Quran verses about clouds, rain and the winds

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزْجِى سَحَابًۭا ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيْنَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُۥ رُكَامًۭا فَتَرَى ٱلْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَٰلِهِۦ وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن جِبَالٍۢ فِيهَا مِنۢ بَرَدٍۢ فَيُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَصْرِفُهُۥ عَن مَّن يَشَآءُ ۖ يَكَادُ سَنَا بَرْقِهِۦ يَذْهَبُ بِٱلْأَبْصَٰرِ ﴿٤٣﴾

Alam tara annal laaha yuzjee sahaaban summa yu'allifu bainahoo summa yaj'aluhoo rukaaman fataral wadqa yakhruju min khilaalihee wa yunazzilu minas samaaa'i min jibaalin feehaa mim barain fa yuseebu bihee mai yashaaa'u wa yasrifuhoo 'am mai yashaaa'u yakkaadu sanaa barqihee yazhabu bil absaar

Do you not see that Allah drives clouds? Then He brings them together, then He makes them into a mass, and you see the rain emerge from within it. And He sends down from the sky, mountains [of clouds] within which is hail, and He strikes with it whom He wills and averts it from whom He wills. The flash of its lightening almost takes away the eyesight.

Allah drives the clouds, joins them, piles them into a mass, and rain comes out from within. Hail falls from mountains of cloud, and the lightning almost takes away sight.

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًۭا فَيَبْسُطُهُۥ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ وَيَجْعَلُهُۥ كِسَفًۭا فَتَرَى ٱلْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَٰلِهِۦ ۖ فَإِذَآ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن قَبْلِهِۦ لَمُبْلِسِينَ ﴿٤٩﴾

Allaahul lazee yursilur riyaaha fatuseeru sahaaban fa yabsutuhoo fis samaaa'i kaifa yashaaa'u wa yaj'aluhoo kisafan fataral wadqa yakhruju min khilaalihee fa izaaa asaaba bihee mai yashaaa'u min 'ibaadiheee izaa hum yastabshiroon Wa in kaanoo min qabli any yunazzala 'alaihim min qablihee lamubliseen

⁴⁸ It is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, immediately they rejoice ⁴⁹ Although they were, before it was sent down upon them - before that, in despair.

Winds stir the clouds, Allah spreads them across the sky and breaks them into pieces, and people who had lost hope rejoice when the rain falls.

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشْرًۢا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتْ سَحَابًۭا ثِقَالًۭا سُقْنَٰهُ لِبَلَدٍۢ مَّيِّتٍۢ فَأَنزَلْنَا بِهِ ٱلْمَآءَ فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٥٧﴾

Wa Huwal lazee yursilur riyaaha bushram baina yadai rahmatihee hattaaa izaaa aqallat sahaaban siqaalan suqnaahu libaladim maiyitin fa annzalnaa bihil maaa'a fa akhrajnaa bihee minn kullis samaraat; kazaalika nukhrijul mawtaa la'allakum tazakkaroon

And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits. Thus will We bring forth the dead; perhaps you may be reminded.

Winds go ahead of His mercy as good news, carrying heavy clouds to a dead land. In the same way He will bring out the dead.

وَٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًۭا فَسُقْنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ بَلَدٍۢ مَّيِّتٍۢ فَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلنُّشُورُ ﴿٩﴾

Wallaahul lazeee arsalar riyaaha fatuseeru shaaban fasuqnaahu ilaa baladim maiyitin fa ahyaynaa bihil arda ba'da mawtihaa; kazaalikan nushoor

And it is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds, and We drive them to a dead land and give life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness. Thus is the resurrection.

The rain that brings dead land to life is a picture of the resurrection: "Thus is the resurrection."

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرِيكُمُ ٱلْبَرْقَ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًۭا وَيُنشِئُ ٱلسَّحَابَ ٱلثِّقَالَ ﴿١٢﴾ وَيُسَبِّحُ ٱلرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِۦ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِۦ وَيُرْسِلُ ٱلصَّوَٰعِقَ فَيُصِيبُ بِهَا مَن يَشَآءُ وَهُمْ يُجَٰدِلُونَ فِى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْمِحَالِ ﴿١٣﴾

Huwal lazee yureekumul barqa khawfanw wa tama'anw wa yunshi'us sahaabas siqaal Wa yusabbihur ra'du bihamdihee walmalaaa'ikatu min kheefatihee wa yursilus sawaa'iqa fa yuseebu bihaa mai yashaaa'u wa hum yujaadiloona fil laahi wa Huwa shadeedul mihaal

¹² It is He who shows you lightening, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds. ¹³ And the thunder exalts [Allah] with praise of Him - and the angels [as well] from fear of Him - and He sends thunderbolts and strikes therewith whom He wills while they dispute about Allah; and He is severe in assault.

Lightning brings fear and hope, Allah raises the heavy clouds, and the thunder glorifies Him. Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr would stop talking when he heard thunder and say the words of this ayah (Muwatta Malik).

وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمُعْصِرَٰتِ مَآءًۭ ثَجَّاجًۭا ﴿١٤﴾ لِّنُخْرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبًّۭا وَنَبَاتًۭا ﴿١٥﴾ وَجَنَّٰتٍ أَلْفَافًا ﴿١٦﴾

Wa anzalna minal m'usiraati maa-an saj-jaaja Linukh rija bihee habbaw wana baata Wa jan naatin alfafa

¹⁴ And sent down, from the rain clouds, pouring water ¹⁵ That We may bring forth thereby grain and vegetation ¹⁶ And gardens of entwined growth.

Water pouring from the rain clouds, bringing out grain, plants and thick gardens.

