Topic: Nature
View Aspects
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَدَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنْهَٰرًا ۖ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ جَعَلَ فِيهَا زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۖ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
15:20; 16:16; 21:32.
36:37; 51:50.
7:55; 39:6.
Though the present verse refers only to fruits, elsewhere the Qur’an speaks of God having made pairs––male and female––of all things (36:37; 51:50). This is a truth which of all religious Scriptures the Qur’an was the first to propound. Scientists have begun to discover pairs even in inorganic matter. The verse draws attention to the fact that the law that everything has a pair applies to the human intellect also. Until heavenly light descends on it, man cannot have true knowledge, which is born of a combination of both Divine revelation and human reason.
15:20; 16:16; 21:32.
36:37; 51:50.
7:55; 39:6.
Commentary:
This verse points to the law of nature that heaven and earth work in unison and this harmonious co-operation of the celestial and terrestrial bodies is responsible for the successful working of the universe. For instance, when rain falls from heaven the earth brings forth its vegetation which is thus the common result of both heaven and earth. The same law works in the spiritual universe, for just as there is a heaven and an earth in the material world there is also a spiritual heaven and a spiritual earth. Rain and light come down from the spiritual heaven, and the spiritual earth becomes enligh-tened and revived into a new life. Just as good soil cannot fail to yield its treasures after the descent of rain, similarly, unsullied human nature cannot withhold its treasures after the descent of heavenly water which is Divinerevelation. God’s Prophets attract men as a magnet attracts iron. There was therefore, no cause for wonder if Islam spread quickly. The wonder would have been if it had not spread so fast, because then one would have been entitled to ask why the soil did not bring forth its verdure and herbage when rain had fallen at the proper time.
The verse refers to another important natural law, viz. God has made in the earth mountains which keep water stored up in the form of snow which, on melting, feeds rivers and springs. If the store of snow on the tops of mountains were exhausted, rivers and springs would be dried up and the land would lie dry and desolate. An analogous law operates in the spiritual world. In the spiritual realm certain individuals are like mountains and serve as reser-voirs, storing up the Word of God, while certain other individuals are like rivers and springs which water the world but cannot keep the water stored up. Prophets are the mountains of the spiritual world, while savants and ulema, learned in religious lore, are its rivers and springs, and the common people provide the soil which these rivers and springs, being themselves fed by the melted snow of the mountains, water and make fertile. Should these mountains disappear, there would be no springs and no rivers and the earth would dry up and be ruined.
Though the present verse refers only to fruits, elsewhere the Quran speaks of God having made pairs—male and female—of all things (36:37; 51:50). This is a truth which of all religious Scriptures the Quran was the first to propound. It is true that even in pre-Islamic days the Arabs had discovered that the date trees were male and female, but they could go no further. It was the Quran that made known to the world the great truth that all fruit-trees, in fact, everything, had male and female. The people could not at first understand it. But now, after a lapse of 1350 years, scientific research has confirmed the Quranic announcement and scientists have begun to discover pairs even in inorganic matter.
The verse draws our attention to the fact that the law that everything has a pair applies to the human intellect also. Until heavenly light descends on it, man cannot have true knowledge, which is born of a combination of Divinerevelation and human reason. So it is impossible to have true knowledge of God independently of the revelation sent to the Holy Prophet. Similarly, human reason cannot fail to accept the Word of God revealed to the Holy Prophet if it is presented to it in a proper manner.
The words, He causes the night to cover the day, point to yet another fundamental law of nature that the night serves as a covering for the day, and by pointing to this law the Quran dispels the popular misconception that the light of the Quran could not spread amidst the prevailing im-penetrable veil of darkness. Just as the darkness of night is removed to give place to the light of the day, similarly, the present darkness of sin and iniquity will be followed by the spiritual light of truth and righteousness. Darkness, in fact, possesses no independent existence and a single ray of the sun dispels and dissipates it. The Sun of Islam will now dispel the darkness of unbelief and infidelity.
g
15:20; 16:16; 21:32.
h
36:37; 51:50.
i
7:55; 39:6.
a
15:20; 16:16; 21:32.
b
36:37; 51:50.
c
7:55; 39:6.
