6:99 Al-An'aam (The Cattle)

وهذا من أعظم مننه العظيمة، التي يضطر إليها الخلق، من الآدميين وغيرهم، وهو أنه أنزل من السماء ماء متتابعا وقت حاجة الناس إليه، فأنبت الله به كل شيء، مما يأكل الناس والأنعام، فرتع الخلق بفضل الله، وانبسطوا برزقه، وفرحوا بإحسانه، وزال عنهم الجدب واليأس والقحط، ففرحت القلوب، وأسفرت الوجوه، وحصل للعباد من رحمة الرحمن الرحيم، ما به يتمتعون وبه يرتعون، مما يوجب لهم، أن يبذلوا جهدهم في شكر من أسدى النعم، وعبادته والإنابة إليه، والمحبة له. ولما ذكر عموم ما ينبت بالماء، من أنواع الأشجار والنبات، ذكر الزرع والنخل، لكثرة نفعهما وكونهما قوتا لأكثر الناس فقال: { فَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهُ خَضِرًا نُخْرِجُ مِنْهُ } أي: من ذلك النبات الخضر، { حَبًّا مُتَرَاكِبًا } بعضه فوق بعض، من بر، وشعير، وذرة، وأرز، وغير ذلك، من أصناف الزروع، وفي وصفه بأنه متراكب، إشارة إلى أن حبوبه متعددة، وجميعها تستمد من مادة واحدة، وهي لا تختلط، بل هي متفرقة الحبوب، مجتمعة الأصول، وإشارة أيضا إلى كثرتها، وشمول ريعها وغلتها، ليبقى أصل البذر، ويبقى بقية كثيرة للأكل والادخار. { وَمِنَ النَّخْلِ } أخرج الله { مِنْ طَلْعِهَا } وهو الكفرى، والوعاء قبل ظهور القنو منه، فيخرج من ذلك الوعاء { قِنْوَانٌ دَانِيَةٌ } أي: قريبة سهلة التناول، متدلية على من أرادها، بحيث لا يعسر التناول من النخل وإن طالت، فإنه يوجد فيها كرب ومراقي، يسهل صعودها. { و } أخرج تعالى بالماء { جنات مِنْ أَعْنَابٍ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ } فهذه من الأشجار الكثيرة النفع، العظيمة الوقع، فلذلك خصصها الله بالذكر بعد أن عم جميع الأشجار والنوابت. وقوله { مُشْتَبِهًا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ } يحتمل أن يرجع إلى الرمان والزيتون، أي: مشتبها في شجره وورقه، غير متشابه في ثمره. ويحتمل أن يرجع ذلك، إلى سائر الأشجار والفواكه، وأن بعضها مشتبه، يشبه بعضه بعضا، ويتقارب في بعض أوصافه، وبعضها لا مشابهة بينه وبين غيره، والكل ينتفع به العباد، ويتفكهون، ويقتاتون، ويعتبرون، ولهذا أمر تعالى بالاعتبار به، فقال: { انْظُرُوا } نظر فكر واعتبار { إِلَى ثَمَرِهِ } أي: الأشجار كلها، خصوصا: النخل { إذا أثمر } { وَيَنْعِهِ } أي: انظروا إليه، وقت إطلاعه، ووقت نضجه وإيناعه، فإن في ذلك عبرا وآيات، يستدل بها على رحمة الله، وسعة إحسانه وجوده، وكمال اقتداره وعنايته بعباده. ولكن ليس كل أحد يعتبر ويتفكر وليس كل من تفكر، أدرك المعنى المقصود، ولهذا قيد تعالى الانتفاع بالآيات بالمؤمنين فقال: { إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَم لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ } فإن المؤمنين يحملهم ما معهم من الإيمان، على العمل بمقتضياته ولوازمه، التي منها التفكر في آيات الله، والاستنتاج منها ما يراد منها، وما تدل عليه، عقلا، وفطرة، وشرعا.

