Overview - Surah 51: ad-Dhariyat (The Scattering Winds)
The Surah gives the good news of the emergence of a new community. It also warns the opponents of the truth that their time is about to end and the judgment of Allah is near.
Sections:
- Falsehood is about to end. The righteous shall be rewarded. The character of the righteous people.
- Prophet Ibrahim and his angel visitors. The fate of the people of Prophet Lot. Prophet Moses and the fate of Pharaoh. People of 'Ad and Thamud and the people of Prophet Noah -peace be upon them all.
- Hasten to Allah. Do not associate anyone in the divinity of Allah. Remind, the reminding will help the Believers. The Judgment of Allah is near.
The Surah takes its name from the first Ayat, وَالذَّارِيَاتِ ذَرْوًا "By those [winds] scattering [dust] dispersing" (51:1)
There are 60 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 60 |
| Total Words * | 360 |
| Root Words * | 147 |
| Unique Root Words * | 3 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 67th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | |
| Events during/before this Surah*
N/A
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| Events during/after still to occur*
N/A
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa
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| Surah Index
‘Aad, Abraham, Astronomy (stars) , Charity, Cosmology (expanding Universe) , Creation of everything (in opposite duality) , Earth, Hell, Hud, Jinn, Judgement, Judgement (Day) , Moses, Noah, Pharaoh, Pharaoh (punishment of) , Prayer, Prayer (times of day of) , Religion (divergence of opinion) , Resurrection (of soul) , Thamud, Weather (wind)
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The Surah mostly deals with the Hereafter, and in the end it presents the invitation to Monotheism (Tawhid). In addition, the people have also been warned that refusal to accept the message of the Prophets and persistence in the concepts and creeds of ignorance have proved to be disastrous for those nations themselves which have adopted this attitude and way of life in the past.
- What has been promised.
إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَصَادِقٌ "Indeed, what you are promised is true." (51:5)
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن يَوْمِهِمُ الَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ "And woe to those who have disbelieved from their Day which they are promised." (51:60) This is the last Ayat of the Surah.
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
13th Century
13th Century
1916 CE
1916 CE
5th/6th Century AH
5th/6th Century AH
13th Century
13th Century
718 H 1318 CE
718 H 1318 CE
1490 CE
1490 CE
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
3rd Century Hijrah
3rd Century Hijrah
- Surah adh-Dhariyat and Surah at-Tur have Ayat towards the end that speak about the Dhalimeen.
فَإِنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ذَنُوبًا مِّثْلَ ذَنُوبِ أَصْحَابِهِمْ فَلَا يَسْتَعْجِلُونِ "And indeed, for those who have wronged is a portion [of punishment] like the portion of their predecessors, so let them not impatiently urge Me." (51:59)
وَإِنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا عَذَابًا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ "And indeed, for those who have wronged is a punishment before that, but most of them do not know." (51:47) - Surah adh-Dhariyat and Surah at-Tur instruct the Prophet to turn away from the Disbelievers
فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَمَا أَنتَ بِمَلُومٍ وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ "So leave them, [O Muhammad], for you are not to be blamed. And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers." (51:54-55)
فَذَرْهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُلَاقُوا يَوْمَهُمُ الَّذِي فِيهِ يُصْعَقُونَ "So leave them until they meet their Day in which they will be struck insensible -" (52:45)
- The usage of the the words وَفِي "and in....." in the beginning of a number of Ayat
وَفِي أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ "And in yourselves. Then will you not see?" (51:21)
وَفِي مُوسَىٰ إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ "And in Moses [was a sign], when We sent him to Pharaoh with clear authority." (51:38)
وَفِي عَادٍ إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الرِّيحَ الْعَقِيمَ "And in 'Aad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind." (51:41)
وَفِي ثَمُودَ إِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَمَتَّعُوا حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ "And in Thamud, when it was said to them, "Enjoy yourselves for a time." (51:43)
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 3* | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ق و ل | 13 | 1722 |
| 2. | ٱلَّذِى | 7 | 1464 |
| 3. | ك و ن | 6 | 1390 |
| 4. | ق و م | 6 | 660 |
| 5. | ر س ل | 6 | 513 |
| 6. | ر ب ب | 5 | 980 |
| 7. | إِلَىٰ | 5 | 742 |
| 8. | س م و | 4 | 381 |
| 9. | ج ن ن | 4 | 201 |
| 10. | أ ت ي | 4 | 549 |
| Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| ق و ل | 13 | 1722 |
| ٱلَّذِى | 7 | 1464 |
| ك و ن | 6 | 1390 |
| ق و م | 6 | 660 |
| ر س ل | 6 | 513 |
| ر ب ب | 5 | 980 |
| إِلَىٰ | 5 | 742 |
| س م و | 4 | 381 |
| ج ن ن | 4 | 201 |
| أ ت ي | 4 | 549 |
The subject matter and the style clearly show that it was sent down in the period when persecution had not yet started. Although the Prophet’s invitation was being resisted and opposed with denial and ridicule and false accusations stubbornly. Therefore, this Surah also seems to have been revealed in the same period in which the Surah 50: Qaf (Qaf) was revealed.
