(57, 58) “It is He who sends the winds as good tidings ahead of His mercy. Then, when they carry heavy clouds, We drive them toward a lifeless land, send down water upon it, and thereby bring forth every kind of fruit. In the same way, We shall bring forth the dead, so that you may take heed.”

Allah Most High explains here one of the effects of His power and a breath of His mercy. He says: “It is He who sends the winds as good tidings ahead of His mercy”; that is, the winds heralding rain, which stir it up from the earth by Allah’s permission. Thus, before the rain even falls, people rejoice at Allah’s mercy and their hearts are gladdened by it.

“Then, when they carry”—that is, the winds—“heavy clouds,” some winds having stirred them up, another having gathered them together, and yet another having driven them onward, “We drive them toward a lifeless land,” whose animals are on the verge of perishing and whose inhabitants have nearly despaired of Allah’s mercy. “We send down water upon it”; that is, abundant water upon that lifeless land from those clouds. Allah subjects to them a wind that makes them pour forth their rain and disperses them by His permission.

“And thereby bring forth every kind of fruit.” The people then rejoice in Allah’s mercy and delight in His bounty. As for His words, “In the same way, We shall bring forth the dead, so that you may take heed,” they mean: Just as We revive the earth with vegetation after its death, so shall We bring the dead forth from their graves after they have become decayed and scattered remains. This is a clear proof, for there is no difference between the two. Anyone who denies the resurrection because he deems it far-fetched, despite seeing its like, is merely being obstinate and denying what is perceptible to the senses.

This encourages people to remember, reflect upon Allah’s blessings, and consider them with a view to drawing lessons and proofs—not with heedlessness and neglect.