ﱁ ﱂ ﱃ ﱄ ﱅ ﱆ ﱇ ﱈ ﱉ ﱊ ﱋ ﱌ ﱍ ﱎ ﱏ ﱐ ﱑ ﱒ ﱓ ﱔ ﱕ ﱖ ﱗ ﱘ
And of His signs is that you see the earth stilled, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and grows. Indeed, He who has given it life is the Giver of Life to the dead. Indeed, He is over all things competent.
Tafsir
Verse range: 41:39
Then, when We send down water upon it—meaning rain—it stirs and swells. That is, it moves with vegetation and expands, because when a plant is about to emerge, the earth rises and swells for it, then splits open to reveal the vegetation. It is also permissible that the statement contains a metaphorical representation (isti'arah tamthiliyyah): He likened the state of the earth's barrenness and its lack of vegetation, followed by Allah the Exalted reviving it with rain and its transformation from barrenness to fertility and the growth of every pleasant pair, to the state of a depressed, grief-stricken, disheveled person who is held in no regard, when he receives some of the goods and adornments of this world, takes pains to apply various decorations and ornaments, and then struts in his gait, blossoming in his vanity, shaking with arrogance and pride. Thus, the subject of the comparison was omitted, and the terms "desolation" (khushu') and "shaking" (ihtizaz) were used as indicators of its status. The consideration of a metaphorical representation is preferred.
It was also read as raba'at, meaning it increased. Al-Zajjaj said: The meaning of rabat is "it became great," and raba'at with a hamzah means "it rose," from which is derived al-rabi'ah (the lookout/scout), which is a guard positioned on a high place.
Indeed, He who has revived it—by what was mentioned—after its death, is the Giver of Life to the dead—through resurrection—for He is, over all things—from among the things, of which revival is one—All-Powerful.
