A Conversational Course in Qur'ānic Arabic

لُغَةُ القُرْآنِ

Part 6 · Chapter Forty-Nine · Qur'ānic Vocabulary Extension

عِبَارَاتٌ قُرْآنِيَّةٌ شَائِعَةٌ

Common Qur'ānic Phrases and Expressions

Beyond single words, the Qur'ān is full of fixed, complete phrases — supplications, praise formulas, statements of trust — that Arabic speakers and Muslims worldwide use constantly, inside and outside of prayer. This chapter collects the phrases you are most likely to hear, and shows you the simple grammar pattern behind many of them.

Every Arabic passage has a small circle button — click it to hear it read aloud using your browser's own Arabic voice.

BY THE END OF THIS CHAPTER YOU WILL BE ABLE TO

Recognise eight core Qur'ānic phrases and use them correctly in context
Build your own supplications using the رَبَّنَا + verb pattern
Identify these phrases when used in everyday speech and sermons
Read a Qur'ānic verse and spot the phrase pattern within it

TEACHER NOTES

Pacing: 40–45 min

Prerequisite check: None specific.

Watch out for: These fixed phrases don't decompose grammatically the way most of the course does — teach them as whole units.

02 — LISTEN & REPEAT

حِوَارٌDialogue

Fixed Qur'ānic phrases don't stay in the Qur'ān — Arabic speakers, and Muslims worldwide, use them constantly in ordinary conversation, sermons and supplication.

BILĀL

يَا زَيْنَبُ، سَمِعْتُ الْإِمَامَ يَقُولُ "حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ" فِي كُلِّ خُطْبَةٍ تَقْرِيبًا!

yā zaynabu, sami‘tu-l-imāma yaqūlu ḥasbuna-llāhu wa ni‘ma-l-wakīlu fī kulli khuṭbatin taqrīban!

O Zaynab, I hear the imam say "Allah is sufficient for us" in almost every sermon!

ZAYNAB

لِأَنَّهَا عِبَارَةٌ قُرْآنِيَّةٌ، مِنْ سُورَةِ آلِ عِمْرَانَ. لِلْقُرْآنِ عِبَارَاتٌ ثَابِتَةٌ تَتَكَرَّرُ فِي كَلَامِ النَّاسِ يَوْمِيًّا.

li-annahā ‘ibāratun qur’āniyyah, min sūrati āli ‘imrān. li-l-qur’āni ‘ibārātun thābitatun tatakarraru fī kalāmi-n-nāsi yawmiyyan.

Because it's a Qur'ānic phrase, from Sūrat Āl 'Imrān. The Qur'ān has fixed expressions that repeat in people's everyday speech.

BILĀL

إِذًا لَوْ تَعَلَّمْتُ هَذِهِ الْعِبَارَاتِ، سَأَفْهَمُ الْخُطَبَ وَالدُّعَاءَ أَفْضَلَ؟

idhan law ta‘allamtu hādhihi-l-‘ibārāti, sa-afhamu-l-khuṭaba wa-d-du‘ā’a afḍal?

So if I learn these phrases, I'll understand sermons and supplications better?

ZAYNAB

بِالتَّأْكِيدِ. وَسَتَجِدُ نَفْسَكَ تَسْتَخْدِمُهَا فِي حَيَاتِكَ الْيَوْمِيَّةِ أَيْضًا، بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ.

bi-t-ta’kīd. wa satajidu nafsaka tastakhdimuhā fī ḥayātika-l-yawmiyyati ayḍan, bi-idhni-llāh.

Certainly. And you'll find yourself using them in your daily life too, God willing.

03 — CORE WORDS

الْمُفْرَدَاتُVocabulary

Eight complete Qur'ānic phrases so common you'll hear them constantly — in the mosque, in conversation, and throughout the Qur'ān itself.

Arabic	Says	Meaning	Note
NEWبِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ	bismillāhi-r-raḥmāni-r-raḥīm	In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful	Opens every sūrah but one (At-Tawbah), and countless everyday actions.
NEWإِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ	iyyāka na‘budu wa iyyāka nasta‘īn	You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help	From Al-Fātiḥah — recited in every unit of every prayer.
NEWرَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً	rabbanā ātinā fi-d-dunyā ḥasanah	Our Lord, give us good in this world	The رَبَّنَا + verb pattern — see the Grammar Corner below.
REVIEWلَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ	lā ilāha illā huwa	there is no god but He	The core statement of tawḥīd, repeated throughout the Qur'ān.
NEWإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ	inna-llāha ‘alā kulli shay’in qadīr	indeed Allah has power over all things	A closing formula affirming God's complete power.
NEWوَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ	wa tawakkal ‘ala-llāh	and put your trust in Allah	Root و-ك-ل — see also حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ below.
NEWحَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ	ḥasbuna-llāhu wa ni‘ma-l-wakīl	Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs	Said by believers in times of hardship, from Āl ‘Imrān.
NEWسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ	subḥāna-llāhi wa biḥamdih	glory be to Allah, and praise be to Him	One of the most frequently repeated phrases of remembrance (dhikr).

