How many times are grapes mentioned in the Quran?

Grapes, under the Arabic name `inab` (عنب), are mentioned 11 times in the Quran. These mentions highlight grapes as a divine blessing, a sign of Allah's creation, a provision for humanity, and a fruit found in Paradise.

Why are grapes a sign of Allah in the Quran?

According to Quranic exegesis, grapes are a sign (ayah) because they demonstrate Allah's power. Verse 13:4 highlights how diverse gardens of grapes can grow on adjacent plots of land, all watered by the same rain, yet producing fruits of different qualities, taste, and appearance, pointing to a Divine Designer.

What does the Quran say about making wine from grapes?

Surah An-Nahl (16:67) mentions that from grapes, people derive both intoxicants (`sakar`) and good provision (`rizqan hasana`). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain this verse was revealed before the final prohibition of alcohol and subtly contrasts the 'good provision' with the intoxicant, hinting at the latter's unwholesome nature.

Grapes in the Quran: A Divine Sign of Provision and Blessing

grapes

Explore Verses Related to grapes

🕋'Abasa80:28

At a Glance

According to classical Islamic scholarship, grapes (`inab`) are a profound sign (`ayah`) of Allah's creative power and mercy, mentioned 11 times in the Quran. Search-discovered tafsir from authorities like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explains that their diverse growth from a single water source is a proof for those who reflect (Quran 13:4). The Quran presents grapes as a blessed provision (`rizq`) in this life (Quran 23:19), a reward in the gardens of Paradise (Quran 78:32), and a central element in the parable of the two gardens in Surah Al-Kahf. Critically, as Al-Qurtubi notes, verse 16:67 highlights their dual potential by mentioning that mankind derives both 'intoxicants' and 'good provision' from them. This verse, revealed before the final prohibition of alcohol, serves as a divine test and a guide for humanity to choose wholesome sustenance over harmful intoxication, making the grape a symbol of both divine bounty and human responsibility.

📖 Quranic Context

A recurring symbol of Allah's provision, creative power, blessings in this life, and rewards in Paradise.

Presented as a sign (ayah) for people to reflect upon Allah's greatness and generosity.

References: Grapes are mentioned 11 times in the Quran.

💭 Theological Perspective

A provision from Allah that can be used for good sustenance or misused for intoxication, representing a test of gratitude and obedience.

Reflecting on grapes and their growth is a means to cultivate gratitude (shukr) and recognize divine design.

Verse 16:67 serves as a subtle, early indication of the prohibition of intoxicants, guiding believers toward wholesome provision.

Contemplation of grapes as a sign of Allah's power can strengthen faith (iman).

📜 Hadith Perspective

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) spoke highly of grapes, referring to them as one of the fruits of Paradise and highlighting their benefits.

Grapes as a fruit of Paradise.
The permissibility of drinking juice from grapes as long as it is not fermented.
Prophetic encouragement to consume grapes as a blessed and wholesome food.

Scholars like Ibn al-Qayyim noted the Prophet's fondness for grapes and their role in a healthy diet.

💎 Deeper Insights

The Quran's mention of grapes in verse 16:67 ('intoxicant and good provision') is a subtle masterpiece of rhetoric. By placing the two outcomes side-by-side and labeling only one as 'good' (`hasana`), the text implicitly condemns the other long before the explicit prohibition, serving as a sign for 'a people who reason.'

— Ibn Kathir, Sayyid Qutb

Verse 13:4 uses grapes to illustrate a core tenet of Tawheed (Divine Unity): from 'one water,' diverse fruits are made, with some excelling others. Search-grounding in tafsir reveals this is not just about agriculture but is a direct refutation of polytheism, proving that one Creator is responsible for all the diversity and complexity in creation.

— Al-Tabari, Al-Razi