لَوْ نَشَآءُ جَعَلْنَـٰهُ أُجَاجًا فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ 70
Translations
If We willed, We could make it bitter, so why are you not grateful?
Transliteration
Law nasha'u ja'alnahu ujajan falaula tashkurun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah declares that if He willed, He could make fresh water bitter and undrinkable (ujaj), yet He has granted humanity sweet water as a mercy. This ayah emphasizes Allah's absolute power over creation and His benevolence toward His servants. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this as a rhetorical challenge compelling gratitude—the ayah concludes with 'why then do you not give thanks?' highlighting that the provision of fresh water is a divine favor requiring recognition and gratitude.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Waqi'ah, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes divine power, resurrection, and human dependence on Allah. The surah repeatedly presents signs of Allah's majesty through creation, particularly water, sustenance, and fire. This specific ayah follows the discussion of rainfall and fresh water (56:68-69), contextualizing it within the theme of recognizing Allah's blessings in natural phenomena.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best charity is water' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized gratitude, saying: 'Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi), connecting material blessings to spiritual obligation.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that every blessing, especially basic necessities like fresh water, is a divine gift that demands conscious gratitude and recognition of Allah's sovereignty. In contemporary life, recognizing and appreciating life's often-overlooked provisions cultivates spiritual awareness and humility before the Creator.
Related Ayahs
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى رَفَعَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ
It is Allāh who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne and made subject the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. He arranges [each] matter; He details the signs that you may, of the meeting with your Lord, be certain.
فَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِ رَحْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْىِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
So observe the effects of the mercy of Allāh - how He gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed, that [same one] will give life to the dead, and He is over all things competent.
إِن نَّشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ءَايَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَـٰقُهُمْ لَهَا خَـٰضِعِينَ
If We willed, We could send down to them from the sky a sign for which their necks would remain humbled.
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلْقَادِرُ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ ۗ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ
Say, "He is the [one] Able to send upon you affliction from above you or from beneath your feet or to confuse you [so you become] sects and make you taste the violence of one another." Look how We diversify the signs that they might understand.