Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (414)

(12–13) “It is He who shows you lightning, inspiring fear and hope, and forms the heavy clouds. Thunder glorifies Him with praise, as do the angels in awe of Him. He sends thunderbolts, striking with them whomever He wills, while they dispute concerning Allah, though He is mighty in power.”

Allah Most High says: “It is He who shows you lightning, inspiring fear and hope.” That is, people fear the thunderbolts, destruction, and various kinds of harm it may cause to some fruits and the like, while hoping for its goodness and benefit.

“And forms the heavy clouds,” laden with abundant rain that benefits His servants and their lands.

“Thunder glorifies Him with praise.” It is the sound heard from the clouds that alarms His servants; yet it submits to its Lord and glorifies Him with praise. “And” the “angels” likewise glorify Him “in awe of Him”—that is, humbly submitting to their Lord and fearing His might. “He sends thunderbolts”—the fire that issues from the clouds—⦗415⦘ “striking with them whomever He wills” among His servants, in accordance with what He wills and intends. “He is mighty in power”: He possesses immense might and strength. Whatever He wills, He does; nothing can resist Him, and no fugitive can escape Him.

Since He alone drives the rain and the clouds upon which His servants’ provision depends, governs all affairs, and has the mighty creatures that people fear and that alarm His servants submit to Him—and since He is mighty in power—He alone deserves to be worshipped, without any partner.

For this reason, He says:

﴿١٢ - ١٣﴾ ﴿هُوَ الَّذِي يُرِيكُمُ الْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَيُنْشِئُ السَّحَابَ الثِّقَالَ * وَيُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ الصَّوَاعِقَ فَيُصِيبُ بِهَا مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُمْ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي اللَّهِ وَهُوَ شَدِيدُ الْمِحَالِ﴾ . يقول تعالى: ﴿هُوَ الَّذِي يُرِيكُمُ الْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا﴾ أي: يخاف منه الصواعق والهدم وأنواع الضرر، على بعض الثمار ونحوها ويطمع في خيره ونفعه، ﴿وَيُنْشِئُ السَّحَابَ الثِّقَالَ﴾ بالمطر الغزير الذي به نفع العباد والبلاد. ﴿وَيُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ﴾ وهو الصوت الذي يسمع من السحاب المزعج للعباد، فهو خاضع لربه مسبح بحمده، ﴿و﴾ تسبح ﴿الْمَلائِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ﴾ أي: خشعا لربهم خائفين من سطوته، ﴿وَيُرْسِلُ الصَّوَاعِقَ﴾ وهي هذه النار التي تخرج من السحاب، ⦗٤١٥⦘ ﴿فَيُصِيبُ بِهَا مَنْ يَشَاءُ﴾ من عباده بحسب ما شاءه وأراده وَهُوَ شَدِيدُ الْمِحَالِ أي: شديد الحول والقوة فلا يريد شيئا إلا فعله، ولا يتعاصى عليه شيء ولا يفوته هارب. فإذا كان هو وحده الذي يسوق للعباد الأمطار والسحب التي فيها مادة أرزاقهم، وهو الذي يدبر الأمور، وتخضع له المخلوقات العظام التي يخاف منها، وتزعج العباد وهو شديد القوة - فهو الذي يستحق أن يعبد وحده لا شريك له. ولهذا قال: