Overview - Surah 51: ad-Dhariyat (The Scattering Winds)
The Surah gives the good news of the emergence of a new community. It also warns the opponents of the truth that their time is about to end and the judgment of Allah is near.
Sections:
- Falsehood is about to end. The righteous shall be rewarded. The character of the righteous people.
- Prophet Ibrahim and his angel visitors. The fate of the people of Prophet Lot. Prophet Moses and the fate of Pharaoh. People of 'Ad and Thamud and the people of Prophet Noah -peace be upon them all.
- Hasten to Allah. Do not associate anyone in the divinity of Allah. Remind, the reminding will help the Believers. The Judgment of Allah is near.
The Surah takes its name from the first Ayat, وَالذَّارِيَاتِ ذَرْوًا "By those [winds] scattering [dust] dispersing" (51:1)
There are 60 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 60 |
| Total Words * | 360 |
| Root Words * | 147 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 67th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | |
| Events during/before this Surah*
N/A
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| Events during/after still to occur*
N/A
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa
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| Surah Index
‘Aad, Abraham, Astronomy (stars) , Charity, Cosmology (expanding Universe) , Creation of everything (in opposite duality) , Earth, Hell, Hud, Jinn, Judgement, Judgement (Day) , Moses, Noah, Pharaoh, Pharaoh (punishment of) , Prayer, Prayer (times of day of) , Religion (divergence of opinion) , Resurrection (of soul) , Thamud, Weather (wind)
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The Surah mostly deals with the Hereafter, and in the end it presents the invitation to Monotheism (Tawhid). In addition, the people have also been warned that refusal to accept the message of the Prophets and persistence in the concepts and creeds of ignorance have proved to be disastrous for those nations themselves which have adopted this attitude and way of life in the past.
- What has been promised.
إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَصَادِقٌ "Indeed, what you are promised is true." (51:5)
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن يَوْمِهِمُ الَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ "And woe to those who have disbelieved from their Day which they are promised." (51:60) This is the last Ayat of the Surah.
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
- Surah adh-Dhariyat and Surah at-Tur have Ayat towards the end that speak about the Dhalimeen.
فَإِنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ذَنُوبًا مِّثْلَ ذَنُوبِ أَصْحَابِهِمْ فَلَا يَسْتَعْجِلُونِ "And indeed, for those who have wronged is a portion [of punishment] like the portion of their predecessors, so let them not impatiently urge Me." (51:59)
وَإِنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا عَذَابًا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ "And indeed, for those who have wronged is a punishment before that, but most of them do not know." (51:47) - Surah adh-Dhariyat and Surah at-Tur instruct the Prophet to turn away from the Disbelievers
فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَمَا أَنتَ بِمَلُومٍ وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ "So leave them, [O Muhammad], for you are not to be blamed. And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers." (51:54-55)
فَذَرْهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُلَاقُوا يَوْمَهُمُ الَّذِي فِيهِ يُصْعَقُونَ "So leave them until they meet their Day in which they will be struck insensible -" (52:45)
- The usage of the the words وَفِي "and in....." in the beginning of a number of Ayat
وَفِي أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ "And in yourselves. Then will you not see?" (51:21)
وَفِي مُوسَىٰ إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ "And in Moses [was a sign], when We sent him to Pharaoh with clear authority." (51:38)
وَفِي عَادٍ إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الرِّيحَ الْعَقِيمَ "And in 'Aad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind." (51:41)
وَفِي ثَمُودَ إِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَمَتَّعُوا حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ "And in Thamud, when it was said to them, "Enjoy yourselves for a time." (51:43)
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = * | ||
The subject matter and the style clearly show that it was sent down in the period when persecution had not yet started. Although the Prophet’s invitation was being resisted and opposed with denial and ridicule and false accusations stubbornly. Therefore, this Surah also seems to have been revealed in the same period in which the Surah 50: Qaf (Qaf) was revealed.
- Surely the Day of Judgement shall come to pass, only the perverse persons turn away from this truth.
- The same angels who gave good news, of having a son, to Ibrahim annihilated the nation of homosexuals.
- There is a lesson in the stories of Pharoah, 'Ad, Thamud and people of Nuh.
