Ayah
Word by Word
وَهُوَ
And He
ٱلَّذِيٓ
(is) the One Who
أَنزَلَ
sends down
مِنَ
from
ٱلسَّمَآءِ
the sky
مَآءٗ
water
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا
then We bring forth
بِهِۦ
with it
نَبَاتَ
vegetation
كُلِّ
(of) every
شَيۡءٖ
thing
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا
Then We bring forth
مِنۡهُ
from it
خَضِرٗا
green plant
نُّخۡرِجُ
We bring forth
مِنۡهُ
from it
حَبّٗا
grain
مُّتَرَاكِبٗا
thick clustered
وَمِنَ
And from
ٱلنَّخۡلِ
the date-palm
مِن
from
طَلۡعِهَا
its spathe
قِنۡوَانٞ
clusters of dates
دَانِيَةٞ
hanging low
وَجَنَّـٰتٖ
And gardens
مِّنۡ
of
أَعۡنَابٖ
grapes
وَٱلزَّيۡتُونَ
and the olives
وَٱلرُّمَّانَ
and the pomegranates
مُشۡتَبِهٗا
resembling
وَغَيۡرَ
and not
مُتَشَٰبِهٍۗ
resembling
ٱنظُرُوٓاْ
Look
إِلَىٰ
at
ثَمَرِهِۦٓ
its fruit
إِذَآ
when
أَثۡمَرَ
it bears fruit
وَيَنۡعِهِۦٓۚ
and its ripening
إِنَّ
Indeed
فِي
in
ذَٰلِكُمۡ
that
لَأٓيَٰتٖ
(are) signs
لِّقَوۡمٖ
for a people
يُؤۡمِنُونَ
(who) believe
وَهُوَ
And He
ٱلَّذِيٓ
(is) the One Who
أَنزَلَ
sends down
مِنَ
from
ٱلسَّمَآءِ
the sky
مَآءٗ
water
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا
then We bring forth
بِهِۦ
with it
نَبَاتَ
vegetation
كُلِّ
(of) every
شَيۡءٖ
thing
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا
Then We bring forth
مِنۡهُ
from it
خَضِرٗا
green plant
نُّخۡرِجُ
We bring forth
مِنۡهُ
from it
حَبّٗا
grain
مُّتَرَاكِبٗا
thick clustered
وَمِنَ
And from
ٱلنَّخۡلِ
the date-palm
مِن
from
طَلۡعِهَا
its spathe
قِنۡوَانٞ
clusters of dates
دَانِيَةٞ
hanging low
وَجَنَّـٰتٖ
And gardens
مِّنۡ
of
أَعۡنَابٖ
grapes
وَٱلزَّيۡتُونَ
and the olives
وَٱلرُّمَّانَ
and the pomegranates
مُشۡتَبِهٗا
resembling
وَغَيۡرَ
and not
مُتَشَٰبِهٍۗ
resembling
ٱنظُرُوٓاْ
Look
إِلَىٰ
at
ثَمَرِهِۦٓ
its fruit
إِذَآ
when
أَثۡمَرَ
it bears fruit
وَيَنۡعِهِۦٓۚ
and its ripening
إِنَّ
Indeed
فِي
in
ذَٰلِكُمۡ
that
لَأٓيَٰتٖ
(are) signs
لِّقَوۡمٖ
for a people
يُؤۡمِنُونَ
(who) believe
Translation
It is He Who sendeth down rain from the skies: with it We produce vegetation of all kinds: from some We produce green (crops), out of which We produce grain, heaped up (at harvest); out of the date-palm and its sheaths (or spathes) (come) clusters of dates hanging low and near: and (then there are) gardens of grapes, and olives, and pomegranates, each similar (in kind) yet different (in variety): when they begin to bear fruit, feast your eyes with the fruit and the ripeness thereof. Behold! in these things there are signs for people who believe.