وقوله تعالى "وهو الذي أنزل من السماء ماء" أي بقدر مباركا ورزقا للعباد وإحياء وغياثا للخلائق رحمة من الله بخلقه "فأخرجنا به نبات كل شيء" كقوله "وجعلنا من الماء كل شيء" "فأخرجنا منه خضرا" أي زرعا وشجرا أخضر ثم بعد ذلك نخلق فيه الحب والثمر ولهذا قال تعالى "نخرج منه حبا متراكبا" أي يركب بعضه بعض كالسنابل ونحوها "ومن النخل من طلعها قنوان" أي جمع قنو وهي عذوق الرطب دانية أي قريبة من المتناول كما قال علي بن أبي طلحة الوالبي عن ابن عباس "قنوان دانية" يعني بالقنوان الدانية فصار النخل اللاصقة عذوقها بالأرض. رواه ابن جرير قال ابن جرير وأهل الحجاز يقولون قنوان وقيس يقول قنوان قال امرؤ القيس: فآتت أعاليه وآدت أصوله ومال بقنوان من البسر أحمرا قال وتميم يقولون قنيان بالياء قال وهي جمع قنو كما أن صنوان جمع صنو وقوله تعالى "وجنات من أعناب" أي ونخرج منه جنات من أعناب وهذا النوعان هما أشرف الثمار عند أهل الحجاز وربما كانا خيار الثمار في الدنيا كما امتن الله بهما على عباده في قوله تعالى "ومن ثمرات النخيل والأعناب تتخذون منه سكرا ورزقا حسنا" وكان ذلك قبل تحريم الخمر وقال "وجعلنا فيها جنات من نخيل وأعناب" وقوله تعالى "والزيتون والرمان مشتبها وغير متشابه"قال قتادة وغيره متشابه في الورق والشكل قريب بعضه من بعض ومتخالف في الثمار شكلا وطعما وطبعا وقوله تعالى "انظروا إلى ثمره إذا أثمر وينعه" أي نضجه قاله البراء بن عازب وابن عباس والضحاك وعطاء الخراساني والسدي وقتادة وغيرهم أي فكروا في قدرة خالقه من العدم إلى الوجود بعد أن كان حطبا صار عنبا ورطبا وغير ذلك مما خلق سبحانه وتعالى من الألوان والأشكال والطعوم والروائح كقوله تعالى "وفي الأرض قطع متجاورات وجنات من أعناب وزرع ونخيل صنوان وغير صنوان يسقى بماء واحد ونفضل بعضها على بعض في الأكل" الآية. ولهذا قال ههنا "إن في ذلكم" أيها الناس "لآيات" أي دلالات على كمال قدرة خالق هذه الأشياء وحكمته ورحمته " لقوم يؤمنون" أي يصدقون به ويتبعون رسله.

وَهُوَ الَّذِى أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ

(It is He Who has created you from a single person,) 6:98 in reference to Adam, peace be upon him. In another Ayah, Allah said;

يَـأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيراً وَنِسَآءً

(O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his mate, and from them both He created many men and women.)4:1 Allah said,

فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ

(Mustaqar and Mustawda`) Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Abu `Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami, Qays bin Abu Hazim, Mujahid, `Ata', Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi and `Ata' Al-Khurasani and others said that,

فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ

(Mustaqar), `in the wombs'. They, or most of them, also said that,

وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ

(And Mustawda`,) means, `in your father's loins'. Ibn Mas`ud and several others said that, Mustaqar, means residence in this life, while, Mustawda`, means the place of storage after death (the grave). Allah's statement,

قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الاٌّيَـتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَفْقَهُونَ

(Indeed, We have explained in detail Our revelations for people who understand.) refers to those who comprehend and understand Allah's Words and its meanings. Allah said next,

وَهُوَ الَّذِى أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً

(It is He Who sends down water (rain) from the sky) in due measure, as a blessing and provision for the servants, relief and means of survival for the creatures and mercy from Allah for His creation. Allah's statement,

فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ نَبَاتَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ

(And with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds,) is similar to,

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَىٍّ

(And We have made from water every living thing.) 21:30

فَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهُ خَضِراً

(and out of it We bring forth green stalks,) green produce and trees, on which We grow seeds and fruits.

