Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (17) Surah: Ar-Ra‘d
أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَسَالَتۡ أَوۡدِيَةُۢ بِقَدَرِهَا فَٱحۡتَمَلَ ٱلسَّيۡلُ زَبَدٗا رَّابِيٗاۖ وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيۡهِ فِي ٱلنَّارِ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ حِلۡيَةٍ أَوۡ مَتَٰعٖ زَبَدٞ مِّثۡلُهُۥۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضۡرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡحَقَّ وَٱلۡبَٰطِلَۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلزَّبَدُ فَيَذۡهَبُ جُفَآءٗۖ وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ فَيَمۡكُثُ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضۡرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡأَمۡثَالَ
(17) [2900]He sends water down from the sky and valleys flow according to their scope[2901], and the flood carries floating scum[2902]; and scum like so is of what they stoke up fire on seeking ornaments and utensils[2903]. Thus Allah illustrates ˹the example of˺ Truth and falsehood; as for the scum, it goes disposed of but as for what benefits people, it settles into the ground—thus Allah illustrates examples.
[2900] Here is where ‘wheat is separated from the chaff’, figuratively. Truth being of ‘real substance’ and use runs deep and stays put but falsehood, being superficial and at surface level, no sooner bubbles away and it is gone!
[2901] The example of the knowledge and guidance that God Almighty sent down to the hearts of people is that of water which pours down from the sky. The hearts that carry these are like valleys; some are wide and great while others are narrow and small (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[2902] Zabad (also called ghuthā’ and raghwah, cf. al-Shawkānī) is the froth/scum that floats on the surface of flooding water. The example given here is that of Truth and falsehood. Truth is the water that stays put and people benefit from it, whereas falsehood is the dispensable scum, jetsam, which soon dissolves and disappears (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz).
[2903] That is, the different minerals (gold, silver, copper, iron, etc.) that people set fire on to be able to form it into different ornaments and utensils. This process results in the surface removal of impurities (the zabad, scum of slag) in these minerals which are then discarded leaving only the ‘pure’ substance (cf. al-Baghawī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī).
[2901] The example of the knowledge and guidance that God Almighty sent down to the hearts of people is that of water which pours down from the sky. The hearts that carry these are like valleys; some are wide and great while others are narrow and small (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[2902] Zabad (also called ghuthā’ and raghwah, cf. al-Shawkānī) is the froth/scum that floats on the surface of flooding water. The example given here is that of Truth and falsehood. Truth is the water that stays put and people benefit from it, whereas falsehood is the dispensable scum, jetsam, which soon dissolves and disappears (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz).
[2903] That is, the different minerals (gold, silver, copper, iron, etc.) that people set fire on to be able to form it into different ornaments and utensils. This process results in the surface removal of impurities (the zabad, scum of slag) in these minerals which are then discarded leaving only the ‘pure’ substance (cf. al-Baghawī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (17) 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.