A deeply reflective verse of Al Qur’an that teaches man the entire cycle of human life

Al Qur'an is book of Divine Wisdom which uses many a approach to show to the man what life really is and how men of wisdom can interpret verses of Qur'an through deep reflection. While many verses are straight and easy to understand, some verses use natural imagery to deliver a single, powerful worldview about life (dunyā). One such verse is 21st verse of Surah 39 Az-Zumar which is a deeply reflective verse that combines observable nature, divine control, and moral guidance. Its wisdom lies not merely in describing a natural process, but in teaching how to think about life, time, power, and the Hereafter.

اَلَمۡ تَرَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ اَنۡزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَلَـكَهٗ يَنَابِيۡعَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ ثُمَّ يُخۡرِجُ بِهٖ زَرۡعًا مُّخۡتَلِفًا اَ لۡوَانُهٗ ثُمَّ يَهِيۡجُ فَتَـرٰٮهُ مُصۡفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَجۡعَلُهٗ حُطَامًا​ ؕ اِنَّ فِىۡ ذٰ لِكَ لَذِكۡرٰى لِاُولِى الۡاَلۡبَابِ

(39:21) Do you not see that Allah sent down water from the sky, then made it flow on earth as springs and streams and rivers and then with it He brings forth vegetation of various hues; then this vegetation ripens and dries up, turning yellow, where after He reduces it to broken straw? Surely there is a lesson in this for those endowed with understanding.

Understanding of the verse by the Ordinaries

For most of the readers of AL Qur'an, this verse just describes a natural phenomenon. Allah in ths verses describes a natural process wherein the rain descends from the clouds, Water flows and settles in the earth, vegetation grows in different colors and the plants mature. Then a time comes when there is no rain and the vegetation dries up and turns yellow and finally crumbles into straw.

Then Allah concludes: “Surely in this is a reminder for those endowed with understanding.”

Understanding of the verse by those endowed with wisdom and understanding

The men of wisdom correlate this verse with various phases plant life with that of man's life cycle: (1) Rain means birth of a child, the growth of plants to the developing youth and turning into a man's prime age when he is contributing and reflecting. Then slowly and gradually man enters into his old age just like yellowing of the plants and then like lifeless straw, a man too dies and the life cycle ends.

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, One of the eminent scholars and exegetes of Al Qur'an explains the core idea behind this verse as under:

"A man of understanding learns this lesson from it that the life of this world and its adornments are all transitory: the end of every spring is autumn; the fate of every youth is weakness and death; and every rise has a fall. Therefore, this world is not something of which one should be charmed and enamored so as to forget God and the Hereafter and should conduct himself here in a manner as to nun his Hereafter, only for the sake of enjoying the short lived pleasures of this world. Then a man of understanding also learns this lesson from these phenomena that the spring and autumn of this world are only under Allah's control: Allah allows to grow and prosper whomever He wills and ruins and lays waste whomever He wills. Neither it is in anybody's power to stop the growth of someone whom Allah wills to grow, nor has anyone the power to save him from destruction whom Allah wills to destroy.

The 14th century Muslim scholar Ibn Kathir explains that:

• The natural phenomenon described is not random but a deliberate sign from Allah, designed to lead people to recognize their Creator and the ultimate reality beyond the physical world. 
• The verse serves as a parable for the life of this world, which begins with life and ends in decay, urging people to heed the divine message.  

