Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 48

(Ayah 48) ➊ { وَ هُوَ الَّذِيْۤ اَرْسَلَ الرِّيٰحَ بُشْرًۢا …:} See Surah Al-A'raf (57). Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "This too is from the perfect power of Allah that He sends the winds as bearers of glad tidings, for they bring the good news of clouds coming after them, and there are many types of winds appointed for various tasks: some that stir up the clouds, some that lift them, some that drive them, some that give glad tidings before them, some that sweep over the earth, and some that cause fertility in the clouds so that rain may fall from them." That is, He alone is the Creator, Owner, and Controller of this system of winds, clouds, and rain. Even the polytheists of Makkah acknowledged this reality.

➋ { وَ اَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً طَهُوْرًا:} Here again, there is a shift from the third person to the first person. {’’ السَّمَآءِ ‘‘} refers to the cloud. {’’ طَهُوْرًا ‘‘ } means "that with which purification is obtained," just as {’’وَقُوْدٌ‘‘} means "that with which fire is kindled," {’’وَضُوْءٌ‘‘} "that with which ablution is performed," {’’سَحُوْرٌ‘‘} "that with which suhoor is taken," and {’’سَنُوْنٌ‘‘} "that with which teeth are cleaned." That is, We sent down water from the cloud which is pure from all kinds of impurities and also from all kinds of germs and poisonous substances. The water that rises from the earth in the form of vapor and takes the form of a cloud, whether it was impure, poisonous, salty, or mixed with any element before becoming vapor, when it falls from the cloud, it will be pure from every mixture and impurity, and not only will it be pure itself, but it will also purify other things from impurity. This verse is evidence that the real means of purifying anything is water.

48-1. طَھُور is on the pattern of fa‘ool in the sense of an instrument. That is, things by which purity is obtained, just as the water for ablution is called wudhu and fuel is called waqood. In this sense, water is tahir, pure in itself, and mutahhir, also purifying others. It is also mentioned in the hadith: ان الماء طهور لا ینجسہ شیء Abu Dawood. If its taste changes, then such water is impure, as mentioned in the hadith.

And He it is Who sends the winds as glad tidings before His mercy (rain), and We send down pure [61] water from the sky.

[60]
The Different Types of Winds:

The word ﴿رياح﴾ is the plural of ﴿ريح﴾, which simply means wind, whether it is moving or still. And if it is in motion, that is, blowing, then in the Arabic language, there are different terms for winds blowing from each direction. The wind that blows from the north to the south is also called "shamal," and it usually brings rain. The wind that blows from the south to the north is called "janub," and it usually carries away the clouds. The wind that generally blows from the east to the west in the morning is called "saba," and it brings delight to the heart. The wind that blows from the west to the east is called "dabbur," and it is considered inauspicious. The people of 'Ad were destroyed by this wind. Although "riyaah" is the plural of "reeh," the Quran has used "reeh" and "riyaah" in different contexts. The word "reeh" is generally used for the wind that brings punishment. [مثالوں كے لئے ديكهئے 3: 117، 14: 18، 33: 9، 54: 19 وغيره]
And the phrase "irsal al-riyaah" is generally used for winds of mercy, as is the case at this place as well. [نيز ديكهئے 7: 57، 15: 22، 30: 46، 30: 48 وغيره]
And the plural form is probably used for the winds that bring the rain of mercy because they also contain water vapors. The vapors that rise from the surface of water due to the heat of the sun or fire have the characteristic that they rise straight upwards; it is not their characteristic to take a particular direction after rising. Now, it is the winds that carry them in a particular direction as Allah wills. And at the place where Allah intends to send rain, the cool gusts of these water-laden winds begin to arrive beforehand, which on one hand give the glad tidings of the coming rain, and on the other hand, bring a strange kind of delight to the hearts.

[61]
The Pleasant Taste of Rainwater is a Sign of Allah:

Water vapors generally rise from the surface of the sea due to the heat of the sun. In the previous verses, there was mention of shadows, then the tranquility of the night, and working during the day, and all these matters are related to the sun, and the system of rain is also related to the sun. In this connection, its mention has also come. Now, it is clear that the water of the sea is bitter and extremely salty, and it also contains various chemical elements. If seawater touches any part of the body, it starts to sting, and until that place is washed with plain and clean water, there is no relief. But the amazing thing is that the rain that falls from its vapors contains neither salt nor any other chemical. Although we ourselves distill extracts through water vapors—for example, fennel extract or rosewater—then the taste, effect, and even the fragrance of fennel or rose are all transferred into that extract. But the rain that falls from the water vapors of the sea is pure, clean, and free from all kinds of effects. And this water is not only pure and clean itself, but it also purifies other things from filth, impurity, and uncleanliness.