وَعِنَبًا وَقَضبًا
And vines and vegetables.
EXEGESIS
ʿInab (vines) can mean either the grape itself or the grapevine (pl. aʿnāb). While the cluster is called ʿinab, the one single grape is ʿinbah.[1]
Qaḍb (vegetables) is derived from the root verb qaḍaba, meaning to cut off something.[2] This is the only verse in the Quran that uses it. It is a general term for any type of fodder or feed that is planted, cultivated, or gathered for animals. They are called qaḍb because of how they are cut off or separated from the bunch or stalk, and then fed to animals.[3] Hence, the translation vegetables should more accurately be ‘fodder’.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Regarding the meaning of qaḍb, some other opinions have also been mentioned:
- All kinds of various herbs, which are continuously gathered.[4]
- Root and tuber vegetables, such as carrots, onions, and turnips.[5]
- Any plant that is eaten fresh, such as cucumbers, squash, and the like. It has also been said that it is the fresh fodder that animals eat, and it is called qaḍb because it is cut (yuqḍab).[6]
Based on this, some have opted to understand the word to mean vegetables.
[1] Raghib, p. 589, ʿ-n-b.
[2] Lisan, 1/678, q-ḍ-b; Tahqiq, 9/312, q-ḍ-b.
[4] Nemuneh, 26/149-150.
[5] Related in Nemuneh, 26/150.
[6] Tantawi, 10/668; related in Nemuneh, 26/150.