Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 58

Mufti Taqi Usmani

As for a good land, its vegetation comes out with the permission of its Lord. But that which is bad does not grow except what is bad. Thus We alternate the verses in various ways for a people who pay gratitude.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

The fertile land produces abundantly by the Will of its Lord, whereas the infertile land hardly produces anything. This is how We vary ˹Our˺ lessons to those who are thankful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

The good land produces its vegetation by the Will of its Lord, but the bad land only produces poor and scanty vegetation. This is how We diversify the signs for people who give thanks.

A. J. Arberry

And the good land -- its vegetation comes forth by the leave of its Lord, and the corrupt -- it comes forth but scantily. Even so We turn about the signs for a people that are thankful.

Abdul Haleem

Vegetation comes out of good land in abundance, by the will of its Lord, but out of bad land only scantily: We explain Our Revelations in various ways to those who give thanks.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And a good land: its herbage cometh forth by the command of its Lord; and that which is vile, it cometh forth only scantily. In this wise We vary the signs for a people who return thanks.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

From the land that is clean and good, by the will of its Cherisher, springs up produce, (rich) after its kind; but from the land that is bad, springs up nothing but that which is niggardly; thus do we explain the signs by various (symbols) to those who are grateful.

Abul Ala Maududi

As for the good land, vegetation comes forth in abundance by the command of its Lord, whereas from the bad land, only poor vegetation comes forth. Thus do We expound Our signs in diverse ways for a people who are grateful.

Ahmed Ali

The soil that is good produces (rich) crops by the will of its Lord, and that which is had yields only what is poor. So do We explain Our signs in different ways to people who give thanks.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And from the good land comes forth its vegetation by the command of Allah; and from the infertile land, nothing comes forth except a little with difficulty; this is how We explain Our signs in different ways, for people who are thankful.

Ali Quli Qarai

The good land—its vegetation comes out by the permission of its Lord, and as for that which is bad, it does not come out except sparsely. Thus do We paraphrase the signs variously for a people who give thanks.

Ali Ünal

And the good, pure land: its vegetation comes forth in abundance by its Lord’s leave, whereas from the bad, corrupt land, it comes forth but poorly (like thorny bushes). Thus do We in diverse ways set out the signs (of God’s Existence and Unity and other truths of faith) for the people who give thanks (from the heart and in speech, and in action by fulfilling God’s commandments).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (as for) the fertile land, its vegetation comes forth (flourishing and well) by the leave of its Lord, and that (land) which is inferior (its herbage) comes forth but scantily and (that too) defective. That is how We expound (Our) Messages in diverse ways for a people who give thanks.

English Literal

And the good/pure country/land its plants appear/emerge with its Lord`s permission , and which became (was) bad/spoiled , does not appear/emerge except very little/useless/weak, as/like that We elaborate linguistically (explain in detail) the verses/evidences to a nation thinking/being grateful.

Faridul Haque

And from the good land comes forth its vegetation by the command of Allah; and from the infertile land, nothing comes forth except a little with difficulty; this is how We explain Our signs in different ways, for people who are thankful.

Hamid S. Aziz

And the good land brings forth its vegetation by the permission of its Lord; and that which is vile brings forth naught but sparsity (bad with little good). Thus do We expound Our signs for a people who are grateful.

Hilali & Khan

The vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the Permission of its Lord, and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but a little with difficulty. Thus do We explain variously the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who give thanks.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And He it is Who sends for the winds bearing good news before His mercy; till, when they bear a laden cloud, We drive it to a dead land, then We send down water on it, then bring forth thereby fruits of all kinds. Thus do We bring forth the dead that you may be mindful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And as for the good land, its vegetation springs forth (abundantly) by the permission of its Lord, and (as for) that which is inferior (its herbage) comes forth but scantily; thus do We repeat the communications for a people who give thanks.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

As for the good land, its vegetation cometh forth by permission of its Lord; while as for that which is bad, only the useless cometh forth (from it). Thus do We recount the tokens for people who give thanks.

Muhammad Sarwar

A good land produces plants, by the permission of its Lord, but a wicked land produces only miserable, bitter plants. Thus do We show a variety of evidence for those who give thanks.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Good land yields its vegetation by the permission of its Lord. While the corrupted yields only the scanty. So We make plain the verses to those who are thankful.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

The vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the permission of its Lord; and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but (a little) with difficulty. Thus do We explain variously the Ayat for a people who give thanks.

Wahiduddin Khan

Vegetation comes out of good land in abundance by the will of its Lord, but out of bad land only scantily. Thus We explain Our signs in diverse ways for those who give thanks.

Talal Itani

As for the good land, it yields its produce by the leave of its Lord. But as for the bad, it produces nothing but hardship and misery. Thus We explain the revelations in various ways for people who are thankful.

Tafsir jalalayn

As for the good land, the one of rich soil, its vegetation comes forth, wholesomely, by permission of its Lord -- this is a similitude of the believer who, when he hears an admonition, he [heeds it and] benefits from it. While as for the, one whose soil is, bad -- the vegetation in, it comes forth only miserably, laboriously and with difficulty -- this is the similitude of the disbeliever. Even, as We have made clear what has been mentioned, so We dispense, We make clear, the signs for a people who are thankful, to God and so believe.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَالْبَلَدُ الطَّيِّبُ يَخْرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ

The vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the permission of its Lord;

meaning, the good land produces its vegetation rapidly and proficiently.

Allah said in another Ayah (about Maryam, mother of `Isa, peace be upon him);

وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا

He made her grow in a good manner. (3;37)

The Ayah continues,

وَالَّذِي خَبُثَ لَا يَخْرُجُ إِلاَّ نَكِدًا

and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but with difficulty.

Mujahid, and others such as As-Sibakh, etc, also said this.

كَذَلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ الايَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَشْكُرُونَ



Thus do We explain variously the Ayat for a people who give thanks.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Musa said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَثَلُ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَالْهُدَى كَمَثَلِ الْغَيْثِ الْكَثِيرِ أَصَابَ أَرْضًا فَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا نَقِيَّةٌ قَبِلَتِ الْمَاءَ فَأَنْبَتَتِ الْكَلََ وَالْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ

The parable of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is that of an abundant rain falling on a land, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance.

وَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتِ الْمَاءَ فَنَفَعَ اللهُ بِهَا النَّاسَ فَشَرِبُوا وَسَقَوْا وَزَرَعُوا

And another portion of it was hard and held the rain water; and Allah benefited the people with it, they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it, and for irrigation of the land for cultivation.

وَأَصَابَ مِنْهَا طَايِفَةً أُخْرَى إِنَّمَا هِيَ قِيعَانٌ لَاأ تُمْسِكُ مَاءً وَلَاأ تُنْبِتُ كَلَأً

And a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation.

فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقُهَ فِي دِينِ اللهِ وَنَفَعَهُ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللهُ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وَعَلَّمَ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللهِ الَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِه

The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets benefit which Allah sent me with, by learning and teaching others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not accept the guidance Allah sent me with.