتَبْدِلُ opens with the letter ت — the 'you' prefix — standing before the root letters. L8 · R3
The Five Verbs · الأفعال الخمسةThe Five Verbs are the five present tense shapes ending in نَ, where that نَ itself shows the mood: kept in the normal mood, dropped after trimming words. أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ is the 'you all do' shape with its نَ still in place — the sign of the normal mood. L10 · R10
Form X Verb · اِسْتَفْعَلَA Form X verb is identified by the اِسْتَـ prefix and typically means seeking or requesting the action of the base verb. In this present shape that marker shows as the سْتَ right after the 'you' prefix: تَسْتَبْدِلُ — seeking an exchange; the root means to exchange, and they are asking for one. L13 · R6
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending ونَ on أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ is such a suffix, standing for 'you all'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending ونَ is that doer, 'you all' — the ones asking to exchange; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
ٱلَّذِىword 25
Relative Pronoun · اسم موصولA relative pronoun hooks a whole describing sentence onto something. ٱلَّذِى is the 'he'-form for one: 'that which' — and the little sentence 'it is lower' describes it. L5 · R13
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the thing the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter. 'That which is lower' is what the exchanging would take in; ٱلَّذِى keeps one fixed written shape, so no fathah appears — the accusative is the role it fills. L9 · R3
هُوَword 26
Detached Pronoun · ضمير منفصلA detached pronoun is a standalone word for 'I/you/he/she/they'. هُوَ is the 'he' of that set, standing here for 'it' — the lower thing. L3 · R2
Subject (Mubtada') · مبتدأThe subject is the naming word a sentence opens by talking about — its topic — and it stands in the nominative, the topic's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. Inside the describing sentence, هُوَ 'it' is that topic; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the nominative is the role it fills. L6 · R2
أَدْنَىٰword 27
Noun · اسمA noun names a person, place, thing, idea, or quality. أَدْنَىٰ names a quality: the lower, lesser one. L1 · R6
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
Singular Noun · مفردA singular noun refers to one entity, ordinarily showing its case with a single short vowel mark — a ḍammah ـُ, fathah ـَ, or kasrah ـِ. أَدْنَىٰ speaks of one thing — the one lesser thing; its bent ending ىٰ takes no such mark, so nothing shows on the page. L2 · R4
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes as the subject or main topic of its sentence, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter. أَدْنَىٰ ends in the bent letter ىٰ, which carries no vowel mark, so nothing shows on the page — the nominative is the role the word fills here. L2 · R10
Predicate (Khabar) · خبرThe predicate completes the meaning about the topic, and it stands in the nominative — the completing word's own form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. أَدْنَىٰ tells us about هُوَ: 'it IS lower' — the 'is' simply understood; its bent ىٰ shows no mark, so the nominative is the role it fills. L6 · R3
بِٱلَّذِىword 28
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix بِ 'with/for' marks what would be given up in the exchange: 'FOR that which is better'. L4 · R2
Relative Pronoun · اسم موصولA relative pronoun hooks a whole describing sentence onto something. ٱلَّذِى is the 'he'-form for one: 'that which' — and the little sentence 'it is better' describes it. L5 · R13
هُوَword 29
Detached Pronoun · ضمير منفصلA detached pronoun is a standalone word for 'I/you/he/she/they'. هُوَ is the 'he' of that set, standing here for 'it' — the better thing. L3 · R2
Subject (Mubtada') · مبتدأThe subject is the naming word a sentence opens by talking about — its topic — and it stands in the nominative, the topic's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. Inside the describing sentence, هُوَ 'it' is that topic; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the nominative is the role it fills. L6 · R2
خَيْرٌ ۚword 30
Noun · اسمA word that accepts tanwīn — the doubled end-vowel marks ـٌ ـً ـٍ — is a noun, a naming word. خَيْرٌ carries the doubled ḍammah ـٌ and names goodness, from the root خير — good, better, best, goodness. 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
Singular Noun · مفردA singular noun refers to one entity and shows its case with a single short vowel mark, doubled to tanwīn when the noun is indefinite. خَيْرٌ speaks of one thing — the one better thing — and wears exactly that doubled mark ـٌ. L2 · R4
Indefinite Noun · نكرةAn indefinite noun means 'a' or 'any' — no particular one — and shows this with tanwīn, the doubled end-vowel mark. خَيْرٌ ends in the doubled ḍammah ـٌ. L2 · R8
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes as the subject or main topic of its sentence, shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter — doubled to tanwīn ـٌ when the word is indefinite. خَيْرٌ ends in that doubled ḍammah ـٌ. L2 · R10
