فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا صَرْصَرًا فِىٓ أَيَّامٍ نَّحِسَاتٍ لِّنُذِيقَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلْخِزْىِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَخْزَىٰ ۖ وَهُمْ لَا يُنصَرُونَ 16
Translations
So We sent upon them a screaming wind during days of misfortune to make them taste the punishment of disgrace in the worldly life; but the punishment of the Hereafter is more disgracing, and they will not be helped.
Transliteration
Fa-arsalna AAalayhim reehan sarsar-an fee ayyam nahisatin linnutheeqahum athaba alkhizyi fee alhayati alddunya wa-laathaba alakhirati akhza wa-hum la yunsarun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the windstorm ('Aad people experienced as divine punishment for their disbelief and arrogance toward Prophet Hud. The 'sarsar' (intensely cold and violent wind) came on inauspicious days, causing them taste the humiliation of worldly punishment through destruction of their possessions and lives. The verse emphasizes that the torment of the Hereafter will be far more severe and humiliating, and they will have no one to help or defend them—a common refrain in Quranic descriptions of divine retribution (Ibn Kathir, Al-Tabari).
Revelation Context
Surah Fussilat is a Meccan surah that systematically elaborates on signs of God's power and warnings to those who reject His message. This specific ayah is part of the narrative concerning 'Aad (verses 13-16), illustrating the fate of ancient peoples who denied their messengers. The context emphasizes the pattern of divine punishment for persistent disbelief and serves as a warning to the Meccan polytheists.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly references this specific ayah, Sahih Muslim contains hadiths about the wind as a sign of divine power and punishment. Additionally, the story of 'Aad is referenced in various ahadith discussing the destruction of ancient nations, such as in Sunan Ibn Majah regarding the lessons from past peoples.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that rejecting divine guidance leads to inevitable consequences in both worlds, with worldly suffering serving as both a punishment and a warning. For believers, it reinforces that reliance should be placed entirely in God, as no power or authority can save those whom God has decreed punishment—a sobering reminder of accountability and divine justice.