وَٱلذَّٰرِيَٰتِ ذَرْوًۭا ﴿١﴾ فَٱلْحَٰمِلَٰتِ وِقْرًۭا ﴿٢﴾ فَٱلْجَٰرِيَٰتِ يُسْرًۭا ﴿٣﴾ فَٱلْمُقَسِّمَٰتِ أَمْرًا ﴿٤﴾

Waz-zaariyaati zarwaa Falhaamilaati wiqraa Faljaariyaati yusraa Falmuqassimaati amraa

¹ By those [winds] scattering [dust] dispersing ² And those [clouds] carrying a load [of water] ³ And those [ships] sailing with ease ⁴ And those [angels] apportioning [each] matter,

Four oaths. Ali ibn Abi Talib explained them as the winds, the clouds that carry their load of water, the ships, and the angels who share out Allah's command (Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

وَأَرْسَلْنَا ٱلرِّيَٰحَ لَوَٰقِحَ فَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ فَأَسْقَيْنَٰكُمُوهُ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ لَهُۥ بِخَٰزِنِينَ ﴿٢٢﴾

Wa arsalnar riyaaha la waaqiha fa anzalnaa minas samaaa'i maaa'an fa asqai naakumoohu wa maaa antum lahoo bikhaazineen

And We have sent the fertilizing winds and sent down water from the sky and given you drink from it. And you are not its retainers.

The winds are lawaqih, fertilising. The early tafsir says they carry water to the clouds and pollen to the trees. Some modern writers read it as a description of how clouds form; that is their interpretation.

وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۢ بِقَدَرٍۢ فَأَسْكَنَّٰهُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابٍۭ بِهِۦ لَقَٰدِرُونَ ﴿١٨﴾

Wa anzalnaa minas samaaa'i maaa'am biqadarin fa-askannaahu fil ardi wa innaa 'alaa zahaabim bihee laqaa diroon

And We have sent down rain from the sky in a measured amount and settled it in the earth. And indeed, We are Able to take it away.

Rain is sent down in measure and settled in the earth, and Allah is able to take it away.

أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱلْمَآءَ ٱلَّذِى تَشْرَبُونَ ﴿٦٨﴾ ءَأَنتُمْ أَنزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُزْنِ أَمْ نَحْنُ ٱلْمُنزِلُونَ ﴿٦٩﴾ لَوْ نَشَآءُ جَعَلْنَٰهُ أُجَاجًۭا فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾

Afara'aytumul maaa'allazee tashraboon 'A-antum anzaltumoohu minal muzni am nahnul munziloon Law nashaaa'u ja'alnaahu ujaajan falaw laa tashkuroon

⁶⁸ And have you seen the water that you drink? ⁶⁹ Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down? ⁷⁰ If We willed, We could make it bitter, so why are you not grateful?

The water you drink: did you bring it down from the clouds, or did We? We could have made it bitter, so why are you not grateful?

وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ مُّبَٰرَكًۭا فَأَنۢبَتْنَا بِهِۦ جَنَّٰتٍۢ وَحَبَّ ٱلْحَصِيدِ ﴿٩﴾ وَٱلنَّخْلَ بَاسِقَٰتٍۢ لَّهَا طَلْعٌۭ نَّضِيدٌۭ ﴿١٠﴾ رِّزْقًۭا لِّلْعِبَادِ ۖ وَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِۦ بَلْدَةًۭ مَّيْتًۭا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْخُرُوجُ ﴿١١﴾

Wa nazzalnaa minas samaaa'i maaa'am mubaarakan fa ambatnaa bihee jannaatinw wa habbal haseed Wannakhla baasiqaatil laha tal'un nadeed Rizqal lil'ibaad, wa ahyainaa bihee baldatam maitaa; kazaalikal khurooj

⁹ And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky and made grow thereby gardens and grain from the harvest ¹⁰ And lofty palm trees having fruit arranged in layers - ¹¹ As provision for the servants, and We have given life thereby to a dead land. Thus is the resurrection.

Blessed rain from the sky, gardens, grain and tall palms with fruit in layers: provision for people, and a sign of the resurrection.

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا۟ وَيَنشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُۥ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْوَلِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ ﴿٢٨﴾

Wa Huwal lazee yunazzilul ghaisa mim ba'di maa qanatoo wa yanshuru rahmatah; wa Huwal Waliyyul Hameed

And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.

He sends the rain after people have given up hope, and spreads His mercy. A reason never to despair of Allah.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضًۭا مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا عَارِضٌۭ مُّمْطِرُنَا ۚ بَلْ هُوَ مَا ٱسْتَعْجَلْتُم بِهِۦ ۖ رِيحٌۭ فِيهَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ ﴿٢٤﴾

Falammaa ra awhu 'aaridam mustaqbila awdiyatihim qaaloo haazaa 'aaridum mumtirunaa; bal huwa masta'jaltum bihee reehun feehaa 'azaabun aleem

And when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Rather, it is that for which you were impatient: a wind, within it a painful punishment,

The people of Ad saw a cloud and said: rain for us! It was the punishment they had asked for. Aisha said that when the Prophet ﷺ saw clouds or wind, worry showed on his face, and he cited this ayah (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَٰكُمْ ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ﴿٥٧﴾

Wa zallalnaa 'alaikumul ghamaama wa anzalnaa 'alaikumul Manna was Salwaa kuloo min taiyibaati maa razaqnaakum wa maa zalamoonaa wa laakin kaanooo anfusahum yazlimoon

And We shaded you with clouds and sent down to you manna and quails, [saying], "Eat from the good things with which We have provided you." And they wronged Us not - but they were [only] wronging themselves.

In the desert, Allah shaded the Children of Israel with clouds and sent down manna and quails for them.