Quran 23:18 Surah Muminun ayat 18 Tafsir Ibn Katheer in English
﴿وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً بِقَدَرٍ فَأَسْكَنَّاهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَادِرُونَ﴾
[ المؤمنون: 18]
23:18 And We have sent down rain from the sky in a measured amount and settled it in the earth. And indeed, We are Able to take it away.
Surah Al-Muminun in ArabicTafsir Surah Muminun ayat 18
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Quran 23:18 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn
And We sent down water out of the heaven in measure that suffices them and We lodged it within the earth; and We are indeed able to take it away so that they die of thirst together with their livestock.
Almuntakhab Fi Tafsir Alquran Alkarim
And We sent down from the floor of the vault of heaven rain water in due measure and We settled it on the planet earth partly without and partly within - enough to effect the necessary equilibrium, between the opposing forces of land and water, between cloud formation and fresh water in rivers and lakes maintaining life, between the clouds and the water deposited underground- and We are certainly able to make it vanish
Quran 23:18 Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Allah's Signs and Blessings in the Rain, Vegetation, Trees and Cattle
Allah mentions His innumerable blessings to His servants, whereby He sends down rain in due measure, meaning, according to what is needed, not so much that it damages the lands and buildings, and not so little to be insufficient for crops and fruits, but whatever is needed for irrigation, drinking and other benefits.
If there is a land that needs a lot of water for its irrigation but its fertile soil would be carried away if rain fell on it, then Allah sends water to it from another land, as in the case of Egypt, which is said to be a barren land.
Allah sends the water of the Nile to it, which brings red soil from Ethiopia when it rains there.
The water brings the red soil which is used to irrigate the land of Egypt, and whatever of it is deposited is used for agriculture, because the land of Egypt is infertile, and most of it is sand.
Glory be to the Subtle One, the All-Knowing, the Most Merciful, the Forgiving.
فَأَسْكَنَّاهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ
( and We gave it lodging in the earth, ) means, `when the water comes down from the clouds, We cause it to settle in the earth, and We cause the earth to absorb it and the seeds etc.
in the earth to be nourished by it.'
وَإِنَّا عَلَى ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَـدِرُونَ
( and verily, We are able to take it away. ) means, `if We wanted to cause it not to rain, We could do so; if We wanted to divert it towards the wilderness and wastelands, We could do so; if We wanted to make it salty so that you could not benefit from it for drinking or irrigation, We could do so; if We wanted to cause it not to be absorbed by the earth, but to remain on the surface, We could do so; if We wanted to make it go deep underground where you would not be able to reach it and you could not benefit from it, We could do so.' But by His grace and mercy, He causes sweet, fresh water to fall on you from the clouds, then it settles in the earth and forms springs and rivers, and you use it to irrigate your crops and fruits, and you drink it and give it to your livestock and cattle, and you bathe and purify yourselves with it.
To Him is due the praise and thanks.
فَأَنشَأْنَا لَكُمْ بِهِ جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـبٍ
( Then We brought forth for you therewith gardens of date palms and grapes, ) means, `from that which We send down from the sky, We bring forth for you gardens and orchards which look beautiful.'
مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍ
( of date palms and grapes, ) These were the kinds of gardens that were known to the people of the Hijaz, but there is no difference between a thing and its counterpart.
The people of each region have fruits which are the blessing of Allah given to them, and for which they cannot properly thank Allah enough.
لَّكُمْ فِيهَا فَوَكِهُ كَثِيرَةٌ
( wherein is much fruit for you, ) means, of all fruits.
As Allah says elsewhere:
يُنبِتُ لَكُمْ بِهِ الزَّرْعَ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالنَّخِيلَ وَالأَعْنَـبَ وَمِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَتِ
( With it the rain He causes to grow for you the crops, the olives, the date palms, the grapes, and every kind of fruit ) 16:11.
وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ
( and whereof you eat. ) This implies that you look at its beauty, wait for it to ripen, then eat from it.
وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِن طُورِ سَيْنَآءَ
( And a tree that springs forth from Tur Sinai, ) means the olive tree.
Tur means a mountain.
Some of the scholars said, "It is called Tur if there are trees on it, and if it is bare it is called Jabal, not Tur.
And Allah knows best.
Mount Sinai is the same as Tur Sinin, and it is the mountain on which Allah spoke to Musa bin `Imran, peace be upon him, and in the surrounding mountains there are olive trees.
تَنبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ
( that grows oil, ) Some scholars think it linguistically means that it brings forth oil.
Others say it linguistically means "comes forth with oil." Allah said,
وَصِبْغٍ
( and relish ) meaning a condiment.
according to Qatadah.
لِّلأَكِلِيِنَ
( for the eaters.
) means, it contains a beneficial oil and condiment.
