Friday Nasiha

Surah al-A'raaf (The Heights)
Chapter 7 : Verses 57,58

"And it is He Who sends forth winds as glad tidings in advance of His Mercy, and when they (the winds) have carried a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it to a dead land, then We send down rain from it and bring forth therewith fruits of every kind. In this manner do We raise the dead, so that you may take heed.

As for the good land, vegetation comes forth with abundance by the command of its Lord, whereas from the bad land, only poor vegetation comes forth. Thus do We expound Our Signs in diverse ways for a people who are grateful "

Commentary:

It is necessary to grasp the subtle points being presented in this beautiful triple-parable of the Quran, in order to appreciate the full picture of what is being said here:

1. The reference to rain and its advantages is intended to bring into focus God's power, and to affirm life after death. It makes us think: If we can see and experience things coming to life from death, such as vegetation growing after rain on a dead land, how can we doubt our resurrection on the Day of Judgment? The question of resurrection and accountability was something that bothered many of the disbelievers of Makkah as it bothers others today.

2. Moreover, it is also intended to draw our attention in allegorical, albeit graphic, terms to the blessings of prophethood (Risalah), and how it leads humanity to distinguish between good and evil, between pure and impure. The intimation of Divine Guidance through the Prophets is compared to the movement of winds, the appearance of rain-laden clouds, and the fall of life-sustaining drops. In the same way as the rainfall causes dead earth to be revived and makes the hidden treasures of life burst forth from its womb, so the impact of the Prophets also brings dead humanity back to life, causing the hidden goodness in women and men to burst forth.

3. This allegory also hints at another important fact. In the same way that only fertile soil profits from rainfall, so only people of righteous nature can take benefit from the blessings of prophethood. As for the wicked, they are like a wasteland, as this verse suggests. Rainfall can cause such a land to bring forth only thorny bushes and cacti. Similarly, when the evil people come in contact with the teaching of the Prophets, the hidden evils of their nature come into full play.

This allegory is followed in the Quran by a graphic account with illustrations from history showing that whenever the Prophets preached their Message, people split into two camps. The righteous receive the blessings of the Prophethood and flourish, bringing forth the fruit of their goodness. As for the wicked, once the criterion provided by the Prophets is applied, their impurities are fully exposed.

[compiled from "Towards Understanding the Quran"
by Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi, Vol. III, pp. 36-37]