Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD

Abstract

Qur’an 13:17 presents a vivid parable contrasting truth and falsehood: life-giving water that remains and benefits humanity versus useless foam that vanishes. Classical Islamic exegesis – from al-Tabari to al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir – emphasizes that al-ḥaqq (truth) endures with real substance while al-bāṭil (falsehood) is transient and hollow qurangallery.apptulayhah.wordpress.com. This commentary explores how that divine lesson has echoed through history and across human endeavors. From antiquity’s early recognition that “truth alone triumphs” en.wikipedia.org, through the Islamic Golden Age’s flourishing of science and learning, into medieval struggles to preserve knowledge, and onward to the revolutions and advancements of modernity, the verse’s themes illuminate a consistent pattern: ultimately, genuine truth, like pure water or refined metal, outlasts the scum of falsehood. We examine resonances of this principle in science (where sound theories replace debunked ones), politics (where just causes eventually overcome tyranny and deception), economics (where sustainable value outlives speculative “froth”), art (where authentic expression endures as fads fade), and ethics (where moral truths prevail over corruption). Finally, a theological epilogue reflects on the enduring message of this parable for the human condition and the future of civilization: a hopeful reminder that while falsehood may enjoy brief ascendance, it is truth – beneficial and divinely rooted – that ultimately abides.

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