Wisdom behind the verse - Layer by Layer

• 1️⃣ Allah as the Absolute Controller
• “Allah sent down water from the sky…” That is the verse begins by attributing the entire process directly to Allah, not to chance or nature acting independently.
• Wisdom: Man learns that the rain is beyond human control - which means that human planning is useless without divine permission. This cultivates humility, not arrogance 
• ➡️ Lesson: Human power is limited; divine power is absolute.
• 2️⃣ Hidden Provision and Divine Planning
• “…then made it flow on earth as springs…” - That is water does not just fall and disappear as it penetrates the ground and stored invisibly. Then it re-emerges as springs, streams, and rivers
• Wisdom: Allah provides sustenance in unseen ways - What disappears from sight is not lost and that delay does not mean denial
• ➡️ Lesson: Trust Allah even when provision is unseen.
• 3️⃣ Diversity within Unity
• “…vegetation of various hues…” That is rain is alike all over where it falls, yet it produces multicoloured hues, different taste and benefits.
• Wisdom: Unity of source, diversity of outcomes - describing the Evidence of divine design, not randomness
• ➡️ Lesson: Differences among people and creations are intentional and meaningful.
• 4️⃣ Peak Does Not Mean Permanence
• “…then it ripens…” that is the vegetation reaches: Full beauty and maximum usefulness , yet the stage is brief and temporary.
• Wisdom: Every worldly success has a peak -but youth, power, wealth are temporary and do not last forever.
• ➡️ Lesson: Do not be deceived by temporary perfection.
• 5️⃣ Inevitable Decline
• “…then you see it turn yellow…” Which means no force stops aging and plants weaken, the once vibrant and fresh hues start to fade and lose strength.
• Wisdom: Decline is part of divine law for nothing created is permanent and has to decay and die ultimately.
• ➡️ Lesson: This world is not a place of eternity.
• 6️⃣ Complete Dissolution
• “…then He makes it broken straw…” That is what once was nourished, beautified and sustained life, becomes worthless debris.
• Wisdom: Material value is temporary and that pride in worldly status is foolish
• ➡️ Lesson: Attachment to dunya leads to loss. Those who live for this world alone with disregard to the life of the Hereafter will be the ultimate losers.

The Central Message

This verse is a parable of human life: Just as plants do not remain, neither do humans.

• Why Allah Ends with “People of Understanding” because everyone sees plants grow and die - yet not everyone reflects. 
• True intelligence in the Qur’an is not IQ, Knowledge or Science. It is reflection that leads to humility and obedience.

Practical Lessons for Today

Since this life is temporary and is a testing ground for man to reflect upon purpose of one's creation. Therefore one should:

• Never be arrogant in success or boast about it for nothing is permanent.
• Never despair in decline for it is a natural phenomena and no matter how much a man may try, the decline is bound to happen.
• Use prosperity before it fades
• Prepare for the Hereafter while time remains
• Read nature as a sign, not just a resource

Surah 39:21 teaches that just as vegetation rises, flourishes, and fades by Allah’s will, so too does human life — and only those who reflect prepare for what comes after the harvest.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs) already published.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

The Divine Justice: The Evil Doers and the Righteous Cannot be Equated

Many non believers often question the Divine wisdom of creating evil and good in the universe and "suggest" why God did not create all good people so that the world could have been a happy place to live. The simple answer is that the world was only for the good or for the bad, then what was the use of creation in the first place. The good and evil have been created as a test so as to see who all see a wisdom in the divine creations and then have faith and do good as compared to those who despite enjoying the countless creations continue to defy and existence of the Creator and thus fail the test.

Thus 21st ayat / verse of Surah Al-Jathiya plainly and clearly spells out the basis of divine Justice:

اَمۡ حَسِبَ الَّذِيۡنَ اجۡتَـرَحُوا السَّيِّاٰتِ اَنۡ نَّجۡعَلَهُمۡ كَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ ۙ سَوَآءً مَّحۡيَاهُمۡ وَمَمَاتُهُمۡ​ ؕ سَآءَ مَا يَحۡكُمُوۡنَ

(45:21) Do the evil-doers imagine that We shall make them equal to those who believe and do good, making their lives and deaths alike? How vile is their judgement!

This is the moral reasoning for the truth of the Hereafter. The difference of good and evil in morals and of goodness and wickedness in deeds necessarily demands that the good and the evil people should not meet with one and the same end, but the good should be rewarded for their good and the wicked punished for their evil deeds. Otherwise, if the good and the evil end up similarly, the distinction of virtue and vice in morals becomes meaningless and God becomes unjust. The people who follow evil ways in the world do want that there should be no accountability and no rewards and punishments, for this concept goes against their enjoyment of life, but it is against the justice and wisdom of the Lord of the worlds that He should treat the good and the evil alike, and should not care to see how the righteous believer has lived his life in the world and how the sinful unbeliever has been enjoying it. One of them kept himself subjected to moral restrictions all his life, rendered the rights of those to whorl they were due, restrained himself from the unlawful benefits and pleasures, and continued to incur losses for the sake of the truth; the other fulfilled his desires in every possible wary: neither recognized the rights of God nor hesitated froth violating the rights of the people, but watt un collecting benefits and good things of life in every possible way. Can it be expected of God that He would overlook the difference between the lives of the two kinds of men? If the end of both be the same, no greater injustice could be conceived. (For further explanation, sec Yunus: 4, Hud: 106 An-Nahl: 38 39, AI-Hajj: E N. 9, An-Naml: E,N. 86, Ar-Rum: 7-8, Suad: 28 and E.N. 30 on it).

