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 out the earth), making it spacious, and firmly established mountains (*rawasiya*) and flowing rivers. Crucially, from *kulli ath-thamarati* (all fruits), He created *zawjayn ithnayn* (two mates), indicating pairs or diverse types within each species. This diversity is evident even when plants are *sinwanun wa ghayru sinwan* (growing from single or multiple stems) and *suqiya bi-maa'in wahid* (watered with the same water), yet yield different tastes and qualities, as highlighted by Ibn Kathir.

The verse also points to the alternation of *al-layl* (night) covering *an-nahar* (day). These phenomena, including neighboring tracts of land with varying fertility, are presented as *aayaat* (signs) for *qawmin yatafakkaroon* (people who reflect). The theological insight emphasizes Allah's sole creative power, wisdom, and control over both cosmic and earthly domains. The diverse yet unified creation, all sustained by the same resources but manifesting distinct attributes, serves as compelling evidence for the Creator's existence and infinite capability, urging humanity to contemplate these intricate details for deeper understanding.

📚 Sources: Classical tafsir (multi-source)