Predicate (Khabar) · خبرThe predicate completes the meaning about the topic; it too stands in the nominative, and it is typically an unspecific single word. خَيْرٌ fits exactly: one word, wearing the doubled ḍammah ـٌ of an unspecific word, telling us about هُوَ: 'it IS better' — the 'is' simply understood. L6 · R3
This criticized them for asking for inferior foods although they were living an easy life, eating tasty, beneficial and pure food.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِصْرًۭا
(…Go into [any] settlement)
Root هبط — to descend, fall, to cause to come down · 8 times in the Quran
Root مصر — proper noun, a common noun, a city · 5 times in the Quran
ٱهْبِطُوا۟word 31
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. ٱهْبِطُ names an action — going down — from the root هبط: to descend, fall, to cause to come down. L1 · R7
Imperative Verb · فعل أمرAn imperative verb is a direct command addressed to 'you', formed from the present-tense verb by removing its opening prefix and adding a helping ٱ when what remains starts with a vowelless letter. ٱهْبِطُوا۟ shows that helping ٱ at its front, commanding a group — its ending وا۟ points the order at 'you all': go down! L10 · R1
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending وا۟ on ٱهْبِطُوا۟ is such a suffix, standing for 'you all'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending وا۟ is that doer, 'you all' — the ones told to go down; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
مِصْرًۭاword 32
Noun · اسمA word that accepts tanwīn — the doubled end-vowel marks ـٌ ـً ـٍ — is a noun, a naming word. مِصْرًا carries the doubled fathah ـً and names a settlement, from the root مصر — a city. 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
Indefinite Noun · نكرةAn indefinite noun means 'a' or 'any' — no particular one — and shows this with tanwīn, the doubled end-vowel mark. مِصْرًا ends in the doubled fathah ـً: A settlement, any one. L2 · R8
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is the ending a naming word takes when the action lands on it, shown by a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke above the letter — doubled to tanwīn ـً when the word is indefinite. مِصْرًا carries that doubled fathah ـً. L2 · R11
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the thing the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, here the doubled fathah ـً. The settlement is what the commanded going-down reaches: go down INTO a settlement. L9 · R3
"Go you down to any Misr" means any city, as Ibn 'Abbas said — what they asked for is easy, available in abundance in any city they might enter.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ ۗ
(…and indeed, you will have what you have asked.")
Root سال — to ask, demand, question · 129 times in the Quran
فَإِنَّword 33
Resumptive Particle · حرف استئنافA resumptive particle is a وَ or فَ that begins a fresh statement after a pause or shift. The prefix فَ here follows the command with its assurance: go — for indeed you will have it. L14 · R1
Accusative Particle (إنّ) · حرف مشبه بالفعلإِنَّ adds emphasis — 'indeed' — and it changes the topic it introduces from the nominative to the accusative, the pressed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter. إِنَّ carries its doubling shaddah ـّ — the small w-shaped mark — and its topic here is the coming word مَّا 'what': indeed, what you asked is yours. L15 · R2
لَكُمword 34
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix لَ 'to/for' is one of the common prepositions: what you asked is 'for' you — yours. L4 · R2
Detached Pronoun · ضمير منفصلA pronoun is a mini-word standing in for a name, here كُم 'you all'. Though the label reads it as a standalone word, it is written joined after the preposition لَ and works like the glued-on endings for 'your/you', naming those the asked-for thing belongs to: 'for you'. L3 · R7
مَّاword 35
Relative Pronoun · اسم موصولA relative pronoun hooks a whole describing sentence onto something, and مَا is the neutral form for non-human things: 'that which / what'. مَّا carries the describing sentence 'you have asked' and stands as the thing إِنَّ presses on: 'indeed, WHAT you asked is yours'. L5 · R13
سَأَلْتُمْ ۗword 36
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. سَأَلْ names an action — asking — from the root سال: to ask, demand, question. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, and who did it is shown by an ending added to the verb. The ending تُمْ — the 'you all' marker — sits on سَأَلْتُمْ: 'you asked', already done. L8 · R2
Hamzated Verb · فعل مهموزA hamzated verb has a hamza (ء) as one of its root letters — سَأَلَ 'he asked' carries it as the middle letter. In سَأَلْتُمْ that hamza sits in plain view on its alif seat: أَ, right in the word's middle. L24 · R11
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending تُمْ on سَأَلْتُمْ is such a suffix, standing for 'you all'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending تُمْ is that doer, 'you all' — the ones who asked; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
Since their request was the result of boredom and arrogance, and since fulfilling it was unnecessary, their request was denied.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
So far: “And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked."”
وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ وَٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ
(…And they were covered with humiliation and poverty)
Root ضرب — to strike, set forth (examples), travel · 58 times in the Quran
Root ذلل — to humble, subdue; humiliation, lowliness · 24 times in the Quran
Root سكن — to dwell, inhabit; to be still, tranquil; poverty · 69 times in the Quran
وَضُرِبَتْword 37
Resumptive Particle · حرف استئنافA resumptive particle is a وَ or فَ that begins a fresh statement after a pause or shift. The prefix وَ here turns from the exchange with Musa to the verdict that fell on them: 'And there was struck…'. L14 · R1
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. ضُرِبَتْ names an action — striking — from the root ضرب, to strike. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, and its endings mark who or what it concerns. The ending تْ — the 'she' marker, wearing the sukūn ـْ, a small circle meaning no vowel follows — sits on ضُرِبَتْ, agreeing with the humiliation, a word spoken of as 'she': it was struck, already done. L8 · R2
Passive Voice · المبني للمجهولA passive voice verb hides who did the action by changing its inner vowels: فَعَلَ becomes فُعِلَ, with a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl — on the first letter and a kasrah ـِ — a small stroke below — on the second root vowel. ضُرِبَتْ shows exactly that pattern: the ḍammah on its ض and the kasrah under its ر. The one who struck is left unnamed; what receives the striking is the humiliation. L11 · R4
عَلَيْهِمُword 38
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. عَلَيْ 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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. عَلَى 'on/upon' — written عَلَيْ before its suffix — is one of the common prepositions: struck 'upon them'. 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 هِمُ on عَلَيْهِمُ stands for 'them' — the ones the humiliation was laid upon. L3 · R6
ٱلذِّلَّةُword 39
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ال attached to the front of a naming word to mean 'the' — one specific, known one. On ٱلذِّلَّةُ the next letter ذ is one of the fourteen 'solar' letters — the letters made near where ل itself is made, which swallow the ل of ال so it is written but not heard — so the ذ doubles, shown by the shaddah ـّ, the small w-shaped mark above it: adh-dhillah, 'the humiliation'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that ends with the tā marbūtah ة is a noun, a naming word. ذِّلَّةُ names humiliation, from the root ذلل — to humble, subdue; humiliation, lowliness. L1 · R3
Feminine Noun · اسم مؤنثA feminine noun is a naming word Arabic treats as 'she', typically marked by a ة at its end. ذِّلَّةُ ends in exactly that ة. L2 · R1
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes as the subject of its sentence, shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter. ذِّلَّةُ ends in that ḍammah ـُ on its ة. L2 · R10
Passive Subject · نائب فاعلThe passive subject is the thing the action happened to, promoted into the subject spot of a verb whose doer is hidden, and it takes the nominative — shown here by the ḍammah ـُ, the small curl above the ة. The humiliation is what was struck upon them. L11 · R5
وَٱلْمَسْكَنَةُword 40
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and', and the joined word takes the same case as the one before it. The prefix وَ adds the misery to the humiliation — both end in the ḍammah ـُ, the small curl above the last letter. L4 · R4
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ال attached to the front of a naming word to mean 'the' — one specific, known one. ٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ wears that prefix — here the ل keeps its own sound, written with the sukūn ـْ, the small circle meaning no vowel follows: al-maskanah, 'the misery'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that ends with the tā marbūtah ة is a noun, a naming word. مَسْكَنَةُ names misery, from the root سكن, whose related meanings include poverty. L1 · R3
Feminine Noun · اسم مؤنثA feminine noun is a naming word Arabic treats as 'she', typically marked by a ة at its end. مَسْكَنَةُ ends in exactly that ة. L2 · R1
Nominative · مرفوعThe nominative is the ending a naming word takes as the subject of its sentence, shown by a ḍammah ـُ — a small curl above the last letter. مَسْكَنَةُ ends in that ḍammah ـُ, the same ending as the humiliation it is joined to by وَ. L2 · R10
This indicates that the Children of Israel were plagued with humiliation; Abu Al-'Aliyah, Ar-Rabi' bin Anas and As-Suddi said that 'misery' used in the Ayah means poverty.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ
(…and returned with anger from Allāh [upon them].)
