Tafsir of Surah Al-Waqi'ah - Verse 71

Allah's Oneness demonstrated by causing the Plants to grow, sending down the Rain

Allah the Exalted said,

أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَحْرُثُونَ

(Do you not see what you sow.) in reference to tilling the earth and planting seeds inside it,

أَءَنتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُ

(Is it you that make it grow,) `do you cause these seeds to grow inside the earth,'

أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَرِعُونَ

(or are We the Grower) Allah says, `rather it is We Who cause the seeds to remain firmly and grow inside the earth.' Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا تَقُولَنَّ: زَرَعْتُ وَلكِنْ قُلْ: حَرَثْت»

(Do not say, "Zara`tu (I made it grew)," but say, "Harathtu (I sowed tilled).") Abu Hurayrah added, "Have you not heard Allah's statement,

أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَحْرُثُونَ - أَءَنتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَرِعُونَ

(Do you not see what you sow. Is it you that make it grow, or are We the Grower)" Allah the Exalted said,

لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَاهُ حُطَـماً

(Were it Our will, We could crumble it to dry pieces,) meaning, `We caused the seeds to grow with Our compassion and mercy and left them intact inside the earth as mercy for you. If We will, We would turn them dry before they ripen and get ready to be harvested,'

فَظَلْتُمْ تَفَكَّهُونَ

(and you would be Tafakkahun.) Allah explained this statement by saying,

إِنَّا لَمُغْرَمُونَ - بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

((Saying:) "We are indeed Mughramun! Nay, but we are deprived!") Allah says, `if We crumble the plants into dry pieces, you would be wondering regarding what happened, sometimes saying: we are indeed Mughramun, i.e., ruined.' Mujahid and `Ikrimah said that Mughramun means, being the subject of revenge. Qatadah commented, "You would say, `We were punished,' sometimes, and, `We were deprived,' some other times." `Ikrimah said that `You will be Tafakkahun' means `You will blame each other (and yourselves),' or, feel sorrow, according to Al-Hasan, Qatadah and As-Suddi. They will be feeling grief for what they spent or for the sins that they have committed in the past (which cost the destruction of their plants). Al-Kisa'i said, "Tafakkaha is both the synonym and the antonym." The Arabs say Tafakkahtu when they mean that they have enjoyed something or felt grief. Allah the Exalted said next,

أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ الْمَآءَ الَّذِى تَشْرَبُونَ أَءَنتُمْ أَنزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ الْمُزْنِ

(Do you not see the water that you drink. Is it you who cause it to come down from Al-Muzn,) meaning clouds, according to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others. Allah said,

أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنزِلُونَ

(or are We the Causer of it to come down) Allah is stating that indeed He is the One Who causes the rain to fall,

لَوْ نَشَآءُ جَعَلْنَـهُ أُجَاجاً

(If We willed, We verily could make it salty;) meaning salty, sour, undrinkable and unfit for growing plants,

فَلَوْلاَ تَشْكُرُونَ

(why then do you not give thanks) `why do you not appreciate the favor Allah does for you by sending down the rain fresh, ready to consume,'

هُوَ الَّذِى أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَآءً لَّكُم مَّنْهُ شَرَابٌ وَمِنْهُ شَجَرٌ فِيهِ تُسِيمُونَ - يُنبِتُ لَكُمْ بِهِ الزَّرْعَ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالنَّخِيلَ وَالأَعْنَـبَ وَمِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَتِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

(From it you drink and from it (grows) the vegetation on which you send your cattle to pasture. With it He causes to grow for you the crops, the olives, the date palms, the grapes, and every kind of fruit. Verily, in this is indeed an evident proof and a manifest sign for people who give thought.)(16:10-11) Allah said,

أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ النَّارَ الَّتِى تُورُونَ

(Do you not see the fire which you kindle. ) `and the fire you start with the use of trees,'

أَءَنتُمْ أَنشَأْتُمْ شَجَرَتَهَآ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنشِئُونَ

(Is it you who made the tree thereof to grow, or are We the Grower) meaning, `rather We have made kindling fire possible.' The Arabs had two kinds of trees called Al-Markh and Al-`Afar (that they used to ignite a fire). When they would rub a green branch from each of these two trees against each other, sparkles of fire would emit from them. Allah's statement,

نَحْنُ جَعَلْنَـهَا تَذْكِرَةً

(We have made it a Reminder,) of the Hellfire, according to Mujahid and Qatadah. Qatadah said, "We were told that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, i

«يَا قَوْمِ نَارُكُمْ هذِهِ الَّتِي تُوقِدُونَ، جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءًا مِنْ نَارِ جَهَنَّم»

(O people, this fire of yours that you kindle, is but one part out of seventy parts of the fire of Hell.) They said, "O Allah's Messenger! This fire alone is sufficiently hot." The Messenger ﷺ said,

«إِنَّهَا قَدْ ضُرِبَتْ (بِالْمَاءِ) ضَرْبَتَيْنِ أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ حَتْى يَسْتَنْفِعَ بِهَا بَنُو آدَمَ وَيَدْنُوا مِنْهَا»

(It was submerged in the water twice so that the Children of `Adam would be able to benefit from it and draw closer to it.) This narration from Qatadah which is Mursal, was recorded by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet ;

