The table below presents the verses and their explanation from Tafheem-ul-Quran.ComponentContentArabic Text قُلۡ مَنۡ رَّبُّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُؕ قُلۡ اَفَاتَّخَذۡتُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اَوۡلِيَآءَ لَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ لِاَنفُسِهِمۡ نَفۡعًا وَّلَا ضَرًّاؕ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى الۡاَعۡمٰى وَالۡبَصِيۡرُ ۙ اَمۡ هَلۡ تَسۡتَوِى الظُّلُمٰتُ وَالنُّوۡرُ ۚ اَمۡ جَعَلُوۡا لِلّٰهِ شُرَكَآءَ خَلَقُوۡا كَخَلۡقِهٖ فَتَشَابَهَ الۡخَـلۡقُ عَلَيۡهِمۡؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُ خَالِـقُ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ وَّهُوَ الۡوَاحِدُ الۡقَهَّارُ ﴿13:16﴾
اَنۡزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَالَتۡ اَوۡدِيَةٌۢ بِقَدَرِهَا فَاحۡتَمَلَ السَّيۡلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا ؕ وَمِمَّا يُوۡقِدُوۡنَ عَلَيۡهِ فِى النَّارِ ابۡتِغَآءَ حِلۡيَةٍ اَوۡ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثۡلُهٗ ؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَضۡرِبُ اللّٰهُ الۡحَـقَّ وَالۡبَاطِلَ ؕ فَاَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذۡهَبُ جُفَآءً ۚ وَاَمَّا مَا يَنۡفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمۡكُثُ فِى الۡاَرۡضِؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَضۡبُ اللّٰهُ الۡاَمۡثَالَ ﴿13:17﴾ English TranslationVerse 16: Ask them: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say: “Allah.” Tell them: “Have you taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?” Say: “Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?” If that is not so, then have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them? Say: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.”
Verse 17: “Allah sends down water from the heavens and the river-beds flow, each according to its measure, and the torrent carries along a swelling scum. In like manner, from that metal which they smelt in the fire to make ornaments and utensils, there arises scum like it. Thus does Allah depict truth and falsehood. As for the scum, it passes away as dross; but that which benefits mankind abides on the earth. Thus does Allah explain (the truth) through examples.” Tafseer (Explanation)Verse 16: This verse presents a logical argument for God’s Oneness (Tawhid). The questions are posed to make the disbelievers reflect:
– Rhetorical Questions: The “blind” refers to one who cannot see the signs of Allah in the universe, while the “seeing” is one who can perceive the Creator in everything. “Darkness” signifies the ignorance of disbelief, and “light” is the knowledge of the truth. These are not equal.
– The Core Argument: Since the disbelievers themselves admit that their false deities created nothing and have no power, there is no rational basis for worshipping them alongside Allah, the One and Only Creator.
Verse 17: This verse offers a powerful parable for the eternal nature of truth and the transient nature of falsehood:
– The Parable of Water: The knowledge revealed by Allah is like life-giving rain. Believers absorb this knowledge according to their capacity, like riverbeds filling with water. The loud objections and false arguments of opponents are like the scum that appears on the surface but is ultimately worthless and vanishes.
– The Parable of Metal: Similarly, when metal is heated to purify it and create valuable ornaments, scum rises to the top. Likewise, when society is tested through trials, the true believers are purified, and insincere people (the “scum”) are exposed and removed.
I hope this provides you with a clear and comprehensive understanding of these verses. Would you like to see the Tafseer for the subsequent verses that discuss the outcome for those who respond to their Lord?
Tafseer
Of course. I apologize for the confusion. You are right, I provided the Tafseer from Tafheem-ul-Quran in my first response.
To make it perfectly clear, here is the Tafseer of Surah Ar-Ra’d, Verses 16 and 17, exclusively from Tafheem-ul-Quran by Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi.