Also in this chapter's dialogue and reading.

Arabic	Says	Meaning	Note
EARLYعِبَارَةٌ	‘ibārah	a phrase, an expression	Directly relevant to this chapter's theme.
EARLYالْحِوَارُ	al-ḥiwār	the dialogue, the conversation	—

04 — GRAMMAR CORNER

رُكْنُ الْقَوَاعِدِGrammar Corner

The رَبَّنَا + verb supplication pattern.

Many Qur'ānic supplications (أَدْعِيَة) follow a simple, repeatable shape: رَبَّنَا ("Our Lord") followed directly by an imperative or first-person plural verb, with no extra grammar needed.

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا

rabbanā-ghfir lanā — Our Lord, forgive us

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا

rabbanā lā tu’ākhidhnā — Our Lord, do not hold us accountable

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً

rabbanā ātinā fi-d-dunyā ḥasanatan wa fi-l-ākhirati ḥasanah

Once you recognise the رَبَّنَا + verb shape, you can build your own supplications freely — just add whatever request follows.

05 — READING THE SOURCE

وَقْفَةٌ قُرْآنِيَّةٌQur'ān Connection

One of the most widely memorised supplications in the whole Qur'ān — and a perfect example of the رَبَّنَا pattern.

SŪRAT AL-BAQARAH — 2:201

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the next, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

رَبَّنَا

rabbanā

our Lord

آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً

ātinā fi-d-dunyā ḥasanah

give us good in this world

وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

wa qinā ‘adhāba-n-nār

and protect us from the punishment of the Fire

Notice the shape: رَبَّنَا, then three short requests in a row, each a plain imperative verb. This is the exact pattern from the Grammar Corner above.

06 — SAY IT LIKE A NATIVE

عِبَارَاتٌ يَوْمِيَّةٌEveryday Phrases

Shorter, everyday phrases of Qur'ānic origin — the kind you'll hear constantly in conversation among Muslims.

بَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ

bāraka-llāhu fīk — may Allah bless you

جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا

jazāka-llāhu khayran — may Allah reward you with good

تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ

tawakkaltu ‘ala-llāh — I place my trust in Allah

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ

al-ḥamdu lillāhi ‘alā kulli ḥāl — praise be to Allah in every circumstance

وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ

wallāhu-l-musta‘ān — and Allah is the One whose help is sought

لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh — there is no power or strength except through Allah

رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

rabbi zidnī ‘ilman — my Lord, increase me in knowledge

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ

allāhumma a‘innī ‘alā dhikrik — O Allah, help me to remember You

SKILLS PRACTICE

الِاسْتِمَاعُListening

Audio track 49.1 — After the Friday Sermon

Bilāl and Zaynab compare notes on the phrases the imam used. Listen first, script second.

BILĀL

الْإِمَامُ قَالَ "حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ" مَرَّتَيْنِ الْيَوْمَ.

ZAYNAB

نَعَمْ، وَخَتَمَ بِـ"سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ" كَالْعَادَةِ.

BILĀL

أُحِبُّ عِبَارَةَ "رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً" — أَشْعُرُ بِالسَّكِينَةِ حِينَ أَسْمَعُهَا.

ZAYNAB

وَأَنَا كَذَلِكَ. جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا عَلَى هَذَا الْحِوَارِ.

SKILLS PRACTICE

التَّحَدُّثُSpeaking

Pair work

Supplication chain. With a partner, take turns starting a sentence with رَبَّنَا and completing it with any short request, using the pattern from the Grammar Corner. Try to build five different ones between you.

SKILLS PRACTICE

الْقِرَاءَةُReading

Read silently, then aloud

A short passage using several of this chapter's phrases naturally in conversation. Try to read it before checking the translation.

قَالَ بِلَالٌ لِزَيْنَبَ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، لَقَدْ تَعَلَّمْتُ الْيَوْمَ عِبَارَاتٍ كَثِيرَةً. تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَقُلْتُ: رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا. أَجَابَتْ زَيْنَبُ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ، وَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ عَلَى اجْتِهَادِكَ.

1) مَاذَا قَالَ بِلَالٌ عِنْدَمَا تَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللَّهِ؟

أ) الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِب) رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًاج) بَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيكَد) لَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا

2) بِمَاذَا أَجَابَتْ زَيْنَبُ بِلَالًا؟

أ) بِسُؤَالٍب) بِدُعَاءٍ لَهُج) بِالصَّمْتِد) بِالرَّفْضِ

Reveal answers

1. ب — رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا 2. ب — بِدُعَاءٍ لَهُ

SKILLS PRACTICE

الْكِتَابَةُWriting

On paper or in your notebook

Sentence building. Put these words in the correct order, then translate.

