Hurricane and Waterspout

Man is primarily the audience of Grand Qur’ān. Its purpose is to guide him in time line, and brief him about the Universe he lives in; and let him know his position, role and relationship with all that exists in the created realm. This might lead him to realize the objective of his own creation, and urge a desire to accomplish that objective. Therefore, Qur’ān pronounces:

  • Our Majesty have not neglected mentioning in the Book (Grand Qur’ān) any thing relevant to the audience. [Ref 6:38]

Man is a social being. Individual's conduct and psyche is a matter of interest and concern for others. Man is a created being. He has the Creator and Sustainer Lord. Reverence for, and fear of the Creator and Sustainer Lord of the Universes also portrays Psyche and inner self of individuals. There are people who have duality in their psyche and self centred nature:

  • You the Messenger [Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] confront people: "Name him who saves/rescues you people from the layers of darkness-clueless locations-bewilderment of the Desert and the Ocean-Sea?

  • You in such situations call upon Him in humility, and privately-secretively:

  • "We swear that if He rescued us from this life threatening situation, we will henceforth certainly remain obliged and grateful." [6:63]

Who is he who rescues and whom people call upon for help in real life threatening situations?

  • You the Messenger [Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] pronounce: "Allah the Exalted saves and rescues you people from it, and relieves you of all sorts of distresses.

  • Afterwards, having been rescued and relieved, you people start ascribing partners-equals with Him the Exalted." [6:64]

 

  • He the Exalted is the One Who enables you people to traverse in the Land and the Sea.

  • For this purpose you people are at times on board the Ships —

  • And the Ship sails carrying them (passengers) on board with pleasant breeze blowing, and while they rejoice the pleasant moments—

  • Thereat, a wind overtook the Ship. One [masculine active participle] Twister who makes things revolve and spread is laden within her (Wind).

  • And the Wave reached them from all sides—

 

  • And they apprehensively assessed that they have certainly been surrounded by it (waves) from all sides—

  • They called upon Allah the Exalted, acting as sincere devotees-allegiant in conduct for Him the Exalted, praying:

  • "We swear that if You the Exalted rescued us from this life threatening situation, we will henceforth certainly remain obliged and grateful". [10:22]

The scene is that of Ships with people on board, sailing in a calm and pleasant weather with pleasant breeze blowing. People on board are journeying rejoicing playfully. After some distance this happened: "a wind arrived-overtook her-ship". is an indefinite feminine noun in nominative case and absolute state. It is the delayed Subject of Verb with fronted Object pronoun referring back to the ship. Basic rule of Arabic grammar is that qualifying adjective matches the gender of qualified noun. When the head noun is feminine, its adjective is feminine for rendering it an Adjectival Phrase. Nouns are also adjectively portrayed by a sentence. Further, subject of a Verb, if absolute indefinite, needs to be specified. Here Subject of Verb is specified by adjectival clause . It is not individually functioning as adjective, since Active Participles reflect the gender of noun that they modify. It is masculine Active Participle and is delayed subject of elided fronted predicate, addition of which could compromise succinctness and beauty of text. It being Masculine Active Participle in nominative case and absolute state, conspicuously reflect that it is part of a sentence which is adjectival and specification clause for subject of verb  , a wind.

Active Participles are formed from Present Tense Active Voice Verb according to rules. Active Participle signifies the person, creature or object that performs the action associated with the verb from which it is derived. Lane's Lexicon describes that its Verb is used to describe the scene of camels going around a well, eager for the water, raising the dust and spreading it around**. Further, that it refers to anything declining; and an arrow declining or turning aside from the butt. Ibn Faris [died-1005], under entry Root "ع ص ف" recorded يدلُّ على خِفّةٍ وسرعة that it leads to the perception of lightness, quickness and speed.

