The Emissaries, Winds Sent Forth — Verse 4

by the decisive discriminators that is by the verses of the Qur’ān which discriminate between truth and falsehood and between what is lawful and what is unlawful;

أقسم الله تعالى بالرياح حين تهب متتابعة يقفو بعضها بعضًا، وبالرياح الشديدة الهبوب المهلكة، وبالملائكة الموكلين بالسحب يسوقونها حيث شاء الله، وبالملائكة التي تنزل من عند الله بما يفرق بين الحق والباطل والحلال والحرام، وبالملائكة التي تتلقى الوحي من عند الله وتنزل به على أنبيائه؛ إعذارًا من الله إلى خلقه وإنذارًا منه إليهم؛ لئلا يكون لهم حجة. إن الذي توعدون به مِن أمر يوم القيامة وما فيه من حساب وجزاء لنازلٌ بكم لا محالة.

يعني الملائكة قاله ابن مسعود وابن عباس ومسروق ومجاهد وقتادة والربيع بن أنس والسدي والثوري ولا خلاف ههنا فإنها تنزل بأمر الله على الرسل تفرق بين الحق والباطل الهدى والغي والحلال والحرام.

وقوله - سبحانه - ( فالفارقات فَرْقاً ) يصح أن يكون وصفا للملائكة الذين ينزلون بالشرائع المفرقة بين الحق والباطل ، وبين أهل الحق وأهل الضلال .ويصح أن يكون وصفا للآيات التى أنزلها الله - تعالى - للتمييز بين الخير والشر ، والرشد والغى .

وقوله: ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) اختلف أهل التأويل في معناه، فقال بعضهم: عُنِي: بذلك: الملائكة التي تفرق بين الحق والباطل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا أبو كُريب، قال: ثنا جابر بن نوح، عن إسماعيل، عن أبي صالح ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) قال: الملائكة.قال: ثنا وكيع، عن إسماعيل، عن أبي صالح ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) قال: الملائكة.قال: ثنا وكيع، عن إسماعيل، مثله.حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال: ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) قال: الملائكة.وقال آخرون: بل عُنِي بذلك القرآن.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة ( فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا ) يعني القرآن ما فرق الله فيه بين الحقّ والباطل.والصواب من القول في ذلك أن يقال: أقسم ربنا جلّ ثناؤه بالفارقات، وهي الفاصلات بين الحق والباطل، ولم يخصص بذلك منهنّ بعضا دون بعض، فذلك قَسَم بكلّ فارقة بين الحقّ والباطل، مَلَكا كان أو قرآنا، أو غير ذلك.

"فالفارقات فرقاً"، قال ابن عباس، ومجاهد، والضحاك: يعني الملائكة تأتي بما يفرق بين الحق والباطل. وقال قتادة والحسن: هي آي القرآن تفرق بين الحلال والحرام. وروي عن مجاهد قال: هي الرياح تفرق السحاب وتبدده.

