Quran 13:17 — Ar-Ra'd, verse 17
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
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.
أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا فَاحْتَمَلَ السَّيْلُ زَبَدًا رَابِيًا ۚ وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فِي النَّارِ ابْتِغَاءَ حِلْيَةٍ أَوْ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِثْلُهُ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ وَالْبَاطِلَ ۚ فَأَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَاءً ۖ وَأَمَّا مَا يَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ
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
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- He sends down out of heaven water, and the wadis flow each in its measure, and the torrent carries a swelling scum; and out of that over which they kindle fire, being desirous of ornament or ware, out of that rises a scum the like of it. So God strikes both the true and the false. As for the scum, it vanishes as jetsam, and what profits men abides in the earth. Even so God strikes His similitudes.
- Muhammad Asad
- [Whenever] He sends down water from the sky, and [once-dry] river-beds are running high according to their measure, the stream carries scum on its surface; and, likewise, from that [metal] which they smelt in the fire in order to make ornaments or utensils, [there rises] scum. In this way does God set forth the parable of truth and falsehood: for, as far as the scum is concerned, it passes away as [does all] dross; but that which is of benefit to man abides on earth. In this way does God set forth the parables
- Sahih International
- 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.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | أَنزَلَanzala | He sends down | نزل |
| 2 | مِنَmina | from | — |
| 3 | ٱلسَّمَآءِl-samāi | the sky | سمو |
| 4 | مَآءًۭmāan | water | موه |
| 5 | فَسَالَتْfasālat | and flows | سيل |
| 6 | أَوْدِيَةٌۢawdiyatun | the valleys | ودي |
| 7 | بِقَدَرِهَاbiqadarihā | according to their measure | قدر |
| 8 | فَٱحْتَمَلَfa-iḥ'tamala | and carries | حمل |
| 9 | ٱلسَّيْلُl-saylu | the torrent | سيل |
| 10 | زَبَدًۭاzabadan | a foam | زبد |
| 11 | رَّابِيًۭا ۚrābiyan | rising | ربو |
| 12 | وَمِمَّاwamimmā | And from what | — |
| 13 | يُوقِدُونَyūqidūna | they heat | وقد |
| 14 | عَلَيْهِʿalayhi | [on] it | — |
| 15 | فِىfī | in | — |
| 16 | ٱلنَّارِl-nāri | the fire | نور |
| 17 | ٱبْتِغَآءَib'tighāa | in order to make | بغي |
| 18 | حِلْيَةٍḥil'yatin | ornaments | حلي |
| 19 | أَوْaw | or | — |
| 20 | مَتَـٰعٍۢmatāʿin | utensils | متع |
| 21 | زَبَدٌۭzabadun | a foam | زبد |
| 22 | مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚmith'luhu | like it | مثل |
| 23 | كَذَٰلِكَkadhālika | Thus | — |
| 24 | يَضْرِبُyaḍribu | sets forth | ضرب |
| 25 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah | أله |
| 26 | ٱلْحَقَّl-ḥaqa | the truth | حقق |
| 27 | وَٱلْبَـٰطِلَ ۚwal-bāṭila | and the falsehood | بطل |
| 28 | فَأَمَّاfa-ammā | Then as for | — |
| 29 | ٱلزَّبَدُl-zabadu | the foam | زبد |
| 30 | فَيَذْهَبُfayadhhabu | it passes away | ذهب |
| 31 | جُفَآءًۭ ۖjufāan | (as) scum | جفأ |
| 32 | وَأَمَّاwa-ammā | and as for | — |
| 33 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 34 | يَنفَعُyanfaʿu | benefits | نفع |
| 35 | ٱلنَّاسَl-nāsa | the mankind | نوس |
| 36 | فَيَمْكُثُfayamkuthu | remains | مكث |
| 37 | فِىfī | in | — |
| 38 | ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚl-arḍi | the earth | أرض |
| 39 | كَذَٰلِكَkadhālika | Thus | — |
| 40 | يَضْرِبُyaḍribu | Allah sets forth | ضرب |
| 41 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah sets forth | أله |
| 42 | ٱلْأَمْثَالَl-amthāla | the examples | مثل |