Quran Universe
16:13

وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُخۡتَلِفًا أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

Wama tharaa lakum fee alardi mukhtalifan alwanuhu inna fee thalika laayatan liqawmin yaththakkaroona

And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of varying colors. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who remember.

Word by word
  1. وَمَاAnd whatever
  2. ذَرَأَHe multiplied
  3. لَكُمۡfor you
  4. فِيin
  5. ٱلۡأَرۡضِthe earth
  6. مُخۡتَلِفًا(of) varying
  7. أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥٓۚcolors
  8. إِنَّIndeed
  9. فِيin
  10. ذَٰلِكَthat
  11. لَأٓيَةٗsurely (is) a sign
  12. لِّقَوۡمٖfor a people
  13. يَذَّكَّرُونَwho remember
An-Nahl · 16:13Makkah

A world in every color, spread out for you.

Variety on earth as a reminder

What is spread on the earth
animalsevery kind
plantsevery shade
mineralsevery quality
a sign for
those who rememberand give thanks
How to look at variety
backgroundscenery I ignore
a reminderof who made it all

After the sky, the verse turns to the earth. Ibn Kathir lists its animals, minerals and plants, all of different colors, shapes, benefits and qualities. It is a sign for those who remember Allah's blessings and thank Him.

Your camera roll is full of food, faces, flowers, skies. You took them because something caught your eye. The variety itself is the message. A grey world would have worked. He made it in color.

Colors and variety are just how nature looks.

The world did not need to be this varied. That it is, is a gift to remember.

Try this

Open your camera roll and find one photo of nature. Say alhamdulillah for the thing in it.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 16:12)

And He has subjected the night and the day for you, and the sun and the moon; and the stars are subjected by His command. Surely, in this are proofs for people who understand (12)And all He has created of varying colors on the earth for you. Verily, in this is a sign for people who reflect (13)

Signs in the Subjection of Night and Day, the Sun and the Moon, and in that which grows on Earth

Allah mentions the mighty signs and immense blessings to be found in His subjection of night and day, which follow one another; the sun and moon, which revolve; the stars, both fixed and moving through the skies, offering light by which people may find their way in the darkness. Each of (these heavenly bodies) travels in its own orbit, which Allah has ordained for it, and travels in the manner prescribed for it, without deviating in any way. All of them are under His subjugation, His control and His decree, as Allah says:

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ ۗ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

(Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose (Istawa) over the Throne. He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars (all) subjected to His command. Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all that exists!)(7:54) Thus Allah says;

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ

(Surely, in this are proofs for people who understand.) meaning, they are indications of His immense power and might, for those who think about Allah and understand His signs.

وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ

(And whatsoever He has created of varying colors on the earth for you.) When Allah points out the features of the skies, He also points out the wondrous things that He has created on earth, the variety of its animals, minerals, plants and inanimate features, all having different colors and shapes, benefits and qualities.

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

(Verily, in this is a sign for people who reflect.) meaning (those who remember) the blessings of Allah and give thanks to Him for them.