Al-Qur'an Surah Ar-Ra'd Verse 4

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And in the earth there are tracts of land neighboring each other, and gardens of grapes, and farms and date palms, some having twin trunks and some having a single one. (Although) all of them are irrigated with the same water, We make some of them better than others in taste. Surely, in that there are signs for a people who understand.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And on the earth there are ˹different˺ neighbouring tracts, gardens of grapevines, ˹various˺ crops, palm trees—some stemming from the same root, others standing alone. They are all irrigated with the same water, yet We make some taste better than others. Surely in this are signs for those who understand.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And on the earth there are neighboring [yet different] tracts of land, and gardens of grapevines, grains and palm trees – some growing in clusters from one root or standing alone. They are all irrigated with the same water, yet We cause some of them excel others in taste. Indeed, there are signs in this for people of understanding.

A. J. Arberry

And on the earth are tracts neighbouring each to each, and gardens of vines, and fields sown, and palms in pairs, and palms single, watered with one water; and some of them We prefer in produce above others. Surely in that are signs for a people who understand.

Abdul Haleem

There are, in the land, neighbouring plots, gardens of vineyards, cornfields, palm trees in clusters or otherwise, all watered with the same water, yet We make some of them taste better than others: there truly are signs in this for people who reason.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And in the earth are regions neighbouring and gardens of vines and cornfields, and palm-trees clustered and single, watered by the same water; yet some We make to excel others in food. Verily therein are signs for a people who reflect.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And in the earth are tracts (diverse though) neighbouring, and gardens of vines and fields sown with corn, and palm trees - growing out of single roots or otherwise; watered with the same water, yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat. Behold, verily in these things there are signs for those who understand!

Abul Ala Maududi

And on the earth there are many tracts of land neighbouring each other. There are on it vineyards, and sown fields, and date palms: some growing in clusters from one root, some standing alone. They are irrigated by the same water, and yet We make some excel others in taste. Surely there are signs in these for a people who use their reason.

Ahmed Ali

On the earth are tracts adjoining one another, and vineyards, fields of corn and date-palm trees, some forked, some with single trunks, yet all irrigated by the self-same water, though We make some more excellent than the others in fruit. There are surely signs in them for those who understand.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And in the earth are various regions, and are close to each other – and gardens of grapes and fields, and date-palms, growing from a single branch and separately, all being given one water; and in fruits, We make some better than others in eating; indeed in this are signs for people of intellect.

Ali Quli Qarai

In the earth are neighbouring terrains [of diverse kinds] and vineyards, farms, and date palms growing from the same root and from diverse roots, [all] irrigated by the same water, and We give some of them an advantage over others in flavour. There are indeed signs in that for people who exercise their reason.

Ali Ünal

And on the earth are tracts close by one another (and yet different from one another), and gardens of vines, and cultivated fields, and date-palms growing in clusters from one root but standing alone, (all) watered with the same water; and yet as sustenance We have made some preferable to others (in certain respects). Surely in that are signs of truth for a people who use their reason.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And in the earth are (diverse) tracts side by side, and (in them there are) gardens of vines and (different kinds of) cornfields and date-palms; growing in clusters (many together from one root) and (others) growing separately from different roots. They are all watered with the same water, yet We make some of them excel others in (respect of) bearing fruit and (their) tastes. Behold! in all this, there are signs (to recognize their Lord) for a people who use their understanding.

English Literal

And in the earth/Planet Earth (are) parts/portions (sections) neighboring each other, and treed gardens/paradises from grapes and plants/crops and palm trees` off shoots from a single root and without off shoots from a single root being given drink/irrigated with one water, and We prefer/favour some/part of it over some/part, in the food/fruits, that in that (are) evidences/signs (E) to a nation reasoning/comprehending .

Faridul Haque

And in the earth are various regions, and are close to each other - and gardens of grapes and fields, and date-palms, growing from a single branch and separately, all being given one water; and in fruits, We make some better than others in eating; indeed in this are signs for people of intellect.

Hamid S. Aziz

And He it is who has stretched out the earth and placed therein firm mountains and flowing rivers, and of every fruit has He placed therein in pairs. He makes the night cover the day. Lo! Herein are signs unto a people who reflect.

Hilali & Khan

And in the earth are neighbouring tracts, and gardens of vines, and green crops (fields etc.), and date-palms, growing out two or three from a single stem root, or otherwise (one stem root for every palm), watered with the same water, yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs) for the people who understand.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And He it is who spread the earth, and made in it firm mountains and rivers. And of all fruits He has made in it pairs, two (of every kind). He makes the night cover the day. Surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And in the earth there are tracts side by side and gardens of grapes and corn and palm trees having one root and (others) having distinct roots-- they are watered with one water, and We make some of them excel others in fruit; most surely there are signs in this for a people who understand.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And in the Earth are neighbouring tracts, vineyards and ploughed lands, and date-palms, like and unlike, which are watered with one water. And we have made some of them to excel others in fruit. Lo! herein verily are portents for people who have sense.

