sent down. In the nominative reading, however, it is not. Both are true. It has been said that the expression means “We created it,” or “We sent down the means of producing it,” or “We inspired them with the knowledge of how to make it.” These explanations are weak.

The vegetation they mentioned is not described with the words “We sent down,” nor is this expression used for everything that is made. He did not say, “We sent down houses,” or “We sent down cooked food,” and so forth. Nor did He say, “We sent down every kind of clothing and furnishings.”

It has been said that rīsh and riyāsh both mean luxurious clothing, the two having the same meaning, just as lubs and libās both mean clothing. It has also been said that they mean wealth, abundance and livelihood; the expression irtāsha fulān means that someone’s circumstances have improved. The correct view is that rīsh means furnishings and household goods. Abū ʿUmar said: “The Arabs say, ‘So-and-so gave me his rīsh,’ meaning his clothing and equipment.”

Another said: “In Arabic usage, riyāsh means furnishings and such visible possessions as clothing, bedding and the like.” Some Quran commentators have called it wealth, but what is meant is a particular kind of wealth. Ibn Zayd said: “Adornment.” This is because the word derives from a bird’s plumage, which clothes it and protects it from heat and cold. A bird’s beauty lies in its plumage. The same applies to the bedding in which a person sleeps, what he spreads beneath him, and similar things. The Quran means coverings generally, whether worn on the body or used in homes, as Allah Most High says:

“And Allah has made your homes a place of rest for you”—to the end of the verse.

Thus He, glorified be He, reminded them of His favor in providing livestock from which they obtain clothing and furnishings. This—and Allah knows best—is the meaning of His sending it down, for He causes it to descend