Root بوا — to settle, take up residence, incur upon oneself · 17 times in the Quran
Root غضب — to be angry, anger, wrath · 24 times in the Quran
Root اله — god · 2,851 times in the Quran
وَبَآءُوword 41
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that ties sentences together. The prefix وَ joins this drawing-on of wrath to the humiliation just named. L4 · R4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. بَآءُ names an action — drawing upon oneself — from the root بوا: to settle, take up residence, incur upon oneself. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, and who did it is shown by an ending added to the verb. The 'they' ending — written here as the و closing بَآءُو — marks it: 'they drew it on themselves', already done. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has و or ي among its root letters, and a middle weak letter hides behind a long alif in the past tense. بَآءُ is the root بوا — the long ā after its ب is the weak middle و in disguise. L24 · R4
Hamzated Verb · فعل مهموزA hamzated verb has a hamza (ء) as one of its root letters, and the hamza's written seat changes with its surroundings. In بَآءُو the root's hamza sits on the line as ء, right after the long ā. L24 · R11
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending و on بَآءُو is such a suffix, standing for 'they'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending و is that doer, 'they' — they themselves drew the wrath; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
بِغَضَبٍۢword 42
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix بِ 'with' marks what they came back carrying: 'with wrath'. L4 · R2
Noun · اسمA word that accepts tanwīn — the doubled end-vowel marks ـٌ ـً ـٍ — is a noun, a naming word. غَضَبٍ carries the doubled kasrah ـٍ and names wrath, from the root غضب — to be angry, anger, wrath. 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
Indefinite Noun · نكرةAn indefinite noun means 'a' or 'any' — no particular one — and shows this with tanwīn, the doubled end-vowel mark. غَضَبٍ ends in the doubled kasrah ـٍ. L2 · R8
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 — doubled to tanwīn ـٍ when the word is indefinite. غَضَبٍ ends in that doubled kasrah ـٍ because بِ stands before it. L2 · R12
مِّنَword 43
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. مِّنَ 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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. مِنْ 'from' is one of the common prepositions: wrath 'from' Allah. L4 · R2
ٱللَّهِ ۗword 44
Noun · اسمA noun names a person, place, thing, or idea — including proper names. ٱللَّهِ is the proper name of Allah. 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 ends in that kasrah ـِ because مِّنَ stands before it. L2 · R12
Ad-Dahhak said, 'They deserved Allah's anger'; Ibn Jarir explained it as 'they went back carrying Allah's wrath' — Allah's wrath descended on them.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
So far: “And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked." And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allāh [upon them].”
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ
(…That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allāh)
Root كون — to be, exist, happen · 1,390 times in the Quran
Root كفر — to disbelieve, reject faith; disbelief, ingratitude · 525 times in the Quran
Root ايي — sign, verse, miracle · 382 times in the Quran
Root اله — god · 2,851 times in the Quran
ذَٰلِكَword 45
Demonstrative Pronoun · اسم إشارةA demonstrative pronoun is a pointing word that singles out a specific thing, near or far. ذَٰلِكَ points to something far: 'THAT' — the humiliation, misery, and wrath just described. L3 · R8
Subject (Mubtada') · مبتدأThe subject is the naming word a sentence opens by talking about — its topic — and it stands in the nominative, the topic's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. A pointing word can serve as this topic, and ذَٰلِكَ opens the sentence as the thing being explained: 'That [was]…'; a pointing word keeps one fixed written shape, so the nominative is the role it fills. L6 · R2
بِأَنَّهُمْword 46
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix بِ here carries the sense 'because of': that was BECAUSE they disbelieved. L4 · R2
Predicate (Khabar) · خبرThe predicate is the part that completes the meaning about the topic, and it can be a preposition-phrase rather than a single word. The بِ-phrase 'because they used to disbelieve' is exactly that: it tells us what 'That' was — the 'was' simply understood. L6 · R4
