Transliteration:( Alam tara annal laaha anzala minas samaaa'i maaa'an fasalakahoo yanaabee'a fil ardi summa yukhriju bihee zar'am mukhtalifan alwaanuhoo summa yaheeju fatarahu musfarran summa yaj'aluhoo hutaamaa; inna fee zaalika lazikraa li ulil albaab (section 2) )
"Have you not seen that Allah has sent [56] down water from the sky, and then made springs [57] in the earth from them? Then He causes to grow therewith crops of diverse colours [58]. Thereafter it dries up and you see that it turns yellow. Then He breaks it into small grains [59]. Surely, it is a lesson for men of understanding [60]."
The phrase “sent down water from the sky” refers not only to rainfall but also to the heavenly system that governs it—such as cloud formation, air currents, and even the heat of the sun.
It highlights how Allah’s command originates from above, from a place of divine loftiness and wisdom.
Once the water reaches the earth, Allah causes springs to gush forth, nourishing the land.
But when rain ceases, even wells and fountains run dry—showing that no worldly resource is permanent, and all things depend on Allah’s continued will.
From this water, Allah causes crops of varying colors, tastes, and benefits to grow.
Just as the torrents of Prophethood gave rise to the springs of Shariah and Tareeqat, leading to countless fruits of knowledge and spirituality, so too does this verse symbolize the diversity and beauty of divine guidance.
Once lush and vibrant, the crops turn yellow, then are cut and broken into pieces.
This parallels the life of the world: youth, strength, beauty—eventually fade into weakness and decline.
Grain separated from chaff reflects the value of what is useful and pure over what is outwardly attractive but hollow.
This entire process is a powerful parable for those who reflect:
The temporary nature of worldly life, the rise and fall of human conditions, and the illusion of permanence are all made clear.
Thus, one should not place blind trust in the material world—because all that glitters is not gold.
21. See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, as water springs, and afterward thereby produces crops of different colors, and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow; then He makes them dry and broken pieces. Verily, in this is a reminder for men of understanding. 22. Is he whose breast Allah has opened to Islam, so that he is in light from his Lord So, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allah! They are in plain error!
Allah tells us that water originates in the sky. This is like the Ayah:
(and We send down pure water from the sky) (25:48). So, Allah sends down water from the sky, and it settles in the earth, then He causes it to flow wherever He wills, and He causes springs, great and small, to flow as needed. Allah says:
(and causes it to penetrate the earth, as water springs,) Sa`id bin Jubayr and `Amir Ash-Sha`bi said that all the water on earth has its origins in the sky. Sa`id bin Jubayr said, its origins lie in the snow, meaning that snow piles up in the mountains, then settles at the bottom (of the mountains) and springs flow from the bottom of them.
(and afterward thereby produces crops of different colors) means, then from the water which comes down from the sky or flows from springs in the earth, He brings forth crops of different colors, i.e., different kinds of forms, tastes, scents, bencfits, etc.
(and afterward they wither) means, after they have been ripe and fresh, they become old and you see them turn yellow when they have dried out.
(then He makes them dry and broken pieces.) means, then they become brittle.
(Verily, in this is a reminder for men of understanding.) means, those who are reminded by this and who learn the lesson from it, that this world is like this — it is green and fresh and beautiful, then it will become old and ugly. The young man will become a weak, senile old man, and after all of that comes death. The blessed one is the one whose state after death will be good. Allah often likens the life of this world to the way He sends down water from the sky and crops and fruits grow thereby, then they become dry and brittle. This is like the Ayah:
(And put forward to them the example of the life of this world: it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is able to do everything) (18:45)
(Is he whose breast Allah has opened to Islam, so that he is in light from his Lord) means, is this person equal to the one who is hard-hearted and far from the truth This is like the Ayah:
(Is he who was dead and We gave him life and set for him a light (i.e. Belief) whereby he can walk amongst men — like him who is in the darkness (i.e., disbelief) from which he can never come out) (6:122) Allah says:
(So, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allah!) meaning, they do not become soft when Allah is mentioned, and they do not feel humility or fear, and they do not understand.
(They are in plain error!).
(39:21) Do you not see that Allah sent down water from the sky, then made it flow on earth as springs and streams and rivers[38] and then with it He brings forth vegetation of various hues; then this vegetation ripens and dries up, turning yellow, whereafter He reduces it to broken straw? Surely there is a lesson in this for those endowed with understanding.[39]
38. The word yanaabi in the text is comprehensive and applies to all the three sources of water.
39. That is, a man of understanding learns this lesson from it that the life of this world and its adornments are all transitory. The end of every spring is autumn. The fate of every youth is weakness and death. And every rise has a fall. Therefore, this world is not something of which one should be charmed and enamored so as to forget God and the Hereafter and should conduct himself here in a manner as to ruin his Hereafter, only for the sake of enjoying the short lived pleasures of this world. Then a man of understanding also learns this lesson from these phenomena that the spring and autumn of this world are only under Allah’s control. Allah allows to grow and prosper whomsoever He wills and ruins and lays waste whomsoever He wills. Neither it is in anybody’s power to stop the growth of someone whom Allah wills to grow, nor has anyone the power to save him from destruction whom Allah wills to destroy.
For a faster and smoother experience,
install our mobile app now.
Related Ayat(Verses)/Topics