The Quran

Preface

وَاضرِب لَهُم مَثَلَ الحَياةِ الدُّنيا كَماءٍ أَنزَلناهُ مِنَ السَّماءِ فَاختَلَطَ بِهِ نَباتُ الأَرضِ فَأَصبَحَ هَشيمًا تَذروهُ الرِّياحُ ۗ وَكانَ اللَّهُ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيءٍ مُقتَدِرًا

Yusuf Ali

Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth?s vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds¹ do scatter: it is (only) God who prevails over all things.

Rainwater is a good thing in and of itself, but it does not last, and you can build no solid foundations on it. It is soon absorbed in the earth, and produces the flourishing appearance of grass and vegetation- for a time. Soon these decay, and become as dry stubble, which the least wind from any quarter will blow about like a thing of no importance. The water is gone, and so is the vegetation to which it lent a brave show of luxuriance temporarily. Such is the life of this world, contrasted with the inner and real Life, which looks to the Hereafter. God is the only enduring Power we can look to, supreme over all.