Muhammad Sarwar

In the earth there are adjacent pieces of land, vineyards, farms, date-palms of single and many roots which are all watered by the same water. We have made some yield a better food than others. All this is evidence (of the existence of God) for the people who understand.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And in the land, there are adjoining plots, gardens of vines, sown fields and palmtrees in pairs and single that are watered with one water, yet We make some excel others in produce. Surely, in that are signs for a nation who understand.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And in the earth are neighboring tracts, and gardens of vines, and green crops (fields), and date palms, growing into two or three from a single stem root, or otherwise, watered with the same water; yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat. Verily, in these things there are Ayat (signs) for the people who understand.

Wahiduddin Khan

On the earth are diverse tracts, adjoining one another: vineyards and cornfields and groves of palm, the single and the clustered. Their fruits are nourished by the same water; yet We make the taste of some excel that of others. In this also are signs for people who understand.

Talal Itani

On earth are adjacent terrains, and gardens of vines, and crops, and date-palms, from the same root or from distinct roots, irrigated with the same water. We make some taste better than others. In that are proofs for people who reason.

Tafsir jalalayn

And on the earth are tracts, diverse terrains, neighbouring each other, joined side by side, some good, some briny, some of little yield and some fruitful -- and these constitute proofs of His power, exalted be He -- and gardens, orchards, of vines and sown fields (read zar`un, in the nominative, as a supplement to janntun, `gardens', or read zar`in, in the genitive, [as a supplement] to a`nbin, `of vines'); similarly [constituting proofs of His power are] His words; and date-palms sharing one root (sinwn is the plural of sinw, which are date-palms belonging to the same root, but with many offshoots) and date-palms otherwise, [each] of individual root, watered (read tusq as [referring to] jannt, `gardens', and what is in them, or read yusq as [referring to] the mentioned [date-palms]) by the same [source of] water; and We make some of them to excel (wa-nufaddil, or read wa-yufaddil, `and He [God] makes [some of them] to excel') others in flavour (read f'l-ukul or f'l-ukl); and so some are sweet, others, bitter -- and these are [also] proofs of His power, exalted be He. Surely in that, which is mentioned, are signs for a people who understand, [who] reflect.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَفِي الَارْضِ قِطَعٌ مُّتَجَاوِرَاتٌ

And in the earth are neighboring tracts,

Meaning, next to each other, some of them are fertile and produce what benefits people, while others are dead, salty and do not produce anything.

This meaning was collected from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak and several others.

This also covers the various colors and types of diverse areas on the earth; some red, some white, or yellow, or black, some are stony, or flat, or sandy, or thick, or thin, all made to neighbor each other while preserving their own qualities. All this indicates the existence of the Creator Who does what He wills, there is no deity or lord except Him.

Allah said next,

وَجَنَّاتٌ مِّنْ أَعْنَابٍ وَزَرْعٌ وَنَخِيلٌ

and gardens of vines, and green crops (fields), and date palms...

Allah's statement, next,

صِنْوَانٌ وَغَيْرُ صِنْوَانٍ
Sinwanun wa (or) Ghayru Sinwan.
`Sinwan' means,

growing into two or three from a single stem, such as figs, pomegranate and dates.
`Ghayru Sinwan' means,

having one stem for every tree, as is the case with most plants.

From this meaning, the paternal uncle is called one's `Sinw' of his father.

There is an authentic Hadith that states that the Messenger of Allah said to Umar bin Al-Khattab,

أَمَا شَعَرْتَ أَنَّ عَمَّ الرَّجُلِ صِنْوُ أَبِيه

Do you not know that man's paternal uncle is the Sinw of his father!

Allah said next,

يُسْقَى بِمَاء

وَاحِدٍ وَنُفَضِّلُ

بَعْضَهَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الاُكُلِ

watered with the same water; yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat.

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet commented on Allah's statement,
وَنُفَضِّلُ
بَعْضَهَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الاُكُلِ
(yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat),

الدَّقَلُ وَالْفَارِسِيُّ وَالْحُلْوُ وَالْحَامِض

The Dagal, the Persian, the sweet, the bitter..."

At-Tirmidhi collected this Hadith and said, "Hasan Gharib."

Therefore, there are differences between plants and fruits with regards to shape, color, taste, scent, blossoms and the shape of their leaves. There are plants that are very sweet or sour, bitter or mild, fresh; some plants have a combination of these attributes, and the taste then changes and becomes another taste, by Allah's will. There is also some that are yellow in color, or red, or white, or black, or blue, and the same can be said about their flowers; and all these variances and complex diversities are watered by the same water.

Surely, in this there are signs for those who have sound reasoning, and surely, all this indicates the existence of the Creator Who does what He wills and Whose power made distinctions between various things and created them as He wills. So Allah said,

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ



Verily, in these things there are Ayat for the people who understand