Surah Fatir (35): Verse 9

"And it is Allah who sends the winds..."

The blowing of the winds is a manifest proof of the Willful Agent (Allah). This is because the air can be still, or it can move. When it moves, it might move to the right, or it might move to the left. In these varied movements, it may generate clouds, or it may not. These variations indicate a subjugating Manager, an effective Determiner, and an Ordainer.

In this verse, there are several issues:

The Almighty said: {وَاللَّهُ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ} (And it is Allah Who sent) using the past tense, but then said: {فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا} (so it stirs up clouds) using the future tense (or present continuous in Arabic grammar).

Explanation: When the act of sending (إرسال) is attributed to Allah, and what Allah does comes into being by His command "Be" (كن), it instantly exists without occupying any time, not even a fraction of time. Therefore, the past tense is used because its occurrence is necessary and immediate, as if it has already been completed. This signifies the pre-ordainment of the sending at known times to specific locations; the decree (تقدير) is like the sending itself.

However, when the act of stirring (إثارة) is attributed to the wind, which occurs over a period of time, He said: {تُثِيرُ} (it stirs up), meaning it acts according to its nature (over time).

He said: {أَرْسَلَ} (sent) attributing the action to the absent third person (He/It), but then said: {سُقْنَاهُ} (We drove it) and {فَأَحْيَيْنَا} (and We revived) attributing the action to the first person plural (We).

Explanation: Initially, He introduced Himself through one of His actions (sending the winds). Once established, He then speaks in the first person: "I am the One whom you have recognized; I drove the clouds and revived the earth." The first action (sending) was stated in the third person as a means of introduction through a wondrous act. The subsequent actions (driving and reviving) were stated in the first person plural as a reminder of the favor (نعمة), as the favor of the winds, clouds, driving, and reviving belongs to Him. The use of the past tense in {سُقْنَاهُ} (We drove) and {أَحْيَيْنَا} (We revived) supports the distinction we made between {أَرْسَلَ} (sent) and {تُثِيرُ} (stirs up).

What is the wisdom behind the comparison: {كَذَلِكَ النُّشُورُ} (Thus is the Resurrection)?

There are several interpretations:

1. Just as the dead earth accepted the life appropriate for it, the decayed limbs will accept life.
2. Just as the wind gathers scattered cloud fragments, so too will the scattered parts and fragments of the limbs be gathered.
3. Just as We drive the wind and clouds toward a dead land, We drive the spirit and life toward a dead body.

What is the wisdom in choosing this specific sign (the wind and clouds) among all signs, given that Allah has a sign pointing to His Oneness in everything?

Answer: After mentioning that Allah is the Originator (Fāṭir) of the heavens and the earth, and mentioning the heavenly matters and the sending of spirits by saying: {جَاعِلَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا} (Who appoints the angels as messengers), He then mentioned the earthly matters—the winds and their sending—by saying: {وَاللَّهُ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ الرِّيَاحَ} (And it is Allah Who sends the winds). This balances the mention of heavenly and earthly phenomena.

Verse 10:

{مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ وَالَّذِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَكْرُ أُولَئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ}

Then the Almighty said: {مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا...} (Whoever desires honor, then to Allah belongs all honor...).