Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder): Verses (17–19)

Translation and Exegesis

[The verse begins with the continuation of the previous analogy, comparing the believer and the disbeliever to the seeing and the blind, and faith and disbelief to light and darkness.]

Allah (Exalted is He) likened faith and disbelief to another pair of examples, saying:

{He sends down water from the sky, and the valleys flow according to their measure.}

It is natural for water to settle in the low-lying valleys, less elevated than the mountains and hills, according to the capacity (size or narrowness) of those valleys. If the water exceeds the capacity of the valleys, it spreads over the land. Furthermore, the foam (or scum) that the water carries—which floats and rises above it—is scattered at the edges and vanishes. This applies both to the foam resulting from intense flowing (like boiling froth) and to light materials floating on the water.

When Allah mentioned this foam that appears only during intense flow, He followed it with the foam that appears only through fire. This is because when any of the seven types of metals are melted by fire to seek jewelry or other household goods, a type of scum and impurity separates from them. This scum is useless; it perishes, while the pure essence remains.

Summary of the Analogy:

1. When a valley flows, foam rises upon it, which is nullified, and the water remains.
2. When the seven metals are melted to make jewelry or other useful items, impurity and scum separate from them, which are nullified, and the useful essence remains.

Similarly here:

• Water has been sent down from the Heaven of Majesty, Glory, and Grace—this is the Qur'an.
• The valleys are the hearts of the servants, likened to valleys because the lights of the Qur'anic sciences settle within them, just as rainwater settles in valleys.
• Just as each valley receives rainwater according to its capacity (narrow or wide), each heart receives the lights of the Qur'anic sciences according to its capacity—its purity or impurity, the strength or deficiency of its understanding.
• Just as the foam and impurity of the melted metals mix with the water, then that foam and impurity disappear, leaving the essence of the water and the essence of the metals, so too do the clear proofs of the Qur'an mix with doubts and ambiguities. Ultimately, these doubts vanish, and the true knowledge, religion, wisdom, and spiritual insight remain in the end.

This is the establishment of this parable and the manner in which the analogy corresponds to what it represents. Most commentators remained silent regarding the explanation of how the analogy functions.

Second Issue: Verbal Discussions in this Verse

There are several discussions concerning the vocabulary in this verse:

Al-Awdiya is the plural of Wadi (valley). There are two opinions regarding the meaning of Wadi:

1. The First Opinion: It is the low-lying open space, lower than the mountains and hills, through which a torrent flows. This is the view of the majority of linguists.
2. The Second Opinion: Al-Suhrawardi stated that the water itself is called Wadi when it flows. He said that the word Wadi (meaning 'to flow') is derived from this, implying that Wadi is a name for the flowing water, similar to Masīl (stream).

The first opinion is the famous one. However, under the second interpretation, the phrase {and the valleys flow} (fasālat awdiya) would be metaphorical, meaning: "The waters of the valleys flowed," where the muḍāf (the possessed noun, i.e., miyāh) is omitted, and the muḍāf ilayh (the possessor, i.e., al-awdiya) takes its place.

Abu Ali al-Fārisī noted that Awdiya is the plural of Wādi (which follows the pattern Fā'il), and we do not know of any Fā'il pluralized as Af'ila. He suggests this might occur due to the interchangeability between the patterns Fā'il (like ʿālim) and Faʿīl (like ʿalīm), as seen in pairs like shāhid/shahīd and nāṣir/naṣīr.

Since the Fā'il pattern is usually pluralized as Afʿāl (e.g., ṣāḥib/aṣḥāb), and the Faʿīl pattern is pluralized as Afʿila (e.g., jarīb/ajriba), the similarity between Fā'il and Faʿīl allows the Fā'il noun (Wādi) to take the plural form of Faʿīl (Awdiya). Conversely, the Faʿīl noun can take the plural form of Fā'il (e.g., yatīm/aytām and sharīf/ashrāf).

Others noted a parallel: Nād (gathering place) and its plural Andiya (gatherings), similar to Wādi and Awdiya.

1. The word Awdiya is mentioned indefinitely because rain does not fall uniformly; it flows in some valleys while others remain dry.
2. Regarding {according to their measure} (bi-qadrihā):
   • Al-Wāḥidī stated that Qadr and Qadr (with different vowel markings) mean the limit or extent of something. Thus, what equals it in measure is its qadr.
   • The meaning is: the valleys flowed with a measure of water corresponding to them—if the valley is small, the water is little; if the valley is wide, the water is abundant.

