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[فَلْيَنظُرِ الإِنسَـنُ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ ]

(Then let man look at his food) This is a call to reflect upon Allah's favor. It also contains an evidence in the vegetation's coming to life from the lifeless earth, that the bodies can be brought to life after being decayed bones and scattered dust.

[أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا الْمَآءَ صَبّاً ]

(We pour forth water in abundance.) meaning, `We sent it down from the sky to the earth.'

[ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا الاٌّرْضَ شَقّاً ]

(And We split the earth in clefts.) meaning, `We cause it (the water) to settle in it (the earth), and it enters into its boundaries, and mingles with the parts of the seeds that are left in the earth. From this the seeds grow, rise up and appear on the surface of the earth (in the form of vegetation).'

[فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبّاً - وَعِنَباً وَقَضْباً ]

(And We cause therein Habb to grow. And grapes and Qadb,) Al-Habb refers to all types of seeds (or grains). Grapes are well-known. Al-Qadb are the moist (green) herbal plants that animals graze on. It is also called Al-Qat. Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi, all said this. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Al-Qadb is fodder.''

[وَزَيْتُوناً]

(And olives) It is well-known, and it is a food just as its juice is a food. It is eaten for breakfast and used as an oil.

[وَنَخْلاً]

(And date palms,) It (i.e., its fruit) is eaten as Balah, Busr, Rutab and Tamr, Niya' and Matbukh, all of which are varieties of dates that range from unripe, ripe and dried in their textures. Its juice is also extracted to make pulpy fruit drinks and vinegar.

[وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلْباً ]

(And Ghulb Hada'iq,) meaning, gardens. Al-Hasan and Qatadah both said, "Ghulb are gardens of date palms that are thick and handsome.'' Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid both said, "It means everything that is gathered and collected.'' Allah said,

[وَفَـكِهَةً وَأَبّاً ]

(And fruits (Fakihah) and herbage (Abb).) Fakihah includes every type of fruit. Ibn `Abbas said, "Al-Fakihah is everything that is eaten ripe, and Al-Abb is what the earth grows that is eaten by grazing animals and not people.'' In one narration reported from him he said, "It is the grass for the livestock animals.'' Abu `Ubayd Al-Qasim bin Sallam reported from Ibrahim At-Taymi that he said, "Abu Bakr As-Siddiq was asked about Allah's statement,

[وَفَـكِهَةً وَأَبّاً ]

(And fruits (Fakihah) and herbage (Abb).) and he said, `What sky would shade me and what earth would carry me if I said about the Book of Allah that which I did not have knowledge of.' '' hIn reference to what Ibn Jarir recorded from Anas, that he said, "Umar bin Al-Khattab recited

[عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى ]

(He frowned and turned away.) then when he reached this Ayah

[وَفَـكِهَةً وَأَبّاً ]

(And fruits (Fakihah) and herbage (Abb).) he said, `We already know what Al-Fakihah is, but what is Al-Abb' Then he said, `By your life, O Ibn Al-Khattab, this is something over burdensome (i.e., unnecessary to ask about).''' This report has an authentic chain of narration. More than one person has narrated it from Anas. The meaning of the narration is that `Umar wanted to know how it looks, its type and its exact description, because he (`Umar) and everyone who reads this Ayah knows that it is one of the plants that grows from the earth. This is clear due to the Allah's saying,

[فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبّاً - وَعِنَباً وَقَضْباً - وَزَيْتُوناً وَنَخْلاً - وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلْباً - وَفَـكِهَةً وَأَبّاً ]

(And We cause therein the Habb to grow. And grapes and Qadb, and olives and date palms. And Ghulb Hada'iq. And fruits (Fakihah) and herbage (Abb).) And then He says,

[مَتَـعاً لَّكُمْ وَلاًّنْعَـمِكُمْ ]

(A provision and benefit for you and your cattle.) meaning, a means of livelihood for you all and your cattle in this life until the (coming of) the Day of Judgement.

[فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ الصَّآخَّةُ - يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ - وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ - وَصَـحِبَتِهُ وَبَنِيهِ - لِكُلِّ امْرِىءٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ - وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُّسْفِرَةٌ - ضَـحِكَةٌ مُّسْتَبْشِرَةٌ - وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَيْهَا غَبَرَةٌ - تَرْهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ - أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَفَرَةُ الْفَجَرَةُ ]

(33. Then when there comes As-Sakhkhah) (34. That Day shall a man flee from his brother.) (35. And from his mother and his father.) (36. And from his wife and his children.) (37. Every man that Day will have enough to make him careless of others.) (38. Some faces that Day will be bright,) (39. Laughing, rejoicing at good news.) (40. And other faces that Day will be dust-stained.) (41. Darkness will cover them.) (42. Such will be the disbelieving, the wicked evil doers.)