وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ يُرِيكُمُ ٱلْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَيُحْىِۦ بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ 24
Translations
And of His signs is [that] He shows you the lightning [causing] fear and aspiration, and He sends down rain from the sky by which He brings to life the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that are signs for a people who use reason.
Transliteration
Wa min ayatihi yureekum al-barqa khawfan wa tama'an wa yunazzilu min as-sama'i ma'an fa-yuhyi bihi al-arda ba'da mawtiha. Inna fee dhalika la-ayatin li-qawmin ya'qilun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents lightning and rain as divine signs demonstrating Allah's power and wisdom. Lightning evokes both fear (from its danger) and hope (as a sign of forthcoming rain), while the rain itself revives the dead earth, symbolizing spiritual resurrection and renewal. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi emphasize that these natural phenomena are not coincidental but deliberate signs (ayat) pointing to the Creator's attributes of power, mercy, and sustenance, designed specifically for those who reflect upon creation with reason ('aql).
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Rum is a Meccan surah addressing the polytheists of Mecca. This ayah appears within a broader passage (30:20-25) enumerating Allah's signs in creation—including human creation, language diversity, sleep, and the celestial bodies. The context emphasizes that these observable natural phenomena are clear evidences of Allah's oneness, intended to guide those willing to use their intellect to recognize the Creator.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The cloud is the House of water, the wind is the messenger of the punishment of Allah, and the rain is the mercy of Allah' (authenticated in various collections). Additionally, Islamic tradition encourages reflection on rain and lightning as reminders of the Day of Judgment and divine power.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to observe the natural world as a direct communication from Allah, cultivating both reverence (through the fear inspired by lightning) and hope (through the provision of rain), while encouraging rational contemplation as a pathway to deeper faith and gratitude for divine sustenance.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّهَارَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ
Say, "Have you considered: if Allāh should make for you the day continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allāh could bring you a night in which you may rest? Then will you not see?"
وَٱلْأَرْضَ فَرَشْنَـٰهَا فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَـٰهِدُونَ
And the earth We have spread out, and excellent is the preparer.
تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۭ بِأَمْرِ رَبِّهَا فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ لَا يُرَىٰٓ إِلَّا مَسَـٰكِنُهُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
Destroying everything by command of its Lord. And they became so that nothing was seen [of them] except their dwellings. Thus do We recompense the criminal people.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِىٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
Do you not see [i.e., know] that Allāh causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term, and that Allāh, of whatever you do, is Aware?