Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 21

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Have you not seen that Allah sent down water from the sky, then made it penetrate into the earth (and gush forth) in the form of springs? Then He brings forth with it crops of different colors, and afterwards they wither, and you see them turned yellow, then He makes them chaff. Surely in that there is a lesson for the people of understanding.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky—channelling it through streams in the earth—then produces with it crops of various colours, then they dry up and you see them wither, and then He reduces them to chaff? Surely in this is a reminder for people of reason.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs in the earth, then He brings forth thereby crops of various colors; then they whither and you see them turn yellow; then He causes them to crumble? Indeed, there is a reminder in this for people of understanding.

A. J. Arberry

Hast thou not seen how that God has sent down out of heaven water and threaded it as springs in the earth, then He brings forth therewith crops of diverse hues, then they wither, and thou seest them turning yellow, then He makes them broken orts? Surely in that is a reminder for men possessed of minds.

Abdul Haleem

Have you not considered that God sends water down from the sky, guides it along to form springs in the earth, and then, with it, brings forth vegetation of various colours, which later withers, turns yellow before your eyes, and is crumbled to dust at His command? There is truly a reminder in this for those who have understanding.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Beholdest thou not that Allah sendeth down water from the heaven, and causeth it to enter springs in the earth, and thereafter produceth thereby corn various coloured. Thereafter it wirhereth, and thou beholdest it turn yellow; then He maketh it chaff. Verily herein is an admonition for men of understanding.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Seest thou not that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and leads it through springs in the earth? Then He causes to grow, therewith, produce of various colours; then it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then He makes it dry up and crumble away. Truly, in this, is a Message of remembrance to men of understanding.

Abul Ala Maududi

Do you not see that Allah sent down water from the sky, then made it flow on earth as springs and streams and rivers and then with it He brings forth vegetation of various hues; then this vegetation ripens and dries up, turning yellow, whereafter He reduces it to broken straw? Surely there is a lesson in this for those endowed with understanding.

Ahmed Ali

Do you not see that God sends down water from the sky, then makes it flow in rills on the earth, and brings forth corn from it which, having passed through changes of shade and colour, comes to ripen, and you see it autumnal yellow; then He reduces it to chaff. There are indeed lessons in this for those who are wise.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Did you not see that it is Allah Who sent down water from the sky, and then with it made springs in the earth, and then with it produces crops of various colours, and then it dries up and you see it has become yellow, and He then fragments them into small pieces; indeed in this is a reminder for people of intellect.

Ali Quli Qarai

Have you not seen that Allah sends down water from the sky, then He conducts it through the ground as springs. Then He brings forth with it crops of diverse hues. Then they wither and you see them turn yellow. Then He turns them into chaff. There is indeed a lesson in that for those who possess intellect.

Ali Ünal

Have you not considered that God sends down water from the sky, and leads it into springs in the earth to flow therein; then He causes to grow with it produce of various colors; then it withers so that you see it grow yellow; then He makes it break and fade away. In this, for sure, is a reminder for people of discernment.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Have you not seen (the sight) that Allâh sends down water from the clouds and causes it to flow (in the form of) streamlets on the earth and then brings forth herbage of various kinds and of diverse hues with it, then it dries up (after ripening) so that you see it turn yellow; then He turns it into chaff. Behold! in this (similitude) is a reminder for people endowed with pure and clear understanding.

English Literal

Do you not see/understand, that (E) God descended from the sky water, so He made it flow/pass (into) water springs/wells in the Earth/land , then He brings out with it plants/crops its colours (are) different, then (it) dries and yellows so you see it yellow/yellowish, then He makes it broken/debris/crumbs ,that (E) in that (is) a remembrance/reminder (E) to (owners) of the pure minds/hearts .

Faridul Haque

Did you not see that it is Allah Who sent down water from the sky, and then with it made springs in the earth, and then with it produces crops of various colours, and then it dries up and you see it has become yellow, and He then fragments them into small pieces; indeed in this is a reminder for people of intellect.

Hamid S. Aziz

Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the cloud, then makes it go along in the earth in springs, then brings forth therewith herbage of various colours, then it withers so that you see it becoming yellow, then He makes it dry up and crumble? Most surely there is a reminder in this for the men of understanding.

