Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Verses 57 and 58 in Al-A'raaf, Chapter 7


وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَىۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦ‌ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتۡ سَحَابً۬ا ثِقَالاً۬ سُقۡنَـٰهُ لِبَلَدٍ۬ مَّيِّتٍ۬ فَأَنزَلۡنَا بِهِ ٱلۡمَآءَ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۚ كَذَٲلِكَ نُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَڪَّرُونَ (٥٧) وَٱلۡبَلَدُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ يَخۡرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ ۥ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِۦ‌ۖ وَٱلَّذِى خَبُثَ لَا يَخۡرُجُ إِلَّا نَكِدً۬ا‌ۚ ڪَذَٲلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ۬ يَشۡكُرُونَ (٥٨)

And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain). Till when they have carried a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it to a land that is dead, then We cause water (rain) to descend thereon. Then We produce every kind of fruit therewith. Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed. (57) 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 Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who give thanks. (58)

In these verses, God explains how a harvest grows with much detail. A cloud carries the rain and covers a land whose harvest was dead, that water then revives the land and it becomes that with much fruit and grain. The next part of the verse carries depth. God says just as this dead land has now become a revived one, similarly, after we die, He will bring us up once again on the day of resurrection. How can one question this? How would it not be possible for God almighty to do this after we see his signs first-hand of the harvested land? Think about it; when you see a piece of land that is beat up and tell yourself, this land is wasted, then surely after time passes, you see that with time and care the land actually became something is now a source of produce, that is all God’s work no doubt!

In the next verse, God describes the vegetation a little more. He says that a good land will produce crops easily without hardship. However, a bad one will grow little crops with much difficulty and hardship. He does not mention an analogy in this verse as he did in the previous one. Yet, think about it on your own. Can’t we compare us humans to this concept? A person who is internally good, meaning he wants goodness for people, you will see the produce of his work easily. You will see his goodness, you will not have hardship getting favors from him. Contrary to this, a person whose inside does not want goodness for you will do very little for you. And for the smallest little favor you need from him, he will give you much difficulty to get it done.

After looking more into my understanding of this verse that I came up with, I researched a bit more on it. That is where I found further explanation along with my reflections. Prophet Muhammad said: “The example of guidance and knowledge with which God has sent me is like abundant rain falling on earth. Some of it was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and caused lush plants and grasses to grow. Another part of the earth was hard, and the rain water pooled on the surface, but still God benefited people by allowing them to use it for drinking, watering their animals, or irrigating the land for cultivation. Some of the earth was barren, however, and couldn’t hold the water or support plant life. The first part of this example is of a person who understands God’s religion and gets benefit from what God sent me with by learning it and teaching it to others. The last part is of a person who doesn’t care for it and doesn’t accept the guidance with which God sent me”.

The examples and analogies found in the Quran are numerous and carry vast meaning. It is up to the reader though to ponder on these and reflect deep into them he himself. 

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