Accusative Particle (إنّ) · حرف مشبه بالفعلأَنَّ 'that' is one of the six particles — each carrying the doubling shaddah ـّ, the small w-shaped mark — that push the topic of a sentence into the accusative, the pressed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small slanted stroke above the last letter, while the comment stays in its own form. أَنَّ shows that shaddah on its ن, and its topic is the هُمْ glued to it: 'that THEY…'. L15 · R1
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of another word. The ending هُمْ on بِأَنَّهُمْ is such a suffix, standing for 'they' — the topic أَنَّ presses into the accusative, the pressed-on form, usually a fathah ـَ, a small stroke above the last letter; a pronoun keeps one fixed written shape, so the accusative is the role it fills. L3 · R7
كَانُوا۟word 47
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. كَانُ names being — 'they were / used to be' — from the root كون: to be, exist, happen. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, and who did it is shown by an ending added to the verb. The ending وا۟ — the 'they' marker — sits on كَانُوا۟: 'they used to', a state already in the past. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has و or ي among its root letters, and a middle weak letter hides behind a long alif in the past tense. كَانَ 'he was' is really the root كون — the long ا in its middle is the weak و in disguise. L24 · R4
Kāna Verb · كان وأخواتهاكَانَ is an incomplete verb: it needs both a topic and a comment to finish its meaning, and it keeps that topic in the nominative — the topic's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the final letter. Its topic here is the وا۟ 'they' — a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one — and the comment is the verb that follows: 'they used to disbelieve'. L18 · R1
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending وا۟ on كَانُوا۟ is such a suffix, standing for 'they'. L3 · R7
يَكْفُرُونَword 48
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. يَكْفُرُ names an action — disbelieving — from the root كفر: to disbelieve, reject faith; disbelief, ingratitude. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb is identified by one of the four prefix letters remembered as أَنَيْتُ. يَكْفُرُونَ opens with the letter ي — the 'they' prefix — standing before the root letters; paired with 'they used to', it paints the disbelieving as an ongoing habit. L8 · R3
The Five Verbs · الأفعال الخمسةThe Five Verbs are the five present tense shapes ending in نَ, where that نَ itself shows the mood: kept in the normal mood, dropped after trimming words. يَكْفُرُونَ is the 'they do' shape with its نَ still in place — the sign of the normal mood. L10 · R10
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending ونَ on يَكْفُرُونَ is such a suffix, standing for 'they'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending ونَ is that doer, 'they' — the ones who kept disbelieving; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
بِـَٔايَـٰتِword 49
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix بِ 'in' marks what the disbelief was aimed at: 'in the signs'. L4 · R2
Noun · اسمA noun names a person, place, thing, or idea. ـَٔايَٰتِ names signs, from the root ايي — sign, verse, miracle. L1 · R6
Feminine Noun · اسم مؤنثA feminine noun is a naming word Arabic treats as 'she', typically marked by a ة at its end. This word is the plural of such a ة-marked word (ءَايَة, a sign); in the plural that feminine marking lives on in the ending ـَات. L2 · R1
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more. The sound feminine plural — the plural of a feminine naming word — adds the ending ـَات, and ـَٔايَٰتِ carries that ending: many signs. L2 · 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. ـَٔايَٰتِ carries that kasrah ـِ on its تِ because بِ stands before it. L2 · R12
ٱللَّهِword 50
Noun · اسمA noun names a person, place, thing, or idea — including proper names. ٱللَّهِ is the proper name of Allah. L1 · R6
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is the ending a naming word takes as the owner in an 'of' phrase, shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. ٱللَّهِ ends in that kasrah ـِ. L2 · R12
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains two naming words into an 'of' phrase, and the owner comes second, taking the genitive — shown here by the kasrah ـِ ending ٱللَّهِ. It fills that owner slot after ـَٔايَٰتِ: 'the signs OF Allah'. L5 · R5
The humiliation and misery were the reward for their defiance of the truth, disbelief in Allah's Ayat, and belittling the carriers of Allah's Law — the Prophets and their following.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۗ
(…and killed the prophets without right.)
