13. Ar-R’ad, Medina 96

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا...

13: 17.  He sends down water from the skies, and the channels flow, each according to its measure:

C1831. This verse is full of parables.

1.     It is Allah Who sends rain and sends it to all.

See how it flows in different channels according to their capacities. Some are sluggish-, some have a swift current. Some form great rivers and irrigate wide tracts of country; some are clear crystal streams, perhaps in hilly tracts, with beds of clean pebbles which you can see through the water.

Some produce delicious edible fish; and some are infested by crocodiles or injurious monsters.

And there are degrees and degrees among brooks, streams, lakes, rivers, and seas.

So with the rain of Allah's mercy and the knowledge and wisdom and guidance which He sends. All can receive it. Different ones will respond according to their capacities.

2.     In the physical world, water is pure and beneficial. But froth and scum will gather according to local conditions.

As the floods will carry off the scum and purify the water, so will the flood of Allah's spiritual mercy carry away our spiritual scum and purify the water.

3.     The froth may make a greater show on the surface, but it will not last. So will there be frothy knowledge, which will disappear, but Allah's Truth will endure.

...فَاحْتَمَلَ السَّيْلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا...

but the torrent bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface.

...وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فِي النَّارِ ابْتِغَاء حِلْيَةٍ أَوْ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثْلُهُ...

Even so, from that (ore) which they heat in the fire, to make ornaments or utensils therewith, there is a scum likewise.

C1832. In continuation of the last note, the fourth parable is that of metal ores:

-        the ore is full of baser admixture, but the fire will separate the gold from the dross for ornaments, or

-        some metal of household utility, with which you make every-day utensils, which the fire will separate from admixtures which you do not want.

So the fire of Allah's test, either by adversity or by affluence, will search out the true metal in us and reject the dross. it will show us what is valuable or what is useful, all sorts of scum and vanity which we collect and miscall knowledge.

...كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الْحَقَّ وَالْبَاطِلَ...

Thus doth Allah (by parables) show forth Truth and Vanity:

...فَأَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَاء وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِي الأَرْضِ...

for the scum disappears like froth cast out; while that which is for the good of mankind remains on the earth.

...كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ ﴿١٧﴾

Thus doth Allah set forth parables.

Other versions:

13: 17

Pickthall He sendeth down water from the sky, so that valleys flow according to their measure, and the flood beareth (on its surface) swelling foam from that which they felt in the fire in order to make ornaments and tools riseth a foam like unto it thus Allah coineth (the similitude of) the true and the false. Then, as for the foam, it passeth away as scum upon the banks, while, as for that which is of use to mankind, it remaineth in the earth. Thus Allah coineth the similitudes.

Yuksel

He sent down water from the sky, so valleys flowed according to their capacity, and the flood produces foam. From what they burn to smelt jewelry or goods a similar foam is produced. It is in such a manner that God strikes the falsehood with the truth. As for the foam, it passes away; as for what benefits the people, it remains in the earth. It is such that God cites the examples.

Transliteration abodenzala minas sama_'i ma_'an fa sa_lat audiyatum bi qadariha_ fa-htamalas sailu zabadar ra_biya_(n), wa mimma_ yu_qidu_na 'alaihi fin na_ri-btiga_'a hilyatin au mata_'in zabadum misluh(u_), kaza_lika yadribull_hul haqqa wal ba_til(a), fa ammaz zabadu fa yazhabu jufa_'a(n), wa amma_ ma_ yanfa'un na_sa fa yamkusu fil ard(i), kaza_lika yadribulla_hul amsa_l(a).