Hilali & Khan

See you not, that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, (and then makes it to spring up) as water-springs and afterward thereby produces crops of different colours, and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow, then He makes them dry and broken pieces. Verily, in this, is a Reminder for men of understanding.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

But those who keep their duty to their Lord, for them are high places, above them higher places, built (for them), wherein rivers flow. (It is) the promise of Allah. Allah fails not in (His) promise.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the cloud, then makes it go along in the earth in springs, then brings forth therewith herbage of various colors, then it withers so that you see it becoming yellow, then He makes it a thing crushed and broken into pieces? Most surely there is a reminder in this for the men of understanding.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Hast thou not seen how Allah hath sent down water from the sky and hath caused it to penetrate the earth as watersprings, and afterward thereby produceth crops of divers hues; and afterward they wither and thou seest them turn yellow; then He maketh them chaff. Lo! herein verily is a reminder for men of understanding.

Muhammad Sarwar

Have you not seen that God has sent down water from the sky and made it flow as springs out of the earth? He makes crops of different colors grow with this water and flourish, which then turn yellow and wither away. In this there is a reminder for the people of understanding.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Have you not seen how Allah sends down water from the sky and threaded it as springs in the earth? Then, He brings forth plants of various colors, after which they wither, and you see them turning yellow, and then He makes them into broken stubble. Surely, in this there is a reminder for those of understanding.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, as water springs, and afterward thereby produces crops of different colors, and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow; then He makes them dry and broken pieces. Verily, in this is a reminder for men of understanding.

Wahiduddin Khan

Have you not seen that God sends down water from the sky, guides it to form springs in the earth, and then, with it, brings forth vegetation of various colours, which later withers, turns yellow before your eyes, and then He makes it crumble away? There is truly a reminder in this for those who possess understanding.

Talal Itani

Have you not considered how God sends down water from the sky, then He makes it flow into underground wells, then He produces with it plants of various colors, then they wither and you see them yellowing, then He turns them into debris? Surely in this is a reminder for those with understanding.

Tafsir jalalayn

Have you not seen, realised, that God sends down water from the heaven, then conducts it as springs, making it enter points of springs, in the ground? Then with it He brings forth crops of diverse hues. Then they wither, they become dried-out, and you see them, for example, after having been green, turning yellow. Then He turns them into chaff. Truly in that there is a reminder for people of pith, possessors of intellect, by which they may be reminded, for it is an indication of God's Oneness and His power.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Parable of the Life of this World

Allah says,

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء

See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky,

Allah tells us that water originates in the sky.

This is like the Ayah;

وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَأءِ مَأءً طَهُوراً

and We send down pure water from the sky. (25;48)

So, Allah sends down water from the sky, and it settles in the earth, then He causes it to flow wherever He wills, and He causes springs, great and small, to flow as needed.

Allah says;

فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِي الاَْرْضِ

and causes it to penetrate the earth, as water springs,

Sa`id bin Jubayr and `Amir Ash-Sha`bi said that all the water on earth has its origins in the sky.

Sa`id bin Jubayr said, its origins lie in the snow, meaning that snow piles up in the mountains, then settles at the bottom (of the mountains) and springs flow from the bottom of them.

ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا مُّخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ

and afterward thereby produces crops of different colors,

means, then from the water which comes down from the sky or flows from springs in the earth, He brings forth crops of different colors, i.e., different kinds of forms, tastes, scents, benefits, etc.

ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا

and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow;

means, after they have been ripe and fresh, they become old and you see them turn yellow when they have dried out.

ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ حُطَامًا

then He makes them dry and broken pieces.

means, then they become brittle.

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَذِكْرَى لاُِوْلِي الاَْلْبَابِ



Verily, in this is a reminder for men of understanding.

means, those who are reminded by this and who learn the lesson from it, that this world is like this -- it is green and fresh and beautiful, then it will become old and ugly. The young man will become a weak, senile old man, and after all of that comes death. The blessed one is the one whose state after death will be good. Allah often likens the life of this world to the way He sends down water from the sky and crops and fruits grow thereby, then they become dry and brittle.

This is like the Ayah;

وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَأءٍ أَنْزَلْنَـهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاٌّرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّياحُ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا

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. (18;45)
The People of Truth and the People of Misguidance are not Equal

Allah says,