Tafsir
And He it is Who sent down water from the sky and therewith, with the water, We bring forth (there is a shift away from the third [to the second person in this address]) plants of every kind, that produces shoots, and therefrom, from the shoots, We bring forth, some, verdure, meaning 'the greens' [in other words, vegetation], bringing forth from it, from the verdure, thick-clustered grain, in dense clusters - such as the spikes of wheat and the like - and from the palm-tree (wa-mina'l-nakhli is the predicate, and is substituted by [the following, min tal'ihaa, 'from its pollen']) from its pollen - that which is the first to be produced by it - spring bunches of dates (qinwaanun is the subject of the sentence), stalks with date clusters, bunched up, one near the other, and, We bring forth from it, the Paradises, orchards, of grapes, and olives, and pomegranates, the leaves of both [of these] being, similar (mushtabihan is a circumstantial qualifier), but the fruits of which are, not alike. Look, O you addressed, in reflection, upon their fruits (read thamarihi or thumurihi, the plural of thamara, like shajara, 'tree', [as plural of] shajar, and khashaba, '[a piece of] wood', for khashab) when they have borne fruit, when this first begins, how it looks, and, [look] upon, their ripening, after they have reached full growth, and the state to which they return. Surely, in all that are signs, proofs of His power, exalted be He, to resurrect and to do all other things, for a people who believe: it is these [people] that are specifically mentioned because they are the ones to profit from those [signs] by their believing in them, in contrast to the disbelievers.
Recognizing Allah Through Some of His Ayat
Allah
إِنَّ اللّهَ فَالِقُ الۡحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى
Verily! It is Allah Who causes the seed grain and the fruit stone to split and sprout.
Allah states that He causes the seed grain and the fruit stone to split and sprout in the ground, producing various types, colors, shapes, and tastes of grains and produce.
The Ayah,
فَالِقُ الۡحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى
(Who causes the seed grain and the fruit stone to split and sprout) is explained by the next statement,
يُخۡرِجُ الۡحَيَّ مِنَ الۡمَيِّتِ وَمُخۡرِجُ الۡمَيِّتِ مِنَ الۡحَيِّ
He brings forth the living from the dead, and it is He Who brings forth the deed from the living.
meaning, He brings the living plant from the seed grain and the fruit stone, which is a lifeless and inanimate object.
Allah said,
وَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ الاۡاَرۡضُ الۡمَيۡتَةُ أَحۡيَيۡنَاهَا وَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مِنۡهَا حَبًّا فَمِنۡهُ يَأۡكُلُونَ
And a sign for them is the dead land. We gave it life, and We brought forth from it grains, so that they eat thereof. (36:33) until,
وَمِنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
(as well as of their own (human) kind (male and female), and of that which they know not. (36:36)
Allah's statement,
وَمُخۡرِجُ الۡمَيِّتِ مِنَ الۡحَيِّ
(and it is He Who brings forth the dead from the living).
There are similar expressions in meaning such as, He brings the egg from the chicken, and the opposite.
Others said that it means, He brings the wicked offspring from the righteous parent and the opposite, and there are other possible meanings for the Ayah.
Allah said,
ذَلِكُمُ اللّهُ
Such is Allah,
meaning, He Who does all this, is Allah, the One and Only without partners,
فَأَنَّى تُوۡفَكُونَ
then how are you deluded away from the truth.
meaning, look how you are deluded from Truth to the falsehood of worshipping others besides Allah.
Allah's statement
فَالِقُ الاِصۡبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ اللَّيۡلَ سَكَنًا
(He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting,
means, He is the Creator of light and darkness.
Allah said in the beginning of the Surah,
وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ
(And originated the darkness and the light).
Indeed, Allah causes the darkness of the night to disappear and brings forth the day, thus bringing brightness to the world and light to the horizon, while dissipating darkness and ending the night with its depth of darkness and starting the day with its brightness and light.
Allah said,
يُغۡشِى الَّيۡلَ النَّهَارَ يَطۡلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا
He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly. (7:54)
In this Ayah, Allah reminds of His ability to create diversified things in opposites, testifying to His perfect greatness and supreme power. Allah states that He is the Cleaver of the daybreak and mentioned its opposite, when He said,
وَجَعَلَ اللَّيۡلَ سَكَنًا
(He has appointed the night for resting), meaning, created darkness, in order for the creation to become halt and rest during it.
