Surah Al-Qamar 54:19
سُورَةُ القَمَرِ · Meccan · Verse 19 of 55
إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًۭا صَرْصَرًۭا فِى يَوْمِ نَحْسٍۢ مُّسْتَمِرٍّۢ
Translation
We released a howling wind against them on a day of terrible disaster;
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
Here, Allah, in His majestic address, recounts the fate of the people of Aad who denied His messenger. The verse describes their punishment with precise and powerful words, inviting us to ponder the nature of divine justice and power.
Allah's Command
The verse begins with the emphatic phrase "إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ" (Indeed, We sent upon them). The word "Indeed" (inna) underscores the certainty and absolute authority of Allah's decree. The plural "We" here indicates divine majesty and power, not multiplicity. The punishment was not random; it was specifically directed "upon them" (ʿalayhim) – a direct consequence of their denial.
The Furious Wind
Allah describes the instrument of their destruction as "رِيحًۭا صَرْصَرًۭا" (a furious wind). The word "rīḥan" (wind) is used indefinitely, suggesting a wind of an unusual and overwhelming nature, unlike any ordinary breeze. The adjective "ṣarṣaran" deepens this terrifying image. Scholars like al-Jalalayn and Ibn Ashur explain it as a wind with an intensely loud sound, powerful and violent. Al-Razi adds further layers: it could also mean a bitterly cold wind, or one that is continuous and relentless in its blowing. These multiple meanings paint a picture of a devastating force that was deafening, freezing, and utterly unyielding.
A Day of Unrelenting Misfortune
The wind arrived "فِى يَوْمِ نَحْسٍۢ مُّسْتَمِرٍّۢ" (in a day of bitter misfortune, continuous). Ibn Ashur clarifies that "day of misfortune" refers to the calamitous outcome it brought *upon the people of Aad*, rather than implying that the day itself possesses an inherent unlucky quality. He reminds us that days are not inherently good or bad, but their significance lies in the events that occur within them. For Aad, this day brought utter ruin. The word "mustamirr" (continuous) further intensifies this image. It signifies that the misfortune was not fleeting but enduring, persisting until their complete annihilation. Al-Razi offers another interpretation for "mustamirr," that it also means "intensely bitter or harsh," emphasizing the severe quality of the suffering. Thus, the wind arrived on a day that brought them a deep, lasting, and intensely bitter calamity. This precise wording shows that Allah's justice, when it comes, is comprehensive and inescapable for those who deny Him.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Qamar 54:19 is discussed in 6 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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