Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 16

(Ayah 16) ➊ { فَاَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيْحًا صَرْصَرًا: ’’ صَرْصَرًا ‘‘ ’’صِرٌّ‘‘} (with kasrah on Saad) is from it, the intensity of cold which contracts the body, meaning an extremely cold wind, as Allah Almighty says: « كَمَثَلِ رِيْحٍ فِيْهَا صِرٌّ » [ آل عمران : ۱۱۷] “The example of that wind is like one in which there is severe cold.” Or it is from {’’صَرَّةٌ‘‘}, which means “a terrifying scream,” as He said: « فَاَقْبَلَتِ امْرَاَتُهٗ فِيْ صَرَّةٍ» [ الذاریات : ۲۹ ] “So his wife came forward screaming.” Here, both meanings are intended together: that wind was extremely cold and had a terrifying scream-like sound. In {’’ صَرْصَرًا ‘‘}, the repetition of letters intensifies the meaning, i.e., We sent upon them a wind that was extremely cold, terrifying, loud, swift, and violent, and the same wind which was a means of their life’s sustenance and comfort of heart, and which they considered completely ordinary and harmless, became the cause of their destruction, and none of their strength could save them.

➋ {فِيْۤ اَيَّامٍ نَّحِسَاتٍ: ’’ نَحِسَاتٍ ‘‘ ’’نَحْسٌ‘‘} (with fathah on Noon and sukoon on Haa) is the plural, as mentioned elsewhere: « فِيْ يَوْمِ نَحْسٍ مُّسْتَمِرٍّ » [ القمر : ۱۹ ] “On a day that was continuously inauspicious.” {’’ نَحْسٌ‘‘} and {’’مَنْحُوْسٌ‘‘} (unlucky) are the opposite of {’’سَعْدٌ‘‘} (lucky). In reality, nothing is inauspicious in itself; it is only a relative matter, i.e., the same thing can be a cause of good fortune for someone and misfortune for another, as these days of wind were inauspicious for the people of ‘Aad, but for Hud (peace be upon him) and the believers, what day could be more fortunate than these days? For details of this wind, see Surah Al-A’raf (72), Qamar (18–20), Dhariyat (41, 42), and Surah Haqqah (6–8). Some who call themselves Muslims also consider some days to be inauspicious, like the tenth of Muharram, because Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred in it, whereas on this tenth of Muharram, Musa (peace be upon him) and the Children of Israel were saved, in celebration of which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast. Some people consider certain days of Safar to be inauspicious, whereas such a belief is false.

➌ { لِنُذِيْقَهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا:} This humiliation and disgrace was a response to their arrogance and pride, that the very land on which they acted arrogantly, upon it their lifeless bodies lay fallen like hollow trunks of date palms.

➍ { وَ لَعَذَابُ الْاٰخِرَةِ اَخْزٰى … :} Surely the punishment of the Hereafter is more disgraceful, because it will be in front of all the former and later people, and in the world, perhaps someone may reach for help through apparent means, but there, such a thing is not possible at all. Then the disgrace of this world is only for a time, whereas the disgrace there is forever. May Allah Almighty protect us from such humiliation and disgrace. Ameen!

16. 1. صر صر, from صرۃ (sound). That is, a wind in which there was a harsh sound, meaning an extremely violent and strong wind, which also had a sound. Some say it is from صر, which means coldness, that is, such a frosty wind that burns like fire. Imam Ibn Kathir says: "والحق انہا متصفۃ بجمیع ذلک" — the truth is that the wind was characterized by all these qualities.

16. 2. The translation of نحسات, some have done as "continuous" or "successive," because this wind blew continuously for seven nights and eight days. Some have said "dust and storm." These days, in which the violent windstorm continued upon them, proved to be inauspicious for them. It does not mean that the days themselves are inauspicious.

So We unleashed upon them a furious wind during several ominous [19] days [20], so that We might make them taste the punishment of disgrace in this worldly life. But the punishment of the Hereafter is even more humiliating, and they will not be helped from anywhere.

[19]
No Day is Inherently Unlucky (Mention of the People of ‘Ad):

That is, those days were unlucky for the people of ‘Ad, otherwise no day is inherently auspicious or inauspicious, as is the belief of astrologers and those who accept the effects of planets on human life. The very days that were unlucky for the people of ‘Ad were blessed for Sayyiduna Salih ؑ and the believers. The day Pharaoh and his companions were drowned in the Red Sea was unlucky for Pharaoh and the people of Pharaoh, but it was blessed for Musa ؑ and the Children of Israel. Furthermore, if these days were inherently unlucky, then the punishment would not have come only upon the criminals of the people of ‘Ad, but upon the whole world.

[20]
The Punishment of Cold and Violent Wind on the People of ‘Ad:

These people were proud of their strength and stature. To break their pride, Allah imposed upon them a weak creature—the wind—for whose breeze and gusts everyone longs. Cold wind feels very pleasant to a person. Allah commanded this wind to blow continuously and increased its coldness. This very wind took the form of a fiercely cold storm, which entered their stone-built houses and palaces. Its intensity was such that it left no tree intact, nor house, nor cattle, nor human. All were fallen upon one another. They kept falling and dying, and dying and falling. For eight days and seven nights, the storm continued to show its force in this way. And it not only broke the pride of the arrogant people but utterly destroyed every individual of the entire nation. This was their punishment in this world, and the punishment of the Hereafter, which will be the real recompense for their deeds, will be even more disgraceful. In this world, nothing could save them from Allah’s punishment, so in the Hereafter, there is no question of any help coming to them from any side.