The vey next ayat / verse clarifies the fate of the evil and reward for the righteous: 

وَ خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ بِالۡحَقِّ وَلِتُجۡزٰى كُلُّ نَفۡسٍۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ 

(45:22) Allah created the heavens and the earth in Truth that each person may be requited for his deeds. They shall not be wronged.

Let us see how other scholars interpret this verse:

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

The Life and the Death of the Believers and the Disbelievers are not Equal: Allah the Exalted states here that the believers and the disbelievers are never equal. Allah said in another Ayah, (Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise. It is the dwellers of Paradise that will be successful.) (59:20) 

Allah said here, (Or do those who earn evil deeds think) those who commit and practice evil, (that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous good deeds, in their life and their death) treat them equally in the present life of the world and in the Hereafter 

(Worst is the judgement that they make.) `worst is the thought that they have about Us and about Our justice, thinking that We will ever make the pious and the wicked equal in the Hereafter or this life.' 

At--Tabarani recorded that Shu`bah said that `Amr bin Murrah narrated that Abu Ad-Duha said that Masruq said that Tamim Ad-Dari once stood in voluntary prayer through the night until the morning only reciting this Ayah, (Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous good deeds) Allah said in reply: (Worst is the judgement that they make.) 

Muhammad Asad Explanation: 

The meaning is twofold: "that We consider them to be equal with those who.. .", etc., and "that We shall deal with them in the same manner as We deal with those who...", etc. The reference to the intrinsic difference between these two categories with regard to "their life and their death" points not merely to the moral quality of their worldly existence, but also, on the one hand, to the inner peace and tranquility with which a true believer faces life's tribulations and the moment of death, and on the other, to the nagging anxiety which so often accompanies spiritual nihilism, and the "fear of the unknown" at the time of dying.

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Three meanings can be deduced. (1) The evil ones are not in Allah's sight li ke the righteous ones; neither in life nor in death are they equal; in life the righteous are guided by Allah and receive His Grace, and after death His Mercy, while the others reject His Grace, and after death receive condemnation. (2) Neither are the two the same in this life and in the after-life; if the wicked flourish here, they will be condemned in the Hereafter; if the good are in suffering or sorrow here, they will receive comfort and consolation in the Hereafter. (3) The real life of the righteous is not like the nominal life of the wicked, which is really death; nor is the physical death of the righteous, which will bring them into eternal life, like the terrible death of the wicked which will bring them to eternal misery.

Qur'an Wiki:

The surah clearly distinguishes between those who commit evil and those who do good as a result of being believers. There is no way that they can be judged in the same way. They are different in God's sight. Furthermore, God has established His universal law on the basis of truth and justice.

This verse may be understood to refer to those among the people of earlier revelations who deviated from their scriptures and indulged in sin, but who nonetheless continued to think of themselves as believers. They might have thought themselves to be on the same level as Muslims who do good deeds. They might also have considered that the two groups are equal in God's sight, both in this life and in the life after death when people are given their reward or punishment. This may also be taken as a general discourse defining how people are judged on God's scales. It shows that believers who do good deeds are definitely in a higher position. It says that putting the evildoers and the righteous on the same level, either in this life or in the next, conflicts with the basic and permanent rule upon which the universe is founded, namely, the truth. Thus the truth is fundamental to both the universe and the Divine law. Consequently, both the universe and human life are set to progress by means of this truth. This manifests itself in the distinction between evildoers and those who do good in all respects, and in the individual judging of people on the basis of what each has earned through life. Justice is, thus, administered to all.

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein and continue the way of the righteous and not that of the evil doers. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5  6 |

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More