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 22 - 23) An Oath to Confirm the Truth After the two exhibitions of the earth and man, the surah presents a third from the world above, where our perceptions cannot reach. It is there that our shares of provisions and livelihood are determined: "And in the sky is your sustenance and all that you are promised." (Verse 22) This is a remarkable touch. The means of livelihood and provisions are all on earth. Man works hard and expects to receive his share as a result of his work. The Qur'an, however, turns man's attention to the sky, to heaven, to God. It is there that shares are determined. The earth itself, and all its means of provisions, are signs for those who have certainty of faith, pointing to God so that we ask Him for His bounty. Thus do we get rid of worldly burdens, personal greed and the immediate means of income so that these do not become a barrier preventing us from looking up to God who has created all such means. Every believer understands this statement properly, realizing that it does not mean that one should abandon one's livelihood. He knows that God has assigned to man the task of building life on earth. He understands that it means that man must not make it the focus of his attention. He should work on earth whilst looking up to heaven. He should use the means of his livelihood, realizing that they are not what brings him his provisions. These provisions are assigned to him in heaven, and what God has promised is certain to be fulfilled. Thus his heart breaks the shackles of the immediate concerns about his livelihood, finding in them signs pointing to their Creator. Man thus revives his bond with heaven while standing firmly on the earth. This is what God wants for man, whom He created from clay, then breathed in him of His own spirit, to make him nobler than most of His creation. Faith is the means that puts man in the best situation, because it returns him. to that state of pure nature God gave him, before it was affected by deviation and corruption. Having touched on these three great signs: the earth, man and heaven, God states an oath by Himself, in His glory, that all this discourse is absolutely true: "By the Lord of the heavens and the earth, all this is the very truth, just as true as you are endowed with speech." (Verse 23) That humans speak is a fact they acknowledge. They entertain no doubt whatsoever about it. Likewise, this discourse is absolutely true. God tells only the absolute truth. Al-Asma, a famous literary figure who lived in the later part of the second century of the Islamic calendar, reports the following anecdote which is quoted by al-Zamakhshari in his commentary on the Qur'an, A/-Kashshaf We quote it here as it is interesting and relevant to our discussion. I came out of the main mosque in Basrah and I saw a Bedouin riding a young camel. He asked me to which tribe I belonged, and I told him that I was from Asma`. He asked where I had come from and I said, 'From a place where the words of the Lord of Grace are recited.' He said: 'Then recite to me.' I began reading the surah entitled 'The Scattering Winds'. When I read the verse saying, "And in the sky is your sustenance and all that you are promised," he said, 'This is enough.' He immediately slaughtered his she-camel and distributed its meat to all the people around, then he broke his sword and bow, and left. When I subsequently went on pilgrimage with Caliph al-Rashid and as I was doing tawafaround the Ka:bah, I heard someone with a sharp voice calling me. I looked around and I saw the Bedouin having grown thinner and paler. He greeted me and asked me to recite to him the same surah again. When I reached the same verse, he said, `We have found God's promise to be true.' Then he asked me what came after that verse. I read the next verse, "By the Lord of the heavens and the earth, all this is the very truth, just as true as you are endowed with speech." He cried aloud, 'Limitless is God in His glory! Who has angered the Almighty to make Him swear? They would not believe His words so that He would say an oath!' He repeated these three times and then passed away. This may or may not be a true story, but it reminds us that this oath by God is awesome. It is an oath by God Himself and by His main attribute, 'the Lord of the heavens and earth', which adds to the certainty of the truth that is the subject of this oath. It is true, and it does not need an oath to make it so. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 22 - 23) An Oath to Confirm the Truth After the two exhibitions of the earth and man, the surah presents a third from the world above, where our perceptions cannot reach. It is there that our shares of provisions and livelihood are determined: "And in the sky is your sustenance and all that you are promised." (Verse 22) This is a remarkable touch. The means of livelihood and provisions are all on earth. Man works hard and expects to receive his share as a result of his work. The Qur'an, however, turns man's attention to the sky, to heaven, to God. It is there that shares are determined. The earth itself, and all its means of provisions, are signs for those who have certainty of faith, pointing to God so that we ask Him for His bounty. Thus do we get rid of worldly burdens, personal greed and the immediate means of income so that these do not become a barrier preventing us from looking up to God who has created all such means. Every believer understands this statement properly, realizing that it does not mean that one should abandon one's livelihood. He knows that God has assigned to man the task of building life on earth. He understands that it means that