6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
اللّهَ
فَالِقُ
الْحَبِّ
وَالنَّوَى...
6: 95. It is Allah Who causeth the seed-grain and the date-stone to split and sprout.
C918. Another beautiful nature passage, referring to Allah's wonderful artistry in His Creation.
In how few and how simple words, the whole pageant of Creation is placed before us. Beginning from our humble animal needs and dependence on the vegetable world, we are asked to contemplate the interaction of the living and the dead. Here is mystic teaching, referring not only to physical life but to the higher life above the physical plane, -not only to individual life but to the collective life of nations.
Then we take a peep into the daily miracle of morning, noon, and night, and pass on to the stars that guide the distant mariner. We rise still higher to the mystery of the countless individuals from the one human soul, -their sojourn and their destiny. So we get back to the heavens: the description of the luscious fruits which the "gentle rain from heaven" produces, leaves us to contemplate the spiritual fruits which faith will provide for us, with the aid of the showers of God's mercy.
C919. The seed-grain and the date-stone are selected as types in the vegetable kingdom, showing how our physical life depends on it.
The fruits mentioned later (in 6:99) start another allegory which we shall notice later.
Botanists will notice that the seed-grain includes the cereals (such as wheat, barley, rice, millet, etc.) which are monocotyledons, as well as the pulses (such as beans, peas, gram, etc.) and other seeds which are dicotyledons.
These two represent the most important classes of food-grains, while the date-palm a monocotyledon, represents for Arabia both food, fruit, confectionery, thatch and pillars for houses, shady groves in oases, and a standard measure of wealth and well being.
"Split and sprout": both ideas are included in the root falaqa, and a third is expressed by the word "cleave" in the next verse, for the action of evolving day-break from the dark. I might almost have used the word "churn," familiar to students of Hindu lore in the Hindu allegory of the "churning of the ocean." For vegetables, "split and sprout" represents a double process:
- the seed divides, and
- one part shoots up, seeking the light, and forming leaves and the visible parts of the future tree, and the other part digs down into the dark, forming the roots and seeking just that sustenance from the soil, which is adapted for the particular plant.
This is just one small instance of the "Judgement and ordering" of God, referred to in the next verse.
...يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَمُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتِ مِنَ الْحَيِّ ...
He causeth the living to issue from the dead, and He is the one to cause the dead to issue from the living.
C920. This does not mean that in physical nature there are no limits between life and non-life, between the organic and the non-organic. In fact physicists are baffled at the barrier between them and frankly confess that they cannot solve the mystery of Life.
If there is such a barrier in physical nature, is it not all the more wonderful that Allah can create Life out of nothing? He has but to say, "Be," and it is. He can bring Life from non-Life and annihilate Life.
But there are two other senses in which we can contemplate the contrast between the living and the dead.
- We have just been speaking of the botanical world. Take it as a whole, and see the contrast between the winter of death, the spring of revivification, the summer of growth, and the autumn of decay, leading back to the death of winter. Here is a cycle of living for dead, and dead from living.
- Take our spiritual life, individual or collective. We rise from the darkness of spiritual nothingness to the light of spiritual life. And if we do not follow the spiritual laws, Allah will take away that life and we shall be again as dead. We may die many deaths. The keys of life and death are in Allah's hands. Neither Life nor Death are fortuitous things. Behind them both is the Cause of Causes, -and only He.
...ذَلِكُمُ اللّهُ فَأَنَّى تُؤْفَكُونَ ﴿٩٥﴾
That is Allah;
then how are ye deluded away from the truth?
Asad’s Version:
6: 95 Verily, God is the One who cleaves the grain and the fruit-kernal asunder, bringing forth the living out of that which is dead, and He is the One who brings forth the dead out of that which is alive. This, then, is God: and yet, how perverted are your minds! Asad, see note 80.
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Ayah 4
Yusuf Ali To Him will be your return of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He Who begins the process of Creation and repeats it that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness but those who reject Him will have nothing but draughts of boiling fluids and a Penalty grievous: because they did reject Him.
Pickthall Unto Him is the return of all of you; it is a promise of Allah in truth. Lo! He produces creation, then reproduces it, that He may reward those who believe and do good works with equity; while, as for those who disbelieve, theirs will be a boiling drink and painful doom because they disbelieved.
