Surah 77. Al-Mursalat

CONSIDER these [messages,] sent forth in waves¹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., one after another: an allusion to the gradual, step-by-step revelation of the Qur'an. By contrast, the next clause (verse {2}) obviously relates to the impact of the divine writ as a whole. For my rendering of the adjurative particle wa as "Consider", see surah {74}, first half of note [23].

By the emissary winds, which are sent forth one after another.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

By those 'winds' sent forth successively,

  - Mustafa Khattab

By the emissary winds, (sent) one after another

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

By the (Winds) Sent Forth one after another (to man's profit); ^{5863 5864}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This Sura begins with an appeal to five things, as pointing to the substantive statement in verse 7, that the Day of Justice and Judgment is bound to come, and we must prepare for it. It is difficult to translate, but easy to understand, if we remember that a triple thread of allegory runs through this passage (verses 1-7). The five things or phases, which will be presently considered in detail, refer to (a) Winds in the physical world, (b) Angels in the Kingdom of Allah, and (c) Prophets in the human world, connecting it with the Kingdom of Allah.

Understanding the reference to Winds, we can see that they are powerful factors in the government of the physical world. (1) They come gently as harbingers of the blessings of rain and fertility (xv. 22; xxx. 48); but (2) they can come as violent tornadoes, uprooting and destroying (li. 41-42); (3) they can scatter seeds far and wide, and (4) they can separate chaff from grain, or clear the air from epidemics; and (5) they literally carry sound, and therefore Messages. All these things point to the power and goodness of Allah, and we are asked to believe that His promise of Mercy and Justice in the Hereafter is indeed true. Cf. this passage with li. 1-6 (Zariyat) with which it has many affinities.

and then storming on with a tempest's force!

  - Mohammad Asad

By the raging hurricanes.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and those blowing violently,

  - Mustafa Khattab

By the raging hurricanes,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Which then blow violently in tempestuous Gusts ⁵⁸⁶⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If we understand the reference to be, not to Winds, but to Angels, they are agencies in the Kingdom of Allah, which carry out similar functions, changing and revolutionising the face of the world. (1) They come softly, on beneficent errands of Mercy; (2) they are charged with the mission of punishment and destruction for sin as in the case of the two angels who came to Lut (xv. 57-66); (3) they distribute Allah's Mercies as the Winds distribute good seeds; (4) they sort out the good from the evil among men; and (5) they are the agency through which Allah's Messages and Revelations are conveyed to the Prophets (see No. 5 in the last note).

Consider these [messages] that spread [the truth] far and wide,

  - Mohammad Asad

By the winds that lift up and scatter the clouds to their distant places,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and those scattering 'rainclouds' widely!

  - Mustafa Khattab

By those which cause earth's vegetation to revive;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And scatter (things) far and wide;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

thus separating [right and wrong] with all clarity,²

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "with [all] separation" (farqan). Cf. 8:29 and the corresponding note; also note [38] on 2:53 .

then separate them one from another.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And 'by' those 'angels' fully distinguishing 'truth from falsehood',

  - Mustafa Khattab

By those who winnow with a winnowing,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Then separate them one from another

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and then giving forth a reminder,

  - Mohammad Asad

By those who bring down the reminder,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and those delivering revelation,

  - Mustafa Khattab

By those who bring down the Reminder,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Then spread abroad a Message ⁵⁸⁶⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If we understand the reference to Prophets or Messengers of Allah, or the verses of Revelation which would be particularly appropriate for verses 5-6, we also get a satisfactory solution of the Allegory. (1) The Prophets have followed one another in a series: the verses of the Qur-an came, one after another as needed; in both cases it was for man's spiritual profit; (2) they caused great disturbance in a spiritual decadent world; they pulled down evil institutions root and branch, and substituted new ones; (3) they proclaimed their truths far and wide, without fear and without favour; (4) through them were sorted out men of Faith and rebels against Allah's Law; and (5) they gave a Message, through which just men were justified through repentance, and evil men were warned of their sins. Some Commentators take one or other of these allegories, and some apply one allegory to a few of these verses, and another to another few. In my opinion the Allegory is wide enough to comprehend all the meanings which I have sketched. I wish a translation could do justice to those marvellously terse sentences in the original.