لَوْ نَشَآءُ جَعَلْنَـٰهُ أُجَاجًا فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ 70
Translations
If We willed, We could make it bitter, so why are you not grateful?
Transliteration
Law nasha'u ja'alnahu ujajan falaula tashkurun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah declares that if He willed, He could make fresh water bitter and undrinkable (ujaj), yet He has granted humanity sweet water as a mercy. This ayah emphasizes Allah's absolute power over creation and His benevolence toward His servants. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this as a rhetorical challenge compelling gratitude—the ayah concludes with 'why then do you not give thanks?' highlighting that the provision of fresh water is a divine favor requiring recognition and gratitude.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Waqi'ah, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes divine power, resurrection, and human dependence on Allah. The surah repeatedly presents signs of Allah's majesty through creation, particularly water, sustenance, and fire. This specific ayah follows the discussion of rainfall and fresh water (56:68-69), contextualizing it within the theme of recognizing Allah's blessings in natural phenomena.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best charity is water' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized gratitude, saying: 'Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi), connecting material blessings to spiritual obligation.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that every blessing, especially basic necessities like fresh water, is a divine gift that demands conscious gratitude and recognition of Allah's sovereignty. In contemporary life, recognizing and appreciating life's often-overlooked provisions cultivates spiritual awareness and humility before the Creator.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلْقَادِرُ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ ۗ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ
Say, "He is the [one] Able to send upon you affliction from above you or from beneath your feet or to confuse you [so you become] sects and make you taste the violence of one another." Look how We diversify the signs that they might understand.
إِن كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَٰحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ
It will not be but one blast, and at once they are all brought present before Us.
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَٰتًا فَأَحْيَـٰكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
How can you disbelieve in Allāh when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned.
۞ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَهُمْ أَجَلًا لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهِ فَأَبَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ إِلَّا كُفُورًا
Do they not see that Allāh, who created the heavens and earth, is [the one] Able to create the likes of them? And He has appointed for them a term, about which there is no doubt. But the wrongdoers refuse except disbelief.