1615
Commentary:
This verse points to the law of nature that heaven and earth work in unison and this harmonious co-operation of the celestial and terrestrial bodies is responsible for the successful working of the universe. For instance, when rain falls from heaven the earth brings forth its vegetation which is thus the common result of both heaven and earth. The same law works in the spiritual universe, for just as there is a heaven and an earth in the material world there is also a spiritual heaven and a spiritual earth. Rain and light come down from the spiritual heaven, and the spiritual earth becomes enligh-tened and revived into a new life. Just as good soil cannot fail to yield its treasures after the descent of rain, similarly, unsullied human nature cannot withhold its treasures after the descent of heavenly water which is Divinerevelation. God’s Prophets attract men as a magnet attracts iron. There was therefore, no cause for wonder if Islam spread quickly. The wonder would have been if it had not spread so fast, because then one would have been entitled to ask why the soil did not bring forth its verdure and herbage when rain had fallen at the proper time.
The verse refers to another important natural law, viz. God has made in the earth mountains which keep water stored up in the form of snow which, on melting, feeds rivers and springs. If the store of snow on the tops of mountains were exhausted, rivers and springs would be dried up and the land would lie dry and desolate. An analogous law operates in the spiritual world. In the spiritual realm certain individuals are like mountains and serve as reser-voirs, storing up the Word of God, while certain other individuals are like rivers and springs which water the world but cannot keep the water stored up. Prophets are the mountains of the spiritual world, while savants and ulema, learned in religious lore, are its rivers and springs, and the common people provide the soil which these rivers and springs, being themselves fed by the melted snow of the mountains, water and make fertile. Should these mountains disappear, there would be no springs and no rivers and the earth would dry up and be ruined.
Though the present verse refers only to fruits, elsewhere the Quran speaks of God having made pairs—male and female—of all things (36:37; 51:50). This is a truth which of all religious Scriptures the Quran was the first to propound. It is true that even in pre-Islamic days the Arabs had discovered that the date trees were male and female, but they could go no further. It was the Quran that made known to the world the great truth that all fruit-trees, in fact, everything, had male and female. The people could not at first understand it. But now, after a lapse of 1350 years, scientific research has confirmed the Quranic announcement and scientists have begun to discover pairs even in inorganic matter.
The verse draws our attention to the fact that the law that everything has a pair applies to the human intellect also. Until heavenly light descends on it, man cannot have true knowledge, which is born of a combination of Divinerevelation and human reason. So it is impossible to have true knowledge of God independently of the revelation sent to the Holy Prophet. Similarly, human reason cannot fail to accept the Word of God revealed to the Holy Prophet if it is presented to it in a proper manner.
The words, He causes the night to cover the day, point to yet another fundamental law of nature that the night serves as a covering for the day, and by pointing to this law the Quran dispels the popular misconception that the light of the Quran could not spread amidst the prevailing im-penetrable veil of darkness. Just as the darkness of night is removed to give place to the light of the day, similarly, the present darkness of sin and iniquity will be followed by the spiritual light of truth and righteousness. Darkness, in fact, possesses no independent existence and a single ray of the sun dispels and dissipates it. The Sun of Islam will now dispel the darkness of unbelief and infidelity.
b
15:20; 16:16; 21:32.
c
36:37; 51:50.
d
7:55; 39:6.
1421
Though the present verse refers only to fruits, elsewhere the Qur’an speaks of God having made pairs––male and female––of all things (36:37; 51:50). This is a truth which of all religious Scriptures the Qur’an was the first to propound. Scientists have begun to discover pairs even in inorganic matter. The verse draws attention to the fact that the law that everything has a pair applies to the human intellect also. Until heavenly light descends on it, man cannot have true knowledge, which is born of a combination of both Divine revelation and human reason.