`Abd bin Humayd recorded in his Musnad and Tafsir from `Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«ائْتَدِمُوا بِالزَّيْتِ وَادَّهِنُوا بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَة»
( Eat (olive ) oil as a condiment and apply it as oil, for it comes from a blessed tree.) It was recorded by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.
Allah's saying;
وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِى الاٌّنْعَـمِ لَعِبْرَةً نُّسْقِيكُمْ مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِهَا وَلَكُمْ فيِهَا مَنَـفِعُ كَثِيرَةٌ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ - وَعَلَيْهَا وَعَلَى الْفُلْكِ تُحْمَلُونَ
( And verily, in the cattle there is indeed a lesson for you.
We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies.
And there are, in them, numerous benefits for you, and of them you eat.
And on them and on ships you are carried ), Here Allah mentions the benefits He has given to His servants in cattle, for they drink their milk which comes out from between dung and blood, they eat their meat and clothe themselves with their wool and hair, they ride on their backs and carry heavy burdens on them to far away lands, as Allah says:
وَتَحْمِلُ أَثْقَالَكُمْ إِلَى بَلَدٍ لَّمْ تَكُونُواْ بَـلِغِيهِ إِلاَّ بِشِقِّ الأَنفُسِ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
( And they carry your loads to a land that you could not reach except with great trouble to yourselves.
Truly, your Lord is full of kindness, Most Merciful. ) 16:7
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَآ أَنْعـماً فَهُمْ لَهَا مَـلِكُونَ - وَذَلَّلْنَـهَا لَهُمْ فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ - وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مَنَـفِعُ وَمَشَـرِبُ أَفَلاَ يَشْكُرُونَ
( Do they not see that We have created for them of what Our Hands have created, the cattle, so that they are their owners.
And We have subdued them unto them so that some of them they have for riding and some they eat.
And in them there are benefits for them, and drink.
Will they not then be grateful ) 36:71-73
Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi
(23:18) And We sent down rain from the sky in due measure and lodged it in the earth : *17 and We are able to take it away as We will. *18
And We have sent down rain from meaning
*17) The " rain " may refer to the rainfall, which comes down every now and then.
It may also refer to the great store of water which Allah sent down at the time of the creation of the earth to fulfil its various needs till the Last Day, and which still exists in the shape of seas, lakes, sub-soil water, etc.
It is the same water which evaporates in summer and freezes in winter and is carried by winds from place to place and spread over the earth by rivers, springs and wells to cause the growth of multitudes of things, and then is again restored to the seas, lakes, etc.
Neither has this store of water been decreased by a drop nor was there any need to increase it by a drop since its creation.
Today it is too well known how water comes about by the combination of oxygen and hydrogen in a certain ratio.
The question is why can't more water be produced when oxygen and hydrogen still exist in abundance in the world? Who caused them to combine in the proper ratio in the beginning to produce oceans of water and who now stops them from coming together to produce an extra drop? Then when water evaporates, who causes oxygen and hydrogen to remain combined .n water vapours even in the gaseous state.
Have the atheists and polytheists, who believe in independent deities for water, air, summer and ! winter, any answer to this question?
*18) This is to warn that Allah is able to take away the water if He so wills, and deprive the world of its most important means of life.
Thus, this verse is more comprehensive in meaning than verse 30 of Surah Al-hulk ( LXVII ):
" Ask them: Have you ever considered that if the water of your wells should sink down into the earth, who would then restore to you running springs of water? "
Tafsir Maarif-ul-Quran Mufti Muhammad Shafi
Allah's Signs and Blessings in the Rain, Vegetation, Trees and Cattle
Allah mentions His innumerable blessings to His servants, whereby He sends down rain in due measure, meaning, according to what is needed, not so much that it damages the lands and buildings, and not so little to be insufficient for crops and fruits, but whatever is needed for irrigation, drinking and other benefits.
If there is a land that needs a lot of water for its irrigation but its fertile soil would be carried away if rain fell on it, then Allah sends water to it from another land, as in the case of Egypt, which is said to be a barren land.
Allah sends the water of the Nile to it, which brings red soil from Ethiopia when it rains there.
The water brings the red soil which is used to irrigate the land of Egypt, and whatever of it is deposited is used for agriculture, because the land of Egypt is infertile, and most of it is sand.
Glory be to the Subtle One, the All-Knowing, the Most Merciful, the Forgiving.
فَأَسْكَنَّاهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ
( and We gave it lodging in the earth, ) means, `when the water comes down from the clouds, We cause it to settle in the earth, and We cause the earth to absorb it and the seeds etc.
in the earth to be nourished by it.'
