Surah Al-Waqi'ah, Ayah 72

Allah's Oneness demonstrated by causing the Plants to grow, sending down the Rain

Allah the Exalted said,

أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَحْرُثُونَ

(Do you not see what you sow.) in reference to tilling the earth and planting seeds inside it,

أَءَنتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُ

(Is it you that make it grow,) `do you cause these seeds to grow inside the earth,'

أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَرِعُونَ

(or are We the Grower) Allah says, `rather it is We Who cause the seeds to remain firmly and grow inside the earth.' Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا تَقُولَنَّ: زَرَعْتُ وَلكِنْ قُلْ: حَرَثْت»

(Do not say, "Zara`tu (I made it grew)," but say, "Harathtu (I sowed tilled).") Abu Hurayrah added, "Have you not heard Allah's statement,

was lost in the secondary or extrinsic causes and lost sight of his Real Creator and Master, the Primary or Intrinsic Cause of his creation. This unawareness was unveiled in a particular way. In a similar style, the reality of his source of nourishment is explicated. Allah poses the question to man: 'Indeed you till the land and plant the seeds but who causes them to sprout and grow - you or Allah?' When considered carefully, we will come up with the answer that the farmer or tiller has a very limited role to play. He ploughs the land and fertilizes the soil with manure, and thus softens it so that if the seed germinates, it will not be hampered by the hard ground. All of man's efforts move around this point. Once the plant sprouts, he takes care of it in that direction. But man is not the primary cause of the shoots pushing forth from the seed nor can he claim that he made the plant or tree. Therefore, we go back to the fundamental question: Who caused the seed lying under heaps and heaps of sand to germinate and come out to the surface of the earth so beautifully, comprising untold benefits? There can be only one answer to this question: The All-Encompassing Power and the Most Wonderful creation of the Master Creator of the universe.

The birth of a human being from the womb of his mother, the growing of crops from the earth, the falling of rain, the availability of fire from fuel—all these things come directly from God. They should be treated as gifts of God and not as the results of human effort. Man should be grateful to God for all the blessings He has showered upon him.