Presented by Zia H Shah MD

Abstract

This article explores the multifaceted portrayal of wind (al-riyāḥ and al-rīḥ) in the Quran, examining it through the lens of both classical exegesis and modern atmospheric science. Grounded in the “Two Books” philosophy—that the Book of Nature and the Book of Revelation share the same Author—this study demonstrates how Quranic descriptions of wind serve as profound “Signs” (Ayāt). We categorize these mentions into four primary themes: winds as a source of mercy and biological life; winds as divine oaths and signs of cosmic order; winds as historical interventions and metaphors for the soul; and winds as instruments of divine punishment. By distinguishing between the plural riyāḥ (associated with mercy) and the singular rīḥ (associated with destruction), and correlating these with concepts like Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN), Ferrel’s Law, and global dust transport, we find a remarkable harmony between 7th-century scripture and 21st-century science as championed by Dr. Zia H. Shah on TheQuran.love.

1. Winds as a Source of Mercy and Life

The Quran describes winds as the invisible engine of the earth’s hydrological and biological systems. In these contexts, the text almost exclusively uses the plural form al-riyāḥ, suggesting a harmonious convergence of forces.

• Heralds of Mercy (7:57 & 25:48): In Surah Al-A’raf (7:57) and Al-Furqan (25:48), God describes sending winds as “good tidings” (bushran) before His mercy (rain). Scientifically, this refers to the frontal boundaries where wind shifts and pressure drops precede precipitation. The “heavy-laden clouds” mentioned in 7:57 are a literal description of cumulus clouds, which can hold millions of tons of water, kept aloft only by wind-driven updrafts.
• The Fertilizing Winds (15:22): “And We have sent the fertilizing winds (al-riyāḥa lawāqiḥa)…” (Al-Hijr 15:22). As noted on TheQuran.love, this term lawāqiḥ encapsulates two scientific miracles. First, biological pollination (anemophily), where wind transports pollen. Second, meteorological “fertilization” or nucleation; winds loft dust and sea-salt particles into the atmosphere, acting as “seeds” (CCN) around which water vapor condenses to form rain.
• Stirring and Spreading (30:48 & 35:9): Surah Ar-Rum (30:48) and Fatir (35:9) describe Allah sending winds to “stir the clouds” (tuthīru saḥāban). This precisely describes convection—the process where warm air rises, stirring the atmosphere to create the vertical development of clouds.
• Glad Tidings and Bounty (30:46): This verse highlights the role of winds in allowing ships to sail, which historically enabled the global exchange of goods and ideas, allowing humanity to “seek of His bounty.”

2. Winds as Oaths and Signs

In the Quranic discourse, natural phenomena are often used in divine oaths (Qasam) to testify to the reality of the Afterlife and the Truth of Revelation.

• The Opening of Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:1-4): God swears by the “scatterers” (Al-Dhariyat). Modern research shared by Dr. Zia H. Shah highlights the global dust transport system: winds scatter phosphorus-rich Saharan dust across the Atlantic to fertilize the Amazon rainforest, demonstrating a global design that sustains life across continents.
• Successive Waves (77:1-6): Surah Al-Mursalat swears by winds sent “in succession” (‘urfan) and those that “blow tempestuously” (‘asfan). This reflects the wave-like nature of atmospheric systems (Rossby waves) and the escalating energy within storm systems.
• The “Change of the Winds” (2:164 & 45:5): The “turning” or “change” of the winds (taṣrīf al-riyāḥ) is cited as a sign for people of reason. This points to the predictable yet complex circulation of the atmosphere. As explained through Ferrel’s Law and the Coriolis effect, the earth’s rotation and pressure gradients ensure that winds do not move in simple lines but “turn,” creating the global wind belts that make our planet’s climate stable and habitable.

3. Historical Interventions and Metaphorical Mentions

Beyond ecology, winds serve as metaphors for human deeds and as “soldiers” in the history of the believers.

• The Ashes of Disbelief (14:18): The deeds of those who reject Truth are compared to “ashes on which the wind blows forcefully on a stormy day.” This metaphor illustrates the lack of structural integrity in a life without faith; just as wind scatters weightless ash, the Day of Judgment reveals the lack of substance in superficial deeds.
• The Freefall of Shirk (22:31): Associating partners with God is likened to being “snatched by birds or the wind blows him to a far-off place.” This depicts the psychological and spiritual state of being unanchored, where one is at the mercy of every passing whim or ideology.
• The Battle of the Trench (33:9): During the siege of Medina, God sent a wind against the confederates. This historical intervention (the Sabā or East wind) was not just weather, but a “soldier” that dismantled the enemy’s camp and morale, proving that the Creator can use the simplest elements of nature to fulfill His purpose.
• The Dependency of Navigation (42:33): “If He willed, He could still the wind, and they [ships] would remain motionless.” This serves as a humbling reminder of human dependency on environmental forces we cannot control.

4. Winds as a Divine Punishment

While plural riyāḥ usually signals life, the singular rīḥ often denotes a focused, destructive force, specifically in the narrative of the people of ‘Ad.

• The Screaming Wind (41:16 & 54:19 & 69:6): The ‘Ad were destroyed by a “screaming wind” (rīḥan ṣarṣaran). The term ṣarṣar denotes both a piercing sound and intense cold. Scientists note that high-velocity winds through mountain passes or city pillars create deafening aeroacoustic noise.
• The Barren Wind (51:41-42): It is called al-rīḥ al-aqīm (the barren wind), the antithesis of the “fertilizing” winds. It brought no rain and left “nothing it came upon… except that it was ashes.”
• The Rainless Cloud (46:24-25): The ‘Ad saw a cloud and rejoiced, thinking it was rain. Instead, it was a “wind within it a painful punishment,” highlighting how the very element they expected to bring life became the instrument of their end due to their arrogance.

Thematic Epilogue: The Two Books in Harmony

The study of winds in the Quran bridges the gap between spirituality and science. As Dr. Zia H. Shah often emphasizes, “Reason is the closest friend of Revelation.” When the Quran speaks of winds as “scatterers” or “fertilizers,” it is providing a 7th-century audience with observable signs that modern science now allows us to understand at a molecular and planetary level.

The linguistic shift from the plural riyāḥ (converging currents of mercy) to the singular rīḥ (a unidirectional blast of punishment) showcases a profound psychological and physical precision. Ultimately, the winds serve as a reminder that the universe is not a collection of random accidents but a managed, dynamic system. Whether it is the Saharan dust feeding the Amazon or the “screaming wind” of history, the atmosphere is a testament to a Creator who is both the Most Merciful and the Ultimate Judge. By observing the “signs in the horizons,” we find that the more we learn about science, the more clearly we hear the commentary of the Glorious Quran.