Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Kahf Verse 45

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Give them the example of the worldly life; it is like water We sent down from the sky, then the vegetation of the earth was mingled with it, and then it turned into chaff that is blown by the winds, and Allah is powerful over everything.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And give them a parable of this worldly life. ˹It is˺ like the plants of the earth, thriving when sustained by the rain We send down from the sky. Then they ˹soon˺ turn into chaff scattered by the wind. And Allah is fully capable of ˹doing˺ all things.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Give them the example of the life of this world: it is like the plants of the earth, thriving when sustained by the rain We send down from the sky, but soon they turn into chaff scattered by the winds. Allah has full power over all things.

A. J. Arberry

And strike for them the similitude of the present life: it is as water that We send down out of heaven, and the plants of the earth mingle with it; and in the morning it is straw the winds scatter; and God is omnipotent over everything.

Abdul Haleem

Tell them, too, what the life of this world is like: We send water down from the skies and the earth’s vegetation absorbs it, but soon the plants turn to dry stubble scattered about by the wind: God has power over everything.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And propound thou unto them the similitude of the life of the World. It is as water which We send down from the heaven, then there mingleth therewith the vegetation of the earth, and lo! it becometh dry stubble which the winds scatter and Allah is over everything potent.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world; It is like the rain which we send down from the skies; the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter; it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things.

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Prophet), propound to them the parable of the present life: it is like the vegetation of the earth which flourished luxuriantly when it mingled with the water that We sent down from the sky, but after that the same vegetation turned into stubble which the winds blew about. Allah alone has the power over all things.

Ahmed Ali

Present to them the example of the life of this world so like the water We send down from the skies that mingles with the earth to nourish its vegetation, which then on the morrow turns to stubble and is blown away by the wind. God has power over everything.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And relate to them the example of the life of this world – like water which We sent down from the sky, therefore vegetation of the earth grew forth in abundance with it to become dry hay which the winds scatter; and Allah is the Controller of all things.

Ali Quli Qarai

Draw for them the parable of the life of this world: [It is] like the water We send down from the sky. Then the earth’s vegetation mingles with it. Then it becomes chaff, scattered by the wind. And Allah has power over all things.

Ali Ünal

And strike to them a parable of the present, worldly life: (it is) like water that We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it (flourishing abundantly). Then it turns into dry stubble which the winds scatter about. God is absolutely able to do all things.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And give them the similitude of the life of this world. It is like water which We send down from the clouds, so the vegetation and plants of the earth flourish with it. And then it turns into chaff which the winds scatter about. Behold! Allâh is the Holder of all power over what He will.

English Literal

And give to them the life the present`s/worldly life`s example/proverb as water, We descended it from the sky , so the land`s/Earth`s plant mixed/mingled with it, so it became/became in the morning dried and broken plants/trees, the winds/breezes scatter/spread/winnow it (the water) and God was/is on every thing capable/able/powerful .

Faridul Haque

And relate to them the example of the life of this world - like water which We sent down from the sky, therefore vegetation of the earth grew forth in abundance with it to become dry hay which the winds scatter; and Allah is the Controller of all things.

Hamid S. Aziz

In such a case the patronage is Allah´s alone, the True; He is best at rewarding and best for consequences (or success).

Hilali & Khan

And put forward to them the example of the life of this world, it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is Able to do everything.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Thus protection is only Allah’s, the true One. He is Best to reward and Best in requiting.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And set forth to them parable of the life of this world: like water which We send down from the cloud so the herbage of the earth becomes tangled on account of it, then it becomes dry broken into pieces which the winds scatter; and Allah is the holder of power over all things.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And coin for them the similitude of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingleth with it and then becometh dry twigs that the winds scatter. Allah is able to do all things.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), tell them, "The worldly life resembles the (seasonal) plants that blossom by the help of the water which God sends from the sky. After a short time all of them fade away and the winds scatter them (and turns them into dust). God has power over all things.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Give to them a parable about this present life. It is like water We have sent down from the sky with which the plants of the earth mingle, and in the morning it is straw the wind scatters. Allah is Powerful over all things.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And mention the parable of the worldly life: it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is able to do everything.

Wahiduddin Khan

Give them an example about worldly life. It is like the vegetation of the earth that thrives when watered by the rain, which We send down from the sky, and then it all becomes stubble which the wind blows away. God has power over all things.

Talal Itani

And cite for them the parable of the present life: it is like water that We send down from the sky; the plants of the earth absorb it; but then it becomes debris, scattered by the wind. God has absolute power over everything.

Tafsir jalalayn

And strike, draw, for them, your people, the similitude of the life of this world (mathala'l-hayti'l-duny constitutes the first direct object) as water (ka-m'in, the second direct object) which We send down out from the heaven, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, [the vegetation] multiplies by the sending down of the water; or it is that the water mixes with the vegetation such that it is nourished and flourishes; and it then becomes, the vegetation becomes, chaff, dried up, its [various] parts [broken up] in fragments, scattered, strewn and dispersed, by the winds, which then blow it away. The import is; [the life of] this world is likened to flourishing vegetation which then becomes dry, is broken up and scattered by the winds (a variant reading [for riyh, `winds'] has rh). And God is Omnipotent, Powerful, over all things.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Parable of the Worldly Life

Allah says;

وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم

And mention,

O Muhammad, to the people,

مَّثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

the parable of the worldly life,

its transient nature and how it will eventually cease and come to an end.

كَمَاء أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاء فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاَْرْضِ

it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it,

It mingles with the seeds that are in the earth, so they grow and become good, producing bright, fresh flowers, then after that,

فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا

it becomes dry and broken pieces,

withered up,

تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ

(which the winds scatter.) tossing them about right and left.

وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا



And Allah is able to do everything.

He has the power to do this and that.

In the Qur'an Allah often gives parables like this of the life of this world, as He says in Surah Yunus,

إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَأءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَأءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاٌّرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالاٌّنْعَـمُ

The parable of the worldly life is but that of water which We send down from the sky so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat.... (10;24)

and in Surah Az-Zumar;

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَأءِ مَأءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعاً مُّخْتَلِفاً أَلْوَانُهُ

See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, then out from it comes crops of different colors. (39;21)

and in Surah Al-Hadid;

اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى الاٌّمْوَلِ وَالاٌّوْلْـدِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ

Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. (It is) like the parable of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller... (57;20)

and in the Sahih Hadith;

الدُّنْيَا حُلْوَةٌ خَضِرَة

This world is sweet and green.
Between Wealth and Good Deeds

Allah says