وَفِى ٱلْأَرْضِ قِطَعٌ مُّتَجَٰوِرَٰتٌ وَجَنَّٰتٌ مِّنْ أَعْنَٰبٍ وَزَرْعٌ وَنَخِيلٌ صِنْوَانٌ وَغَيْرُ صِنْوَانٍ يُسْقَىٰ بِمَآءٍ وَٰحِدٍ وَنُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَهَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فِى ٱلْأُكُلِ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
6:100; 16:12.
16:14; 39:22.
The expression signifies that when trees watered with the same water bear fruits vastly different in taste and colour, why cannot the Holy Prophet, even though he lives in the same town and among the same people, excel them, especially when he is nourished by the elixir of Divine revelation and his opponents are brought up under the fostering care of Satan?
6:100; 16:12.
16:14; 39:22.
Important Words:
متجاورات (adjoining one another) is derived from تجاور which is derived from جاور which again is derived from جار which means, he or it declined or deviated. جاورہ means, he became his neighbour or he lived near him; he confined himself in a mosque, etc., occupying himself in prayer and religious meditation. تجاوروا means, they became mutual neighbours or they lived near together (Lane).
صنوان (growing together from one root) is the plural of صنو. They say اصنی النخل i.e. the palm-trees had pairs or triplets or more growing together from single roots. صنو means, one of a pair or of three or of more palm-trees or of any trees growing from one root; each being called the صنو of the other. The word also means, a brother by the same father or the same mother. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, عم الرجل صنو ابیه i.e. the paternal uncle of the man is the صنو of his father (Takmilah fis-Sihah) meaning that the stock of both is one. The Quranic words صنوان و غیر صنوان mean, palm-trees having one root and others having separate roots (Lane).
الاکل (fruit) is derived from اکل (akala). They say اکله i.e. he ate it. اکل (akl) which is the noun-infinitive means, the act of eating. اکل (ukul) means, what is eaten; any eatable; food; fruit; means of subsistence or ample means of subsistence; worldly good fortune; intelligence; judgement; firmness of intellect (Lane).
Commentary:
Disbelievers are told here that they should not think that, because the Holy Prophet is one of them and belongs to the same stock as they, he enjoyed no superiority over them. Do they not see, the verse says, that adjoining tracts of the same land possess different capacities and properties and produce different kinds of produce? A certain tract of land, for instance, grows one thing while the piece adjacent to it cannot grow it. Similarly, trees of one stock or one species growing in the same garden, not unoften, grow fruits of different quality. Why cannot the same thing happen among human beings?
The expression, they are watered with the same water, signifies that when trees watered with the same water bear fruits vastly different in taste and colour, why cannot the Holy Prophet, even though he lives in the same town and among the same people, excel them, especially when he is nourished in the elixir of Divine revelation and his opponents are brought up under the inspiration of Satan? The words also point to the fact that the same means employed by persons of different capabilities often produce different results. A sword in the hands of a person who does not know its use will be quite a different weapon in the hands of a seasoned and skilful warrior. So the superiority of the Holy Prophet over his opponents lies not only in his superior capacities but also in the way he makes use of the means at his disposal. AbuBakr and ‘Umar were ordinary citizens of Mecca who would have ended their days in oblivion but the magic touch of the Holy Prophet lifted them to the highest pinnacles of usefulness and glory.
a
6:100; 16:12.
b
16:14; 39:22.
a
6:100; 16:12.
b
16:14; 39:22.
1616
Important Words:
متجاورات (adjoining one another) is derived from تجاور which is derived from جاور which again is derived from جار which means, he or it declined or deviated. جاورہ means, he became his neighbour or he lived near him; he confined himself in a mosque, etc., occupying himself in prayer and religious meditation. تجاوروا means, they became mutual neighbours or they lived near together (Lane).
صنوان (growing together from one root) is the plural of صنو. They say اصنی النخل i.e. the palm-trees had pairs or triplets or more growing together from single roots. صنو means, one of a pair or of three or of more palm-trees or of any trees growing from one root; each being called the صنو of the other. The word also means, a brother by the same father or the same mother. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, عم الرجل صنو ابیه i.e. the paternal uncle of the man is the صنو of his father (Takmilah fis-Sihah) meaning that the stock of both is one. The Quranic words صنوان و غیر صنوان mean, palm-trees having one root and others having separate roots (Lane).