عِلْمًا زِدْنِي رَبِّ
الْوَكِيلُ وَنِعْمَ اللَّهُ حَسْبُنَا
فِيكَ اللَّهُ بَارَكَ

Guided writing. Write your own short supplication (3–4 lines) in Arabic, opening with رَبَّنَا and using the pattern from the Grammar Corner, followed by one everyday phrase from this chapter.

06 — CHAPTER EXERCISES

التَّدْرِيبَاتُExercises

1اخْتَرِ الْإِجَابَةَ الصَّحِيحَةَChoose the correct answer

1. "حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ" is from which sūrah?

a) Al-Fātiḥahb) Āl ‘Imrānc) Al-Ikhlāṣd) An-Nās

2. The رَبَّنَا + verb pattern is used for:

a) questionsb) supplication (du‘ā’)c) greetingsd) negation

3. "إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ" is recited:

a) once a yearb) in every unit of every prayerc) only at weddingsd) never in prayer

Reveal answers

1. b 2. b 3. b

2صِلْ كُلَّ عِبَارَةٍ بِمَعْنَاهَاMatch each phrase to its meaning

بَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ

there is no god but He
may Allah reward you with good
may Allah bless you
my Lord, increase me in knowledge

Reveal answers

1–c, 2–b, 3–d, 4–a

3تَرْجِمْ إِلَى الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةِTranslate into English

Self-check — type your answer, then compare with the model answer below. This one isn’t scored.

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا.
تَوَكَّلْنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ.

Reveal answers

1. Our Lord, do not hold us accountable if we forget or make a mistake.
2. We placed our trust in Allah alone.
3. Glory be to Allah and praise Him, glory be to Allah the Almighty.

4تَرْجِمْ إِلَى الْعَرَبِيَّةِTranslate into Arabic

Self-check — type your answer, then compare with the model answer below. This one isn’t scored.

Our Lord, give us good in this world and in the next.
Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.
May Allah reward you with good, my brother.

Reveal answers

١) رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً.
٢) حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ.
٣) جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا يَا أَخِي.

5أَكْمِلِ الْحِوَارَComplete the dialogue

Word bank: بِسْمِ — تَوَكَّلْتُ — بَارَكَ — حَسْبُنَا

بلال: اللَّهِ، بَدَأْتُ عَمَلِي الْجَدِيدَ.
زينب: اللَّهُ فِيكَ يَا بِلَالُ!
بلال: عَلَى اللَّهِ فِي كُلِّ خُطْوَةٍ.
زينب: اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ.

Reveal answers

بِسْمِ — بَارَكَ — تَوَكَّلْتُ — حَسْبُنَا

6صَحِيحٌ أَمْ خَطَأٌ؟True or false? (based on the reading passage)

حَسَبَ النَّصِّ، بِلَالٌ قَالَ "رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا" بَعْدَ أَنْ تَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللَّهِ.true / false

حَسَبَ النَّصِّ، زَيْنَبُ لَمْ تَرُدَّ عَلَى بِلَالٍ.true / false

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ عِبَارَةٌ قَالَتْهَا زَيْنَبُ فِي النَّصِّ.true / false

Reveal answers

1. True. 2. False — she replied with a supplication for him. 3. True.

SKILLS PRACTICE

قِرَاءَةٌ حُرَّةٌFree Reading

Hover to check — no test, just read

A short passage using only words you've met so far. Just read for meaning — hover any word if you get stuck. Flip the switch to check whole sentences instead of single words.

Word Sentence

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ هَذِهِ أَوَّلُ عِبَارَةٍ نَحْفَظُهَا. إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ عِبَارَةٌ جَمِيلَةٌ. رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً عِبَارَةٌ مَعْرُوفَةٌ. قَالَ جَدِّي حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ. سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ عِبَارَةٌ نُكَرِّرُهَا كُلَّ يَوْمٍ. هَذَا الْحِوَارُ بَيْنَ الْأُسْتَاذِ وَالطَّالِبِ.

SKILLS PRACTICE — NEW

مُحَادَثَةٌ حُرَّةٌConversation Practice

Chat with Yūsuf or Maryam using only what you've learned so far — type it or say it out loud, your choice.

تَمَّتِ التَّاسِعَةُ وَالْأَرْبَعُونَ دَرْسًا بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ

Chapter Forty-Nine complete — next: Chapter Fifty, The Most Common Root Letters in the Qur'ān.