Tafseer of Consultation · Ash-Shura · 42:28
And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the word of the Exalted: وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا وَيَنْشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ وَهُوَ الْوَلِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ (28) ("And He it is Who sends down the rain after they had lost hope, and He spreads His mercy; and He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy" (28)).
The Exalted, whose praise is proclaimed, says: and Allah it is Who sends down the rain from the sky and gives you drink thereby, O people, مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا ("after they had lost hope"). He says: after people had lost hope in its coming down and its arrival.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
Mention of who said that:
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: that it was said to ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb — may Allah be pleased with him —: "The earth has become barren and the people have lost hope." He said: "Then it shall rain upon them now."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا ("after they had lost hope"). He said: they despaired.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, who said: it was mentioned to us that a man came to ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb — may Allah be pleased with him — and said: "O Commander of the Believers, the rain has failed and the people have lost hope." He said: "It shall rain upon you," وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا وَيَنْشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ ("And He it is Who sends down the rain after they had lost hope, and He spreads His mercy").
And His word: وَهُوَ الْوَلِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ ("and He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy"). He says: and He it is Who shows mercy to you through His benevolence and His favor, the Praiseworthy for His gifts among you and His blessings upon you among His creatures.