Allah said in other Ayat,
وَالضُّحَى
وَالَّيۡلِ إِذَا سَجَى
By the forenoon. And by the night when it is still. (93:1-2)
وَالَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَى
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّى
By the night as it envelops. And by the day as it appears in brightness. (92:1,2)
and,
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّـهَا
وَالَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَـهَا
And by the day as it shows up (the sun's) brightness. And by the night as it conceals it. (91:3-4)
Allah's statement,
وَالشَّمۡسَ وَالۡقَمَرَ حُسۡبَانًا
And the sun and the moon for reckoning.
means, the sun and the moon have specific orbits, according to a term appointed with magnificent precision that never changes or alters. Both the sun and the moon have distinct positions that they assume in summer and winter, effecting changes in the length of night and day.
Allah said in other Ayat,
هُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ الشَّمۡسَ ضِيَأءً وَالۡقَمَرَ نُوراً وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ
It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the Moon as a light and measured out stages for it. (10:5)
لَا الشَّمۡسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَأ أَن تدۡرِكَ القَمَرَ وَلَا الَّيۡلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسۡبَحُونَ
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit. (36:40)
And,
وَالشَّمۡسَ وَالۡقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَتٍ بِأَمۡرِهِ
The sun and the moon; and the stars are subjected by His command. (16:12)
Allah's statement,
ذَلِكَ تَقۡدِيرُ الۡعَزِيزِ الۡعَلِيمِ
Such is the measuring of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.
means, all of this occurs according to the decree and due measurement of the Almighty Who is never resisted or contradicted. He is the Knower of all things and nothing ever escapes His knowledge, not even the weight of an atom on earth or in heavens.
Allah often mentions the creation of the night, the day, the sun and the moon and then ends His Speech by mentioning His attributes of power and knowledge, as in this Ayah above (6:96), and in His statement,
وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ الَّيۡلُ نَسۡلَخُ مِنۡهُ النَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظۡلِمُونَ
وَالشَّمۡسُ تَجۡرِى لِمُسۡتَقَرٍّ لَّهَـا ذَلِكَ تَقۡدِيرُ الۡعَزِيزِ الۡعَلِيمِ
And a sign for them is the night, We withdraw there from the day, and behold, they are in darkness. And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (36:37-38)
In the beginning of Surah Ha-Mim As-Sajdah, after mentioning the creation of the heavens and earth and all that is in them, Allah said:
وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَأءَ الدُّنۡيَا بِمَصَـبِيحَ وَحِفۡظاً ذَلِكَ تَقۡدِيرُ الۡعَزِيزِ الۡعَلِيمِ
And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard. Such is the decree of Him, the Almighty, the All-Knower. (41:12)
Allah said next
وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهۡتَدُواۡ بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الۡبَرِّ وَالۡبَحۡرِ
It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea.
Some of the Salaf said;
Whoever believes in other than three things about these stars, then he has made a mistake, and lied against Allah. Indeed Allah made them as decorations for the heavens, and to shoot at the Shayatin, and for directions in the dark recesses of the land and sea.
Then, Allah said,
قَدۡ فَصَّلۡنَا الايَاتِ
We have explained in detail Our Ayat,
meaning, We made them clear and plain,
لِقَوۡمٍ يَعۡلَمُونَ
for people who know.
who have sound minds and are able to recognize the truth and avoid falsehood
Allah said,
وَهُوَ الَّذِيَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ
It is He Who has created you from a single person,
in reference to Adam, peace be upon him.
In another Ayah, Allah said;
يَـأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواۡ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمۡ مِّن نَّفۡسٍ وَحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنۡهَا زَوۡجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنۡهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيراً وَنِسَأءً
O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his mate, and from them both He created many men and women. (4:1)
Allah said,
فَمُسۡتَقَرٌّ وَمُسۡتَوۡدَعٌ
Mustaqar and Mustawda`
Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn Abbas, Abu Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami, Qays bin Abu Hazim, Mujahid, Ata, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ata' Al-Khurasani and others said that,
فَمُسۡتَقَرٌّ
(Mustaqar), `in the wombs'.
They, or most of them, also said that,
وَمُسۡتَوۡدَعٌ
(And Mustawda), means, `in your father's loins'.
Ibn Mas`ud and several others said that,
Mustaqar, means residence in this life, while, Mustawda, means the place of storage after death (the grave).
