سورة الرعد

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ فِی الأَرْضِ قِطَعٌ مُّتَجَاوِرَاتٌ [and in the earth there are tracts side by side]; that is, they are joined to one another. And what is meant by وَ جَنَّاتٌ مِّنْ أَعْنَابٍ [and gardens of grapes]; that is, orchards. وَ زَرْعٌ وَ نَخِیلٌ صِنْوَانٌ [and corn and palm trees having one root]; what is meant by صِنْوَانٌ is the sapling of the date-palm and the small date-palms that emerge and grow from the root of the date-palm. وَ غَیْرُ صِنْوَانٍ یُسْقَی بِمَاء وَاحِدٍ وَ نُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَهَا عَلَی بَعْضٍ فِی الأُکُلِ [and (others) having distinct roots — they are watered with one water, and We make some of them excel others in fruit]; some of these fruits are sweet, some sour, and some bitter, all of which are quenched and irrigated with one water. In these are signs for a people who reflect.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): جَنَّاتٌ; that is, orchards of grapes and crops [are on the earth]. وَ نَخِیلٌ صِنْوَانٌ; that is, date-palms which are from one root. وَ غَیْرُ صِنْوَانٍ; that is, date-palms which have different roots.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Safwan said: I asked permission from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) for the ziyarah of my master Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), and I asked him to teach me the rites [of the ziyarah]. He said: 'O Safwan! When you perform ghusl, say at the time of ghusl: In the name of Allah and by the help of Allah. O Allah, make it light, purity, protection, and healing from every illness, harm and affliction. O Allah! Through it purify my heart, through it expand my breast, and through it make my affair easy. And when you have finished the ghusl, put on two clean garments and pray two rak'ahs. That is the place about which Allah the Exalted has said: وَ فِی الْأَرْضِ قِطَعٌ مُتَجاوِراتٌ وَ جَنَّاتٌ مِنْ أَعْنابٍ وَ زَرْعٌ وَ نَخِیلٌ صِنْوانٌ وَ غَیْرُ صِنْوانٍ یُسْقی بِماءٍ واحِدٍ وَ نُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَها عَلی بَعْضٍ فِی الْأُکُلِ [And in the earth there are tracts side by side, and gardens of grapes and corn and palm trees having one root and (others) having distinct roots — they are watered with one water, and We make some of them excel others in fruit]. And when you have finished the prayer, move toward the place of martyrdom.'

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): In the book Kashf al-Ghumma it is reported: وَ جَنَّاتٌ مِنْ أَعْنابٍ وَ زَرْعٌ وَ نَخِیلٌ صِنْوانٌ وَ غَیْرُ صِنْوانٍ یُسْقی بِماءٍ واحِدٍ [And gardens of grapes and corn and palm trees having one root and (others) having distinct roots — they are watered with one water], it is narrated from Jabir ibn Abd Allah (may Allah have mercy on him) that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) say: 'People are from various trees, but you and I, O Ali, are from a single tree.' Then he recited this verse.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Taqwa (Allah-consciousness) is of three kinds: taqwa for the sake of Allah and in the path of Allah, which is the abandonment of the lawful — let alone giving up the doubtful — and this is called the taqwa of the elite of the elite (khass al-khass). Second, taqwa from Allah, which is refraining from doubtful things — let alone staying away from the forbidden — and this is called the taqwa of the elite (khass). Third, taqwa out of fear of Hell and punishment, which is refraining from the forbidden, and this is called the general taqwa. Taqwa is like water flowing in a stream, and these three levels which have been mentioned in the meaning of taqwa are like trees planted along the bank of that stream. Those trees each have a different colour and kind, and all of them make use of that water. Each of those trees benefits from it according to its own essence, taste and delicacy, and each draws from the water according to its own body, its largeness or smallness; and then people eat from the fruit of those trees according to their own capacity and ability. Allah the Exalted says: صِنْوانٌ وَ غَیْرُ صِنْوانٍ یُسْقی بِماءٍ واحِدٍ وَ نُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَها عَلی بَعْضٍ فِی الْأُکُلِ [Having one root and (others) having distinct roots — they are watered with one water, and We make some of them excel others in fruit]... So taqwa for acts of obedience is like water for the trees, and the nature of the fruits of the trees in their colour and taste is like the measure of faith among people.