- Surely the Day of Judgement shall come to pass, only the perverse persons turn away from this truth.
- The same angels who gave good news, of having a son, to Ibrahim annihilated the nation of homosexuals.
- There is a lesson in the stories of Pharoah, 'Ad, Thamud and people of Nuh.
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 20) Signs Galore On earth there are signs for those with sure faith, and in yourselves too: can you not see? And in the sky is your sustenance and all that you are promised. By the Lord of the heavens and the earth, all this is the very truth, just as true as you are endowed with speech. (Verses 20-23) These verses turn our attentions to the countless signs testifying to God's oneness, both on earth and within ourselves. They also guide us to look to heaven for our means of sustenance, as it is all measured. They finish with a great oath by God Himself, the Lord of the heavens and earth, confirming that the message given to them from Him is absolutely true. Qur'anic texts are phrased in such a way as to make them relevant for all times, environments and situations. They can give every person, every mind and every understanding a wealth of knowledge that each is perfectly able to handle. As man's knowledge increases, his faculties of understanding develop, his experience broadens, and as he becomes more aware of the secrets of the universe and of his own self, he receives more of the import of the Qur'anic texts. As the Prophet declares: "the Qur'an is a book of endless marvels. It remains new no matter how repeatedly it is read." The Prophet who said this was the man on whom the Qur'an was bestowed from on high and who understood its secrets and lived them fully. His description was based on the most direct and personal of experiences. Those who were the first to listen to the Qur'an saw of God's signs on earth and in themselves their share, according to their knowledge, experience and inspiration. Every succeeding generation also received their shares according to whatever further knowledge and experience they had accumulated. We, in our turn, have our own share in line with our increased knowledge in different fields, and with what we have been able to discover of the secrets of the universe. Those who come after us will also find a share kept for them of secrets yet unknown to man, in both the earth and within the human soul. These two exhibitions will remain, to the end of time, majestic, full of new wonders. This planet earth was made ready to support life in a way that is almost unique in what we know of this great universe, with its unlimited number of planets and stars. What we know of these, which is only a fraction of what we do not know, includes millions of galaxies, each of which contains hundreds of millions of stars, as well as planets, which are satellites of these stars. Yet out of such countless numbers, the earth uniquely seems to be the only one suited for this type of life. Should any of the many special characteristics of the earth change or be disturbed, life as we know it will become impossible on earth. If the earth's size changes so that it becomes larger or smaller, or if a change affects the position of the earth in relation to the sun, or the sun's size or level of heat, or the angle of the earth's axis, or its rotation in place, or the speed of its movement in its orbit, or the size of the moon, or its distance from it, or the proportion of sea to dry land, etc. no life on earth would be possible. Is this not a great sign, or a multitude of signs, for us to contemplate? Consider also the endless variety of foods stored in the earth for all creatures that live on it, fly in its atmosphere, swim its waters, hide in its caves, and who disappear underground. Some types of food are simple, others are complex and sophisticated. They are available in all types and shapes to meet the endless needs of endless numbers and types of creatures. Such a great variety of food, including what may be inside the earth, or in its atmosphere, or growing on its surface, or may come from the sun or other worlds beyond, is given in due measure and proportion in accordance with the divine will that created the earth and made it a cradle for this type of life, equipping it with all that is needed. Consider further the scenes of what the earth presents, wherever you look or move. There are no end of wonderful scenes: flat grounds and lowlands, hills and valleys, lakes and seas, rivers and streams, vineyards and fields of grains and date-palms of different varieties, etc. Every one of these scenes undergoes change by the creative hand whose inventiveness never stops. We pass by any of these in the dry season and capture a certain essence of it, and then we pass by again in the rainy season to find a totally different essence. It presents a third image at the time of growth and yet another totally different one at harvest time. Yet it is all in the same spot, unable to move an inch. Then consider the creatures that live on earth: plants, animals, birds, fish, reptiles and insects. We need not mention mankind because the surah gives it special