وَأَنزَلنا مِنَ المُعصِراتِ ماءً ثَجّاجًا
لِنُخرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَباتًا
وَجَنّاتٍ أَلفافًا
And send down water pouring from the rain-clouds,
that with it We may bring forth grains and plants,
and luxuriant gardens?
EXEGESIS
The root ʿaṣr means to squeeze, compress, and condense. Several meanings have been suggested for this term here: 1. Rain-clouds are called muʿṣirāt because they squeeze and condense each other. This could be confirmed by verses 56:68-69. 2. Muʿṣirāt are the winds, which squeeze and condense the clouds, as interpreted by Ibn Abbas. In this case, ‘from’ muʿṣirāt means ‘by means of’ muʿṣirāt. 3. The word muʿṣirāt here refers to the entire process and all of the factors and forces that create, raise, and condense the clouds until they rain. 4. Muʿṣirāt means the sky, as suggested by some early exegetes. This could be confirmed by many verses that say: We sent down water from the sky (15:22, 23:18, 25:48, 31:10). The first meaning is the most apparent of all. This term might also involve a subtle reference to the condensation process of vapour to water in clouds, something that was most likely unknown to the science of the time.
Thajja means to pour, flow, and cascade abundantly, like a flood, or consecutively. There are two possible meanings here, both of which are true: 1. We pour abundant and/or consecutive showers of rain; this meaning is suggested by most early exegetes. 2. We send down water that fluxes in streams and reaches a wide area. This is the only usage of this root in the Quran.
Alfāf is the plural of a laff or lafīf, and it means intertwined, profuse, and lush. It describes gardens with dense trees and thick foliage. This, together with grains and plants in verse 14, covers all forms of vegetation.
EXPOSITION
The cycle of raining and evaporation is an incredible recycling process that ensures the continuation of getting water to dry lands, for it is a crucial element of life (21:30). Moreover, the water that is poured down has the quality of flowing in valleys and channels, thereby covering a large area. See verses 36:33-35 and 80:25-32 for a more detailed description of how rainwater gives life to the earth and brings about plants and gardens.
According to these verses, the one who brings forth grains and plants is God, and rainwater is only a means by which He does this. The same is true about rain: [We] send down water (verse 14). This is the Quran’s monotheistic view of the universe, where God is the sole cause behind everything, and the other factors and causes are only His means and instruments. See the Exposition of verse 56:73 for an interesting discussion on unicity in actions (al-tawḥīd al-afʿālī).
It is interesting that the chapter starts with the signs and bounties that everyone can easily observe, understand, and admit: the earth, mountains, and spouses, but then gradually moves to signs and bounties that require more reflection and contemplation, such as sleep, night, and day. Finally, it gets to signs that require a more in-depth study and knowledge, like the creation of the heavens, the significance of the sun, and the process of rain. This order is also congruent with the whole purpose of these verses: to set the ground for what follows next: Indeed the Day of Judgement is the tryst (verse 17). The revivification of the earth and the growth of plants out of it are a clear and tangible example for the resurrection of the dead in the hereafter. It is Allah who sends the winds and they raise a cloud; then We drive it toward a dead land and with it revive the earth after its death. Likewise will be the resurrection [of the dead] (35:9).
These signs show that resurrection is not only possible, but also very sensible and logical. These verses show this through the following ways: 1. They talk about awakening after sleep, day after night, and the growth of plants, grains, and gardens. All of these are examples of life after death. 2. They show God’s infinite power. 3. The orderly design of the universe outlined in these verses proves God’s wisdom, which necessitates that these cycles of sleep and awakening, night and day, and seasons of the year, must be pursuing a goal and perfection. [Those who] reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth [and say]: ‘Our Lord, You have not created this in vain! Immaculate are You! Save us from the punishment of the fire’ (3:191).
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Some exegetes have said: the events mentioned in these verses show that one can understand religious beliefs through everyday events and dealings. Therefore, there is no need for intricate or technical discussions to prove the truth of religious beliefs.
This view should be understood correctly and in its own place. It should be clarified that there are different levels of understanding with regards to religious beliefs. The same everyday events and dealings can have different messages and indications for people with different talents, aptitudes, and capacities. Therefore, simple signs and proofs would be the initial steps, but the path to more in-depth study is open to those who are interested and capable, ‘depending on you and your capacity’.
When an atheist comes with advanced and technical philosophical arguments against religious beliefs, how should that be handled? There are some possible approaches to this: 1. Engage in a philosophical debate with him based on rational principles. The Quran and hadith have many latent rational arguments that can be extracted from them. This would be the suggestion of philosophically inclined Muslim scholars such as Tabatabai. 2. One should try to mimic the approach of the Quran, the Holy Prophet, and Ahl al-Bayt, all of whom predominantly draw on God’s signs in the creation to establish their claims. The general idea here is that the signs are more than clear and sufficient; those who fail to grasp them do not do so due to a lack of evidence, but because of spiritual and psychological impediments. Therefore, yielding to their lead in proposing a philosophical debate is to miss the problem and fall for a misleading appearance of search for the truth. Among the teaching practices of the Quran is warning, glad tiding, admonition, telling the stories of previous nations, and self-purification. These two solutions are by no means contradictory, but they are both valid and useful. It is indeed seen in the biographies of Prophet Muhammad (s) and the Imams that they used a variety of arguments against their opponents, ranging from purely rational and highly metaphysical arguments that are not comprehendible by the average man, to drawing on the more tangible phenomena of the natural world, as well as leading people to purify their souls and make their intentions sincere. All of these are seen in the Quran’s description of the Holy Prophet: We sent to you an Apostle from among yourselves, who recites to you Our signs, and purifies you, and teaches you the book and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know (2:151; also see 62:2, 2:129, 3:164).
The verse mentions grains first and then plants, while plants grow first and grains are the last stage of their growth. This order could be because what is primarily desired and sought in cultivation of plants is their grain. It could also be that grains are mainly a source of nutrition for humans, while plants compose feed. Likewise, gardens are mentioned last because their fruits and their shade are somewhat luxuries as opposed to necessities. The same order is seen in verses 6:99, 36:33-34, and 80:27-31. Other verses that mention gardens first (50:9, 55:11-12) could concern the natural order of their growth. Another possibility is that this difference in order indicates that the order of grains versus gardens is not of a primary concern in the Quran.
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
[1] Raghib under ʿ-ṣ-r; Lisan, under ʿ-ṣ-r.
[2] Therefore, the particle min means bāʾ, showing the instrument and means of something, Bahrayn, under ʿ-ṣ-r; Furqan, 30/30. The particle could still mean ‘from’, showing origination of an act (ibtidāʾ), as winds are one of the causes of rainfall, Zamakhshari, 4/686; Razi, 31/11.
[3] Tahqiq, under ʿ-ṣ-r.
[4] Tabari, 30/5.
[5] Raghib, under th-j-j; Tahqiq, under th-j-j.
[6] Tabrisi, 10/639, narrated from Qatādah.
[7] Tabari, 30/5.
[8] Raghib, under l-f-f; Tahqiq, under l-f-f; Tabari, 30/6.
[9] Alusi, 15/211.
[10] Qaraati, 10/361, with some elaboration.
[11] Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 4, line 1623.
[12] Razi, 31/11; Alusi, 15/210.
[13] Psalms 74:16.