Root قتل — to kill, slay, fight · 170 times in the Quran
Root نبا — to inform, give news; prophet, prophecy · 160 times in the Quran
Root غير — other than, different from; to change, alter · 154 times in the Quran
Root حقق — to be true, truth, reality · 287 times in the Quran
وَيَقْتُلُونَword 51
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that ties sentences together. The prefix وَ joins the killing to the disbelieving — the second habit alongside the first. L4 · R4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. يَقْتُلُ names an action — killing — from the root قتل: to kill, slay, fight. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb is identified by one of the four prefix letters remembered as أَنَيْتُ. يَقْتُلُونَ opens with the letter ي — the 'they' prefix — standing before the root letters; paired with 'they used to', it paints the killing as a repeated deed. L8 · R3
The Five Verbs · الأفعال الخمسةThe Five Verbs are the five present tense shapes ending in نَ, where that نَ itself shows the mood: kept in the normal mood, dropped after trimming words. يَقْتُلُونَ is the 'they do' shape with its نَ still in place — the sign of the normal mood. L10 · R10
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending ونَ on وَيَقْتُلُونَ is such a suffix, standing for 'they'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending ونَ is that doer, 'they' — the killers of the prophets; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَword 52
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ال attached to the front of a naming word to mean 'the' — one specific, known one. On ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ the next letter ن is one of the fourteen 'solar' letters — the letters made near where ل itself is made, which swallow the ل of ال so it is written but not heard — so the ن doubles, shown by the shaddah ـّ, the small w-shaped mark above it: an-nabiyyīn, 'the prophets'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that accepts ال — the prefix meaning 'the' — is a noun, a naming word. نَّبِيِّۦنَ names the prophets, from the root نبا — to inform, give news; prophet, prophecy. L1 · R1
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. The sound masculine plural carries its role in its ending — ـُونَ for the nominative (the 'subject form', with the ḍammah ـُ sound), ـِينَ for the accusative and genitive (the 'object' and 'of' forms); ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ ends in that ـِينَ shape, its ي written compactly as a small raised letter: many prophets. L2 · R6
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is the landed-on ending, usually a fathah ـَ — a small stroke above the letter. Words with the ـُونَ/ـِينَ plural ending show their case differently: only the subject form ـُونَ looks distinct, and ـِينَ serves for the accusative. The ـِينَ ending on ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ — written with its ي as a small raised letter — is that accusative form here. L2 · R7
Direct Object · مفعول بهThe direct object is the one the action lands on, standing in the accusative — the landed-on form, shown for this plural by its ـِينَ ending. The prophets are the ones the killing landed on. L9 · R3
بِغَيْرِword 53
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix بِ pairs with the word after it to mean 'withOUT': killing 'without any right'. L4 · R2
Noun · اسمA word whose final vowel mark changes with its job in the sentence is a noun, a naming word. غَيْرِ names otherness — 'other than / without' — from the root غير: other than, different from; to change, alter. L1 · R5
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
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. غَيْرِ ends in that kasrah ـِ because بِ stands before it. L2 · R12
ٱلْحَقِّ ۗword 54
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ال attached to the front of a naming word to mean 'the' — one specific, known one. ٱلْحَقِّ wears that prefix — here the ل keeps its own sound, written with the sukūn ـْ, the small circle meaning no vowel follows: al-ḥaqq, 'the right'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that accepts ال — the prefix meaning 'the' — is a noun, a naming word. حَقِّ names the right, from the root حقق — to be true, truth, reality. L1 · R1
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
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is the ending a naming word takes as the owner in an 'of' phrase, shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. حَقِّ ends in that kasrah ـِ, sitting under its doubled ق. L2 · R12
Possessive (Idafa) · مضاف إليهA possessive (iḍāfah) chains two naming words into an 'of' phrase, and the owner comes second, taking the genitive — shown here by the kasrah ـِ ending ٱلْحَقِّ. It fills that owner slot after غَيْرِ: 'other-than THE right' — that is, without any right. L5 · R5
The Children of Israel rejected the Messengers and even killed them — there is no form of disbelief worse than disbelieving in Allah's Ayat and murdering the Prophets of Allah.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ
(…That was because they disobeyed and were [habitually] transgressing.)