focus. We cannot give a figure for the number of kinds and species of these creatures, let alone give accurate figures of their individual populations. Every kind is a community of its own; each individual is a great wonder: every animal, bird, reptile, worm and shoot. Indeed, the wonder extends further to every petal of a flower and every stalk in a leaf. Each presents a great exhibition with endless marvels. In this way, the surah alerts human minds to reflect and contemplate so that they appreciate and enjoy these wonders throughout their lives' journey. Yet none truly appreciates these wonders and enjoys these pleasures except one whose heart carries the certainty of faith: "On earth there are signs for those with sure faith." (Verse 20) It is only such certainty that brings the heart alive so that it sees, understands and appreciates the creating power behind them. Without such certainty, all remains cold and hollow, speechless and lifeless, while the heart remains unresponsive. Many are those who pass through this great open exhibition with closed eyes and hearts. They neither feel its life force nor understand its language, and all because they are devoid of that certainty of faith. Some may be reputable scientists, but "they only know the outer surface of this world's lift." (30: 7) The truth beyond the outer surface remains closed to them, because hearts can only open to receive the truth of existence by the key of faith and can only see it in the light of certainty. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 20) Signs Galore On earth there are signs for those with sure faith, and in yourselves too: can you not see? And in the sky is your sustenance and all that you are promised. By the Lord of the heavens and the earth, all this is the very truth, just as true as you are endowed with speech. (Verses 20-23) These verses turn our attentions to the countless signs testifying to God's oneness, both on earth and within ourselves. They also guide us to look to heaven for our means of sustenance, as it is all measured. They finish with a great oath by God Himself, the Lord of the heavens and earth, confirming that the message given to them from Him is absolutely true. Qur'anic texts are phrased in such a way as to make them relevant for all times, environments and situations. They can give every person, every mind and every understanding a wealth of knowledge that each is perfectly able to handle. As man's knowledge increases, his faculties of understanding develop, his experience broadens, and as he becomes more aware of the secrets of the universe and of his own self, he receives more of the import of the Qur'anic texts. As the Prophet declares: "the Qur'an is a book of endless marvels. It remains new no matter how repeatedly it is read." The Prophet who said this was the man on whom the Qur'an was bestowed from on high and who understood its secrets and lived them fully. His description was based on the most direct and personal of experiences. Those who were the first to listen to the Qur'an saw of God's signs on earth and in themselves their share, according to their knowledge, experience and inspiration. Every succeeding generation also received their shares according to whatever further knowledge and experience they had accumulated. We, in our turn, have our own share in line with our increased knowledge in different fields, and with what we have been able to discover of the secrets of the universe. Those who come after us will also find a share kept for them of secrets yet unknown to man, in both the earth and within the human soul. These two exhibitions will remain, to the end of time, majestic, full of new wonders. This planet earth was made ready to support life in a way that is almost unique in what we know of this great universe, with its unlimited number of planets and stars. What we know of these, which is only a fraction of what we do not know, includes millions of galaxies, each of which contains hundreds of millions of stars, as well as planets, which are satellites of these stars. Yet out of such countless numbers, the earth uniquely seems to be the only one suited for this type of life. Should any of the many special characteristics of the earth change or be disturbed, life as we know it will become impossible on earth. If the earth's size changes so that it becomes larger or smaller, or if a change affects the position of the earth in relation to the sun, or the sun's size or level of heat, or the angle of the earth's axis, or its rotation in place, or the speed of its movement in its orbit, or the size of the moon, or its distance from it, or the proportion of sea to dry land, etc. no life on earth would be possible. Is this not a great sign, or a multitude of signs, for us to contemplate? Consider also the endless variety of foods stored in the earth for all creatures that live on it, fly in its atmosphere, swim its waters, hide in its caves, and who disappear underground. Some types of food are simple, others are complex and sophisticated. They are available in all types and shapes to meet the endless needs of endless numbers and types of