الاکل (fruit) is derived from اکل (akala). They say اکله i.e. he ate it. اکل (akl) which is the noun-infinitive means, the act of eating. اکل (ukul) means, what is eaten; any eatable; food; fruit; means of subsistence or ample means of subsistence; worldly good fortune; intelligence; judgement; firmness of intellect (Lane).
Commentary:
Disbelievers are told here that they should not think that, because the Holy Prophet is one of them and belongs to the same stock as they, he enjoyed no superiority over them. Do they not see, the verse says, that adjoining tracts of the same land possess different capacities and properties and produce different kinds of produce? A certain tract of land, for instance, grows one thing while the piece adjacent to it cannot grow it. Similarly, trees of one stock or one species growing in the same garden, not unoften, grow fruits of different quality. Why cannot the same thing happen among human beings?
The expression, they are watered with the same water, signifies that when trees watered with the same water bear fruits vastly different in taste and colour, why cannot the Holy Prophet, even though he lives in the same town and among the same people, excel them, especially when he is nourished in the elixir of Divine revelation and his opponents are brought up under the inspiration of Satan? The words also point to the fact that the same means employed by persons of different capabilities often produce different results. A sword in the hands of a person who does not know its use will be quite a different weapon in the hands of a seasoned and skilful warrior. So the superiority of the Holy Prophet over his opponents lies not only in his superior capacities but also in the way he makes use of the means at his disposal. AbuBakr and ‘Umar were ordinary citizens of Mecca who would have ended their days in oblivion but the magic touch of the Holy Prophet lifted them to the highest pinnacles of usefulness and glory.
e
6:100; 16:12.
f
16:14; 39:22.
1422
The expression signifies that when trees watered with the same water bear fruits vastly different in taste and colour, why cannot the Holy Prophet, even though he lives in the same town and among the same people, excel them, especially when he is nourished by the elixir of Divine revelation and his opponents are brought up under the fostering care of Satan?
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا
5:49; 6:166; 11:8; 67:3.
یعنی زمین کے باشندوں کا۔
5:49; 6:166; 11:8; 67:3.
Of all the innumerable things that God has created there is not one which has not its particular use or which is devoid of all good. All of them add to the beauty of human life. Muslims were enjoined always to keep in view the great truth underlying these simple words and to devote their time and energy to delving into the great secrets of nature and to exploring the unlimited properties of elements.
5:49; 6:166; 11:8; 67:3.
Commentary:
The words, We have made all that is on the earth as an ornament for it, point to the great moral lesson that nothing in this world has been created in vain. Of all the innumerable things that God has created there is not one which has not its particular use or is devoid of all good. All of them add to the beauty of human life. Muslims were expected always to keep in view the great truth underlined in these simple words and to devote their time and energy to delving into the great secrets of nature and to exploring the unlimited properties of its elements. But they ignored this supreme lesson while the Christian peoples of the West remembered it well with the result that they became the most advanced and powerful nations in the world.
It is to be regretted, however, that while Western nations greatly benefited by the lesson taught in the words, We have made all that is on the earth as an ornament for it, they neglected the one embodied in the words, that We may try them as to which of them is best in conduct. No doubt they sought after knowledge and made great advances in science. But the object of the advance and expansion of knowledge is that man’s conduct may become pure and human life more peaceful. But these nations, instead of employing their knowledge and resources to the service of man, have ended by making human life miserable and unbelievable. They have failed to set an example of good conduct and have put their scientific researches to evil use and have thereby laid the foundations of injustice, tyranny and corruption in the world. It is probably to this fact that the present verse refers.
a
5:49; 6:166; 11:8; 67:3.
1
یعنی زمین کے باشندوں کا۔
b
5:49; 6:166; 11:8; 67:3.
