ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِىَ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِۦ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرَ 32
Translations
It is Allāh who created the heavens and the earth and sent down rain from the sky and produced thereby some fruits as provision for you and subjected for you the ships to sail through the sea by His command and subjected for you the rivers.
Transliteration
Allahu alladhi khalaqa as-samawati wa-al-arda wa anzala mina as-sama'i ma'an fa akhreja bihi mina ath-thrimarati rizqan lakum wa sakhkhara lakumu al-fulka litajri fi al-bahri bi-amrihi wa sakhkhara lakumu al-anhara
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents Allah's divine attributes and benevolence by highlighting His creation of the heavens and earth, His provision of rain that produces fruits as sustenance, and His subjugation of ships to sail the seas and rivers for human benefit. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the verse emphasizes Allah's complete sovereignty and the intricate system of provisions He has arranged for mankind, demonstrating that all blessings flow from His divine wisdom and power. The mention of water, fruits, ships, and rivers illustrates the comprehensive nature of Allah's provision across different domains of human need.
Revelation Context
Surah Ibrahim is a Meccan chapter revealed during a period when the pagans of Mecca were rejecting the message of monotheism. This ayah appears in a section where Prophet Abraham's prayer and the responses to his supplication are being discussed, serving as evidence of Allah's oneness and His care for creation as a response to those who deny divine provision and favor.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best charity is water' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the seven whom Allah will shade on the Day of Judgment includes 'a man who gives charity and conceals it,' reflecting the gratitude owed for Allah's provisions mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to recognize that every blessing—from the rain that falls to the crops that grow to the vessels that carry us—is a manifestation of Allah's mercy and care, obligating us to be grateful to Him and to use these provisions responsibly as trustees rather than owners. It invites reflection on the complex interconnectedness of creation and our dependence on Allah for survival, which should inspire humility, gratitude, and conscious stewardship of natural resources.