«إِنَّ نَارَكُمْ هذِهِ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءًا مِنْ نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَضُرِبَتْ بِالْبَحْرِ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَلَوْلَا ذلِكَ مَا جَعَلَ اللهُ فِيهَا مَنْفَعَةً لِأَحَد»

(Verily, this fire of yours is one part out of seventy parts of the fire of Hell. It was struck twice against the sea, otherwise, Allah would not have made benefit in it for anyone.) Imam Malik also recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said,

«نَارُ بَنِي آدَمَ الَّتِي يُوقِدُونَ، جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءًا مِنْ نَارِ جَهَنَّم»

(The fire that the Children of `Adam kindle is one part out of seventy parts of the fire of Hell.) They said, "O Allah's Messenger! This fire alone is sufficiently hot." He said,

«إِنَّهَا قَدْ فُضِّلَتْ عَلَيْهَا بِتِسْعَةٍ وَسِتِّينَ جُزْءًا»

((The fire of Hell) was made sixty-nine times hotter.) Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith from Malik and Muslim from Abu Az-Zinad. Allah's statement,

وَمَتَـعاً لِّلْمُقْوِينَ

(and an article of use for the Muqwin.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and An-Nadr bin `Arabi said, "The meaning of Al-Muqwin is travelers." This is also what Ibn Jarir chose, and he said, "From it comes the saying Aqwat Ad-Dar (the house has become empty), when its people traveled." `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that here Al-Muqwi means the hungry. Layth bin Abi Sulaym reported that Mujahid said about the Ayah,

وَمَتَـعاً لِّلْمُقْوِينَ

(and an article of use for the Muqwin.) "For those who are present at their homes and travelers, for every kind of food that requires cooking by fire." Ibn Abi Najih also reported that Mujahid said, "`For the Muqwin, means, all people who enjoy (eating food cooked by fire)." Similar was mentioned from `Ikrimah, and this explanation is more general than the previous, since those who are in their own locale and traveling, whether rich or poor, all need fire for cooking, heating and lighting purposes. It is out of Allah's kindness that He has made the quality of kindling fire in some elements, such as stones, that people can use and take in the baggage for their journeys. When a traveler needs fire at his campsite for cooking and heating, he takes out these substances and uses them to kindle fire. He feels comfort next to the fire and he can use it for various needs that he has. Allah mentions this favor specifically in the case of travelers, even though everyone benefits from the fire. Allah's statement,

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

(Then glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great.) meaning, the One by Whose ability these things opposites were created. He created the fresh tasty water, and had He willed, He would have created it salty like seawater. He also created the fire that burns, and made a benefit in it for the servants, suitable for their livelihood in this life and as a warning and a punishment for them in the Hereafter.

was lost in the secondary or extrinsic causes and lost sight of his Real Creator and Master, the Primary or Intrinsic Cause of his creation. This unawareness was unveiled in a particular way. In a similar style, the reality of his source of nourishment is explicated. Allah poses the question to man: 'Indeed you till the land and plant the seeds but who causes them to sprout and grow - you or Allah?' When considered carefully, we will come up with the answer that the farmer or tiller has a very limited role to play. He ploughs the land and fertilizes the soil with manure, and thus softens it so that if the seed germinates, it will not be hampered by the hard ground. All of man's efforts move around this point. Once the plant sprouts, he takes care of it in that direction. But man is not the primary cause of the shoots pushing forth from the seed nor can he claim that he made the plant or tree. Therefore, we go back to the fundamental question: Who caused the seed lying under heaps and heaps of sand to germinate and come out to the surface of the earth so beautifully, comprising untold benefits? There can be only one answer to this question: The All-Encompassing Power and the Most Wonderful creation of the Master Creator of the universe.

Next to food, water is the most important thing upon which human life depends for its sustenance. Here too the Qur'an, in its inimitable style, poses the question: 'Have you considered the water you drink? Did you send it down from the clouds, or did We send it?' The answer is obvious: 'Allah'. Fire plays a most important part in the life of man. Much of his physical comfort depends upon it. [ It is a thing of great utility. In this mechanistic age life is inconceivable without the use of fire. No industry, trade or travel is possible without it.] The Qur'an again, in its unique and unparalleled style, poses the question: 'Have you considered the fire you kindle? Did you make its timber to grow, or did We make it?' Here too the answer is obvious: 'Allah'. Of course, in both instances the Qur'anic answers are elaborate.

For one who ponders over these events, there are countless lessons. In them there is proof of a second life after the present life. Similarly, there is a sure indication in them that He who has given things can also take them away. Then, there is the example of water. Reservoirs of water are mostly found here in the shape of seas containing salt water. About 98 percent of the water is found in seas and one tenth of its volume is made up of salt. It is a miracle of God’s law that when water vapour rises from the sea, pure water rises and the salt is left below. The fact is that the system of rain is a huge universal desalination process. Had this natural arrangement not been in place, all of the water in the world would have been brackish just like sea water. The snow on mountain peaks, the water flowing in rivers would all have been extremely salty. In spite of the vast stores of water on the earth, the non-availability of fresh water would have presented an insurmountable problem for humanity. If man gave this matter consideration, his heart would be full of praises for God.