نُّخْرِجُ مِنْهُ حَبّاً مُّتَرَاكِباً

(from which We bring forth thick clustered grain.) lined on top of each other in clusters, like an ear or spike of grain.

وَمِنَ النَّخْلِ مِن طَلْعِهَا قِنْوَنٌ

(And out of the date-palm and its sprouts come forth clusters) of dates

دَانِيَةٌ

(hanging low) Within reach and easy to pick. `Ali bin Abi Talhah Al-Walibi said that Ibn `Abbas said that,

قِنْوَنٌ دَانِيَةٌ

(clusters hanging low) refers to short date trees whose branches hang low, close to the ground. This was recorded by Ibn Jarir. Allah's statement

وَجَنَّـتٍ مِّنْ أَعْنَـبٍ

(and gardens of grapes,) means, We bring forth gardens of grapes. Grapes and dates are the most precious fruits to the people of Al-Hijaz (Western Arabia), and perhaps both are the best fruits in this world. Allah has reminded His servants of His favor in making these two fruits for them, when He said,

وَمِن ثَمَرَتِ النَّخِيلِ وَالاٌّعْنَـبِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنْهُ سَكَرًا وَرِزْقًا حَسَنًا

(And from the fruits of date-palms and grapes, you derive strong drink and a goodly provision.) 16:67 before intoxicating drinks were prohibited, and;

وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـبٍ

(And We have made therein gardens of date-palms and grapes.) 36:34. Allah said,

وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُشْتَبِهاً وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَـبِهٍ

(olives and pomegranates, each similar yet different.) The leaves are similar in shape and appearence, yet different in the shape, and taste. And the kind of fruit each plant produces is different, according to the explanation of Qatadah and several others. Allah's statement,

انْظُرُواْ إِلِى ثَمَرِهِ إِذَآ أَثْمَرَ وَيَنْعِهِ

(Look at their fruits when they begin to bear, and Yan`ih.) means, when the fruits become ripe, according to Al-Bara' bin `Azib, Ibn `Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi, Qatadah and others. This Ayah means, contemplate the ability of the Creator of these fruits, Who brought them into existence after they were dry wood, and they later became grapes and dates; and similar is the case with the various colors, shapes, tastes and fragrance of whatever Allah created. Allah said,

وَفِى الاٌّرْضِ قِطَعٌ مُّتَجَـوِرَتٌ وَجَنَّـتٌ مِّنْ أَعْنَـبٍ وَزَرْعٌ وَنَخِيلٌ صِنْوَنٌ وَغَيْرُ صِنْوَنٍ يُسْقَى بِمَآءٍ وَحِدٍ وَنُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَهَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِى الاٍّكُلِ

(And in the earth are neighbouring tracts, and gardens of vines, and green crops, and date-palms, growing out, two or three from a single stem root, or otherwise, watered with the same water, yet some of them We make better than others to eat.) 13:4 This is why Allah said here,

إِنَّ فِى ذلِكُمْ

(In these things there are...) O people,

لاّيَـتٍ

(signs...) and proofs that testify to the perfect ability, wisdom and mercy of He Who created these things,

لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

(for people who believe. ) in Allah and obey His Messengers.

