13. Ar-Ra'd "The Thunder" — Ayah 3
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَدَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنْهَٰرًۭا ۖ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ جَعَلَ فِيهَا زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۖ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And it is He who spread the earth and placed therein firmly set mountains and rivers; and from all of the fruits He made therein two mates; He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
Explanation

Verse 13:3 follows Allah's mention of celestial wonders, shifting focus to terrestrial signs of His power and wisdom. It details how Allah *madda al-ard* (spread the earth), making it vast and habitable. He established *rawāsiya* (firmly set mountains) and *anhār* (rivers), essential for life.

A key theological insight is the concept of *zawjayn ithnayn* (two mates/types) for every fruit, highlighting divine design and diversity within creation, even from the same water source. This is further elaborated with *sinwanun wa ghayru sinwan* (single-stemmed and multi-stemmed plants) and the varied qualities of fruits (sweet, sour, etc.), all watered identically. These distinctions demonstrate Allah's ability to create diverse outcomes from uniform inputs, a profound sign for *qawmin yatafakkarūn* (people who reflect).

Ibn Kathir emphasizes the contrasting *qita'un mutajāwirāt* (neighboring tracts) of land—fertile next to barren—as further evidence of Allah's singular creative power. The alternation of *al-layla an-nahār* (night and day) underscores His control over time, mirroring His control over space and matter.

The verse, therefore, is a call to contemplate the intricate design and purposeful diversity within the natural world, urging believers to recognize these as clear *āyāt* (signs) of Allah's existence, wisdom, and omnipotence, for those who engage in thoughtful reflection.

📚 Sources: Classical tafsir (multi-source)