Surah Al-An'am — Verse 99

Word Meanings:

• Mā’ (ماء): Rainwater sent down from the sky.
• Khaḍiran (خَضِرًا): Green vegetation, fresh and moist plants.
• Ḥabban mutarākiban (حَبًّا مُّتَرَاكِبًا): Grains stacked upon one another, like the kernels in ears of wheat, barley, and similar crops.
• Ṭalʿihā (طَلْعِهَا): The first emergence of the date-palm fruit, the spathe from which the clusters sprout.
• Qinwān (قِنْوَانٌ): Clusters or bunches of dates; the plural of qinw (a date cluster).
• Dāniyah (دَانِيَةٌ): Low-hanging, within easy reach of both the standing and the seated.
• Yanʿih (يَنْعِهِ): Its ripening and full maturity, when the fruit becomes sweet, beneficial, and ready to be enjoyed.

Tafsir (Explanation):

It is Allah—and He alone—who sends down rain from the sky, and by that water He brings forth every kind of plant and vegetation. From that green growth, He produces grains that pile up in layers within their ears, like the kernels of wheat, barley, and rice. From the spathe of the date-palm, He brings forth clusters of dates hanging low, so near that anyone—whether standing or sitting—can easily reach them. He also grows vineyards of grapes, and olive and pomegranate trees, whose leaves resemble one another but whose fruits differ in taste, shape, and nature.

Look, O people, with your own eyes at this fruit when it first appears—small, hard, and seemingly of little use—and then behold it as it ripens and matures, becoming large, sweet, and nourishing. Reflect on how this transformation happens, stage by stage, by the will of the One who has no partner. Indeed, in all of this are clear signs and undeniable proofs of Allah’s perfect power, wisdom, and mercy—for people who truly believe, for it is faith that opens the heart to see the Creator’s hand in every leaf, every drop of rain, and every ripening fruit.

These verses call you to pause and marvel: the same rain that falls on barren land brings forth gardens of every kind; the same earth that seems dead bursts into life at His command. If you ponder this, you will realize that the One who can bring life from dry soil is also able to bring you back after death, to reward the believer and hold the disbeliever to account. So let this reflection increase your faith, deepen your gratitude, and draw you closer to your Lord, who has placed these signs before you out of His immense mercy—so that you may know Him, worship Him alone, and live in obedience to His guidance. Indeed, in these wonders are lessons for every heart that seeks the truth and every soul that yearns for its Creator.