Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 63

(Ayah 63) ➊ {اَلَمْ تَرَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ اَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً … :} Before this, Allah mentioned the blessing of merging the night into the day and the day into the night, then mentioned His being the True One and all other deities being false, and His attributes of {’’ سَمِيْعٌۢ بَصِيْرٌ‘‘} and {’’ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيْرُ ‘‘}. After that, as proof of His power over everything, He enumerated His six blessings, the first of which is mentioned in this verse.

➋ The literal meaning of { ’’ اَلَمْ تَرَ ‘‘} is "Have you not seen?" Here, this meaning can also be intended, because the falling of rain and the greening of the earth is visible to every observer. However, generally in the Noble Qur’an, the word {’’ اَلَمْ تَرَ ‘‘} has come in the meaning of {’’أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ‘‘}, i.e., "Do you not know?" See the commentary of Surah Al-Fil, verse (1): « اَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِاَصْحٰبِ الْفِيْلِ». Here too, the second meaning is more appropriate, because the purpose of seeing is knowledge itself, and any seeing that does not result in knowledge is null and void.

➌ Due to the tanween of taqleel in { ’’ مَآءً ‘‘}, it has been translated as "some water." Allah sent down some water from the sky, and instead of saying "the earth became green," He said, "the earth becomes green." That is, the present tense is used instead of the past, because when rain falls once, the earth remains green for a long time. See Allah’s power and mercy: the earth was dead and hard like stone, dry seeds were buried beneath it for ages, then the rain of mercy fell, the earth swelled and rose, life was created in the dry seed, and a soft, delicate sprout split the chest of the earth and emerged. In the blink of an eye, the entire surface of the earth took on a green color that brings coolness to the eyes and delight to the heart, which is a proof for those of understanding that the same Allah who, through rain, brings forth a plant from a dry seed buried in barren earth, is the One who can and will resurrect dead humans from their {’’ عَجْبُ الذَّنَبِ ‘‘} (tailbone) on the Day of Resurrection. [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب «یوم ینفخ فی الصور فتأتون أفواجا » : ۴۹۳۵ ] Some commentators have also mentioned the indication in this that just as Allah gives life to dead earth through rain, likewise He grants the life of faith to dead hearts through divine revelation.

➍ The leaves, flowers, fruits, and grains of the plants that grow from the earth, in short, everything is used by humans for food, clothing, and other necessities, and all are Allah’s blessings, but here the greening of the earth is mentioned specifically, because the freshness that the eyes and the joy that the heart receives from this greenery is in itself a very great blessing. The mention of other blessings is omitted so that man may reflect for himself.

➎ The word { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَطِيْفٌ خَبِيْرٌ :} in {’’ لَطِيْفٌ ‘‘} includes two meanings: one is "the One who sees the finest details," and the other is "the Most Kind." {’’ اِنَّ ‘‘} generally comes to state the reason for the previous sentence, i.e., Allah sent down water from the sky and made the earth green because He is Most Kind, All-Seeing, and fully aware of everything. He knows very well in which part of the earth, in its chest, which human, animal, or the finest seed of a plant is buried, and by His grace and kindness, all of this is revived. Likewise, none of His servants’ smallest material or moral needs are hidden from Him; with His perfect kindness and subtle ways, He arranges such that every servant’s, indeed every creature’s, need—according to its condition—is fulfilled.

63. 1. لَطِیْف (subtle/All-Perceiving) is He, His knowledge encompasses every small and great thing, or the One who shows kindness, that is, He deals with His servants with gentleness and grace in providing sustenance. خَیْر He is aware of those matters in which lie the management and rectification of His servants’ affairs. Or, He is aware of their needs and necessities.

63. Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and with it the earth becomes green? He is the Most Subtle [92], All-Aware of everything.

[92]
The Literal Meaning of "Latif":

Here, the word "Latif" is used, whose root "lutf" fundamentally contains two aspects: (1) subtle perception, and (2) gentleness (Al-Muqayis al-Lughah). Sometimes, in the meanings of "Latif," only one meaning is found, such as in this verse, where it is used in the sense of one who perceives the finest details (or one who observes the minutest particulars of a matter). And sometimes, it is used simultaneously in both meanings: having knowledge of even the smallest needs and difficulties of all creation, and then also alleviating them. In this case, "Latif" is translated as "Kind." In this verse, another proof of Allah Almighty's power of disposition is presented: that when the elements of water and dry soil combine, the components of the earth swell, and the power of growth is produced in them. Now, all the seeds that were buried in this dry land, or the roots of grass that had dried up and mixed with the soil, are revived, and such strength is produced in this dry and dead seed that its soft and delicate sprout tears through the hard surface of the earth and emerges from the ground. Then a time comes when it becomes a lush green field and begins to sway. And throughout this entire process, it is Allah Almighty's subtlety or keen perception that is the very thing due to which such positive results are produced.