Root عصي — to disobey, disobedience · 32 times in the Quran
Root كون — to be, exist, happen · 1,390 times in the Quran
Root عدو — to be an enemy, enmity, hostility, to transgress · 106 times in the Quran
ذَٰلِكَword 55
Demonstrative Pronoun · اسم إشارةA demonstrative pronoun is a pointing word that singles out a specific thing, near or far. ذَٰلِكَ points to something far: 'THAT' — the same verdict, now traced to a second cause. L3 · R8
Subject (Mubtada') · مبتدأThe subject is the naming word a sentence opens by talking about — its topic — and it stands in the nominative, the topic's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. A pointing word can serve as this topic, and ذَٰلِكَ opens the sentence as the thing being explained; a pointing word keeps one fixed written shape, so the nominative is the role it fills. L6 · R2
بِمَاword 56
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 ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix بِ here carries the sense 'because of': that was BECAUSE of what they did. L4 · R2
Predicate (Khabar) · خبرThe predicate is the part that completes the meaning about the topic, and it can be a preposition-phrase rather than a single word. The بِ-phrase 'because of what they disobeyed' is exactly that: it tells us what 'That' was — the 'was' simply understood. L6 · R4
Relative Pronoun · اسم موصولA relative pronoun hooks a whole describing sentence onto something, and مَا is the neutral form for non-human things: 'that which / what'. The مَا in بِمَا carries the describing sentence 'they disobeyed': because of WHAT they disobeyed. L5 · R13
عَصَوا۟word 57
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. عَصَ names an action — disobeying — from the root عصي: to disobey, disobedience. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, and who did it is shown by an ending added to the verb. The ending وا۟ — the 'they' marker — sits on عَصَوا۟: 'they disobeyed', already done. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has و or ي among its root letters, and those weak letters love to vanish. عَصَ looks too short for a three-letter root — only the ع and ص of عصي show; the weak final ي has dropped away before the 'they' ending وا۟. L24 · R13
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending وا۟ on عَصَوا۟ is such a suffix, standing for 'they'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending وا۟ is that doer, 'they' — the disobedient ones; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
وَّكَانُوا۟word 58
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word like 'and' that ties sentences together. The prefix وَّ joins their transgressing to their disobeying. L4 · R4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. كَانُ names being — 'they were' — from the root كون: to be, exist, happen. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb describes an action already completed, and who did it is shown by an ending added to the verb. The ending وا۟ — the 'they' marker — sits on كَانُوا۟: 'they were', a state already in the past. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has و or ي among its root letters, and a middle weak letter hides behind a long alif in the past tense. كَانَ 'he was' is really the root كون — the long ا in its middle is the weak و in disguise. L24 · R4
Kāna Verb · كان وأخواتهاكَانَ is an incomplete verb: it needs both a topic and a comment to finish its meaning, and it keeps that topic in the nominative — the topic's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the final letter. Its topic here is the وا۟ 'they' — a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one — and the comment is the verb that follows: 'they were transgressing'. L18 · R1
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending وا۟ on وَّكَانُوا۟ is such a suffix, standing for 'they'. L3 · R7
يَعْتَدُونَword 59
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. يَعْتَدُ names an action — transgressing — from the root عدو: to be an enemy, enmity, hostility, to transgress. L1 · R7
Present Tense Verb · فعل مضارعA present tense verb is identified by one of the four prefix letters remembered as أَنَيْتُ. يَعْتَدُونَ opens with the letter ي — the 'they' prefix — standing before the root letters; paired with 'they were', it paints the transgressing as a habit. L8 · R3
The Five Verbs · الأفعال الخمسةThe Five Verbs are the five present tense shapes ending in نَ, where that نَ itself shows the mood: kept in the normal mood, dropped after trimming words. يَعْتَدُونَ is the 'they do' shape with its نَ still in place — the sign of the normal mood. L10 · R10
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb has at least one of the weak letters و or ي among its root letters. The root here is عدو, whose last letter is the weak و — and that letter does not show on the page: only the ع and د of the root appear before the ending. L24 · R2
Form VIII Verb · اِفْتَعَلَA Form VIII verb is identified by an extra ت tucked in just after the first root letter. يَعْتَدُ shows exactly that: after the 'they' prefix comes the root's ع, then the inserted ت, then the د — the mark of this form: 'they transgress'. L13 · R4
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending ونَ on يَعْتَدُونَ is such a suffix, standing for 'they'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, standing in the nominative — the doer's form, usually a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending ونَ is that doer, 'they' — the habitual transgressors; a pronoun keeps one fixed shape, so no ḍammah appears — the nominative is the role it fills. L9 · R4
This mentions another reason for their punishment: disobedience is to do what is prohibited, while transgression entails overstepping the set limits of what is allowed and what is prohibited.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:61
So far: “And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked." And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allāh [upon them]. That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allāh and killed the prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and were [habitually] transgressing.”