Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (12) Surah: Ar-Ra‘d
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُرِيكُمُ ٱلۡبَرۡقَ خَوۡفٗا وَطَمَعٗا وَيُنشِئُ ٱلسَّحَابَ ٱلثِّقَالَ
(12) [2882]He is the One Who shows you lightning in fear and ˹hopeful˺ anticipation[2883], and builds up the heavy clouds[2884].
[2882] This passage carries on and builds upon the threatening note found in the previous passage, but further reinforces it.
[2883] “In fear” of being hit by thunderbolts and “˹hopeful˺ anticipation” for rain (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr). Such is the subtlety of God Almighty’s Wisdom where one thing both instigates fear and sparks hope (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar); no one knows whether an eventuality turns out to be for better or for worse.
[2884] The clouds that are floating above our heads like balloons filled with helium are not weightless but rather very heavy. Researchers have calculated that the average cumulus cloud - which is that nice, white fluffy kind you see on a sunny day - weighs an incredible 500,000 kg (or 1.1 million pounds!) (cf. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/how-much-does-a-cloud-weigh?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects): “We will show them Our Signs in the horizons and in themselves, so that they may realize that it is the Truth!” (41: 53).
Not less impressive is the detailed description of how clouds are formed, a scientific fact which was only recently discovered with all the sophisticated equipment that the wonder of modern technology has made available to humans: “Do you not see that Allah gently drives the clouds, then joins them together, piling them up into masses, from which you see raindrops come forth? And He sends down from the sky mountains ˹of clouds˺ loaded with hail, pouring it on whoever He wills and averting it from whoever He wills. The flash of its lightning nearly takes away eyesight” (24: 43).
[2883] “In fear” of being hit by thunderbolts and “˹hopeful˺ anticipation” for rain (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr). Such is the subtlety of God Almighty’s Wisdom where one thing both instigates fear and sparks hope (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar); no one knows whether an eventuality turns out to be for better or for worse.
[2884] The clouds that are floating above our heads like balloons filled with helium are not weightless but rather very heavy. Researchers have calculated that the average cumulus cloud - which is that nice, white fluffy kind you see on a sunny day - weighs an incredible 500,000 kg (or 1.1 million pounds!) (cf. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/how-much-does-a-cloud-weigh?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects): “We will show them Our Signs in the horizons and in themselves, so that they may realize that it is the Truth!” (41: 53).
Not less impressive is the detailed description of how clouds are formed, a scientific fact which was only recently discovered with all the sophisticated equipment that the wonder of modern technology has made available to humans: “Do you not see that Allah gently drives the clouds, then joins them together, piling them up into masses, from which you see raindrops come forth? And He sends down from the sky mountains ˹of clouds˺ loaded with hail, pouring it on whoever He wills and averting it from whoever He wills. The flash of its lightning nearly takes away eyesight” (24: 43).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (12) Surah: Ar-Ra‘d
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.