Sūrah Adh-Dhāriyāt The Winnowing Winds: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī The Source Commentary

Surah Overview

DetailInformationClassificationSignificance

SurahالذارياتMakkī 60 versesDivine oaths by winds, creation purpose, Abraham's guests

Key DisagreementWhat are the "dhāriyāt" physical winds or metaphorical?Natural phenomenon tafsīrAl-Ṭabarī: physical winds traced through chains from Ibn ʿAbbās, ʿAlī, and ʿUmar all identifying them as actual winds

Competing OpinionsWhat is the purpose statement in 51:56?Creation purposeAl-Ṭabarī: "to worship Me" means to know Me and submit he traces chains on whether "worship" includes jinn exclusively or all creation

MethodologyCollecting Companion interpretations of divine oath subjects then weighing chain qualityChain-based oath analysisMultiple Companions gave different identifications for each sworn-by element al-Ṭabarī evaluates chains to determine the preferred interpretation

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

The divine oath sequence (51:1–6) by the scattering winds, burden-bearing clouds, gliding ships, and the angels is analyzed through chains from ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Ibn ʿAbbās, and ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb. Al-Ṭabarī notes a rare case where the chains from Companions actually agree: all three identify the "dhāriyāt" as winds. His general principle: divine oaths by created things indicate their function in the divine plan.

The creation purpose verse (51:56) "I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me" generates one of al-Ṭabarī's most significant theological analyses. He traces through Ibn ʿAbbās: "to worship Me" means "to know Me" worship is the mode by which creation acknowledges and relates to its Creator. He then links this to his broader theological understanding: the purpose of creation is not arbitrary but points back to the Creator as the ultimate referent.

وَالذَّارِيَاتِ ذَرْوًا فَالْحَامِلَاتِ وِقْرًا فَالْجَارِيَاتِ يُسْرًا فَالْمُقَسِّمَاتِ أَمْرًا Wa-l-dhāriyāti dharwan fa-l-ḥāmilāti wiqran fa-l-jāriyāti yusran fa-l-muqassimāti amrā "By the scattering winds that scatter; and the clouds that carry a heavy load; and the ships that sail with ease; and those angels who distribute the matter." (51:1–4) Al-Ṭabarī presents chains from ʿAlī, ʿUmar, and Ibn ʿAbbās all identifying "dhāriyāt" as winds, noting the strong chain convergence.

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ Wa-mā khalaqtu l-jinna wa-l-insa illā li-yaʿbudūn "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." (51:56) Al-Ṭabarī traces the Ibn ʿAbbās chain: "li-yaʿbudūn" = "li-yaʿrifūn" (to know Me) worship being the means of knowing, and knowing being the ultimate purpose.

Wind identification: The rare Companion chain convergence on "winds" for "dhāriyāt" is highlighted al-Ṭabarī notes when chains agree, that agreement carries evidential weight.
Worship-as-knowing: The Ibn ʿAbbās interpretation of worship as knowledge becomes a key theological principle in Islamic thought.
Abraham's guests: 51:24–30 is analyzed through chains verifying the angels' nature and their message accounts in multiple surahs are compared for consistency.
Divine oaths: Al-Ṭabarī explains divine oaths by creation indicate the importance of those created things in the divine plan not arbitrary.
Rizq assurance: 51:22 "and in the heaven is your provision" is traced through chains as a theological assurance: provision is guaranteed and fixed in the divine order.

Surah Overview

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

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