Torrents and what they drift
[The interpretation is according to the late interpreter of the Quran and the Bible: Mohmmed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly]
http://www.quran-ayat.com/
God – be glorified – said in the Quran 13: 17
أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا فَاحْتَمَلَ السَّيْلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فِي النَّارِ ابْتِغَاء حِلْيَةٍ أَوْ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثْلُهُ كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الْحَقَّ وَالْبَاطِلَ فَأَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَاء وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِي الأَرْضِ كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ
The explanation:
(
He sends down – from the sky – water,
so that the valleys flow [with water] according to their measure,
so the torrent drifts [with it] multiplying "zabad"[:"drifted substances"],
and [it drifts also] some of what they heat with fire seeking the ornament
or [for their advantage and] use – that being "zabad"[:"drifted substances"] like it .
As such God gives the parable for the true and the false: As for the "zabad"; it will go away, whereas that which benefits people: it will remain on earth. As such God gives parables.)
The interpretation:
>> (
He sends down – from the sky – water) it is the rain: He sends it on mountains,
>> (so that the valleys flow [with water] according to their measure) i.e. the water flows from the mountains to the valleys according to the extent of the mountains,
>> (so the torrent drifts [with it]) the substances drifted are heavy and do not flow on the water surface, but they will be drifted by the torrent.
>> (multiplying "zabad"[:"drifted substances"]) these are the
shells,
mussels,
calcium sulfate,
calcium carbonate,
the golden iron sulfide [: the cubanite]
http://mineral.galleries.com/mineral...e/cubanite.htm (broken link)
, and other substances which form and multiply in the earth from the combining of two elements; the torrent drifts also some of
the colored stones and precious stones like the garnet and the turquoise and others.
>> (and [it drifts also] some of what they heat with fire seeking the ornament) which is the
silver sulfide
ACANTHITE/ARGENTITE (Silver Sulfide)
; the ornaments are like the armlets, the bracelets, the anklets, the earrings, the finger rings and others.
People in the past knew only this way of the extraction of the silver from its ore: they dig a pit in the ground and put in it the silver sulfide
*, then they kindle fire on it, so the sulfur will go away after changing into sulfur dioxide, and the silver remains in the pit, so they take it and make of it the ornaments.
>> (or [for their advantage and] use) they kindle fire
>> (that being "zabad"[:"drifted substances"] like it), which are the
calcium sulfate and the
calcium carbonate which they heat it with fire, it will convert into
calcium oxide; therefore: the calcium carbonate will be used in building, the calcium sulfate will be used as gypsum plaster in hospitals for supporting bone fractures and for other uses, while the calcium oxide will be used for synthesis of sodium hydroxide and the bleaching powder (chlorine) and for other advantages.
All this for some advantages of man and it has many benefits.
In addition, among that which they heat in the fire is the
Kaolin which is the white mud of which the porcelain plates and dishes are made.
>> (As such God gives the parable for the true and the false) the "true" is the Islam religion and the false is the religion of associaters [who ascribe associates or equals, sons or daughters to God]
>> (As for the "zabad") which the
sulfur dioxide
>> (it will go away) with the wind by heating; it is an irritating gas, poisonous and has a bad smell, cause suffocation to any that inhales it, and it causes coughing, and it is fatal in large amounts; while the
silver will remain pure and bright attracting the sight having value and many benefits.
This is a parable which God said about the religion of associaters; it is like the sulfur dioxide which is poisonous to the one that inhales it, and has a bad smell; but it will disappear quickly by heating leaving the silver, and will go the way of winds.
And He likened the Islam religion to the silver that is pure of all impurities, which is firm on earth, and which is used for ornamentation.
The meaning:
The idolatry religion of the pagan Arab will disappear, as does the sulfur dioxide disappear leaving the silver pure.
While the Islam religion will remain on earth firm, just as how the silver remained, and the Islam religion has many advantages to anyone who embraces it.
>> (As such) i.e. as has God given such a parable,
(God gives parables) to people; that they may discern the way of the truth.
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*[In nature, it is found like the pebbles, but it is lighter in weight than the pebble; its color is bright grey to black. The interpreter said he saw some of it in the mountains of Iran between Tehran and Khorasan.]
Quran Interpretation