54. What is the allusion to? Imam Razi says it is to shirk. Allah said elsewhere (21: 22),

لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَةٌ إِلا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا (الأنبياء – 22)

“Had there been a deity other than Allah, surely the two (the heaven and earth) would have been corrupted.”

Qatadah and Suddi held the same opinion, although several other opinions have also been offered (Qurtubi), e.g., loss of “barakah”, droughts, murder, crop failure, etc. (Alusi and others); other corruptions being the direct effect of shirk (Au.).

Qatadah’s opinion that the allusion is to the epoch just before the appearance of the Prophet, seems to carry much weight in view of the fact that the whole world was at that time sunk in disbelief. The portrayal of the situation by the historians - vis a vis kufr – tells us in no indefinite terms that the whole world was sunk in debauchery of disbelief (Shabbir).

55. Although most early commentators, including Mujahid, have understood the term barr and bahr as meaning land and sea, Mujahid remarked that the Arabs also refer to every town or village situated by the shore of a river or lake as bahr (Ibn Jarir, Razi, Qurtubi). The Prophet also used the word “bahr” in this sense in a letter he wrote to the ruler of Aylah (Ibn Kathir).

The meaning however is that when Allah is obeyed, the earth throws out its produce in abundance; but when He is disobeyed, it withholds. Accordingly, we have a hadith in Abu D a’ud which says,

إِقَامَةُ حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مَطَرِ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً فِي بِلَادِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

“The execution on the earth of a capital punishment is better for its inhabitants than that they should be sent rains for forty mornings.”

The report is in Ibn Majah and others, but thought to be weak, but Ibn Kathir’s following note may be paid attention to (Au.).

The reason is that the execution of capital punishment deters people from breaking Allah’s laws. And, the observation of His laws opens the heavenly and earthly gates of good and plenty. Accordingly, when `Isa (asws) will come, he will rule by the Islamic law, killing swine, breaking the cross and annulling Jizyah. He will accept nothing but Islam or will put (the people) to the sword. In consequence, when Allah would have destroyed Dajjal, along with his followers, as well as Y a’j uj and M a’j uj, the earth will be ordered to throw out its blessings. At that time a group of people will eat out of a single pomegranate and rest in the shade of its skin. That, for no other reason except that Allah’s laws would be executed in the earth, and there will be no one disobeying Him. In this connection we might also remember the hadith in the Sahihayn which says that when a corrupt sinner dies, people, places, trees, and animal, all feel relieved about it. (The hadith is in Tirmidhi also, of Hasan status). And, Imam Ahmad has a report which says that during the time of Ziyad or Ibn Ziyad, a clay pot was found full of grains. They were the size of date stones. A writing found in it said, “This is of the times when justice used to be administered” (Ibn Kathir).

56. Asad places a note that is all the more relevant today in view of further deterioration of the corruption that he pointed out several decades ago. He wrote: “Thus the growing corruption and destruction of our natural environment, so awesomely – if as yet only partially – demonstrated in our time, is here predicted as ‘an outcome of what men’s hands have wrought’, i.e., of that self-destructive – because utterly materialistic – inventiveness and frenzied activity which now threatens mankind with previously unimaginable ecological disasters: an unbridled pollution of land, air and water through industrial and urban waste, a progressive poisoning of plant and marine life, all manner of genetic malformations in men’s own bodies through an ever-widening use of drugs and seemingly ‘beneficial’ chemicals, and the gradual extinction of animal species essential to human well-being. To all this may be added the rapid deterioration and decomposition of man’s social life, the all-round increase in sexual perversion, crime and violence, with, perhaps, nuclear annihilation as the ultimate stage: all of which is, in the last resort, an outcome of man’s oblivion of God and, hence, of all absolute moral values, and their supersession by the belief that material ‘progress’ is the only thing that matters.”

57. Mujahid’s opinion was that the unbelievers are preparing their bed in the grave (Ibn Jarir), perhaps in the sense that it will be the point of start for the journey to the Hereafter, and a tortuous one at that (Au.).

58. That is, the rains.

59. Through trade, commerce, and travel to distant parts of the world via the seas.

60. In further exposition of the ending part of this verse, Ibn Abi Hatim has a report on the authority of Abu Darda’. He says he heard the Prophet say,

مَنْ رَدَّ عَنْ عِرْضِ أَخِيهِ الْمُسْلِمِ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَرُدَّ عَنْهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

“Whoever defended attack on the honor of his brother, makes it incumbent upon Allah that He should shield him from the Fire of Hell on the Judgment Day.” Then the Prophet recited this verse (Ibn Kathir).

The above was declared Hasan by Tirmidhi, the collector (Au.).

Iraqi has, however, declared this report as not trustworthy (S. Ibrahim).

61. The words,

الرِّيَاحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا

“Winds that stir up the clouds” could also suggest, “the winds stir up (water to create) the clouds” (Au.).

62. Qatadah understood “yabsatuhu” as meaning, “He gathers them together” (Ibn Jarir), but many others have understood as “He spreads them, causes them to increase and grow” (Ibn Kathir).

63. Dahhak and others have pointed out that kisafan could also be understood as meaning layers upon layers (of clouds) - Ibn Kathir.