2048
Commentary:
The words, We have made all that is on the earth as an ornament for it, point to the great moral lesson that nothing in this world has been created in vain. Of all the innumerable things that God has created there is not one which has not its particular use or is devoid of all good. All of them add to the beauty of human life. Muslims were expected always to keep in view the great truth underlined in these simple words and to devote their time and energy to delving into the great secrets of nature and to exploring the unlimited properties of its elements. But they ignored this supreme lesson while the Christian peoples of the West remembered it well with the result that they became the most advanced and powerful nations in the world.
It is to be regretted, however, that while Western nations greatly benefited by the lesson taught in the words, We have made all that is on the earth as an ornament for it, they neglected the one embodied in the words, that We may try them as to which of them is best in conduct. No doubt they sought after knowledge and made great advances in science. But the object of the advance and expansion of knowledge is that man’s conduct may become pure and human life more peaceful. But these nations, instead of employing their knowledge and resources to the service of man, have ended by making human life miserable and unbelievable. They have failed to set an example of good conduct and have put their scientific researches to evil use and have thereby laid the foundations of injustice, tyranny and corruption in the world. It is probably to this fact that the present verse refers.
c
5:49; 6:166; 11:8; 67:3.
1665
Of all the innumerable things that God has created there is not one which has not its particular use or which is devoid of all good. All of them add to the beauty of human life. Muslims were enjoined always to keep in view the great truth underlying these simple words and to devote their time and energy to delving into the great secrets of nature and to exploring the unlimited properties of elements.
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍ طِبَاقًا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ مِن تَفَٰوُتٍ ۖ فَٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ
65:13; 67:4; 71:16.
Tibaq is synonymous with Tabaq and with its plural, Atbaq. They say such a thing is the Tabaq or Tibaq of that, i.e. this thing is the match of that or the like of that in measure, size or quality, etc. Tibaq also means, a stage (Lane).
65:13; 67:4; 71:16.
Important Words:
طباقاً (in grades) is derived from طبق. They say أطبق الثوب i.e. he folded together the piece of cloth. طبق means, a thing that is the equal of another thing in its measure so that it covers the whole extent of the latter like the lid; a layer of the earth; a fold; a generation; any of the stages of heaven. السماوات طباق means, the heavens are composed of stages, one above another (Lane & Aqrab).
تفاوت (incongruity) is derived from فات . They say تفاوت الشیئان i.e. the two things were distinct or were different. تفاوت means, defect, fault, or imperfection; incongruity or discordance (Lane & Aqrab).
فطور (flaw) is derived from فطر. They say فطرہ i.e. God created it or brought it into existence for the first time, it not having existed before. انفطر means, it became split, rent or cleft. فطور means, cleft; flaw; disorder (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
Wonderful indeed is God’s creation. The solar system of which our earth is but a small member is vast, varied and orderly and yet this system is but one of hundreds of millions of systems, some of which are incalculably larger than it, yet the countless millions of suns and stars are so arranged and distributed in relation to one another as to produce everywhere harmony and beauty. The order that covers and pervades the universe is obvious to the ordinary naked eye, and is spread far beyond the range of disciplined vision, assisted by all the instruments and appliances which science and art have been able to invent (Flint).
d
65:13; 67:4; 71:16.
1447
طِبَاق (Tibaq) 是 طَبَق (Tabaq) 及其复数 اَطْبَاق (Atbaq) 的同义词。他们说 طَبَق (Tabaq) 或 طِبَاق (Tibaq) 就是这样一种东西, 即这种东西是某种东西的配对物, 即在分量、尺寸或性质等方面相类似的东西。Tibāq 还有 “阶段” 的意思 (Lane)。
a
65:13; 67:4; 71:16.
4290
Important Words:
طباقاً (in grades) is derived from طبق. They say أطبق الثوب i.e. he folded together the piece of cloth. طبق means, a thing that is the equal of another thing in its measure so that it covers the whole extent of the latter like the lid; a layer of the earth; a fold; a generation; any of the stages of heaven. السماوات طباق means, the heavens are composed of stages, one above another (Lane & Aqrab).
