Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 21

(Ayah 21) ➊ { اَلَمْ تَرَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ اَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً … : ’’ يَنَابِيْعَ ‘‘ ’’يَنْبُوْعٌ‘‘} is the plural of 'yanbūʿ,' which means both a spring and a stream with abundant water. (Qamoos) Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Allah Almighty is informing that the origin of the water present in the earth is from the sky, as Allah Almighty said: «وَ اَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً طَهُوْرًا» [ الفرقان : ۴۸ ] 'And We sent down from the sky purifying water.' After descending from the sky, this water goes into the layers of the earth, then Allah Almighty directs it as He wills according to need and brings it out in the form of small or large springs, from which streams and rivers are formed. That is why Allah Almighty said: « فَسَلَكَهٗ يَنَابِيْعَ فِي الْاَرْضِ» 'Then He directed it as springs in the earth.'"

➋ Along with the mention of the everlasting punishment of the Fire in the Hereafter and the everlasting Paradise, the temporary and unstable nature of the adornment and prosperity of worldly life is also mentioned. The state of the crop produced with the water that descends from the sky, as described in this verse, is the same as that of a human being: first he is a child, then he becomes young, then matures and grows old, and finally departs from this world. This is the state of everything in the world; all its adornments are temporary and short-lived, every perfection of it declines, and everything in it is ultimately destined to perish. For further explanation of this verse, see Surah Yunus (24), Kahf (45), and Hadid (20).

➌ {ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهٖ زَرْعًا مُّخْتَلِفًا اَلْوَانُهٗ :} The different colors refer to both various colors, such as green, red, yellow, etc., and different types, such as wheat, barley, and chickpeas, etc. This is evidence that producing crops of different colors and tastes from the same water and the same earth is not the work of blind, deaf matter, but the work of an All-Powerful and Willful Being. See Surah Ra’d (4).

➍ {ثُمَّ يَهِيْجُ فَتَرٰىهُ مُصْفَرًّا : ’’هَاجَ يَهِيْجُ هَيْجًا وَ هِيَاجًا وَ هَيْجَانًا الشَّيْءُ‘‘} means the emergence or movement of something. {’’هَاجَ النَّبْتُ‘‘} means the drying up of the crop.

➎ { ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهٗ حُطَامًا :’’ حَطِمَ } (S) {الشَّيْءُ حَطَمًا‘‘} means something breaking into pieces. {’’ حُطَامًا ‘‘ ’’فُتَاتًا‘‘} is similar in weight and meaning, meaning shattered, crushed. In this verse, it is said: {’’ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهٗ حُطَامًا ‘‘} (then He makes it crushed), whereas in Surah Hadid it is said: «ثُمَّ يَكُوْنُ حُطَامًا » [ الحدید : ۲۰ ] 'then it becomes crushed.' This difference is because here the discussion is about Allah’s power and craftsmanship: Allah sent down water from the sky, then directed it as springs in the earth, then mentioned the growth and ripening of crops of various colors, so it is said, then He makes it crushed. In Surah Hadid, the discussion begins with {’’ الْحَيٰوةُ الدُّنْيَا ‘‘} (the life of this world), so at the end it is said, then it becomes crushed.

➏ In { اِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَذِكْرٰى … : ’’ لَذِكْرٰى ‘‘}, the use of the indefinite form is for magnification, meaning there is a great admonition in it for people of understanding: that their life is also unstable and perishable like this crop, and also that Allah Almighty will resurrect them again whenever He wills, just as He revives the dead earth through water.

21. 1. That is, water descends from the sky through rain, then it is absorbed into the earth, then it emerges in the form of springs or is collected in ponds and canals.

21. 2. That is, after freshness and greenness, those crops wither and turn yellow, and then they crumble into pieces. Just as branches of wood dry up and become subject to breaking apart.

21. Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the sky, then channels it as springs in the earth [31], then He brings forth crops of different colors with it? Then they ripen, and you see them turn yellow, then He makes them chaff. Surely, in this [32] is a lesson for those of understanding.

[31] Some of the rainwater is absorbed into the earth and irrigates the land. The excess water goes further down. Sometimes it gushes forth in the form of springs, and sometimes it is extracted by digging wells, etc. The surplus water flows in streams and takes the form of rivers. These are all sources of water. And in whatever form it may be, the needs of humans, animals, and plants are fulfilled by the rainwater.

[32]
Even the Perfection of the World Will Inevitably Face Decline:

The lesson is that whatever reaches its peak must also inevitably face decline. When it is in full bloom, it appears very beautiful and attractive, but its end is a lesson to behold. This is also the condition of plants. Then, this is also the condition of human life itself. These things can be observed by every person. However, the rise and fall of nations, though of the same nature, are not witnessed by individuals, because they span centuries. And we come to know about them from history—that such-and-such nation had its era of ascendancy at a certain time, and its period of decline at another. Furthermore, this is also the case with this world, which is currently displaying its splendor, and most people have become enamored with it, absorbed and engrossed in it. However, its end, according to the law of Allah, is destined to be the same as that of other things. Therefore, a person should take a lesson from these examples and, instead of being captivated by this world, should be concerned about that home which will never face decline.