فَالْفَارِقَاتِ فَرْقًا (4) و { الفارقات } لم يحك الطبري إلاّ أنهم الملائكةُ أو الرسلُ . وحكى القرطبي عن مجاهد : أنها الرياح .وفيما عدا هذه من الصفات اختَلَف المتأوّلون فمنهم من حملوها على أنها الملائكة ومنهم من حمل على أنها الرياح .ف { المرسَلات } قال ابن مسعود وأبو هريرة ومقاتل وأبو صالح والكلبي ومسروق : هي الملائكة . وقال ابن عباس وقتادة : هي الرياح ، ونقل هذا عن ابن مسعود أيضاً ولعله يجيز التأويلين وهو الأوفق بعطفها بالفاء . { فالعاصفات } تفريع على { المرسلات } ، أي ترسل فتعصف ، والعصف يطلق على قوة هبوب الريح فإن أريد بالمرسلات وصف الرياح فالعصف حقيقة ، وإن أريد بالمرسلات وصفُ الملائكة فالعصف تشبيه لنزولهم في السرعة بشدة الريح وذلك في المبادرة في سرعة الوصول بتنفيذ ما أمروا به .و { عَصْفاً } مؤكد للوصف تأكيداً لتحقيق الوصف ، إذ لا داعي لإِرادة رفع احتمال المجاز .والنشر : حقيقته ضد الطي ويكثر استعماله مجازاً في الإِظهار والإِيضاح وفي الإِخراج .ف { الناشرات } إذا جعل وصفاً للملائكة جاز أن يكون نشرَهم الوحي ، أي تكرير نزولهم لذلك ، وأن يكون النشر كناية عن الوضوح ، أي بالشرائع البينة .وإذا جعل وصفاً للرياح فهو نشر السحاب في الأجواء فيكون عطفه بالواو دون الفاء لتنبيه على أنه معطوف على { المرسلات } لا على { العاصفات } لأن العصف حالة مضرة والنشر حالة نفع .والقول في تأكيد { نشراً } وتنوينه كالقوللِ في { عَصْفاً } .والفَرْق : التمييز بين الأشياء ، فإذا كان وصفاً للملائكة فهو صالح للفرق الحقيقي مثل تمييز أهللِ الجنة عن أهل النار يوم الحساب ، وتمييز الأمم المعذبة في الدنيا عن الذين نجاهم الله من العذاب ، مثل قوم نوح عن نوح ، وعادٍ عن هود ، وقوممِ لوط عن لوط وأهله عدا امرأته ، وصالح للفرق المجازي ، وهو أنهم يأتون بالوحي الذي يفرق بين الحق والباطل ، وبين الإِيمان والكفر .وإنْ جُعل وصفاً للرياح فهو من آثار النشر ، أي فَرقُها جماعات السحب على البلاد . ولتفرع الفرق بمعنييه عن النشر بمعانيه عطف { الفارقات } على { الناشرات } بالفاء .وأكد بالمفعول المطلق كما أكد مَا قبله بقوله : { عصفاً } و { نشراً } ، وتنوينه كذلك .

{ وَالنَّاشِرَاتِ نَشْرًا } يحتمل أنها الملائكة ، تنشر ما دبرت على نشره، أو أنها السحاب التي ينشر بها الله الأرض، فيحييها بعد موتها.

فالفارقات فرقا الملائكة تنزل بالفرق بين الحق والباطل ; قاله ابن عباس ومجاهد والضحاك وأبو صالح . وروى الضحاك عن ابن عباس قال : ما تفرق الملائكة من الأقوات والأرزاق والآجال . وروى ابن أبي نجيح عن مجاهد قال : الفارقات الرياح تفرق بين السحاب وتبدده . وعن سعيد عن قتادة قال : الفارقات فرقا الفرقان ، فرق الله فيه بين [ ص: 136 ] الحق والباطل والحرام والحلال . وقاله الحسن وابن كيسان . وقيل : يعني الرسل فرقوا بين ما أمر الله به ونهى عنه أي بينوا ذلك . وقيل : السحابات الماطرة تشبيها بالناقة الفارق وهي الحامل التي تخرج وتند في الأرض حين تضع ، ونوق فوارق وفرق . وربما شبهوا السحابة التي تنفرد من السحاب بهذه الناقة ; قال ذو الرمة :أو مزنة فارق يجلو غواربها تبوج البرق والظلماء علجوم

Vapour rises from the surface of the sea. This rises in the atmosphere and forms clouds. The winds take these clouds from one place to another. Leaving some places dry, they shower rain at other places, causing freshness and the growth of greenery. This shows that the system of this world is based on the principle of differentiating between one thing or person. The manifestation of this principle is only partially evident in the present world, but in the Hereafter it will take a perfect shape. This nature of the winds is a sort of reminder for man. Their being a mercy to some and bringing harm to others is to remind us of the fact that, as there are these two different types of persons in the present world, God’s verdict in respect of these two types of persons will also appear in two different shapes in the next world.

