Tafsir for verse: 41:39
وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنَّكَ تَرَى ٱلۡأَرۡضَ خَٰشِعَةٗ فَإِذَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهَا ٱلۡمَآءَ ٱهۡتَزَّتۡ وَرَبَتۡۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَحۡيَاهَا لَمُحۡيِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٌ ٣٩ ﴿39﴾
39And among His signs is that you see the land inactive; then, once We send down water thereto, it gets excited and swells. Surely, the One who has given life to it is the One who gives life to the dead. No doubt, He is powerful to do everything.
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Commentary
Khushu': humility and submission. It is borrowed for the state of the earth when it is barren and has no vegetation, as it is described as 'hamid' in His saying, 'And you see the earth lifeless' (Qur'an 39:39). This is contrary to its description of shaking and swelling when it is fertile and adorned with plants, as if it is like a proud person in their attire. Before that, it is like a humble, downcast one in tattered garments. [The phrase 'in tattered garments' refers to 'tamar' which means a torn garment, and the plural is 'atamar.'] It has also been recited as 'wa rab'at', meaning it has risen, for when the plant is about to appear, the earth rises for it.
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Al-ZamakhshariAbū al-Qāsim Maḥmūd ibn ʿUmar al-Zamakhsharī
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