Tafsir of Ar-Rum 30:46

"And among His signs is that He sends the winds..."

The South wind (al-janūb) blows from the rising point of Canopus (Suhayl) to the rising point of the Pleiades (al-Thurayyā). The East wind (al-ṣabā) blows from the rising point of the Pleiades to the Great Bear (Banāt Na‘sh). The North wind (al-shamāl) blows from the Great Bear to the setting point of the Flying Eagle (al-nasr al-ṭā’ir). These are the winds of mercy. As for the West wind (al-dabūr), which blows from the setting point of the Flying Eagle to the rising point of Canopus, it is the wind of punishment.

It has been mentioned that the first three fertilize the rain-bearing clouds and gather them; hence, they are a mercy. According to Abū ‘Ubaydah, among the Arabs, the North wind is for the spirit, the South for rain and dew, the East for the fertilization of trees, and the West for affliction, the mildest of which is the stirring of dusty storms that irritate the eyes, and it is the least frequent in blowing.

Al-Ṭabarānī and al-Bayhaqī recorded in his Sunan from Ibn ‘Abbās a ḥadīth mentioning what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do and say when a wind stirred: "O Allāh, make it riyāḥan (winds of mercy) and do not make it rīḥan (a wind of punishment)." This is based on the linguistic distinction that the plural (riyāḥ) is used for mercy, while the singular (rīḥ) is used for punishment. In al-Nihāyah, it is stated that the Arabs say: "The clouds are not fertilized except by diverse winds." It is as if he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allāh, make it a fertilization for the clouds and do not make it a punishment."

It is also said that this is because when the wind is singular, it comes from one direction, striking the body of an animal or plant from only one side, affecting it more than is necessary and causing harm, while the opposite side is harmed by the lack of airflow, leading to corruption. This is unlike when they are multiple winds (riyāḥ), as they encompass all sides of the body, allowing each side to receive its share, resulting in balance.

However, you know that the singular rīḥ is sometimes used where there is no punishment, as in His saying: "...and they sailed with them on a favorable wind," and His saying: "And for Solomon the wind..." The aforementioned ḥadīth is disputed. Al-Suyūṭī indicated its excellence, but the Hāfiẓ al-Haythamī said: "In its chain of narration is Ḥusayn ibn Qays, who is abandoned (matrūk), though the rest of his narrators are those of the Ṣaḥīḥ." Ibn ‘Adī narrated it in al-Kāmil via this route but faulted it due to the aforementioned Ḥusayn, citing its weakness from Aḥmad and al-Nasā’ī. Yet, the Hāfiẓ attributed it in al-Fatḥ to Abū Ya‘lā alone from Anas in a marfū‘ form, stating that its chain is authentic. So, let this be remembered.

Ibn Kathīr, al-Kisā’ī, and al-A‘mash read al-rīḥ in the singular, intending the meaning of the plural. Therefore, He, the Exalted, said: "bringing glad tidings"—that is, of rain—"and to let you taste of His mercy"—meaning the benefits that follow it, such as winnowing grain, alleviating decay, watering trees, and other such graces and bounties. It is also said that it means the fertility that follows the rainfall caused by it, or the spirit that accompanies its blowing. There is no basis for limiting it.

The wāw is for conjunction, and the conjunction is linked to a hidden cause indicated by "bringing glad tidings"—that is, "to bring you glad tidings and to let you taste." Or it is linked to "bringing glad tidings" considering its meaning, for a circumstantial qualifier (ḥāl) can sometimes be intended as a cause, like "I honored Zayd while he was doing good"—meaning, because of his doing good. It is as if it were said: "To bring you glad tidings and to let you taste." To consider it a "conjunction of illusion" is far-fetched. Or it is linked to "He sends" with the implication of a causative verb, the estimate being: "He sends them to let you taste." To estimate it as "He causes the winds to flow so that He may let you taste" is remote. It has been said that it is linked to the sentence "And among His signs..." with the estimate: "He sent it to let you taste," or that He did what He did. Some did not consider this because the intended meaning is the inclusion of "tasting" among the signs. It has also been said that the wāw is redundant.

"And that the ships may sail"—in the sea when it blows—"by His command"—the Exalted and Majestic. This qualification was brought because the wind may blow but not be favorable; thus, the joining of His will—the Exalted—and His command to the wind is necessary for the desired outcome to occur. It is also said it is to indicate that its blowing favorably is one of His commands—the Exalted—over which no one else has power.

"And that you may seek of His bounty"—through sea trade—"and that perhaps you may give thanks"—meaning, that you may thank the grace of Allāh, the Exalted, in what has been mentioned.