وَإِنَّا عَلَى ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَـدِرُونَ
( and verily, We are able to take it away. ) means, `if We wanted to cause it not to rain, We could do so; if We wanted to divert it towards the wilderness and wastelands, We could do so; if We wanted to make it salty so that you could not benefit from it for drinking or irrigation, We could do so; if We wanted to cause it not to be absorbed by the earth, but to remain on the surface, We could do so; if We wanted to make it go deep underground where you would not be able to reach it and you could not benefit from it, We could do so.' But by His grace and mercy, He causes sweet, fresh water to fall on you from the clouds, then it settles in the earth and forms springs and rivers, and you use it to irrigate your crops and fruits, and you drink it and give it to your livestock and cattle, and you bathe and purify yourselves with it.
To Him is due the praise and thanks.
فَأَنشَأْنَا لَكُمْ بِهِ جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـبٍ
( Then We brought forth for you therewith gardens of date palms and grapes, ) means, `from that which We send down from the sky, We bring forth for you gardens and orchards which look beautiful.'
مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍ
( of date palms and grapes, ) These were the kinds of gardens that were known to the people of the Hijaz, but there is no difference between a thing and its counterpart.
The people of each region have fruits which are the blessing of Allah given to them, and for which they cannot properly thank Allah enough.
لَّكُمْ فِيهَا فَوَكِهُ كَثِيرَةٌ
( wherein is much fruit for you, ) means, of all fruits.
As Allah says elsewhere:
يُنبِتُ لَكُمْ بِهِ الزَّرْعَ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالنَّخِيلَ وَالأَعْنَـبَ وَمِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَتِ
( With it the rain He causes to grow for you the crops, the olives, the date palms, the grapes, and every kind of fruit ) 16:11.
وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ
( and whereof you eat. ) This implies that you look at its beauty, wait for it to ripen, then eat from it.
وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِن طُورِ سَيْنَآءَ
( And a tree that springs forth from Tur Sinai, ) means the olive tree.
Tur means a mountain.
Some of the scholars said, "It is called Tur if there are trees on it, and if it is bare it is called Jabal, not Tur.
And Allah knows best.
Mount Sinai is the same as Tur Sinin, and it is the mountain on which Allah spoke to Musa bin `Imran, peace be upon him, and in the surrounding mountains there are olive trees.
تَنبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ
( that grows oil, ) Some scholars think it linguistically means that it brings forth oil.
Others say it linguistically means "comes forth with oil." Allah said,
وَصِبْغٍ
( and relish ) meaning a condiment.
according to Qatadah.
لِّلأَكِلِيِنَ
( for the eaters.
) means, it contains a beneficial oil and condiment.
`Abd bin Humayd recorded in his Musnad and Tafsir from `Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«ائْتَدِمُوا بِالزَّيْتِ وَادَّهِنُوا بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَة»
( Eat (olive ) oil as a condiment and apply it as oil, for it comes from a blessed tree.) It was recorded by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.
Allah's saying;
وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِى الاٌّنْعَـمِ لَعِبْرَةً نُّسْقِيكُمْ مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِهَا وَلَكُمْ فيِهَا مَنَـفِعُ كَثِيرَةٌ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ - وَعَلَيْهَا وَعَلَى الْفُلْكِ تُحْمَلُونَ
( And verily, in the cattle there is indeed a lesson for you.
We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies.
And there are, in them, numerous benefits for you, and of them you eat.
And on them and on ships you are carried ), Here Allah mentions the benefits He has given to His servants in cattle, for they drink their milk which comes out from between dung and blood, they eat their meat and clothe themselves with their wool and hair, they ride on their backs and carry heavy burdens on them to far away lands, as Allah says:
وَتَحْمِلُ أَثْقَالَكُمْ إِلَى بَلَدٍ لَّمْ تَكُونُواْ بَـلِغِيهِ إِلاَّ بِشِقِّ الأَنفُسِ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
( And they carry your loads to a land that you could not reach except with great trouble to yourselves.
Truly, your Lord is full of kindness, Most Merciful. ) 16:7
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَآ أَنْعـماً فَهُمْ لَهَا مَـلِكُونَ - وَذَلَّلْنَـهَا لَهُمْ فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ - وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مَنَـفِعُ وَمَشَـرِبُ أَفَلاَ يَشْكُرُونَ
( Do they not see that We have created for them of what Our Hands have created, the cattle, so that they are their owners.
And We have subdued them unto them so that some of them they have for riding and some they eat.
And in them there are benefits for them, and drink.
Will they not then be grateful ) 36:71-73
Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs
( And We send down from the sky water ) rain ( in measure ) of livelihood; and it is also said that this means: in proportion of what you need, ( and We give it lodging ) and We deposit it ( in the earth ) thus making from it pools, fountains, rivers and brooks, ( and lo! We are able to withdraw it ) and We are Able to leave it unused in the depth of the earth.
Muhammad Taqiud-Din alHilali
And We sent down from the sky water (rain) in (due) measure, and We gave it lodging in the earth, and verily, We are Able to take it away.
We try our best to translate, keeping in mind the Italian saying: "Traduttore, traditore", which means: "Translation is a betrayal of the original text".
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