هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُوا۟ بِهَا جَآءَتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَآءَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ ۙ دَعَوُا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ 22
Translations
It is He who enables you to travel on land and sea until, when you are in ships and they sail with them by a good wind and they rejoice therein, there comes a storm wind and the waves come upon them from every place and they expect to be engulfed, they supplicate Allāh, sincere to Him in religion, "If You should save us from this, we will surely be among the thankful."
Transliteration
Huwa alladhī yusayyirukum fī al-barri wa-al-bahri hattā idhā kuntum fī al-fulki wa-jarawn bihim birīhin tayyibatin wa-farihū bihā jāʾat-hā rīhun ʿāsifun wa-jāʾa-hum al-mawju min kulli makānin wa-ẓannū anna-hum uḥīṭa bi-him daʿaw Allāha mukhliṣīna lahu al-dīna la-in anjayta-nā min hādhihi la-nakūnanna min al-shākirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Allah guides mankind across land and sea, then presents a vivid scene of storm-tossed sailors who, when faced with life-threatening danger, sincerely call upon Allah alone—abandoning all partners in worship. Classical exegetes like Ibn Kathir note this illustrates how tribulation strips away human pride and false reliances, turning hearts toward sincere tawhīd (monotheism). The scene emphasizes that when humans perceive themselves utterly helpless, they naturally recognize Allah's absolute sovereignty and their dependence upon Him.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a Meccan surah that refutes polytheism and establishes divine oneness. It belongs to a broader Quranic theme demonstrating Allah's power over creation and humanity's tendency toward sincere worship only in moments of desperation—a reality the polytheists of Mecca experienced yet failed to translate into sustained faith after deliverance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The supplication most likely to be answered is that made in the midst of the sea' (Sunan al-Tirmidhī). Additionally, Surah Luqmān 31:32 parallels this theme: 'And when waves like mountains cover them, they invoke Allah, being sincere in faith to Him.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true tawhīd emerges most authentically when we acknowledge our profound helplessness before Allah's power. Believers should cultivate constant awareness of their dependence on the Divine rather than waiting for crisis, embodying the sincere devotion described here as their permanent state.