Transliteration Ilaihi marji'ukum jami'a_(n), wa'dalla_hi haqqa_(n), innahu_ yabda'ul khalqa summa yu'iduhu_ liyajziyal lazina a_manu_ wa 'amilus sa_liha_ti bil qist(i), wallazina kafaru_ lahum syara_bum min hamimiw wa 'aza_bun alimum bima_ ka_nu_ yakfuru_n(a).
Ayah 34
Yusuf Ali Say: "Of your `partners' can any originate creation and repeat it?" Say: "It is Allah Who originates Creation and repeats it: then how are ye deluded away (from the truth)?"
Pickthall Say : Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that produce Creation and then reproduce it? Say: Allah produces creation, then reproduce it. How then, are ye misled!
Transliteration Qul hal min syuraka_'ikum may yabda'ul khalqa summa yu'iduh(u_), qulilla_hu yabda'ul khalqa summa yu'iduhu_ fa anna_ tu'faku_n(a).
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15. [al-Hijr, Mecca 54]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإنَّا لَنَحْنُ
نُحْيِي وَنُمِيتُ ...
15: 23. And verily, it is We Who give life, and who give death:
C1963. Note how the argument has mounted up from 15:16 onwards to 15:23 -from things most remote from man to things touching his inmost being, and each of them in its own way is a wonderful instance of Allah's glory and goodness, and the beauty, order and harmony of His creation.
- First, the heavens, the zodiacal Signs, the stars , and the mysterious phenomena that we see above us;
- then the earth, and the perfect balance of life and forces therein, with man as an important factor, but not the only factor;
- then, the inexhaustible sources of energy, of which Allah alone is the Provider, but which come to us in measured proportions, as needed; and lastly, Life and Death itself, which will pass away but Allah will remain.
A noble passage, and a fine vindication of Allah's wisdom and providence in dealing with His creatures.
... وَنَحْنُ الْوَارِثُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
it is We Who remain Inheritors (after all else passes away).
C1964. Literally, "We are the Heirs, or Inheritors,"
Cf. 3:180; "To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth."
See also the latter part of n. 988 to 6:165.
Pickthall’s Version:
15: 23
Pickthall Lo! and it is We, even We, Who quicken and give death, and We are the Inheritor.
Transliteration Wa inna_ lanahnu nuhyi wa numitu wa nahnul wa_risin(a).
[[ Ali’s note - 1963 Note how the argument has mounted up from xv. 16 onwards to xv. 23-from things most remote from man to things touching his inmost being, and each of them in its own way is a wonderful instance of Allah's glory and goodness, and the beauty, order and harmony of His creation. First, the heavens, the zodiacal Signs, the stars , and the mysterious phenomena that we see above us; then the earth, and the perfect balance of life and forces therein, with man as an important factor, but not the only factor; then, the inexhaustible sources of energy, of which Allah alone is the Provider, but which come to us in measured proportions, as needed; and lastly, Life and Death itself, which will pass away but Allah will remain. A noble passage, and a fine vindication of Allah's wisdom and providence in dealing with His creatures. (15.23)
1964 Literally, "We are the Heirs, or Inheritors," Cf. iii. 180; "To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth." See also the latter part of n. 988 to vi. 165. (15.23)
]]
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16. [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَاللّهُ أَنزَلَ
مِنَ الْسَّمَاء
مَاء فَأَحْيَا
بِهِ الأَرْضَ
بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا...
16: 65. And Allah sends down rain from the skies, and gives therewith life to the earth after its death:
... إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَسْمَعُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾
verily in this is a Sign for those who listen.
C2092. When the earth with all its vegetation is well-nigh dead, parched and shriveled up, a vivifying shower of rain from above gives it new life.
This natural phenomenon is a sign of Allah's infinite power, especially of His power to resurrect the dead, and thereafter muster them for judgment. [Eds.]
16: 65
Asad And God sends down water from the skies, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless: in this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who listen.
Pickthall Allah sendeth down water from the sky and therewith revives the earth after her death! Lo! herein is indeed a portent for a folk who hear.
Transliteration Walla_hu anzala minas sama_'i ma_'an fa ahya_ bihil arda ba'da mautiha_, inna fi za_lika la a_yatal liqaumiy yasma'u_n(a).