Regarding: {Then the torrent carried a rising foam} (Fa-ḥtamala as-saylu zubadan rābiyan)

• Al-Farrā’ said: "The valley foamed" is expressed as azbada al-wādī izbādan, and zubad (foam) is the noun.
• Al-Zajjāj explained {rābiyan} (rising/mounting) as floating high above the water. Others said it means increasing due to its swelling, as rabā yarbu means to increase.

Regarding: {And of what they ignite in the fire seeking adornment or goods, foam like it}

After mentioning the foam resulting from water, Allah follows it with the foam resulting from fire. There are several discussions here:

• Ḥamzah, Al-Kisā’ī, and Ḥafṣ (from ʿĀṣim) recited {yūqidūn} (they ignite) using the Yā’ (third person masculine plural), which Abū ʿUbaydah preferred because of the following phrase {benefiting people} (which uses the third person), and because there is no specific addressee here.
• The rest recited {tūqidūn} (you ignite) using the Tā’ (second person plural). If this is the case, there are two possibilities:
  1. It is an address to those mentioned previously in {Say: Have you taken protectors other than Him?} (Ar-Ra'd: 16).
  2. It is a general address intended for all people, as if saying: "And of what you ignite in the fire, O igniters."

Igniting something over fire has two categories:

1. The object is not placed in the fire, such as in the verse: {O Hāmān, build for me a tower that I may reach the ways, the ways of the heavens, and look at the God of Moses...} (Al-Qaṣaṣ: 38, referring to building with baked bricks).
2. The object is placed in the fire to be acted upon. Those who wish to melt the seven metals place them in the fire. This is why the verse states: {And of what they ignite in the fire}.

The scholars of meaning explain:

• Igniting for {seeking adornment} (ibtiġā’ ḥilyah) refers to gold and silver.
• Igniting for {goods} (matāʿ) refers to iron, copper, lead, and tin, from which utensils and useful items are made. Matāʿ is everything from which one derives benefit.
• {Foam like it} means foam similar to the foam carried by the torrent water.

Regarding: {And thus Allah strikes the truth and falsehood}

This means: "And thus Allah strikes parables for the truth and falsehood."

Al-Farrā’ explained {jafā’} (vanishes/is cast away) as throwing or casting out. He said: "The valley casts out its refuse (ghuthā’uhu), and jafā’ is the name for that collected mass." Jafā’ here is in the accusative case (naṣb) indicating a state (ḥāl).

The meaning is that although the foam may rise and swell on the surface of the water, it ultimately dissolves, and the pure essence of the water remains. Similarly, although doubts and illusions may strengthen and grow, they ultimately perish, and the truth remains manifest, untainted by any doubt.

In the recitation of Ru’bah ibn al-ʿAjjāj, it is read as {jafālan}. Abū Ḥātim did not accept Ru’bah’s recitation because Ru’bah used to eat mice (implying unsuitability for transmitting the Qur'an).

Regarding: {For those who responded to their Lord, the best [reward]}

There are two interpretations for this phrase:

1. The statement ends at {And thus Allah strikes parables}. Then a new sentence begins: {For those who responded to their Lord, the best [reward]}. The grammatical position is nominative (rafʿ) as the subject (mubtada’), and {For those} is the predicate (khabar). The implied meaning is: "For them is the best characteristic and the best state."
2. It is connected to the preceding verses. The meaning is: What remains is like the example for those who respond, and what vanishes as foam is like the example for those who do not respond. It then clarifies why this is a parable: it is for those who respond, for whom the best (Paradise) awaits, and for those who do not respond, who face various forms of sorrow and punishment.

Another view suggests the meaning is: "Thus Allah strikes parables for those who responded to their Lord with the best response," where al-Ḥusnā (the best) is an adjective for an omitted verbal noun (the response).

The States of the Fortunate and the Wretched

Allah mentions here the states of the fortunate and the wretched.

Their state is described by: {For those who responded to their Lord, the best [reward]}. This means those who answered His call to monotheism, justice, prophethood, sending messengers, and adhering to the laws revealed through His Messenger—for them is al-Ḥusnā (the best).

• Ibn ʿAbbās said: Al-Ḥusnā is Paradise.
• The scholars of meaning said: Al-Ḥusnā is the greatest benefit in goodness—a pure benefit free from any admixture of harm, permanent, free from cessation, accompanied by honor and reverence.
• The increase (ziyādah) is not mentioned here because Allah mentioned it elsewhere: {For those who did good is the best [reward] and even more} (Yūnus: 26).