And He it is Who sent down water from the heaven and therewith with the water We bring forth there is a shift away from the third to the second person in this address plants of every kind that produces shoots and therefrom from the shoots We bring forth some verdure meaning ‘the greens’ in other words vegetation bringing forth from it from the verdure thick-clustered grain in dense clusters — such as the spikes of wheat and the like — and from the palm-tree wa-mina’l-nakhli is the predicate and is substituted by the following min tal‘ihā ‘from its pollen’ from its pollen — that which is the first to be produced by it — spring bunches of dates qinwānun is the subject of the sentence stalks with date clusters bunched up one near the other and We bring forth from it gardens orchards of grapes and olives and pomegranates the leaves of both of these being similar mushtabihan is a circumstantial qualifier but the fruits of which are not alike. Look O you addressed in reflection upon their fruits read thamarihi or thumurihi the plural of thamara like shajara ‘tree’ as plural of shajar and khashaba ‘a piece of wood’ for khashab when they have borne fruit when this first begins how it looks and look upon their ripening after they have reached full growth and the state to which they return. Surely in all that are signs proofs of His power exalted be He to resurrect and to do all other things for a people who believe it is these people that are specifically mentioned because they are the ones to profit from those signs by their believing in them in contrast to the disbelievers.

Commentary

The contents of this verse present a unique concern for thematic order. It will be noticed that three kinds of universes have been mentioned here: The low, the high and the atmosphere - that is, what generates in what we know as the Biosphere. The description was initiated with the mention of that which is on the lower level because it is closer to us. Then, it was split in two parts. One part of the statement covered vegetation which grows on the land, plants and trees and gardens. The other part featured life forms as beasts, human beings and animals. The first part was given precedence because it is more obvious as compared to the other. Then comes the case of that which has been made to come after, the other part. This is different. It has Ruh, soul or spirit. It is deep, depends on progression from the sperm to its various stages and attending conditions, something allied with the comprehension, diagnosis and judgment of physicians - contrary to the case of vegetation which, in its growth, flowering and ripening etc., is observable commonly. Then, mentioned there was the atmosphere and its life support system, the morning and the evening. Then, came the mention of what is higher, the sun, the moon, and the stars. After that, since what is at the lower level is observed more frequently, the subject was repeated and made the concluding statement. But, firstly it was taken up briefly, now it was taken up in detail - yet, in the order of this detail, the order of brevity was reversed by giving precedence to life forms and succession to the mention of vegetation. Perhaps, its basis is that the detailed statement highlights the expression of gratitude for blessings which, in that status, makes the blessed - being the intended recipients - deserving of being given precedence. As for vegetation, the previous order stays as the status of the donees, that is, of seeds and pits, remains preceded. That rain has been mentioned in between is subservient to the mention of vegetation. Incidentally, there might be another element of refinement here - in that rain has different states. In terms of its origin, it comes from the high; and in terms of its destination, it comes down to the low; and in terms of the distance covered, it is part of the atmosphere.

And He it is who sent down out of heaven water, by which We bring forth the growth of everything.... Gaze at their fruits when they fructify and ripen. Surely in these are signs for a people who have faith. He alludes to the Essence of the Unity, who alludes to the attributes of the Lordhood, sent down alludes to the artisanry of the Divinity. He is a Lord who is existent by Essence, described by at- tributes, and recognized through artifacts and signs. It has also been said that He alludes to what is beyond being, so that the listener will give ear to it, the seeker will find access to it, and the gazer will look to it. Who alludes to being, so that the listener will become familiar, the seeker will come to see, and the wanter will come to know. He it is comes in the Qur'an thirty-nine times, twenty with and, and nineteen without. Sent down out of heaven water until the end of the verse-all these are marks that the Creator is one and has no peer in Godhood. He is without contrivance in power, without changing of state in self-standingness, secure from cease in kingship, transcendent in Essence and description. The Lord of the Worlds is calling the servants to this tawḤīd. Do you not see that at the end of the verse He says “Gaze”? Look carefully so that you may know, and know so that you may perceive! Here He speaks of gazing. Elsewhere He says, “None will remember but those who are penitent” [40:13]: No one will gaze, accept, and recognize the reminder except the one whose heart is right with the Real and who gazes upon Him before his eyes. This is the allusion at the end of the verse: “Surely in that are signs for a people who have faith.” The ones who find access to the signs of power are those who have faith in the signs of the attributes, the ones who have shame before God are those who are aware of His gaze, and the ones who will fear God are those who know that God is powerful over them.