Tafsir of Al-Furqan 25:49

"To give life thereby to a dead land..."

He said mayyitan (dead) because baldah (land) carries the same meaning as balad in the verse: "We drove it to a dead land" (Fatir: 9). It is not a form that follows the verb pattern like fa‘ūl, mif‘āl, or mif‘īl. It is also recited as nasqīhi (with a fatḥah). Saqā and asqā are two dialects. It is said that asqāhu means "to provide him with water."

Al-anāsī is the plural of insī (human) or insān (human). It is similar to ẓarābī for ẓarābīn, where the nūn is changed to a yā’, with the original being anāsīn and ẓarābīn. It is also recited with light pronunciation by dropping the yā’ of the afā‘īl pattern, like saying anā‘im for anā‘īm.

If you ask: Describing the water as "purifying" (ṭahūr) and justifying it by the act of giving life and water implies that purity is a condition for the validity of that act, just as you say: "The prince gave me a fast horse so that I might hunt game with it."

I say: Since the watering of humans is part of the purpose for which the water was sent down, He described it as ṭahūr (purifying) to honor them, to complete the favor upon them, and to clarify that it is their duty—since God intended purity for them and wanted them to prefer it in their inner selves and then their outer selves—to keep themselves far removed from all filth, just as their Lord has kept them far removed from it.

If you ask: Why were the livestock (an‘ām) singled out from among all the animals that drink?

I say: Because birds and wild beasts travel far in search of water and do not miss out on drinking, unlike livestock. Furthermore, they are the property of humans, and the majority of human benefits are tied to them. Thus, bestowing the favor of watering their livestock is like bestowing the favor of watering the humans themselves.

If you ask: What is the meaning of using the indefinite form for "livestock" and "humans" and describing them as "many"?

I say: The meaning is that the elite and the majority of people reside near valleys, rivers, and water sources, so they have no need for rain-water. However, there are many others among them who cannot survive except by what God sends down of His mercy and the watering of His rain. Likewise, His saying "To give life thereby to a dead land" refers to some of the lands of those who are far from water sources.

If you ask: Why was the giving of life to the land and the watering of livestock mentioned before the watering of humans?

I say: Because the life of humans depends on the life of their land and their livestock. Therefore, He prioritized that which is the cause of their life and livelihood over their own watering. Moreover, if they obtain what serves to water their land and their cattle, they will not lack water for themselves.

"And We have certainly distributed it among them so that they may remember, but most of the people refuse except disbelief."