وَأَرْسَلْنَا ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ لَوَٰقِحَ فَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَسْقَيْنَـٰكُمُوهُ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ لَهُۥ بِخَـٰزِنِينَ 22
Translations
And We have sent the fertilizing winds and sent down water from the sky and given you drink from it. And you are not its retainers.
Transliteration
Wa-arsalna ar-riyaha lawaqiha fa-anzalna mina as-sama'i ma'an fa-asqaynahakumuh wa-ma antum lahu bi-khazinin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah sends the winds as fertilizers (or messengers) that carry moisture, then He sends down rain from the sky by which He provides you to drink, and you are not the ones who store it or control its supply. This ayah emphasizes humanity's complete dependence on Allah's provision and the interconnected systems He has created—the winds facilitate cloud formation, which brings rain, sustaining all life. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir highlight this as evidence of Allah's perfect design and His sole authority over provisions, refuting any notion of human self-sufficiency.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Hijr, a Meccan chapter revealed during the early period of Islam when the Quraysh denied the resurrection and Allah's power. The surah emphasizes divine signs in creation and the certainty of the final judgment. This particular ayah appears in a sequence demonstrating Allah's sustenance and control over natural phenomena as proof of His existence and omnipotence.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The best charity is water' (reported in various sources emphasizing water's value). Additionally, in Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet taught about gratitude for provisions, which relates to recognizing Allah's role in sending rain and sustenance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that all provisions we enjoy—food, water, life itself—are direct blessings from Allah rather than results of our own efforts alone, encouraging humility, gratitude, and recognition of our complete dependence on the Divine, which should inspire both spiritual consciousness and responsible stewardship of resources.