Commentary Occasion of Revelation Sahih of Bukhari records from Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud that he said: "While we were with Allah's Messenger in a cave at Mina, the Surah 'wal-Mursalat' was revealed to him. He was reciting it, and I was learning it from his mouth. Verily, his mouth was moist with it, when a snake leaped out at us. The Holy Prophet said, 'Kill it!' So we quickly went after it, but it got away. Then the Holy Prophet said, 'It was saved from your harm, just as you all were saved from its harm'." [ Ibn Kathir ]. Allah swears oaths in this Surah by various phenomena to assert that the Resurrection will certainly take place. The names of the phenomena are not mentioned in the Qur'an, but their five attributes are given in the following manner (The translation is given below without explanatory brackets for a better understanding of the point): [ 1] (I swear) by those that are sent one after the other, (77:1) [ 2] and by those that blow violently, (77:2) [ 3] and by those that spread all over, (77:3) [ 4] and by those who differentiate (between right and wrong) distinctly, (77:4) [ 5] then bring down the advice, (77:5) There is no traceable Hadith that gives the exact interpretation of the phenomena described. Therefore, the interpretation assigned to them by the Companions and their pupils differ. Some scholars say that all five attributes refer to angels. Others say that possibly different groups of angels are bearers of the attributes. Yet other scholars say that they refer to various types of winds. Some authorities on Tafsir say that they refer to Allah's Prophets and Messengers. Ibn Jarir Tabari says that, in this matter, it is safer to observe silence. He says that both possibilities exist, but he prefers not to side with any particular interpretation. There is no doubt about the fact that some of the attributes are more appropriately applicable to the angels of Allah, and cannot fit the winds without unusual stretch of imagination, and others are more appropriately applicable to winds, and cannot apply to angels without a fanciful stretch of imagination. Therefore, Ibn Kathir's approach seems to be the best. He says that in the first three verses of this Surah, Allah swears oaths by various types of winds. In verses [ 4] and [ 5], Allah swears oaths by the angels. If verses [ 4] and [ 5] are applied to the winds, then the imagination will have to be stretched far to interpret them . Likewise, if the first three verses [ mursalat, ` Asifat and nashirat ] are applied to the angels, they have no choice but to assign far-fetched interpretation. According to Ibn Kathir, the verses signify ' (I swear) by those (winds) that are sent one after the other'. The word ` urfan could signify 'beneficial and useful'. The winds that bring rain are obviously beneficial and useful. Another meaning of the word ` urfan is 'one after another'. In this interpretation, the verse signifies 'those winds that bring rain and clouds consecutively'. The word ` asifat is derived from ` asf that literally means 'winds that blow violently or vehemently'. This refers to fiercely blowing winds that sometimes do occur in the world. The word nashirat refers to 'winds that spread (clouds) all over after the rain is over'. The word fariqat is the attribute of the angels 'who differentiate (between right and wrong) distinctly by bringing down the Divine revelation'. The phrase fal-mulqiyati dhikran also refers to the 'angels'. The word dhikr 'Reminder' refers to the Qur'an or revelation in general. The verse signifies 'I swear by angels who [ by bringing down revelation ] separate between truth and falsehood, right and wrong, [ and the lawful and the forbidden ] '. Likewise, I swear by angels who bring down revelation or Qur'an to the Holy Prophet t. This interpretation is plain and simple, and does not require any undue stretch of imagination. In this interpretation, the question arises as to the contextual relationship between swearing oaths by various types of winds and the angels. First of all, it is not possible to fathom the Wisdom of Divine speech. However, it is possible to hypothesise. Allah swears oaths by useful winds and harmful winds. Winds that bring rain and clouds are useful, while those that blow fiercely and cause destruction are harmful. These belong to the perceptible world. All human beings can observe them. The perceptible things are mentioned first for reflection. The imperceptible world is mentioned later, such as the angels and revelation. If man reflects carefully on them, he will develop certainty of belief in them as well.

