Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah An-Nahl -> The Blessings of Rain, and explaining how it is one of the Signs |
When Allah mentions the blessings of cattle and other animals that He has granted mankind, He then mentions how He has blessed them by sending rain down from the sky above, which has been fulfilling the needs and bringing joy to people and their cattle. Allah says: ﴿لَّكُم مَّنْهُ شَرَابٌ﴾ (from it you drink) meaning, He made it fresh and pure so that they can drink it, not salty and undrinkable. ﴿وَمِنْهُ شَجَرٌ فِيهِ تُسِيمُونَ﴾ (and from it (grows) the vegetation on which you send your cattle to pasture.) meaning, from it He raised plants on which your cattle graze. Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd, all said that this refers to grazing animals including camels. ﴿يُنبِتُ لَكُمْ بِهِ الزَّرْعَ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالنَّخِيلَ وَالأَعْنَـبَ وَمِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَتِ﴾ (With it He causes crops to grow for you, olives, date palms, grapes, and every kind of fruit.) meaning, with this one kind of water, He makes the earth sprout plants with different tastes, colors, scents and shapes. For this reason He says, ﴿إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾ (Verily, in this there is indeed an evident proof and a manifest sign for people who give thought.) meaning, this is a sign and a proof that there is no god besides Allah, as He says: ﴿أَمَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ حَدَآئِقَ ذَاتَ بَهْجَةٍ مَّا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُنبِتُواْ شَجَرَهَا أَإِلَـهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ يَعْدِلُونَ ﴾ (Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and the earth, and sends water down for you from the sky, from which We cause wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight to grow You are not able to cause the growth of their trees. Is there any ilah (god) with Allah Nay, but they are a people who make equals (to Him)!) (27:60). ﴿وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ وَالْنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالْنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَتٌ بِأَمْرِهِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَـتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ - وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ﴾ (12. And He has subjected the night and the day for you, and the sun and the moon; and the stars are subjected by His command. Surely, in this are proofs for people who understand.) (13. And all He has created of varying colors on the earth for you. Verily, in this is a sign for people who reflect.)
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