Overview (Verses 65 - 67)

Clear Signs to Reflect Upon
 
At this point, the sūrah reviews some of the aspects pointing to God’s oneness in what God has created in the universe, and in the qualities and characteristics He has given man, as well as in the aspects of grace He has bestowed on him which none but God could have provided. In the verse we have just discussed He mentions His book, the Qur’ān, which is the best aspect of grace God has bestowed on man as it imparts life to souls. Now, this is followed by mentioning the water God sends down from the sky to give physical life to man and other creatures. “And God sends down water from the skies, giving life to the earth after it has been lifeless. In this there is surely a sign for people who listen.” (Verse 65) Water is indeed the source of life for every living thing. This verse makes it the source of life for the whole earth, implying that this includes all that exists on earth. The One who transforms death into life is indeed the One who deserves to be God and to whom worship is addressed: “In this there is surely a sign for people who listen.” They should indeed reflect on what they hear and listen to its message. In fact the Qur’ān repeatedly mentions the signs pointing to God and His authority, and how He brings life into what is dead. It draws people’s attentions to this, because it provides irrefutable proof for anyone who reflects on what he sees and hears.
 
Another sign is derived from the creation of cattle and their lives: “In cattle too you have a worthy lesson: We give you to drink of that [fluid] which is in their bellies, produced alongside excretions and blood: pure milk, pleasant to those who drink it.” (Verse 66) How is milk produced through the udders of cattle? It is made of what remains in the bellies of cattle after they have digested their food and the absorption of the excretions in the intestines to transform it into blood. The blood is then circulated to every cell in the body, but when it reaches the milk glands or the udder, it becomes milk through a fine process set by God. This is indeed an aspect of His fine and inimitable creation. Indeed the whole process that transforms the food intake into blood, and gives every cell what it needs of the blood’s ingredients is a highly remarkable process. Yet this goes on all the time inside the body, just like the metabolism process. At every moment complicated processes of maintenance and destruction take place in this unique organism, which continue until the spirit departs from the body. No fair minded human being could contemplate such remarkable processes without feeling that every atom in his being glorifies the Creator. Even the most complex man-made apparatus fades into insignificance when compared to the human constitution or to any one of its systems or even its countless cells.
 
Indeed beyond the general description of the metabolism processes we find details that fill us with wonder. Within this process, the function of a single cell in the human body is remarkably wonderful.
 
All this has remained a secret until recently. This scientific fact mentioned in this sūrah about how milk is produced alongside excretions and blood was unknown to mankind. Indeed no contemporary of the Prophet could have ever imagined it, let alone described it so accurately. No self respecting human being could ever argue about this. The mention of one such fact is sufficient to prove that the Qur’ān is God’s revelation. All mankind was at the time totally ignorant of such facts.
 
Such pure scientific facts apart, the Qur’ān carries within its own unique characteristics irrefutable proofs of its being revealed by God, provided we appreciate such characteristics as they truly are. However, one scientific fact like this, expressed with such accuracy, refutes all arguments advanced by those who are hardened in their rejection of the truth.
 
“And from the fruit of the date palms and vines you derive intoxicants and wholesome food. Surely in this there is a sign for people who use their reason.” (Verse 67) Such fruits come out of the life which is produced through the rain pouring down from the sky. From them people make wine and other intoxicating drinks, which were not forbidden at the time this sūrah was revealed. People also derive from such fruits wholesome food. The way this verse is phrased implies that intoxicants are unwholesome, which serves as a preliminary indication of their forthcoming prohibition. The verse describes the situation as it was in practice. It does not imply that wines and intoxicants were permissible. On the contrary it hints that they will soon be forbidden. “Surely in this there is a sign for people who use their reason.” (Verse 67) People with reason are sure to realize that the provider of all these fruits and other provisions is God, the One who deserves to be worshipped.

Overview (Verses 65 - 67)

Clear Signs to Reflect Upon
 
At this point, the sūrah reviews some of the aspects pointing to God’s oneness in what God has created in the universe, and in the qualities and characteristics He has given man, as well as in the aspects of grace He has bestowed on him which none but God could have provided. In the verse we have just discussed He mentions His book, the Qur’ān, which is the best aspect of grace God has bestowed on man as it imparts life to souls. Now, this is followed by mentioning the water God sends down from the sky to give physical life to man and other creatures. “And God sends down water from the skies, giving life to the earth after it has been lifeless. In this there is surely a sign for people who listen.” (Verse 65) Water is indeed the source of life for every living thing. This verse makes it the source of life for the whole earth, implying that this includes all that exists on earth. The One who transforms death into life is indeed the One who deserves to be God and to whom worship is addressed: “In this there is surely a sign for people who listen.” They should indeed reflect on what they hear and listen to its message. In fact the Qur’ān repeatedly mentions the signs pointing to God and His authority, and how He brings life into what is dead. It draws people’s attentions to this, because it provides irrefutable proof for anyone who reflects on what he sees and hears.
 
Another sign is derived from the creation of cattle and their lives: “In cattle too you have a worthy lesson: We give you to drink of that [fluid] which is in their bellies, produced alongside excretions and blood: pure milk, pleasant to those who drink it.” (Verse 66) How is milk produced through the udders of cattle? It is made of what remains in the bellies of cattle after they have digested their food and the absorption of the excretions in the intestines to transform it into blood. The blood is then circulated to every cell in the body, but when it reaches the milk glands or the udder, it becomes milk through a fine process set by God. This is indeed an aspect of His fine and inimitable creation. Indeed the whole process that transforms the food intake into blood, and gives every cell what it needs of the blood’s ingredients is a highly remarkable process. Yet this goes on all the time inside the body, just like the metabolism process. At every moment complicated processes of maintenance and destruction take place in this unique organism, which continue until the spirit departs from the body. No fair minded human being could contemplate such remarkable processes without feeling that every atom in his being glorifies the Creator. Even the most complex man-made apparatus fades into insignificance when compared to the human constitution or to any one of its systems or even its countless cells.
 
Indeed beyond the general description of the metabolism processes we find details that fill us with wonder. Within this process, the function of a single cell in the human body is remarkably wonderful.
 
All this has remained a secret until recently. This scientific fact mentioned in this sūrah about how milk is produced alongside excretions and blood was unknown to mankind. Indeed no contemporary of the Prophet could have ever imagined it, let alone described it so accurately. No self respecting human being could ever argue about this. The mention of one such fact is sufficient to prove that the Qur’ān is God’s revelation. All mankind was at the time totally ignorant of such facts.
 
Such pure scientific facts apart, the Qur’ān carries within its own unique characteristics irrefutable proofs of its being revealed by God, provided we appreciate such characteristics as they truly are. However, one scientific fact like this, expressed with such accuracy, refutes all arguments advanced by those who are hardened in their rejection of the truth.
 
“And from the fruit of the date palms and vines you derive intoxicants and wholesome food. Surely in this there is a sign for people who use their reason.” (Verse 67) Such fruits come out of the life which is produced through the rain pouring down from the sky. From them people make wine and other intoxicating drinks, which were not forbidden at the time this sūrah was revealed. People also derive from such fruits wholesome food. The way this verse is phrased implies that intoxicants are unwholesome, which serves as a preliminary indication of their forthcoming prohibition. The verse describes the situation as it was in practice. It does not imply that wines and intoxicants were permissible. On the contrary it hints that they will soon be forbidden. “Surely in this there is a sign for people who use their reason.” (Verse 67) People with reason are sure to realize that the provider of all these fruits and other provisions is God, the One who deserves to be worshipped.