16. [an-Nahl, mecca 70]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا ذَرَأَ
لَكُمْ فِي
الأَرْضِ مُخْتَلِفًا
أَلْوَانُهُ...
16: 13. And the things on this earth which He has multiplied in varying colors (and qualities):
C2032. Whose heart has not been moved by the glorious gradation of colours in the sunset clouds?
The gradations are infinite, and it is only the eye of an artist that can express their collective beauty. They are but a type of the infinite variety and gradation of qualities in the spiritual sphere even in the little space of our own globe.
The big things that can be measured and defined have been spoken of before. Here we have mention of the subtle nuances in the spiritual world which can only be perceived by men who are so high in spiritual insight that their only reaction is to "cerebrate the praises of Allah" in gratitude for His infinite Mercies.
... إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ﴿١٣﴾
verily in this is a Sign for men who celebrate the praises of Allah (in gratitude).
C2033. Read again n. 2030 above, and see how subtly we are led up from the perception of the big to the perception of the subtle and delicate colours and qualities in the spiritual world.
Pickthall’s Version:
16: 13
Pickthall And whatsoever He hath created for you in the earth of divers hues, lo! therein is indeed a portent for people who take heed.
Transliteration Wa ma_ zara'a lakum fil ardi mukhtalifan alwa_nuh(a_), inna fi za_lika la a_yatal liqaumiy yazzakkaru_n(a).
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30. Surah Ar Rum
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمِنْ
آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ
وَاخْتِلَافُ
أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ
وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ...
30: 22. And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors:
C3527. The variations in languages and colors may be viewed from the geographical aspect or from the aspect of periods of time.
All mankind were created of a single pair of parents; yet they have spread to different countries and climates and developed different languages and different shades of complexions. And yet their basic unity remains unaltered. They feel in the same way, and are all equally under Allah's care.
Then there are the variations in time. Old languages die out and new ones are evolved. New conditions of life and thought are constantly evolving new words and expressions, new syntactical structures, and new modes of pronunciation. Even old races die, and new races are born.
... إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْعَالِمِينَ ﴿٢٢﴾
verily in that are Signs for those who know.
Asad’s Version:
(30:22) And among his wonders is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colours: for in this, behold, there are messages indeed for all who are possessed of [innate] knowledge!
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35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)
Mecca Period 43
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَلَمْ
تَرَ
أَنَّ اللَّهَ
أَنزَلَ مِنَ
السَّمَاء
مَاء...
35: 27. Seest thou not that Allah sends down rain from the sky?
... فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ ثَمَرَاتٍ مُّخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهَا...
With it We then bring out produce of various colors.
C3910. Everyone can see how Allah's artistry produces from rain the wonderful variety of crops and fruits-golden, green, red, yellow, and showing all the most beautiful tints we can think of. And each undergoes in nature the gradual shading off in its transformation from the raw stage to the stage of maturity.
... وَمِنَ الْجِبَالِ جُدَدٌ بِيضٌ وَحُمْرٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهَا وَغَرَابِيبُ سُودٌ ﴿٢٧﴾
And in the mountains are tracts white and red, of various shades of color, and black intense in hue.
C3911. These wonderful colours and shades of colours are to be found not only in vegetation but in rocks and mineral products.
There are the white veins of marble and quartz or of chalk, the red laterite, the blue basaltic rocks, the ink-black flints, and all the variety, shade, and gradation of colours.
Speaking of mountains, we think of their "azure hue" from a distance, due to atmospheric effects, and these atmospheric effects lead our thoughts to the glories of clouds, sunsets, the zodiacal light, the aurora borealis, and all kinds of Nature's gorgeous pageantry,
وَمِنَ
النَّاسِ
وَالدَّوَابِّ
وَالْأَنْعَامِ
مُخْتَلِفٌ
أَلْوَانُهُ
كَذَلِكَ...
35: 28. And so amongst men and crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various colors.
C3912. In the physical shapes of human and animal life, also, we see variations in shades and gradations of colours of all kinds. But these variations and gradations, marvelous though they be, are as nothing compared with the variations and differences in the inner or spiritual world.
See next note.
... إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاء...
Those truly fear Allah, among His Servants, who have knowledge:
C3913. In outer nature we can, through colours, understand and appreciate the finest shades and gradations. But in the spiritual world that variation or gradation is even more subtle and more comprehensive.
Who can truly understand it?
Only Allah's servants, who know, i.e., who have the inner knowledge which comes through their acquaintance with the spiritual world,-it is such people who truly appreciate the inner world, and it is they who know that the fear of Allah is the beginning of wisdom.
For such fear is akin to appreciation and love,
- appreciation of all the marvelous beauties of Allah's outer and inner world ("Allah is Exalted in Might") and
- love because of His Grace and Kindness ("Oft-Forgiving"). But Allah's forgiveness extends to many who do not truly understand Him.
... إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ ﴿٢٨﴾
for Allah is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.
Asad’s Version:
35:27 ART THOU NOT aware that God sends down water from the skies, whereby We bring forth fruits of many hues - just as in the mountains there are streaks of white and red of various shades, as well as [others] raven-black,
(35:28) and [as] there are in men, and in crawling beasts, and in cattle, too, many hues? 19 Of all His servants, only such as are endowed with [innate] knowledge 20 stand (truly] in awe of God: [for they alone comprehend that,] verily, God is almighty, much-forgiving.
[[Asad’s note - 19 Cf. 16:13, where the splendour of nature ("the beauty of many hues") is spoken of as an evidence of God's creative power. ]]
Yuksel’s Version:
35:28 Among the people, and the animals, and the livestock, are various colors. As such, only the knowledgeable among God's servants reverence Him. God is Noble, Forgiving.
[[Yuksel’s note - 035:027 The audience of the Quran is everyone. For a farmer, the color of the soil provides valuable information about its use. For a scientist, the colorful stripes indicate different geologic layers or archeological evidences. For a painter, such a view is excellent artwork worth copying onto a canvas. For a miner, the color of the earth is as important as the color of gold and rock. For another one, the wisdom in the appearance of a raven sitting on the edge of a hill is as important as the others are (20:114).]]