(By those who winnow with a winnowing) and He swore by the angels who differentiate between the Truth and falsehood; it is also said that this refers to the verses of the Qur'an which distinguishes the Truth from falsehood, the lawful from the unlawful; and it is also said that these three refer to the angels,

by the decisive discriminators;[which discriminate] between truth (ḥaqq) and falsehood (bāṭil), and between the Sunna and innovation (bidʿa).

Which was revealed in Makkah The Revelation of this Surat and its Recitation in the Maghrib Prayer Al-Bukhari recorded from `Abdullah - that is Ibn Mas`ud -- that he said, "While we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a cave at Mina, وَالْمُرْسَلَـتِ (By the Mursalat.) was revealed to him. He was reciting it and I was learning it from his mouth. Verily, his mouth was moist with it when a snake leaped out at us. The Prophet said, «اقْتُلُوهَا» (Kill it!) So we quickly went after it, but it got away. Then the Prophet said, «وُقِيَتْ شَرَّكُمْ، كَمَا وُقِيتُمْ شَرَّهَا» (It was saved from your harm just as you all were saved from its harm.)" Muslim also recorded this Hadith by way of Al-A`mash. Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Abbas, who reported from his mother that she heard the Prophet reciting وَالْمُرْسَلَـتِ عُرْفاً (By the Mursalat.) in the Maghrib prayer. In a report from Malik on the authority of Ibn `Abbas, he narrated that Umm Al-Fadl (his mother) heard him (Ibn `Abbas) reciting وَالْمُرْسَلَـتِ عُرْفاً (By the Mursalat `Urfa.) (77:1) so she said, "O my son! You reminded me with your recitation of this Surat. Verily, it is the last thing I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He recited it in the Maghrib prayer (i.e., before he died)." Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this report in the Two Sahihs by way of Malik. بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Allah's swearing by Different Creatures about the Occurrence of the Hereafter Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, وَالْمُرْسَلَـتِ عُرْفاً (By the Mursalat `Urfa.) "The angels." From Masruq, Abu Ad-Duha, Mujahid in one narrations from him, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, statements similar to this have been reported. It has been reported from Abu Salih that he said, "These are the Messenger ﷺ." In another narration from him (Abu Salih) he said that it means the angels. Abu Salih has also said the meaning of Al-`Asifat, An-Nashirat, Al-Fariqat and Al-Mulqiyat, that they all refer to the angels. Ath-Thawri narrated from Salamah bin Kuhayl, who reported from Muslim Al-Batin, who reported from Abu Al-`Ubaydayn that he asked Ibn Mas`ud about the meaning of Al-Mursalat `Urfa, and he (Ibn Mas`ud) said, "The wind." He said the same about Al-`Asifat `Asfa and An-Nashirat Nashra, that they all refer to the wind. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah all said the same. Ibn Jarir confidently affirmed that Al-`Asifat `Asfa means the wind just as Ibn Mas`ud and those who followed him said.However, he (Ibn Jarir) did not affirm whether An-Nashirat Nashra are the angels or the wind as has preceded. It has been reported from Abu Salih that An-Nashirat Nashra is the rain. The most obvious meaning is as Allah says, وَأَرْسَلْنَا الرِّيَاحَ لَوَاقِحَ (And we send the winds fertilizing.) (15:22) He also says, وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرىً بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ (And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy (rain).) (7:57) Similarly, Al-`Asifat are winds. It is said (in Arabic) that the winds `Asifat when they make noise with their blowing. Likewise, An-Nashirat are the winds that scatter into clouds in the horizons of the sky according to the will of the Lord. Allah then says, فَالْفَـرِقَـتِ فَرْقاً - فَالْمُلْقِيَـتِ ذِكْراً - عُذْراً أَوْ نُذْراً (The Fariqat that separate, the Mulqiyat that remind, excusing or warning.) meaning, the angels. This was said by Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Masruq, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi and Ath-Thawri. There is no difference of opinion here, because they (the angels) are the ones who descend with Allah's command to the Messengers, separating between the truth and falsehood, guidance and misguidance, and the lawful and the forbidden. They bring the revelation to the Messengers, which contains exemption or absolvement for the creatures and a warning for them of Allah's torment if they oppose His command. Allah said, إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَقِعٌ (Surely, what you are promised will occur.) This is the subject of these oaths. This means, what you all have been promised concerning the establishment of the Hour (Judgement Day), the blowing of the horn, the resurrection of the bodies, the gathering of those of old and those of latter times on one common ground and the rewarding of every doer of a deed based upon his deed. If he did good, then his reward will be good, and if he did evil, then his reward will be evil. All of this will occur, meaning it will come to pass and there is no avoiding it. A Mention of some of what will occur on the Day of Judgement Then Allah says, فَإِذَا النُّجُومُ طُمِسَتْ (Then when the stars lose their lights.) meaning, their light will leave. This is similar to Allah's statement, وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انكَدَرَتْ (And when the star fall.) (81:2) It is also similar to His statement, وَإِذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ انتَثَرَتْ (And when the stars have fallen and scattered.) (82:2) Then Allah says, وَإِذَا السَّمَآءُ فُرِجَتْ (And when Furijat the heaven.) meaning, it is cleft asunder, becomes split, its sides fall and its edges become weak. وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ نُسِفَتْ (And when the mountains are blown away.) meaning, they will be removed and no sight or trace of them will remain. This is as Allah says, وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ فَقُلْ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّى نَسْفاً (And they ask you concerning the mountains: Say, "My Lord will blast them and scatter them as particles of dust.") (20:105) Allah also says, " وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ الْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى الاٌّرْضَ بَارِزَةً وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً (And (remember) the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away (like clouds of dust), and you will see the earth as a leveled plain, and we shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind.) (18:47) Then He says, وَإِذَا الرُّسُلُ أُقِّتَتْ (And when the Messengers are Uqqitat.) Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas that he said that Uqqitat means "Gathered." Ibn Zayd said, "This is similar to Allah's statement, يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ الرُّسُلَ (On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together.) Mujahid said, أُقِّتَتْ (Uqqitat.) "This means postponed." Ath-Thawri narrated from Mansur, who narrated from Ibrahim that he said concerning the word, أُقِّتَتْ (Uqqitat.) "This means promised." It seems as though he holds this to be similar to Allah's statement, وَأَشْرَقَتِ الاٌّرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَـبُ وَجِـىءَ بِالنَّبِيِّيْنَ وَالشُّهَدَآءِ وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ (And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord: and the Book will be produced; and the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward; and it will be judged between them with truth, and they will not be wronged.) (39:69) Then Allah says, لأَيِّ يَوْمٍ أُجِّلَتْ - لِيَوْمِ الْفَصْلِ - وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ - وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (For what Day are these signs postponed For the Day of Sorting Out. And what will explain to you what is the Day of Sorting Out Woe that Day to the deniers!) Allah is saying, `for which day are the Messengers postponed and their matter expected, so that the Hour will be established' This is as Allah says, فَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْلِفَ وَعْدِهِ رُسُلَهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انتِقَامٍ - يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الاٌّرْضُ غَيْرَ الاٌّرْضِ وَالسَّمَـوَتُ وَبَرَزُواْ للَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ (So think not that Allah will fail to keep His promise to His Messengers. Certainly, Allah is Almighty, All-Able of Retribution. On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens, and they will appear before Allah, the One, the Irresistible.) (14:47, 48) This is the Day of Sorting Out, as Allah says, لِيَوْمِ الْفَصْلِ (the Day of Sorting Out.) Then Allah says, in magnifying its matter, وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ - وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُكَذِّبِينَ (And what will explain to you what is the Day of Sorting Out Woe that Day to the deniers.) meaning, woe unto them from Allah's torment that is coming in the future.