Rain in the Qur`ān

One of the words for rain in Arabic is maṭar (مَطَر) – and this is the colloquial word for rain. Another word for rain is ghayth (غَيْث).

In the Qur`ān, maṭar is exclusively used to describe punishment coming down from the skies:

 

[And We rained upon them a rain of stones, and evil was the rain of those who were warned] Naḥl:58

And ghayth is used for rain when mercy is sent down from the sky:

 

[And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.] Shūra:28

And this is eloquence at a whole other level. 🙂