man must not make it the focus of his attention. He should work on earth whilst looking up to heaven. He should use the means of his livelihood, realizing that they are not what brings him his provisions. These provisions are assigned to him in heaven, and what God has promised is certain to be fulfilled. Thus his heart breaks the shackles of the immediate concerns about his livelihood, finding in them signs pointing to their Creator. Man thus revives his bond with heaven while standing firmly on the earth. This is what God wants for man, whom He created from clay, then breathed in him of His own spirit, to make him nobler than most of His creation. Faith is the means that puts man in the best situation, because it returns him. to that state of pure nature God gave him, before it was affected by deviation and corruption. Having touched on these three great signs: the earth, man and heaven, God states an oath by Himself, in His glory, that all this discourse is absolutely true: "By the Lord of the heavens and the earth, all this is the very truth, just as true as you are endowed with speech." (Verse 23) That humans speak is a fact they acknowledge. They entertain no doubt whatsoever about it. Likewise, this discourse is absolutely true. God tells only the absolute truth. Al-Asma, a famous literary figure who lived in the later part of the second century of the Islamic calendar, reports the following anecdote which is quoted by al-Zamakhshari in his commentary on the Qur'an, A/-Kashshaf We quote it here as it is interesting and relevant to our discussion. I came out of the main mosque in Basrah and I saw a Bedouin riding a young camel. He asked me to which tribe I belonged, and I told him that I was from Asma`. He asked where I had come from and I said, 'From a place where the words of the Lord of Grace are recited.' He said: 'Then recite to me.' I began reading the surah entitled 'The Scattering Winds'. When I read the verse saying, "And in the sky is your sustenance and all that you are promised," he said, 'This is enough.' He immediately slaughtered his she-camel and distributed its meat to all the people around, then he broke his sword and bow, and left. When I subsequently went on pilgrimage with Caliph al-Rashid and as I was doing tawafaround the Ka:bah, I heard someone with a sharp voice calling me. I looked around and I saw the Bedouin having grown thinner and paler. He greeted me and asked me to recite to him the same surah again. When I reached the same verse, he said, `We have found God's promise to be true.' Then he asked me what came after that verse. I read the next verse, "By the Lord of the heavens and the earth, all this is the very truth, just as true as you are endowed with speech." He cried aloud, 'Limitless is God in His glory! Who has angered the Almighty to make Him swear? They would not believe His words so that He would say an oath!' He repeated these three times and then passed away. This may or may not be a true story, but it reminds us that this oath by God is awesome. It is an oath by God Himself and by His main attribute, 'the Lord of the heavens and earth', which adds to the certainty of the truth that is the subject of this oath. It is true, and it does not need an oath to make it so. |
Scientific References
وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander." (51:47)
The Expanding Universe
It was only after the development of the radio telescope in 1937, that the expansion of the universe was observed and established. This discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy.
During these observations, Hubble established that the stars emit a light that turns redder according to their distance. The wavelengths of receding bodies prolonged in the spectrum of light waves would shift to red, while, if the bodies approached each other, the wavelengths would shorten, shifting to blue. The light that came from galaxies that shifted to red showed that the galaxies were receding. In line with this observation, Hubble discovered a striking law: the speed of galaxies that receded was directly proportional to the distance between galaxies. The farther away a galaxy stood, the more its speed of recession accelerated. The result was tested again and again. In short, galaxies were moving further and further away, all the time.
A universe where everything constantly moves away from everything else implied a constantly expanding universe. The debate now is not whether the universe is expanding but rather at what rate. In 2011, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three scientists for the ‘discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae’.
- Surah 51. Ad-Dhariyat - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzzSbqMZR2Y&index=51&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN
- Surah 51. Ad-Dhariyat Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjQdS5nKtJI&index=51&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- Surah 51. Ad-Dhariyat Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqBqLH3kCoo&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=51
- Idris Akbar Surah Ad-Dhariyat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_2gLJAtQg
- Surah 51. AAd-Dhariyat Muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYFprNOxZbA&index=51&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
- Dr Israr Ahmed Tafsir Surah Al-Zariyat to Surah Al-Waqi'ah1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iQj5eAnWSE&index=97&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
- Surah Al-Zariyat to Surah Al-Waqi'ah2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a1V7hlRdFI&index=98&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
