Tafsir of Al-Mursalat 77:3

The `Asifat `Asfa. And the Nashirat Nashra, 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,

وأرسلنا الرياح لواقح

And we send the winds fertilizing. (15:22) He also says,

وهو الذى يرسل الرياح بشرى بين يدى رحمته

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,

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