Al-Anbya 21:81
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 328
وَلِسُلَيۡمَٰنَ ٱلرِّيحَ عَاصِفَةٗ تَجۡرِي بِأَمۡرِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلَّتِي بَٰرَكۡنَا فِيهَاۚ وَكُنَّا بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَٰلِمِينَ ٨١
And to Solomon [We subjected] the wind, blowing forcefully, proceeding by his command toward the land which We had blessed. And We are ever, of all things, Knowing.
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 21:81–82
Here the taming of the winds means making navigation on the seas a possibility, for in ancient times ocean travel was revolutionised when man invented ships with sails. The sails were in fact a means of harnessing the winds and performed the function of engines for the ships of those days. The invention of ships with sales made the oceans not only navigable, but also suitable for transporting heavy cargo. This gives an indication that man was taught the science of navigation on the seas through the prophets. Besides this, a group of jinn was made subservient to the Prophet Solomon (Sulayman). They used to execute for him large welfare projects which could not be done by ordinary men. In the modern machine age, such enormous tasks of human welfare are performed by machines. Before the machine age, in order to facilitate the performance of major projects, God had made the jinn subordinate to His prophets.
Page 328
21:73
وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمۡ أَئِمَّةٗ يَهۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡهِمۡ فِعۡلَ ٱلۡخَيۡرَٰتِ وَإِقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَإِيتَآءَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةِۖ وَكَانُواْ لَنَا عَٰبِدِينَ ٧٣
And We made them leaders guiding by Our command. And We inspired to them the doing of good deeds, establishment of prayer, and giving of zakāh; and they were worshippers of Us.
21:74
وَلُوطًا ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ حُكۡمٗا وَعِلۡمٗا وَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةِ ٱلَّتِي كَانَت تَّعۡمَلُ ٱلۡخَبَٰٓئِثَۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمَ سَوۡءٖ فَٰسِقِينَ ٧٤
And to Lot We gave judgement and knowledge, and We saved him from the city that was committing wicked deeds. Indeed, they were a people of evil, defiantly disobedient.
21:75
وَأَدۡخَلۡنَٰهُ فِي رَحۡمَتِنَآۖ إِنَّهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ٧٥
And We admitted him into Our mercy. Indeed, he was of the righteous.
21:76
وَنُوحًا إِذۡ نَادَىٰ مِن قَبۡلُ فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُۥ فَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ وَأَهۡلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلۡكَرۡبِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ٧٦
And [mention] Noah, when he called [to Allāh]1 before [that time], so We responded to him and saved him and his family from the great affliction [i.e., the flood].
1 translator’s note
- i.e., supplicated against his people who had persisted in denial and animosity. See 71:26-28. ↩
21:77
وَنَصَرۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمَ سَوۡءٖ فَأَغۡرَقۡنَٰهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٧٧
And We aided [i.e., saved] him from the people who denied Our signs. Indeed, they were a people of evil, so We drowned them, all together.
21:78
وَدَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيۡمَٰنَ إِذۡ يَحۡكُمَانِ فِي ٱلۡحَرۡثِ إِذۡ نَفَشَتۡ فِيهِ غَنَمُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ وَكُنَّا لِحُكۡمِهِمۡ شَٰهِدِينَ ٧٨
And [mention] David and Solomon, when they judged concerning the field - when the sheep of a people overran it [at night],1 and We were witness to their judgement.
1 translator’s note
- Eating and destroying the crops. ↩
21:79
فَفَهَّمۡنَٰهَا سُلَيۡمَٰنَۚ وَكُلًّا ءَاتَيۡنَا حُكۡمٗا وَعِلۡمٗاۚ وَسَخَّرۡنَا مَعَ دَاوُۥدَ ٱلۡجِبَالَ يُسَبِّحۡنَ وَٱلطَّيۡرَۚ وَكُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ ٧٩
And We gave understanding of it [i.e., the case] to Solomon, and to each [of them] We gave judgement and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains to exalt [Us], along with David and [also] the birds. And We were doing [that].1
1 translator’s note
- Meaning that Allāh has always been capable of accomplishing whatever He wills. ↩
21:80
وَعَلَّمۡنَٰهُ صَنۡعَةَ لَبُوسٖ لَّكُمۡ لِتُحۡصِنَكُم مِّنۢ بَأۡسِكُمۡۖ فَهَلۡ أَنتُمۡ شَٰكِرُونَ ٨٠
And We taught him the fashioning of coats of armor to protect you from your [enemy in] battle. So will you then be grateful?
21:81
وَلِسُلَيۡمَٰنَ ٱلرِّيحَ عَاصِفَةٗ تَجۡرِي بِأَمۡرِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلَّتِي بَٰرَكۡنَا فِيهَاۚ وَكُنَّا بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَٰلِمِينَ ٨١
And to Solomon [We subjected] the wind, blowing forcefully, proceeding by his command toward the land which We had blessed. And We are ever, of all things, Knowing.