The meanings denoted by are made evident by the act and resultant state that was caused when wind overtook the ship. The effect was that the waves started coming upon them circularly from all directions. This scene in the ocean resembles exactly the state created by camel going around a well raising dust and spreading it around. The people on board the ship fear that they were completely surrounded and veiled by the rising waves. The update about such happening elucidates:

  • And the moment waves wrapped over them like the overshadowing canopies,

  • They called upon Allah the Exalted, acting as sincere devotees-allegiant in conduct for Him the Exalted.

  • In response to their prayers, when He the Exalted rescued them surviving and safe towards the land-shore, thereat some of them make themselves moderate.

  • Take note that none denies deliberately and publicly about Our Aa'ya'at-Verbally communicated passages except every ungratefully disobedient betrayer. [31:32]

"A hurricane consists of bands of thunderstorms that spiral toward the low-pressure center, or “eye” of the storm. Winds also spiral in toward the center, speeding up as they approach the eye. Large thunderstorms create an “eye wall” around the center where winds are the strongest. Winds in the eye itself are nearly calm, and the sky is often clear" [Hurricane-Encarta encyclopedia]. This is the time when people on board the ships feel relaxed and in joyful mood; "And the Ships sailed carrying them on board with pleasant breeze, and they rejoiced the pleasant moments." The ship keeps sailing. "Tropical cyclones form and grow over warm ocean water, drawing their energy from latent heat. Latent heat is the energy released when water vapor in rising hot, humid air condenses into clouds and rain. As warmed air rises, more air flows into the area where the air is rising, creating wind. The Earth’s rotation causes the wind to follow a curved path over the ocean (the Coriolis effect), which helps give tropical cyclones their circular appearance". The ship is now overtaken by "Thereat, a wind overtook the Ship. [masculine] is laden within her/Wind". And wind and: in it has generated water Waves in all directions surrounding the Ship and rising upon and veiling them like overshadowing canopies. "Hurricane generate large waves that travel out in all directions" "And the Waves from all sides reached them-people on board the ship." And then the scene becomes like this;  "And the moment waves had wrapped over them like the overshadowing canopies". Trapped in life threatening situation, people sincerely call upon the Lord of the Physical Realm, Allah the Exalted for rescue.

  • Take note, when dangerous hardship touches you in the Ocean all those are forgotten, whom you people otherwise keep calling in tranquil circumstances, except He the Exalted, exclusively.

  • In response to your prayers and promises, when He the Exalted rescued you people towards the Coast you knowingly refrained from being obliged and thankful.

  • The historical fact is that the Man is generally ungratefully disobedient. [17:67]

Such people are warned:

  • Having been rescued to Coast, is this conduct because you people have felt secured-protected against the possibility that He the Exalted might sink the Coastline along with you —

  • Or that He the Exalted might send upon you that which pelts rock fragments-volcanic ash? [as was sent upon nation of Luet alai'his'slaam]

  • Thereat, you people would not find for your selves any guardian-protector. [17:68]

 

  • Or have you people felt secured that He might occasion your going into the sea another time?

  • Thereat, He the Exalted might send upon you people a smasher cascading from the Wind. Thereby, He the Exalted might drown you people for reason of your ungrateful denials.

  • Afterwards, you might not find a claimant and affectionate follower to plead for you before Our Majesty. [17:69]

Last time when they were caught in storm, it was: that was present in the Wind. This time, it is: that might cascade from the Wind.  It is Active Participle: Indefinite; Singular; Masculine; accusative, Object of preceding Verb. The Prepositional Phrase relates to the elided Adjectival specification of the Object of Verb but is conspicuously evident by the signification of verb, the preposition which signifies local point of departure, and from the targeted destination. Its effect is that the people on board the ship might be drowned in the sea. It seems that: is perhaps what is presently called "Waterspout".

Its Root is "ق ص ف". Ibn Faris stated that it leads to the perception of causing breaking, fracturing, or smashing something. It seems quite meaningful that mood of the verbs in this scene is subjunctive.