Allah's statement,
قَدۡ فَصَّلۡنَا الايَاتِ لِقَوۡمٍ يَفۡقَهُونَ
Indeed, We have explained in detail Our revelations for people who understand.
refers to those who comprehend and understand Allah's Words and its meanings.
Allah said next
وَهُوَ الَّذِيَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء
It is He Who sends down water (rain) from the sky,
in due measure, as a blessing and provision for the servants, relief and means of survival for the creatures and mercy from Allah for His creation.
Allah's statement,
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِ نَبَاتَ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ
And with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds,
is similar to,
وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنَ الۡمَأءِ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ حَىٍّ
And We have made from water every living thing. (21:30)
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مِنۡهُ خَضِرًا
and out of it We bring forth green stalks,
green produce and trees, on which We grow seeds and fruits.
نُّخۡرِجُ مِنۡهُ حَبًّا مُّتَرَاكِبًا
from which We bring forth thick clustered grain.
lined on top of each other in clusters, like an ear or spike of grain.
وَمِنَ النَّخۡلِ مِن طَلۡعِهَا قِنۡوَانٌ
And out of the date-palm and its sprouts come forth clusters,
of dates,
دَانِيَةٌ
hanging low.
Within reach and easy to pick.
Ali bin Abi Talhah Al-Walibi said that Ibn Abbas said that,
قِنۡوَانٌ دَانِيَةٌ
(clusters hanging low) refers to short date trees whose branches hang low, close to the ground.
This was recorded by Ibn Jarir.
Allah's statement
وَجَنَّاتٍ مِّنۡ أَعۡنَابٍ
and gardens of grapes,
means, We bring forth gardens of grapes.
Grapes and dates are the most precious fruits to the people of Al-Hijaz (Western Arabia), and perhaps both are the best fruits in this world. Allah has reminded His servants of His favor in making these two fruits for them, when He said,
وَمِن ثَمَرَتِ النَّخِيلِ وَالاٌّعۡنَـبِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنۡهُ سَكَرًا وَرِزۡقًا حَسَنًا
And from the fruits of date-palms and grapes, you derive strong drink and a goodly provision. (16:67),
before intoxicating drinks were prohibited, and;
وَجَعَلۡنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعۡنَـبٍ
And We have made therein gardens of date-palms and grapes. (36:34)
Allah said,
وَالزَّيۡتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُشۡتَبِهًا وَغَيۡرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ
olives and pomegranates, each similar yet different.
According to the explanation of Qatadah and several others,
The leaves are similar in shape and appearance, yet different in the shape, and taste. And the kind of fruit each plant produces is different.
Allah's statement,
انظُرُواۡ إِلِى ثَمَرِهِ إِذَا أَثۡمَرَ وَيَنۡعِهِ
Look at their fruits when they begin to bear, and Yan`ih.
According to Al-Bara bin Azib, Ibn Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, Ata Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi, Qatadah and others,
means, when the fruits become ripe.
This Ayah means, contemplate the ability of the Creator of these fruits, Who brought them into existence after they were dry wood, and they later became grapes and dates; and similar is the case with the various colors, shapes, tastes and fragrance of whatever Allah created. Allah said,
وَفِى الاٌّرۡضِ قِطَعٌ مُّتَجَـوِرَتٌ وَجَنَّـتٌ مِّنۡ أَعۡنَـبٍ وَزَرۡعٌ وَنَخِيلٌ صِنۡوَنٌ وَغَيۡرُ صِنۡوَنٍ يُسۡقَى بِمَأءٍ وَحِدٍ وَنُفَضِّلُ بَعۡضَهَا عَلَى بَعۡضٍ فِى الاٍّكُلِ
And in the earth are neighboring tracts, and gardens of vines, and green crops, and date-palms, growing out, two or three from a single stem root, or otherwise, watered with the same water, yet some of them We make better than others to eat. (13:4)
This is why Allah said here,
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكُمۡ
In these things there are... (O people),
لاايَاتٍ
signs...
and proofs that testify to the perfect ability, wisdom and mercy of He Who created these things,
لِّقَوۡمٍ يُوۡمِنُونَ
for people who believe.
in Allah and obey His Messengers.
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