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!