Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (644)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(48–50) “Allah is the One Who sends the winds, which then stir up clouds. He spreads them across the sky however He wills and forms them into masses; then you see the rain issuing from their midst. When He causes it to reach whichever of His servants He wills, they immediately rejoice, even though, before it was sent down upon them—before that—they had been in despair. So behold the effects of Allah’s mercy: how He brings the earth to life after its death. Indeed, He is surely the One Who will bring the dead to life, and He has power over all things.”

The Most High informs us of the perfection of His power and the fullness of His blessing: “He sends the winds, which then stir up clouds” from the earth. “He spreads them across the sky”—that is, He extends and expands them—“however He wills,” meaning in whatever form He chooses. Then “He forms them”—that is, those vast clouds—“into masses,” meaning thick clouds layered one atop another.

“Then you see the rain issuing from their midst”—that is, from the clouds in small, scattered drops. It does not all descend at once and ruin whatever it falls upon.

“When He causes it to reach”—through that rain—“whichever of His servants He wills, they immediately rejoice,” giving one another glad tidings of its descent because of their dire and pressing need for it. Hence He says: “Even though, before it was sent down upon them—before that—they had been in despair.” That is, they had lost hope and despaired because its arrival had been delayed. Thus, when it descended in that state, it assumed tremendous importance [for them] (1), bringing joy and gladness.

“So behold the effects of Allah’s mercy: how He brings the earth to life after its death.” It stirs, swells, and brings forth every fine kind of growth.

“Indeed, He”—the One Who brought the earth to life after its death—“is surely the One Who will bring the dead to life, and He has power over all things.” Nothing can defy the power of the Most High, even if it lies beyond the capacity of His creatures, eludes their understanding, and bewilders their minds.

(1) An addition from manuscript B.

﴿٤٨ - ٥٠﴾ ﴿اللَّهُ الَّذِي يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا فَيَبْسُطُهُ فِي السَّمَاءِ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ وَيَجْعَلُهُ كِسَفًا فَتَرَى الْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلالِهِ فَإِذَا أَصَابَ بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ * وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ لَمُبْلِسِينَ * فَانْظُرْ إِلَى آثَارِ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الأرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾ . يخبر تعالى عن كمال قدرته وتمام نعمته أنه ﴿يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا﴾ من الأرض، ﴿فَيَبْسُطُهُ فِي السَّمَاءِ﴾ أي: يمده ويوسعه ﴿كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ﴾ أي: على أي حالة أرادها من ذلك ثم ﴿يَجْعَلُهُ﴾ أي: ذلك السحاب الواسع ﴿كِسَفًا﴾ أي: سحابا ثخينا قد طبق بعضه فوق بعض. ﴿فَتَرَى الْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلالِهِ﴾ أي: السحاب نقطا صغارا متفرقة، لا تنزل جميعا فتفسد ما أتت عليه. ﴿فَإِذَا أَصَابَ بِهِ﴾ بذلك المطر ﴿مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ﴾ يبشر بعضهم بعضا بنزوله وذلك لشدة حاجتهم وضرورتهم إليه فلهذا قال: ﴿وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يُنزلَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ لَمُبْلِسِينَ﴾ أي: آيسين قانطين لتأخر وقت مجيئه، أي: فلما نزل في تلك الحال صار له موقع عظيم [عندهم] (١) وفرح واستبشار. ﴿فَانْظُرْ إِلَى آثَارِ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الأرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا﴾ فاهتزت وربت وأنبتت من كل زوج كريم. ﴿إِنَّ ذَلِكَ﴾ الذي أحيا الأرض بعد موتها ﴿لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾ فقدرته تعالى لا يتعاصى عليها شيء وإن تعاصى على قدر خلقه ودق عن أفهامهم وحارت فيه عقولهم.

(١) زيادة من ب.