The Quran

سورة الزُّمَر

Surah Al-Zumar 39:21

The Multitudes · Verse 21 of 75

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ حُطَامًا ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

Abdul Mannan Omar

Have you not seen (the sight) that Allâh sends down water from the clouds and causes it to flow (in the form of) streamlets on the earth and then brings forth herbage of various kinds and of diverse hues with it, then it dries up (after ripening) so that you see it turn yellow; then He turns it into chaff. Behold! in this (similitude) is a reminder for people endowed with pure and clear understanding.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Seest thou not that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and leads it through springs in the earth? Then He causes to grow, therewith, produce of various colours: then it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then He makes it dry up and crumble away. Truly, in this, is a Message of remembrance to men of understanding.

Ahmed Ali

Do you not see that God sends down water from the sky, then makes it flow in rills on the earth, and brings forth corn from it which, having passed through changes of shade and colour, comes to ripen, and you see it autumnal yellow; then He reduces it to chaff. There are indeed lessons in this for those who are wise.

12 more translations

Ali Unal

Have you not considered that God sends down water from the sky, and leads it into springs in the earth to flow therein; then He causes to grow with it produce of various colors; then it withers so that you see it grow yellow; then He makes it break and fade away. In this, for sure, is a reminder for people of discernment.

Daryabadi

Beholdest thou not that Allah sendeth down water from the heaven, and causeth it to enter springs in the earth, and thereafter produceth thereby corn various coloured. Thereafter it wirhereth, and thou beholdest it turn yellow; then He maketh it chaff. Verily herein is an admonition for men of understanding.

Faridul Haque

Did you not see that it is Allah Who sent down water from the sky, and then with it made springs in the earth, and then with it produces crops of various colours, and then it dries up and you see it has become yellow, and He then fragments them into small pieces; indeed in this is a reminder for people of intellect.

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Seest thou not that Allah sends down water from the clouds, then makes it go down into the earth in springs, then brings forth therewith herbage of various hues; then it withers so that thou seest it turn yellow, then He makes it chaff? Surely there is a reminder in this for men of understanding.

Maulvi Sher Ali

Hast thou not seen that ALLAH sends down water from the sky, and causes it to flow in springs in the earth and then brings forth thereby herbage of diverse hues? Then it dries up and thou seest it turn to yellow; then HE reduces it to broken straw. In that, verily, is a reminder for men of understanding.

Muhammad Asad

ART THOU NOT aware that it is God who sends down water from the skies, and then causes it to travel through the earth in the shape of springs? And then He brings forth thereby herbage of various hues; and then it withers, and thou canst see it turn yellow; and in the end He causes it to crumble to dust.

Muhammad Musin Khan

See you not, that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, (and then makes it to spring up) as water-springs and afterward thereby produces crops of different colours, and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow, then He makes them dry and broken pieces. Verily, in this, is a Reminder for men of understanding.

Muhammad Pickthall

Hast thou not seen how Allah hath sent down water from the sky and hath caused it to penetrate the earth as watersprings, and afterward thereby produceth crops of divers hues; and afterward they wither and thou seest them turn yellow; then He maketh them chaff. Lo! herein verily is a reminder for men of understanding.

Muhammad Sarwar

Have you not seen that God has sent down water from the sky and made it flow as springs out of the earth? He makes crops of different colors grow with this water and flourish, which then turn yellow and wither away. In this there is a reminder for the people of understanding.

Muhammed ali Shakir

Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the cloud, then makes it go along in the earth in springs, then brings forth therewith herbage of various colors, then it withers so that you see it becoming yellow, then He makes it a thing crushed and broken into pieces? Most surely there is a reminder in this for the men of understanding.

Rashad Khalifa

Do you not see that GOD sends down from the sky water, then places it into underground wells, then produces with it plants of various colors, then they grow until they turn yellow, then He turns them into hay? This should be a reminder for those who possess intelligence.

Shabbir Ahmed

Have you not realized that it is God Who sends down water from the height, and then leads it through the earth to form wells and springs? And then He brings forth a variety of colorful vegetation. Then you see the crops ripen turning golden yellow, and in the end He makes them crumble away (with grain aside). Surely, therein is a Reminder to those who wish to develop their insight.

Commentary 39:21 “Behold! In this is a reminder for people endowed with pure and clear understanding” إِنَّ فِي ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ shows that here…

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا مُّخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ حُطَامًا ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

39:21 “Behold! In this is a reminder for people endowed with pure and clear understanding” إِنَّ فِي ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ shows that here is a similitude to Divine Revelation, how it affects people of various natures and ethnic origins. This message is repeated in verse 39:27.