creatures. Such a great variety of food, including what may be inside the earth, or in its atmosphere, or growing on its surface, or may come from the sun or other worlds beyond, is given in due measure and proportion in accordance with the divine will that created the earth and made it a cradle for this type of life, equipping it with all that is needed. Consider further the scenes of what the earth presents, wherever you look or move. There are no end of wonderful scenes: flat grounds and lowlands, hills and valleys, lakes and seas, rivers and streams, vineyards and fields of grains and date-palms of different varieties, etc. Every one of these scenes undergoes change by the creative hand whose inventiveness never stops. We pass by any of these in the dry season and capture a certain essence of it, and then we pass by again in the rainy season to find a totally different essence. It presents a third image at the time of growth and yet another totally different one at harvest time. Yet it is all in the same spot, unable to move an inch. Then consider the creatures that live on earth: plants, animals, birds, fish, reptiles and insects. We need not mention mankind because the surah gives it special focus. We cannot give a figure for the number of kinds and species of these creatures, let alone give accurate figures of their individual populations. Every kind is a community of its own; each individual is a great wonder: every animal, bird, reptile, worm and shoot. Indeed, the wonder extends further to every petal of a flower and every stalk in a leaf. Each presents a great exhibition with endless marvels. In this way, the surah alerts human minds to reflect and contemplate so that they appreciate and enjoy these wonders throughout their lives' journey. Yet none truly appreciates these wonders and enjoys these pleasures except one whose heart carries the certainty of faith: "On earth there are signs for those with sure faith." (Verse 20) It is only such certainty that brings the heart alive so that it sees, understands and appreciates the creating power behind them. Without such certainty, all remains cold and hollow, speechless and lifeless, while the heart remains unresponsive. Many are those who pass through this great open exhibition with closed eyes and hearts. They neither feel its life force nor understand its language, and all because they are devoid of that certainty of faith. Some may be reputable scientists, but "they only know the outer surface of this world's lift." (30: 7) The truth beyond the outer surface remains closed to them, because hearts can only open to receive the truth of existence by the key of faith and can only see it in the light of certainty. |
Scientific References
وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander." (51:47)
The Expanding Universe
It was only after the development of the radio telescope in 1937, that the expansion of the universe was observed and established. This discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy.
During these observations, Hubble established that the stars emit a light that turns redder according to their distance. The wavelengths of receding bodies prolonged in the spectrum of light waves would shift to red, while, if the bodies approached each other, the wavelengths would shorten, shifting to blue. The light that came from galaxies that shifted to red showed that the galaxies were receding. In line with this observation, Hubble discovered a striking law: the speed of galaxies that receded was directly proportional to the distance between galaxies. The farther away a galaxy stood, the more its speed of recession accelerated. The result was tested again and again. In short, galaxies were moving further and further away, all the time.
A universe where everything constantly moves away from everything else implied a constantly expanding universe. The debate now is not whether the universe is expanding but rather at what rate. In 2011, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three scientists for the ‘discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae’.
- Surah 51. Ad-Dhariyat - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzzSbqMZR2Y&index=51&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN
- Surah 51. Ad-Dhariyat Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjQdS5nKtJI&index=51&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- Surah 51. Ad-Dhariyat Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqBqLH3kCoo&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=51
- Idris Akbar Surah Ad-Dhariyat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_2gLJAtQg
- Surah 51. AAd-Dhariyat Muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYFprNOxZbA&index=51&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
- Dr Israr Ahmed Tafsir Surah Al-Zariyat to Surah Al-Waqi'ah1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iQj5eAnWSE&index=97&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
- Surah Al-Zariyat to Surah Al-Waqi'ah2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a1V7hlRdFI&index=98&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263
