The Quran

141

Preface

۞ وَهُوَ الَّذي أَنشَأَ جَنّاتٍ مَعروشاتٍ وَغَيرَ مَعروشاتٍ وَالنَّخلَ وَالزَّرعَ مُختَلِفًا أُكُلُهُ وَالزَّيتونَ وَالرُّمّانَ مُتَشابِهًا وَغَيرَ مُتَشابِهٍ ۚ كُلوا مِن ثَمَرِهِ إِذا أَثمَرَ وَآتوا حَقَّهُ يَومَ حَصادِهِ ۖ وَلا تُسرِفوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ المُسرِفينَ

Yusuf Ali

It is He Who produceth¹ gardens, with trellises and without, and dates, and tilth with produce of all kinds, and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety):² eat of their fruit in their season, but render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered. But waste not³ by excess: for God loveth not the wasters.

Ansha'a: see 6:98, n. 923.
A beautiful passage, with music to match the meaning. Cf. 6:99 and notes.
“Waste not, want not,” says the English proverb. Here the same wisdom is preached from a higher motive. See what magnificent means God provides in nature for the sustenance of all His creatures, because He loves them all. Enjoy them in moderation and be grateful. But commit no excess, and commit no waste: the two things are the same from different angles of vision. If you do, you take away something from other creatures and God would not like your selfishness.