Surah Ar-Ra'd (الرعد) • The Thunder

Quran 13:17

13:17

أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌۢ بِقَدَرِهَا فَٱحْتَمَلَ ٱلسَّيْلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا ۚ وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فِى ٱلنَّارِ ٱبْتِغَآءَ حِلْيَةٍ أَوْ مَتَـٰعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحَقَّ وَٱلْبَـٰطِلَ ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَآءً ۖ وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ

anzala mina l-samāi māan fasālat awdiyatun biqadarihā fa-iḥ'tamala l-saylu zabadan rābiyan wamimmā yūqidūna ʿalayhi fī l-nāri ib'tighāa ḥil'yatin aw matāʿin zabadun mith'luhu kadhālika yaḍribu l-lahu l-ḥaqa wal-bāṭila fa-ammā l-zabadu fayadhhabu jufāan wa-ammā mā yanfaʿu l-nāsa fayamkuthu fī l-arḍi kadhālika yaḍribu l-lahu l-amthāla

He sends down from the sky, rain, and valleys flow according to their capacity, and the torrent carries a rising foam. And from that [ore] which they heat in the fire, desiring adornments and utensils, is a foam like it. Thus Allāh presents [the example of] truth and falsehood. As for the foam, it vanishes, [being] cast off; but as for that which benefits the people, it remains on the earth. Thus does Allāh present examples.

— Saheeh International

He sends water from the sky that fills riverbeds to overflowing, each according to its measure. The stream carries on its surface a growing layer of froth, like the froth that appears when people melt metals in the fire to make ornaments and tools: in this way God illustrates truth and falsehood- the froth disappears, but what is of benefit to man stays behind- this is how God makes illustrations.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and the valleys flow according to their measure, but the flood bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface - and (also) from that (ore) which they heat in the fire in order to make ornaments or utensils, rises a foam like unto it, thus does Allâh (by parables) show forth truth and falsehood. Then, as for the foam it passes away as scum upon the banks, while that which is for the good of mankind remains in the earth. Thus Allâh sets forth parables (for the truth and falsehood, i.e. Belief and disbelief).

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 13Page 251medinan

Word by Word

أَنزَلَanzalaHe sends down
مِنَminafrom
ٱلسَّمَآءِl-samāithe sky
مَآءًۭmāanwater
فَسَالَتْfasālatand flows
أَوْدِيَةٌۢawdiyatunthe valleys
بِقَدَرِهَاbiqadarihāaccording to their measure
فَٱحْتَمَلَfa-iḥ'tamalaand carries
ٱلسَّيْلُl-sayluthe torrent
زَبَدًۭاzabadana foam
رَّابِيًۭاۚrābiyanrising
وَمِمَّاwamimmāAnd from what
يُوقِدُونَyūqidūnathey heat
عَلَيْهِʿalayhi[on] it
فِىfīin
ٱلنَّارِl-nārithe fire
ٱبْتِغَآءَib'tighāain order to make
حِلْيَةٍḥil'yatinornaments
أَوْawor
مَتَـٰعٍۢmatāʿinutensils
زَبَدٌۭzabaduna foam
مِّثْلُهُۥۚmith'luhulike it
كَذَٰلِكَkadhālikaThus
يَضْرِبُyaḍribusets forth
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
ٱلْحَقَّl-ḥaqathe truth
وَٱلْبَـٰطِلَۚwal-bāṭilaand the falsehood
فَأَمَّاfa-ammāThen as for
ٱلزَّبَدُl-zabaduthe foam
فَيَذْهَبُfayadhhabuit passes away
جُفَآءًۭۖjufāan(as) scum
وَأَمَّاwa-ammāand as for
مَاmāwhat
يَنفَعُyanfaʿubenefits
ٱلنَّاسَl-nāsathe mankind
فَيَمْكُثُfayamkuthuremains
فِىfīin
ٱلْأَرْضِۚl-arḍithe earth
كَذَٰلِكَkadhālikaThus
يَضْرِبُyaḍribuAllah sets forth
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah sets forth
ٱلْأَمْثَالَl-amthālathe examples