Commentary
It was recited: the wind and the winds, with both the nominative and accusative cases. The nominative is for the beginning, and the accusative is for conjunction with the mountains. If you say: these winds are described as fierce at times and gentle at others, what is the reconciliation between them? [Mahamud said: 'If you say that this wind is described as gentle and as fierce, what is the reason for that? I say: it is only that it combines both. It is in itself gentle and pleasant, and in its swift movement, it is like the fierce wind.'] Ahmad said: 'This is like the description of the staff of Moses, sometimes as a serpent and sometimes as a snake. The serpent is the slender one among snakes, and the snake is the great, rough one among them. The reason for this is that it combines both descriptions. It was light and swift in its movement like the serpent, and in its large form, it was like the snake. In each of the wind and the staff, according to this explanation, there are two miracles, and Allah, glorified and exalted is He, knows best.' I say: it was in itself gentle and pleasant like a breeze. When it passed by his throne, it would carry him a great distance in a short time, as it was said: 'Its morning journey is a month, and its evening journey is a month.' Thus, its combination of both matters is that it is gentle in itself and fierce in its action, obeying Solomon and blowing according to what he wants and commands: a sign to a sign and a miracle to a miracle. It is said that it was gentle at times and fierce at others, blowing according to the decree of his will. Our knowledge encompasses everything, so we conduct all matters according to what our knowledge and wisdom necessitate.
That is: they dive for him in the seas, extracting jewels, and they go beyond that to works and crafts, building cities and palaces, and inventing marvelous industries, as it was said: 'They work for him whatever he wishes of sanctuaries and statues.' And Allah preserves them from deviating from his command, or altering, or changing, or causing corruption in general in what they are made subservient to.
Explore Other Scholars on This Verse
Compare different scholarly perspectives on Surah Al-Anbya verse 82