تفاوت (incongruity) is derived from فات . They say تفاوت الشیئان i.e. the two things were distinct or were different. تفاوت means, defect, fault, or imperfection; incongruity or discordance (Lane & Aqrab).
فطور (flaw) is derived from فطر. They say فطرہ i.e. God created it or brought it into existence for the first time, it not having existed before. انفطر means, it became split, rent or cleft. فطور means, cleft; flaw; disorder (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
Wonderful indeed is God’s creation. The solar system of which our earth is but a small member is vast, varied and orderly and yet this system is but one of hundreds of millions of systems, some of which are incalculably larger than it, yet the countless millions of suns and stars are so arranged and distributed in relation to one another as to produce everywhere harmony and beauty. The order that covers and pervades the universe is obvious to the ordinary naked eye, and is spread far beyond the range of disciplined vision, assisted by all the instruments and appliances which science and art have been able to invent (Flint).
d
65:13; 67:4; 71:16.
3079A
Tibaq is synonymous with Tabaq and with its plural, Atbaq. They say such a thing is the Tabaq or Tibaq of that, i.e. this thing is the match of that or the like of that in measure, size or quality, etc. Tibaq also means, a stage (Lane).
ثُمَّ ٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ
安拉的创造真是神奇。太阳系广漠无边, 变化多端 而又井然有序--------我们的地球仅是其中的一个小小的分子--------但太阳系还只是数以万万计的星系里面的一个, 其中有些要比太阳系大得无法计算, 然而各种难以胜数的星辰、太阳彼此的排列和分布处处都呈现出美与和谐。宇宙间无处不在的秩序一般肉眼都能看到, 这种秩序超越了训练有素的视力, 即使这种视力得到了科学和艺术所能发明的种种仪器和装备的帮助。
Wonderful indeed is God’s creation. The solar system of which our earth is but a small member is vast, varied and orderly and yet it is but one of hundreds of millions of systems, some of which are incalculably larger than it, yet the countless millions of suns and stars are so arranged and distributed in relation to one another as to produce everywhere harmony and beauty. The order that covers and pervades the universe is obvious to the ordinary naked eye and is spread far beyond the range of disciplined vision, assisted by all the instruments and appliances which science and art have been able to invent.
Important Words:
خاسئا (confused) is derived from خسأ which means, he was or became vile, despised and hated. خاسأ الرجل الکلب means, the man drove away the dog. خسأ البصر means, the eyesight became dazzled or confused and dim. خاسیء when applied to a dog or a swine means, driven away and repelled, and when applied to a man means, contemptible, despicable, vile or confused; and when applied to the eyesight means, dazzled or confused and dim (Lane).
1448
安拉的创造真是神奇。太阳系广漠无边, 变化多端 而又井然有序--------我们的地球仅是其中的一个小小的分子--------但太阳系还只是数以万万计的星系里面的一个, 其中有些要比太阳系大得无法计算, 然而各种难以胜数的星辰、太阳彼此的排列和分布处处都呈现出美与和谐。宇宙间无处不在的秩序一般肉眼都能看到, 这种秩序超越了训练有素的视力, 即使这种视力得到了科学和艺术所能发明的种种仪器和装备的帮助。
4291
Important Words:
خاسئا (confused) is derived from خسأ which means, he was or became vile, despised and hated. خاسأ الرجل الکلب means, the man drove away the dog. خسأ البصر means, the eyesight became dazzled or confused and dim. خاسیء when applied to a dog or a swine means, driven away and repelled, and when applied to a man means, contemptible, despicable, vile or confused; and when applied to the eyesight means, dazzled or confused and dim (Lane).
3080
Wonderful indeed is God’s creation. The solar system of which our earth is but a small member is vast, varied and orderly and yet it is but one of hundreds of millions of systems, some of which are incalculably larger than it, yet the countless millions of suns and stars are so arranged and distributed in relation to one another as to produce everywhere harmony and beauty. The order that covers and pervades the universe is obvious to the ordinary naked eye and is spread far beyond the range of disciplined vision, assisted by all the instruments and appliances which science and art have been able to invent.