They face four types of punishment:

Type One: {And if they had all that is on earth and the like of it with it, they would ransom themselves with it.}

• Iftidā’ (ransoming) means making one thing a substitute for another. The object of the verb la-ftadaw bihi (they would ransom themselves with it) is omitted, meaning: they would ransom their souls with it (the earth and its like) from the punishment. The pronoun hi refers back to mā (what) in {what is on earth}.

This meaning is true because the thing most inherently loved by any person is their own self. Everything else is loved only as a means to serve the self's interests. If the soul is in harm, pain, and distress, and the person possesses the equivalent of the entire world of bodies and spirits, they would gladly offer it as a ransom for their self, because what is loved incidentally must be a ransom for what is inherently loved.

Type Two: {Those will have a severe reckoning.} Al-Zajjāj explained this is because their disbelief nullified their deeds.

I offer two perspectives here:

1. Any state that occupies you with Allah, His servitude, and His love is the happy, noble, sublime, and sacred state.
2. Any state that occupies you with other than Allah is the harmful, distressing, and base state.

Both states accept degrees: stronger or weaker, less or more. Constant adherence to actions corresponding to these states necessitates their strength and establishment, as established in rational thought: frequency of actions leads to the acquisition of firm habits (malakāt). Every action, even a fleeting glance, a moment, a thought crossing the mind, or a slight turning of attention, causes some effect in establishing that state in the soul. This is the reckoning. Upon reflection on these points, the truth of the verse becomes clear: {So whoever does an atom's weight of good, he will see it. And whoever does an atom's weight of evil, he will see it} (Az-Zalzalah: 7–8).

Therefore, the fortunate are those who responded to their Lord by turning away from everything other than Allah and turning wholly toward the servitude of Allah, and thus they receive the best reward.

The wretched are those who did not respond to their Lord, and thus they deserve a severe reckoning. The meaning of a severe reckoning is that they loved the world and turned away from the Master. When they die, they are deprived of their beloved (the world) and deprived of attaining the service of the Master's Presence.

Type Three: {And their refuge will be Hell.} This is because they were heedless of attaining happiness through the service of the Master's Presence, being preoccupied with worldly pleasures. When they die, they are separated from their beloved, and they burn from that separation, having nothing else to compensate for this calamity. Therefore, He said: {And their refuge will be Hell}. He then described this refuge: {And wretched is the resting place} (wa-bi’sa al-mihād), which is undoubtedly the case.

The Final Comparison and the People of Understanding

This refers back to the preceding parable: the one who knows the truth is like the seeing person, and the ignorant one is like the blind person. They are not the same. If the blind person walks without a guide, he is likely to fall into a pit or peril, and he might damage useful goods in his path. The seeing person, however, is safe from destruction and causing destruction.

This means that only those possessing intellect (ulū al-albāb) benefit from these parables—those who seek the meaning behind every form, take the kernel from every husk, and convey the hidden essence from the outward appearance of every narrative.

Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder): Verse 21–24

These verses detail the characteristics of those who receive the "best outcome of the Abode" (ʿuqbā ad-dār):

1. Fulfilling the Covenant of Allah and Not Breaking the Pact: This refers to the covenant made with them regarding belief in Tawḥīd (monotheism) and obedience.
2. Joining what Allah has commanded to be joined: Maintaining kinship ties, fulfilling obligations to others, and connecting with the truth.
3. Fearing their Lord and fearing the severe reckoning: A combination of reverence and apprehension regarding accountability.
4. Patience seeking the Countenance of their Lord: Enduring hardships for the sake of Allah's pleasure, not for worldly gain.
5. Establishing the Prayer: Maintaining the ritual obligations.
6. Spending secretly and publicly: Giving charity in all circumstances.
7. Repelling evil with good: Responding to malice with kindness.

The Reward:

• {Those will have the best outcome of the Abode}: This is the ultimate reward.
• {Gardens of Eden, they will enter}: They will enter Paradise.
• {along with whoever was righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their descendants}: Their righteous lineage will accompany them, fulfilling the desire of the heart.
• {And the angels will enter upon them from every gate}: Showing honor and welcome.
• {“Peace be upon you, because you were patient. Excellent is the outcome of the Abode!”}: The greeting of the angels confirms that their patience in this life earned them this eternal dwelling.