ভূমিকা

“And coin for them the similitude of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the plants of the earth mingle with it, and then becomes dry twigs that the winds scatter; and Allah is omnipotent over everything.” The containing words of this verse are upon the plants and pleasantness of the earth, and, then, the appearance of the Divine Wrath which caused them to be burnt into ashes.

This statement has been said in order that it becomes a warning for haughty people who are neglectful of Allah. Verily, the world is like a rootless plant which grows with a little rain and dries with a slight wind. In this course, whatever remains, of course, is the man’s righteous deeds. Addressing human beings, in a tradition narrated from Ali-ibn-Abitalib (as), he says: “O’ he who the world has made busy to itself!

Beware that the long various wishes of the world have made you proud.” Therefore, Allah commands His Messenger in this verse to set forth to the people a parable in order that he attracts their attention from the world to the Hereafter.

The verse says: “And coin for them the similitude of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the plants of the earth mingle with it, and then becomes dry twigs that the winds scatter…” The fine scenery of the green plants and their leaves and branches, which grow pleasantly, enamours man to itself and takes him out into the fields in order that he watches the beautiful nature in the spring. But the green plants and flowers of the spring do not last long.

Finally they become pale and dry and winds scatter their dust and straws here and there. The world is also like that. Then the Qur’an implies that Allah prevails over all things and no one is able to stand against His Power and His Will. It says: “…and Allah is omnipotent over everything.” A similar meaning to this verse, with some more details, is recited in SuraYunus, No. 10, verse 24, and Surah Al-Hadeed, No.57, verse 20, too.