وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَكُم
مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ
وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ ۗ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا
ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَفْقَهُونَ
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ
مَآءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِۦ نَبَاتَ
كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهُ
خَضِرًا نُّخْرِجُ مِنْهُ حَبًّا
مُّتَرَاكِبًا وَمِنَ ٱلنَّخْلِ
مِن طَلْعِهَا قِنْوَانٌ دَانِيَةٌ
وَجَنَّـٰتٍ مِّنْ أَعْنَابٍ وَٱلزَّيْتُونَ
وَٱلرُّمَّانَ مُشْتَبِهًا وَغَيْرَ
مُتَشَـٰبِهٍ ۗ ٱنظُرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ
ثَمَرِهِۦٓ إِذَآ أَثْمَرَ وَيَنْعِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى
ذَٰلِكُمْ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
It is He Who has created
you from a single person,
and has given you
a place of residing and
a place of storage.
Indeed, We have explained
in detail Our revelations
for people who understand.
It is He Who sends down
water from the sky, and
with it We bring forth
vegetation of all kinds,
and out of it We bring
forth green stalks,
from which We bring
forth thick clustered
grain. And out of date
-palm and its sprouts
come forth clusters of
dates hanging low and
near, and gardens of
grapes, olives and
pomegranates, each similar,
yet different. Look at
their fruits when they
begin to bear, and Yan`ih.
Verily! In these things
there are signs for people
who believe.
Allah said,
وَهُوَ الَّذِى أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ
It is He Who has created you from a single person,
in reference to Adam, peace be upon him. In another Ayat, Allah said;
يَـأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ
رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن نَّفْسٍ
وَحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا
وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيراً وَنِسَآءً
O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his mate, and from them both He created many men and women. (An-Nisa 1)
Allah said,
فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ
Mustaqar and Mustawda`
Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Abu `Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami, Qays bin Abu Hazim, Mujahid, `Ata’, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and `Ata’ Al-Khurasani and others said that,
فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ
Mustaqar,
`in the wombs’. They, or most of them, also said that,
وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ
And Mustawda`,
means, `in your father’s loins’. Ibn Mas`ud and several others said that, Mustaqar, means residence in this life, while, Mustawda`, means the place of storage after death (the grave). Allah’s statement,
قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الاٌّيَـتِ
لِقَوْمٍ يَفْقَهُونَ
Indeed, We have explained in detail Our revelations for people who understand.
refers to those who comprehend and understand Allah’s Words and its meanings. Allah said next,
وَهُوَ الَّذِى أَنزَلَ
مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً
It is He Who sends down water (rain) from the sky
in due measure, as a blessing and provision for the servants, relief and means of survival for the creatures and mercy from Allah for His creation. Allah’s statement,
فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ نَبَاتَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ
And with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds
is similar to,
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَىٍّ
And We have made from water every living thing. (Al-Anbya 30)
فَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهُ خَضِراً
and out of it We bring forth green stalks
green produce and trees, on which We grow seeds and fruits.
نُّخْرِجُ مِنْهُ حَبّاً مُّتَرَاكِباً
from which We bring forth thick clustered grain
lined on top of each other in clusters, like an ear or spike of grain.
وَمِنَ النَّخْلِ مِن طَلْعِهَا قِنْوَنٌ
And out of the date-palm and its sprouts come forth clusters
of dates
دَانِيَةٌ
hanging low
Within reach and easy to pick. `Ali bin Abi Talhah Al-Walibi said that Ibn `Abbas said that,
قِنْوَنٌ دَانِيَةٌ
clusters hanging low
refers to short date trees whose branches hang low, close to the ground. This was recorded by Ibn Jarir. Allah’s statement
وَجَنَّـتٍ مِّنْ أَعْنَـبٍ
and gardens of grapes
means, We bring forth gardens of grapes. Grapes and dates are the most precious fruits to the people of Al-Hijaz (Western Arabia), and perhaps both are the best fruits in this world. Allah has reminded His servants of His favor in making these two fruits for them, when He said,
وَمِن ثَمَرَتِ النَّخِيلِ
وَالاٌّعْنَـبِ تَتَّخِذُونَ
مِنْهُ سَكَرًا وَرِزْقًا حَسَنًا
And from the fruits of date-palms and grapes, you derive strong drink and a goodly provision. (An-Nahl 67)
before intoxicating drinks were prohibited, and;
وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـبٍ
And We have made therein gardens of date-palms and grapes (Ya Sin 34).
Allah said,
وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُشْتَبِهاً وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَـبِهٍ
olives and pomegranates, each similar yet different.
The leaves are similar in shape and appearence, yet different in the shape, and taste. And the kind of fruit each plant produces is different, according to the explanation of Qatadah and several others. Allah’s statement,
انْظُرُواْ إِلِى ثَمَرِهِ إِذَآ أَثْمَرَ وَيَنْعِهِ
Look at their fruits when they begin to bear, and Yan`ih.
means, when the fruits become ripe, according to Al-Bara’ bin `Azib, Ibn `Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata’ Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi, Qatadah and others. This Ayat means, contemplate the ability of the Creator of these fruits, Who brought them into existence after they were dry wood, and they later became grapes and dates; and similar is the case with the various colors, shapes, tastes and fragrance of whatever Allah created. Allah said,
وَفِى الاٌّرْضِ قِطَعٌ
مُّتَجَـوِرَتٌ وَجَنَّـتٌ مِّنْ أَعْنَـبٍ
وَزَرْعٌ وَنَخِيلٌ صِنْوَنٌ وَغَيْرُ
صِنْوَنٍ يُسْقَى بِمَآءٍ وَحِدٍ
وَنُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَهَا عَلَى
بَعْضٍ فِى الاٍّكُلِ
And in the earth are neighbouring tracts, and gardens of vines, and green crops, and date-palms, growing out, two or three from a single stem root, or otherwise, watered with the same water, yet some of them We make better than others to eat. (Ar-Ra’d 4)
This is why Allah said here,
إِنَّ فِى ذلِكُمْ
In these things there are…
O people,
لاّيَـتٍ
signs…
and proofs that testify to the perfect ability, wisdom and mercy of He Who created these things,
لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
for people who believe.
in Allah and obey His Messengers.