64. The rendering of “wadq” as raindrops is following Mujahid’s understanding as in Ibn Jarir.

65. What the repetition of the words “before it” means is that it had happened several times “before it” – i.e., before the rains finally came – that the rains did not fall despite expectation, until they lost all hope and had sunk into despair (Ibn Kathir).

66. It might be noticed that earlier the word used for “wind” was “riyah” (pl. of rih), while at this point it is “rih.” The reason is, remarks Imam Razi, mankind experience the life-giving winds (riyah) more than destructive “rih” which is not so common. Hence plural for those that bring glad tidings and singular for the one that brings destruction.

Hence the Prophet’s prayer-words, said whenever winds began to blow,

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا رِيَاحًا وَلا تَجْعَلْهَا رِيحًا (أحمد)

“O Allah make it “riyah” (winds) and not “rih” (wind).”

The report is trustworthy.

67. The allusion is to another class of winds which carry no moisture at all, but rather are dry.They dry up the crops and plants, leaving them in their wake yellow; although, it was a point in time when the farmers were expecting a refreshing shower that would turn the crops greener and cause to yield richer harvest (Au.).

68. Ibn Kathir uses this occasion to stress upon the living not to lose contacts with the dead: by way of visits to their graves, supplicating for them, and sending peace to them. He quotes Ibn `Abd al-Barr’s hadith that he declared trustworthy:

ما من أحد يمر بقبر أخيه المسلم، كان يعرفه في الدنيا، فيسلم عليه، إلا رد الله عليه روحه، حتى يرد عليه السلام

“No one passes by a brother Muslim’s grave whom he knew in this world, who greets him, but Allah returns the man’s soul to him so that he can return the greeting.”

And Ibn Abi Dunya has narrated a man of the family of `Asim al-Juhdari as saying, “I saw `Asim in a dream two years after his death. I asked, ‘Are not you dead?’ He replied, ‘Of course I am.’ I asked, ‘Where are you now?’ He replied, ‘By Allah I am in one of the orchards of Paradise. Myself and a few of my companions gather together every Friday night and its morning at Bakr b. `Abdullah al-Muzani’s place where we pick up your news.’ I asked, ‘Your bodies or souls?’ He answered, ‘Out of the question. The bodies have become dust. It is the souls that meet.’ I asked, ‘Do you come to know when we visit you?’ He replied, ‘Yes. From the evening of Friday, the whole of its day, until the sunrise on Friday.’ I asked, ‘Why this, apart from other days?’ He answered, ‘Because of the importance of Friday over all other days.’”

And, Abu al-Tayyah reports about Mutraf that, “We heard that he used to visit Ghota. He would go there by night and stop by the graves as he passed by them. He would halt, remaining on his horse. He saw every dweller of a grave sitting on top of the grave. They would say to to each other, ‘This is Mutraf who comes to you every Friday…’”

A cousin of Sufyan b. `Uyaynah says, “When my father died, I was struck by great grief. I used to visit his grave every day. Then I discontinued for some reason, until I visited him again. As I was sitting at the grave, I was overtaken by sleep and saw that my father’s grave had split. He was sitting in his grave looking much perturbed. He had the expression of the dead on his face. I was in tears when I saw him in that state. He asked, ‘My son, what prevented you from coming to me?’ I asked, ‘Do you get to know when I come here?’ He replied, ‘You never came but I knew about it. You used to come pleasing me and pleasing others around me: by virtue of your supplications.’” He said, “Thereafter I used to visit him as often as I could.”

Ibn Suwayd al-Tafawi says his mother was so much given to devotions that she was nicknamed “Rahibah.” … “When she died I used to visit her every Friday, pray for her and for the rest of the dead in the graveyard. One day I saw her in my dream and asked her, ‘Mother dear! How are you?’ She replied, ‘My son! Death is a painful affair. By Allah I am in a praiseworthy Barzakh where the floor is made of sweet basil (rayhan) and we rest on (pillows of) silk brocade – until the day of Resurrection.’ I asked, ‘Do you have any need?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ I asked, ‘What is it?’ She replied, ‘Do not discontinue with your visits to us and your prayers for us. I am given the glad news of you starting off from your homefolk. I am told, “O Rahibah! Here is your son advancing toward you.” At that I rejoice as also those around me of the dead.’”

This, says Ibn Kathir, is a vast chapter that has numerous reports from the Companions and those who came after them.

Alusi also agrees with Ibn Kathir in that the dead can hear when addressed. Abu al-Sheikh recorded that a woman used to clean up the Prophet’s mosque. She died but the Prophet (saws) was not aware she was dead. He happened to pass by a grave and inquired whose it was. They told him, “Umm Mahjan’s.” He asked, “The one who used to clean up the mosque?” When they said yes, he asked them to line up for Prayers. After the Prayer, he addressed the grave, “What did you find most beneficial?” They asked (him), “Messenger of Allah, does she hear?” He answered, “You are not hearing me any better than she does.” Then he explained to them that she had replied: “Cleaning up the mosque.” Bayhaqi also reported it as well as Hakim who declared it trustworthy.

(The above report could not be traced for its authenticity: Au.).

One may be warned, adds Shabbir, that Allah allowing a dead to hear is one thing, and a human being making them hear is another. There is no guarantee whatsoever that if we address the dead in the grave, whether by way of supplication for them, or, mere greetings of peace, that they should hear.

Also see Surah al-Naml, ayah 50, note 101 for relevant discussion.