📖 Tafseer from Tafheem-ul-Quran (Verses 13:16-17)
Arabic Verses:
قُلۡ مَنۡ رَّبُّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُؕ قُلۡ اَفَاتَّخَذۡتُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اَوۡلِيَآءَ لَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ لِاَنفُسِهِمۡ نَفۡعًا وَّلَا ضَرًّاؕ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى الۡاَعۡمٰى وَالۡبَصِيۡرُ ۙ اَمۡ هَلۡ تَسۡتَوِى الظُّلُمٰتُ وَالنُّوۡرُ ۚ اَمۡ جَعَلُوۡا لِلّٰهِ شُرَكَآءَ خَلَقُوۡا كَخَلۡقِهٖ فَتَشَابَهَ الۡخَـلۡقُ عَلَيۡهِمۡؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُ خَالِـقُ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ وَّهُوَ الۡوَاحِدُ الۡقَهَّارُ ﴿١٦﴾ اَنۡزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَالَتۡ اَوۡدِيَةٌۢ بِقَدَرِهَا فَاحۡتَمَلَ السَّيۡلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا ؕ وَمِمَّا يُوۡقِدُوۡنَ عَلَيۡهِ فِى النَّارِ ابۡتِغَآءَ حِلۡيَةٍ اَوۡ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثۡلُهٗ ؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَضۡرِبُ اللّٰهُ الۡحَـقَّ وَالۡبَاطِلَ ؕ فَاَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذۡهَبُ جُفَآءً ۚ وَاَمَّا مَا يَنۡفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمۡكُثُ فِى الۡاَرۡضِؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَضۡبُ اللّٰهُ الۡاَمۡثَالَ ﴿١٧﴾
Tafseer of Verse 16:
This verse presents a series of powerful, logical arguments to dismantle polytheism (Shirk) and affirm the Oneness of Allah (Tawhid).
- The Fundamental Question: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” This question is posed to force the polytheists to admit the foundational truth they already concede—that Allah is the Supreme Creator and Sustainer.
- The Illogic of Shirk: Once they admit Allah is the Lord, the follow-up question exposes the absurdity of their practice: “Have you taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?” How can powerless entities, incapable of even helping themselves, be considered divine protectors or intercessors?
- Analogies of Inequality: The verse then draws two stark contrasts to show that belief and disbelief are not equal:
- “Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals?” Here, ‘the blind’ refers to one who is spiritually blind and cannot see the signs of Allah in the universe, while ‘the seeing’ is the believer who perceives the truth.
- “Can light and darkness be deemed equals?”‘Darkness’ signifies the ignorance, misguidance, and doubt of disbelief, while ‘light’ is the clear guidance, knowledge, and certainty of faith.
- The Final Challenge: The argument culminates by challenging the core of Shirk: “Have those whom they associate with Allah… ever created anything like what Allah did?” The polytheists’ own admission that their idols created nothing should make the matter clear. The verse ends with the ultimate conclusion: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.”
Tafseer of Verse 17:
This verse provides a brilliant parable to illustrate the eternal nature of truth (Haqq) and the transient nature of falsehood (Batil).
- The Parable of Rain:
- “Allah sends down water from the heavens…”This represents the divine revelation, the Qur’an, and the truth sent by Allah.
- “…and the river-beds flow, each according to its measure…” This symbolizes human hearts. Just as valleys hold and channel water according to their size and capacity, human hearts accept and hold the truth according to their own spiritual readiness and capability.
- “…and the torrent carries along a swelling scum.” When rain falls, it stirs up foam and scum that floats on the surface. This represents the doubts, objections, false arguments, and insincere motives that arise when the truth is presented. It is flashy and noticeable but ultimately hollow and temporary.
- The Parable of Metal:
- “…from that metal which they smelt in the fire to make ornaments and utensils, there arises scum like it.” To purify gold or silver, it is heated, and impurities rise to the top as scum. Similarly, when society is tested through trials and the “fire” of challenges, the true, valuable believers are distinguished from the insincere and hypocritical “scum.”
- The Ultimate Lesson:
- “Thus does Allah depict truth and falsehood.”The purpose of these parables is made clear.
- “As for the scum, it passes away as dross…”Falsehood, no matter how loud or prominent it seems, is inherently worthless and will inevitably vanish and be forgotten.
- “…but that which benefits mankind abides on the earth.” The pure water that quenches thirst and allows crops to grow, and the pure metal that is used for good—this is the truth. It is what truly benefits humanity and remains forever.
This is the consistent law of Allah: falsehood may appear dominant for a time, but it is always temporary, while the truth is enduring and ultimately prevails.
Messages from Quran 