30. Ar-Rum (The Byzantines)

Mecca Period [6-7 years before Hijra]

Asad’s Version:

(30:46) for among His wonders is this: He sends forth [His messages as He sends forth] the winds that bear glad tidings," so that He might give you a taste of His grace [through life-giving rains], and that ships might sail at His behest, and that you might go about in quest of some of His bounties, and that you might have cause to be grateful.

30:51 But thus it is: if 45 We send a wind [that scorches their land], and they see it turn yellow, they begin, after that [erstwhile joy], to deny the truth [of Our almightiness and grace]! 46

(30:52) And, verily, thou canst not make the dead hear: and [so, too,] thou canst not make the deaf [of heart] hear this call when they turn their backs [on thee] and go away,

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَن يُرْسِلَ الرِّيَاحَ مُبَشِّرَاتٍ...

30: 46. Among His Signs is this, that He sends the Winds, as heralds of Glad Tidings,

C3563. The theme of Allah's artistry in the physical and the spiritual world was placed before us above in 30:20-27.

Then, in verse 28-40, we were shown how man and nature were pure as they came out of the hand of Allah, and how we must restore this purity in order to fulfill the Will and Plan of Allah.

Now we are told how the restorative and purifying agencies are sent by Allah Himself, in both the physical and the spiritual world.

...وَلِيُذِيقَكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِ...

giving you a taste of His (Grace and) Mercy, --

C3564. Cf. 7:57 and n. 1036 and 25:48 and n. 3104.

...وَلِتَجْرِيَ الْفُلْكُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِهِ...

that the ships may sail (majestically) by His Command and that ye may seek of His Bounty:

...وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٤٦﴾

in order that ye may be grateful.

وَلَئِنْ أَرْسَلْنَا رِيحًا فَرَأَوْهُ مُصْفَرًّا لَّظَلُّوا مِن بَعْدِهِ يَكْفُرُونَ ﴿٥١﴾

30: 51. And if We (but) send a Wind from which they see (their tilth) turn yellow, behold, they become, thereafter, ungrateful (Unbelievers)!

C3569. Another Parable from the forces of nature.

We saw how the Winds gladdened, vivified, and enriched those who utilized them in the right spirit. But a wind might be destructive to tilth in certain circumstances: so the blessings of Allah may-by the wrongdoers resisting and blaspheming-bring punishment to the wrongdoers. Instead of taking the punishment in the right spirit-in the spirit in which Believers of Allah take their misfortunes,-the Unbelievers curse and deepen their sin!

فَإِنَّكَ لَا تُسْمِعُ الْمَوْتَى وَلَا تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ الدُّعَاء إِذَا وَلَّوْا مُدْبِرِينَ ﴿٥٢﴾

30: 52. So verily thou canst not make the dead to hear, nor canst thou make the deaf to hear the call, when they show their backs and turn away.

C3570. The marvels of Allah's creation can be realized in a general way by every one who has a disposition to allow such knowledge to penetrate his mind.

But if men, out of perversity, kill the very faculties which Allah has given them, how can they then understand?

Besides the men who deaden their spiritual sense, there are men who may be likened to the deaf, who lack one faculty but to whom an appeal can be made through other faculties. such as the sense of sight; but if they turn their backs and refuse to be instructed at all. how can the Truth reach them?