Tafseer of Consultation · Ash-Shura · 42:33
If He willed, He could still the wind, and they would remain motionless on its surface. Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
And His saying: إِنْ يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ الرِّيحَ فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ ("If He wills, He stills the wind, so that they remain motionless upon its surface") — the Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: if Allah, who has made these ships sail upon the sea, wills that they should not sail upon it, then He stills the wind that makes them sail upon it, so that they remain still in one place and stand upon the surface of the water without sailing, going neither forward nor backward.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning that, the exegetes (of the Qurʾān) spoke.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His saying: وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ الْجَوَارِ فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالأَعْلامِ * إِنْ يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ الرِّيحَ فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ ("And among His signs are the ships that sail upon the sea like mountains. If He wills, He stills the wind, so that they remain motionless upon its surface") — the ships of this sea sail by the wind, and when the wind is taken away from them, they remain motionless. Allah, mighty and exalted is He, said: إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ ("Indeed, in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful").
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: إِنْ يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ الرِّيحَ فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ ("If He wills, He stills the wind, so that they remain motionless upon its surface") — they do not sail.
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His saying: فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ ("so that they remain motionless upon its surface") — He says: standing still.
And His saying: إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ ("Indeed, in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful") — He says: indeed, in the sailing of these ships upon the sea by the power of Allah lies an admonition, a lesson, and a clear proof of the power of Allah over what He wills, for everyone who possesses patience in obedience to Allah and is grateful for His favors and His blessings toward him.
