| Translation | Arabic word | Syntax and morphology |
| (12:3:1) naḥnu We |
 |
PRON – 1st person plural personal pronoun
ضمير منفصل
|
| (12:3:2) naquṣṣu relate |
|
V – 1st person plural imperfect verb
فعل مضارع
|
| (12:3:3) ʿalayka to you |
|
P – preposition PRON – 2nd person masculine singular object pronoun جار ومجرور
|
| (12:3:4) aḥsana the best |
|
N – accusative masculine singular noun
اسم
|
| (12:3:5) l-qaṣaṣi of the narrations |
|
N – genitive masculine noun
اسم مجرور
|
| (12:3:6) bimā in what |
|
P – prefixed preposition bi REL – relative pronoun جار ومجرور
|
| (12:3:7) awḥaynā We have revealed |
|
V – 1st person plural (form IV) perfect verb PRON – subject pronoun فعل ماض و«نا» ضمير متصل في محل رفع فاعل
|
| (12:3:8) ilayka to you |
|
P – preposition PRON – 2nd person masculine singular object pronoun جار ومجرور
|
| (12:3:9) hādhā (of) this |
|
DEM – masculine singular demonstrative pronoun
اسم اشارة
|
| (12:3:10) l-qur’āna the Quran, |
|
PN – accusative masculine proper noun → Quran
اسم علم منصوب
|
| (12:3:11) wa-in although |
|
CONJ – prefixed conjunction wa (and) COND – conditional particle الواو عاطفة
حرف شرط |
| (12:3:12) kunta you were, |
|
V – 2nd person masculine singular perfect verb PRON – subject pronoun فعل ماض والتاء ضمير متصل في محل رفع اسم «كان»
|
| (12:3:13) min before it, |
|
P – preposition
حرف جر
|
| (12:3:14) qablihi before it, |
|
N – genitive noun PRON – 3rd person masculine singular possessive pronoun اسم مجرور والهاء ضمير متصل في محل جر بالاضافة
|
| (12:3:15) lamina surely among |
|
EMPH – emphatic prefix lām P – preposition اللام لام التوكيد
حرف جر |
| (12:3:16) l-ghāfilīna the unaware. |
 |
N – genitive masculine plural active participle
اسم مجرور
|
Questions
- Why is the word نحن used?
- What are the different meanings of قَصَصِ ?
- What is the difference between قَصَصِ and قِصَاصٌ ۚ?
- What is the difference between stories from the Quran with all other stories?
- Why is the story of Prophet Yusuf referred to as أَحْسَنَ ٱلْقَصَصِ?
- Where does Allah use the word أَحْسَنَ in other places of the Quran?
- Notice how Allah starts narrating a story?
- Who is referred as غافل in this verse?
Imam Ali (A) advice to his sons in regards to how to look into history
O my child, even though I have not reached the age which those before me have, yet I looked into their behaviour and thought over events of their lives. I walked among their ruins till I was as one of them. In fact, by virtue of those of their affairs that have become known to me it is as though I have lived with them from the first to the last. I have therefore been able to discern the impure from the clean and the benefit from the harm.
يْ بُنَيَّ، إِنِّي وَإِنْ لَمْ أَكُنْ عُمِّرْتُ عُمُرَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلِي، فَقَدْ نَظَرْتُ فِي أَعْمَالِهِمْ ، وَفَكَّرْتُ فِي أَخْبَارِهِمْ ، وَسِرْتُ فِي آثَارِهِمْ; حَتَّى عُدْتُ كَأَحَدِهِمْ; بَلْ كَأَنِّي بِمَا انْتَهَى إِلَيَّ مِنْ أُمُورِهِمْ قَدْ عُمِّرْتُ مَعَ أَوَّلِهِمْ إِلَى آخِرِهِمْ، فَعَرَفْتُ صَفْوَ ذلِكَ مِنْ كَدَرِهِ، وَنَفْعَهُ مِنْ ضَرَرِهِ،