Tafsir of Ar-Rum 30:48-50

Surah Ar-Rum (The Romans): Verses 48–50

(Verse 48)

The preceding verses detailed the signs (in the winds) concerning the first aspect: the sending of the winds, which demonstrates both Power (Qudra) and Wisdom (Hikmah).

1. Power (Qudra): This is evident because the gentle air, when split by the rain-bearing clouds, gains the force to uproot trees, even though it is not inherently capable of doing so. This action is by the will of an active chooser.
2. Wisdom (Hikmah): This is found in the very act of the blowing wind, leading to the stirring up of clouds.
3. Cloud Types: The text mentions different types of clouds: some continuous, others fragmented.
4. Rain and Water: The rain emerges from these clouds. The presence of water suspended in the air is a most wondrous sign of Power. What results from this—the growth of crops and the yielding of milk from livestock—is profound Wisdom.
5. Specificity: Furthermore, the rain is not universal; it is specific, affecting some people while sparing others, which is a sign of Divine Will (Mashī'ah).

Regarding the phrase { وإن كانوا من قبل أن ينزل عليهم من قبله } (And even if they were, before it rained upon them, before it), commentators have differed:

• Some say it is for emphasis, similar to { فكان عاقبتهما أنهما فى النار خالدين فيها } (So the consequence for both was that they are in the Fire, abiding therein).
• Others suggest "before the sending down" refers to before the rain itself.
• The preferred interpretation is that { من قبل أن ينزل عليهم من قبله } means before the sending of the winds. This is because after the winds are sent, the knowledgeable person can discern whether the wind carries rain or not. Before the rain falls, even if the wind blows, one might not be entirely certain (i.e., not completely relieved of doubt). Therefore, when the verse says { من قبل أن ينزل عليهم } (before it rained upon them), it does not state they were despairing, because before the rain, they might often have been hopeful due to seeing the clouds and feeling the wind. Thus, { من قبله } refers to what was previously mentioned: the sending of the wind and the spreading of the clouds.

Then, when the verse details the consequence: { فانظر إلى آثار رحمة الله كيف يحيي الأرض بعد موتها إن ذلك لمحيي الموتى } (Then look at the traces of the mercy of Allah: how He gives life to the earth after its death. Indeed, that is the Giver of life to the dead).

After mentioning the signs, Allah uses the emphatic particle Lām (لـ) and the active participle (Ism Fā'il): { إن ذلك لمحيي الموتى } (Indeed, that is the Giver of life to the dead). This is more emphatic than saying "Allah will give life." If one says, "The king will give you [a gift]," it does not convey the same meaning as saying, "He is giving you [a gift]." The latter implies that he has already given and is currently characterized by the act of giving. This is clarified by the statement { إنك ميت } (Indeed, you are a mortal), which is more definitive than saying { إنك تموت } (You will die). This is followed by { وهو على كل شيء قدير } (And He is over all things competent), which serves as confirmation of the acknowledgment of His power.

(Verses 49–50)

If We were to send a wind that turned their crops yellow (indicating destruction), they would persist in disbelief even after that sign.

This leads to the statement: You cannot make the dead hear, nor can you make the deaf hear the call when they turn their backs and flee. Nor can you guide the blind away from their error.

You can only make those hear who believe in Our signs, and they are the ones who submit (Muslims).