فَالْعَاصِفَاتِ عَصْفًا ﴿٢﴾

وَالنَّاشِرَاتِ نَشْرًا ﴿٣﴾

The `Asifat `Asfa.

And the Nashirat Nashra,

Abu Salih has also said the meaning of

- Al-`Asifat,

- An-Nashirat,

- Al-Fariqat and

- Al-Mulqiyat,

that they all refer to the angels.

Ath-Thawri narrated from Salamah bin Kuhayl, who reported from Muslim Al-Batin, who reported from Abu Al-`Ubaydayn that he asked Ibn Mas`ud about the meaning of Al-Mursalat `Urfa, and he (Ibn Mas`ud) said,

"The wind''

He said the same about

- Al-`Asifat

- `Asfa and

- An-Nashirat Nashra,

that they all refer to the wind.

Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah all said the same.

Ibn Jarir confidently affirmed that Al-`Asifat `Asfa means the wind just as Ibn Mas`ud and those who followed him said.

However, he (Ibn Jarir) did not affirm whether An-Nashirat Nashra are the angels or the wind as has preceded.

It has been reported from Abu Salih that An-Nashirat Nashra is the rain.

The most obvious meaning is as Allah says,

وَأَرْسَلْنَا الرِّيَاحَ لَوَاقِحَ

And we send the winds fertilizing. (15:22)

He also says,

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرىً بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ

And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy (rain). (7:57)

Similarly, Al-`Asifat are winds.

It is said (in Arabic) that the winds `Asifat when they make noise with their blowing.

Likewise, An-Nashirat are the winds that scatter into clouds in the horizons of the sky according to the will of the Lord.