سُوْرَةُ الرَّعْدِ
Surah Ar-Ra'd (13) — Ayah 17
أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌۢ بِقَدَرِهَا فَٱحْتَمَلَ ٱلسَّيْلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا ۚ وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فِى ٱلنَّارِ ٱبْتِغَآءَ حِلْيَةٍ أَوْ مَتَـٰعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحَقَّ وَٱلْبَـٰطِلَ ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَآءً ۖ وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and the valleys flow according to their measure, but the flood bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface - and (also) from that (ore) which they heat in the fire in order to make ornaments or utensils, rises a foam like unto it, thus does Allâh (by parables) show forth truth and falsehood. Then, as for the foam it passes away as scum upon the banks, while that which is for the good of mankind remains in the earth. Thus Allâh sets forth parables (for the truth and falsehood, i.e. Belief and disbelief).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَنزَلَ
anzala
He sends down
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلسَّمَآءِ
l-samāi
the sky
مَآءًۭ
māan
water
فَسَالَتْ
fasālat
and flows
أَوْدِيَةٌۢ
awdiyatun
the valleys
بِقَدَرِهَا
biqadarihā
according to their measure
فَٱحْتَمَلَ
fa-iḥ'tamala
and carries
ٱلسَّيْلُ
l-saylu
the torrent
زَبَدًۭا
zabadan
a foam
رَّابِيًۭا ۚ
rābiyan
rising
وَمِمَّا
wamimmā
And from what
يُوقِدُونَ
yūqidūna
they heat
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
[on] it
فِى
fī
in
ٱلنَّارِ
l-nāri
the fire
ٱبْتِغَآءَ
ib'tighāa
in order to make
حِلْيَةٍ
ḥil'yatin
ornaments
أَوْ
aw
or
مَتَـٰعٍۢ
matāʿin
utensils
زَبَدٌۭ
zabadun
a foam
مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚ
mith'luhu
like it
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
يَضْرِبُ
yaḍribu
sets forth
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
ٱلْحَقَّ
l-ḥaqa
the truth
وَٱلْبَـٰطِلَ ۚ
wal-bāṭila
and the falsehood
فَأَمَّا
fa-ammā
Then as for
ٱلزَّبَدُ
l-zabadu
the foam
فَيَذْهَبُ
fayadhhabu
it passes away
جُفَآءًۭ ۖ
jufāan
(as) scum
وَأَمَّا
wa-ammā
and as for
مَا
mā
what
يَنفَعُ
yanfaʿu
benefits
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the mankind
فَيَمْكُثُ
fayamkuthu
remains
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
l-arḍi
the earth
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
يَضْرِبُ
yaḍribu
Allah sets forth
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah sets forth
ٱلْأَمْثَالَ
l-amthāla
the examples
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
17. 1. The meaning of "بقدرھا وسعت" is that if the valley, that is, the space between two mountains, is narrow, it holds less water, and if it is wide, it holds more water. That is, the descent of the Quran, which is the source of guidance and explanation, is likened to the descent of rain because the benefit of the Quran is also general like the benefit of rain. The valleys are likened to hearts because water settles in the valleys and streams just as the Quran and faith settle in the hearts of the believers.
17. 1. When the foam rises above the water and whatever is useless is eliminated and the winds carry it away, disbelief is meant, which, like the foam, is something that will be blown away and eliminated.
17. 2. This is the second form: when copper, brass, lead, or gold and silver are heated in fire to make jewelry or utensils, foam also rises above them. Then this foam disappears before your eyes, and the metal remains in its original form.
17. 3. That is, when truth and falsehood come together and clash, falsehood does not have stability and permanence, just as the foam of a flood does not remain with the water, and the foam of metals, which are heated in fire, does not remain with the metals, but rather it is useless and eliminated.
17. 4. That is, there is no benefit from it, because the foam does not remain with the water or the metal, but gradually settles down or the winds carry it away. The example of falsehood is also like the foam.
17. 5. That is, water and gold, silver, copper, brass, etc., these things remain, from which people benefit and take advantage. Similarly, the truth remains, whose existence is never lost and whose benefit is everlasting.
17. 6. That is, to make the matter understandable and to impress it upon the mind, examples are given, as here two examples have been given, and similarly, at the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah, examples have been given for the hypocrites. Likewise, in Surah An-Nur, verses 39 and 40, two examples have been given for the disbelievers. And in the ahadith, the Prophet ﷺ also explained many matters to people through examples. For details, see Tafsir Ibn Kathir.
17. 1. When the foam rises above the water and whatever is useless is eliminated and the winds carry it away, disbelief is meant, which, like the foam, is something that will be blown away and eliminated.
17. 2. This is the second form: when copper, brass, lead, or gold and silver are heated in fire to make jewelry or utensils, foam also rises above them. Then this foam disappears before your eyes, and the metal remains in its original form.
17. 3. That is, when truth and falsehood come together and clash, falsehood does not have stability and permanence, just as the foam of a flood does not remain with the water, and the foam of metals, which are heated in fire, does not remain with the metals, but rather it is useless and eliminated.
17. 4. That is, there is no benefit from it, because the foam does not remain with the water or the metal, but gradually settles down or the winds carry it away. The example of falsehood is also like the foam.
17. 5. That is, water and gold, silver, copper, brass, etc., these things remain, from which people benefit and take advantage. Similarly, the truth remains, whose existence is never lost and whose benefit is everlasting.
17. 6. That is, to make the matter understandable and to impress it upon the mind, examples are given, as here two examples have been given, and similarly, at the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah, examples have been given for the hypocrites. Likewise, in Surah An-Nur, verses 39 and 40, two examples have been given for the disbelievers. And in the ahadith, the Prophet ﷺ also explained many matters to people through examples. For details, see Tafsir Ibn Kathir.
