Surah ad-Dhariyat (The Scattering Winds) 51 : 1

Overview (Verses 1 - 6)

A True Promise

By those that scatter far and wide; By those that are heavily laden; By those that speed along with gentle ease; By those that distribute by command; That which you are promised is true indeed, and for certain, judgement is bound to come. (Verses 1-6)

The surah begins with a quick beat, using ambiguous phrases to imply that it is talking about a serious matter that deserves our full attention. Inevitably though, the four ambiguous words used in the first four verses — al-hdariyat, al-jariyat and al-muqassimat — have made people ask questions, even in the very early days of Islam, as they sought further explanation. In this respect, Ibn Kathir reports:

Ali was on the pulpit in Kufah one day when he said: If you have any query about a verse in the Qur'an or a hadith by the Prophet, I will give you an answer.' Ibn al-Kawwa' asked him the meaning of ad-dhdriyat, [those that scatter], and he answered, 'the winds'. Then he said: 'What about al-hamilat [those heavily laden]?' Ali answered, 'the clouds'. The man then asked about al-jariyat [those that speed along], and (Ali's answer was, 'the ships'. The man asked: `What about al-muqassimat [those that distribute]?' Ali said, 'the angels'.

Sabigh ibn `Isl al-Tamimi asked (Umar ibn al-Khattab about these words and his reply was the same as above. `Umar felt, however, that al-Taming was asking only for argument's sake, thereby hinting at the ambiguity. By way of reprimand for his behavior, (Umar banned him from future social gatherings. Subsequently, Sabigh al-Taming repented and swore most seriously that he no longer entertained any of his earlier doubts. This report suggests that the ambiguity contained in these words encouraged those who tried to raise doubts about the Qur'an, making such words the point of their questioning. The same explanation of these words was given by Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Mujahid, Said ibn jubayr, al-Hasan, Qatadah, al-Suddi and many others.

God states an oath by the winds that move and scatter things such as dust, grain, pollen, clouds and other material known or unknown to us; by the clouds carrying water and driven by God Almighty to wherever He pleases; by the ships that easily float on water making use of the characteristics God has given to water, shipping and the whole universe, and by the angels carrying God's commands and delivering them as He pleases, giving details as to what matters they are concerned with.

The winds, the clouds, the ships and the angels are all God's creatures which He uses as a means to implement His will with regard to the universe and His servants. By using them in His oath, He draws attention to them and what they signify. In this way we are able to reflect on how God initiates these creatures, sets them in operation and uses them to fulfil what He wishes to be fulfilled. Mentioning them in this way invites our minds to think about the secrets they embody so that we look to their Creator. They may also, in some way, relate to the issue of sustenance, preoccupation with which the surah wants to free us from. The winds, the clouds and the ships have a definite connection with sustenance. Moreover, sustenance is one of the things that the angels distribute by God's command. Thus, we clearly see the relation between this opening and one of the main topics of the surah.

God states an oath by these four types of creation, confirming that "that which you are promised is true indeed, and, for certain, judgement is bound to come." (Verses 5-6) God has promised mankind that He will reward their good actions with what is better, and that He will requite their bad deeds with what is bad. If He delays holding them to account during their lives on earth, He will not ignore doing so in the life to come, where all reckoning and accounting will inevitably take place: "For certain, judgement is bound to come." (Verse 6) The promise is undoubtedly true, and will be fulfilled in either life. He has also promised people that their sustenance, in plenty or limited measure, is guaranteed. Again His promise in this matter is true.

God's promise to mankind is sure to be realized in the way and at the time He chooses. This needs no oath from Him. However, He makes this oath by these four types of His creation to draw attention to them, as they clearly point to His power and planning. When we contemplate these entities we have a clearer impression of the truth of God's promise and, therefore, our accountability for our deeds will inevitably take place. By their very nature, these entities suggest that life is not the result of idle play, accident or blind coincidence. Indeed, the oath leads us to view them as proofs of the divine message.