13.Surah ArRa'd
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَنزَلَ
مِنَ السَّمَاء
مَاء فَسَالَتْ
أَوْدِيَةٌ
بِقَدَرِهَا...
13: 17. He sends down water from the skies, and the channels flow, each according to its measure:
C1831. This verse is full of parables.
1. It is Allah Who sends rain and sends it to all.
See how it flows in different channels according to their capacities. Some are sluggish-, some have a swift current. Some form great rivers and irrigate wide tracts of country; some are clear crystal streams, perhaps in hilly tracts, with beds of clean pebbles which you can see through the water.
Some produce delicious edible fish; and some are infested by crocodiles or injurious monsters.
And there are degrees and degrees among brooks, streams, lakes, rivers, and seas.
So with the rain of Allah's mercy and the knowledge and wisdom and guidance which He sends. All can receive it. Different ones will respond according to their capacities.
2. In the physical world, water is pure and beneficial. But froth and scum will gather according to local conditions.
As the floods will carry off the scum and purify the water, so will the flood of Allah's spiritual mercy carry away our spiritual scum and purify the water.
3. The froth may make a greater show on the surface, but it will not last. So will there be frothy knowledge, which will disappear, but Allah's Truth will endure.
...فَاحْتَمَلَ السَّيْلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا...
but the torrent bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface.
...وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فِي النَّارِ ابْتِغَاء حِلْيَةٍ أَوْ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثْلُهُ...
Even so, from that (ore) which they heat in the fire, to make ornaments or utensils therewith, there is a scum likewise.
C1832. In continuation of the last note, the fourth parable is that of metal ores:
- the ore is full of baser admixture, but the fire will separate the gold from the dross for ornaments, or
- some metal of household utility, with which you make every-day utensils, which the fire will separate from admixtures which you do not want.
So the fire of Allah's test, either by adversity or by affluence, will search out the true metal in us and reject the dross. it will show us what is valuable or what is useful, all sorts of scum and vanity which we collect and miscall knowledge.
...كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الْحَقَّ وَالْبَاطِلَ...
Thus doth Allah (by parables) show forth Truth and Vanity:
...فَأَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَاء وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِي الأَرْضِ...
for the scum disappears like froth cast out; while that which is for the good of mankind remains on the earth.
...كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ ﴿١٧﴾
Thus doth Allah set forth parables.
لِلَّذِينَ
اسْتَجَابُواْ
لِرَبِّهِمُ
الْحُسْنَى...
13: 18. For those who respond to their Lord, are (all) good things.
...وَالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُواْ لَهُ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُم مَّا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا...
But those who respond not to Him -- even if they had all that is in the heavens and on earth,
...وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لاَفْتَدَوْاْ بِهِ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الْحِسَابِ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ...
and as much more, (in vain) would they offer it for ransom.
...وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ ﴿١٨﴾
what a bed of misery!
Other versions:
13: 17 [ar-R’ad, Medina 96]
Yusuf Ali He sends down water from the skies and the channels flow each according to its measure: but the torrent bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface. Even so from that (ore) which they heat in the fire to make ornaments or utensils therewith there is a scum likewise. Thus doth Allah (by parables) show forth Truth and Vanity: for the scum disappears like froth cast out; while that which is for the good of mankind remains on the earth. Thus doth Allah set forth parables.
Pickthall He sendeth down water from the sky, so that valleys flow according to their measure, and the flood beareth (on its surface) swelling foam from that which they felt in the fire in order to make ornaments and tools riseth a foam like unto it thus Allah coineth (the similitude of) the true and the false. Then, as for the foam, it passeth away as scum upon the banks, while, as for that which is of use to mankind, it remaineth in the earth. Thus Allah coineth the similitudes.
Yuksel
He sent down water from the sky, so valleys flowed according to their capacity, and the flood produces foam. From what they burn to smelt jewelry or goods a similar foam is produced. It is in such a manner that God strikes the falsehood with the truth. As for the foam, it passes away; as for what benefits the people, it remains in the earth. It is such that God cites the examples.
Transliteration abodenzala minas sama_'i ma_'an fa sa_lat audiyatum bi qadariha_ fa-htamalas sailu zabadar ra_biya_(n), wa mimma_ yu_qidu_na 'alaihi fin na_ri-btiga_'a hilyatin au mata_'in zabadum misluh(u_), kaza_lika yadribull_hul haqqa wal ba_til(a), fa ammaz zabadu fa yazhabu jufa_'a(n), wa amma_ ma_ yanfa'un na_sa fa yamkusu fil ard(i), kaza_lika yadribulla_hul amsa_l(a).
[[Ali’s notes - 1831 This verse is full of parables……….The froth may make a greater show on the surface, but it will not last. So will there be frothy knowledge, which will disappear, but Allah's Truth will endure. (13.17)
1832 In continuation of the last note, the fourth parable is that of metal ores: (4) the ore is full of baser admixture, but the fire will separate the gold from the dross for ornaments, or (5) some metal of household utility, with which you make every-day utensils, which the fire will separate from admixtures which you do not want. So the fire of Allah's test, either by adversity or by affluence, will search out the true metal in us and reject the dross. It will show us what is valuable or what is useful, all sorts of scum and vanity which we collect and miscall knowledge. (13.17) ]]
13: 18
Yusuf Ali For those who respond to their Lord are (all) good things. But those who respond not to Him even if they had all that is in the heavens and on earth and as much more (in vain) would they offer it for ransom. For them will the reckoning be terrible: their abode will be Hell what a bed of misery!
Pickthall For those who answered Allah's call is bliss; and for those who answered not His call, if they had all that is in the earth, and therewith the like thereof, they would proffer it as ransom. Such will have a woeful reckoning, and their habitation will be hell, a dire abode.
Yuksel
For those who responded to their Lord is goodness. As for those who did not respond to Him, if they had all that is in the earth twice over, they would offer it to be saved. To these will be a terrible reckoning, and their abode is hell; what a miserable
Transliteration Lillazina-staja_bu_ lirabbihimul husna_, wallazina lam yastajibu_ lahu_ lau anna lahum ma_ fil ardi jami'aw wa mislahu_ ma'ahu_ la-ftadau bih(i), ula_'ika lahum su_'ul hisa_b(i), wa ma'wa_hum jahannam(u), wa bi'sal miha_d(u).
[[Ali’s note - 1833 Cf. iii. 91 and x. 54. (13.18)]]