Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-Jathiyah -> A Directive to contemplate over Allah's Ayat

Allah directs His servants to contemplate His favors and gifts, as well as His great power that is demonstrated by His creating the heavens and the earth and the various types and categories of creatures in them. There are the angels, Jinns, humans, animals, birds, beasts, carnivores, insects and various kinds of sea creatures. The night and day alternate, each follows the other in succession, never ceasing to come, as decreed. One brings darkness and one brings light. Allah the Exalted also sends down the rain from the clouds when it is most needed. He is calling the rain, `provision', because it is the resource that produces various provisions,

﴿فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا﴾

(and revives therewith the earth after its death,) after it was dry and had no vegetation or life of any kind. Allah said next,

﴿وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَـحِ﴾

(and in the turning about of the winds,) sometimes towards the south and sometimes towards the north. Some are easterly winds and some are westerly winds, some bringing sea breezes and some blow from the land, some coming at night and some by day. Some winds bring rain, some cause pollination and some winds just revive the soul, while some others bear no benefit. Allah said first.

﴿لاّيَـتٍ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾

(are signs for the believers), then

﴿يُوقِنُونَ﴾

(who have faith with certainty), then

﴿يَعْقِلُونَ﴾

(who understand), thus ascending from one honorable stage to what is more honorable and higher in grade. These Ayat are similar to an Ayah in Surat Al-Baqarah

﴿إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاخْتِلَـفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِى تَجْرِى فِى الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَـحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالأَرْضِ لآيَـتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴾

(Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, and the ships which sail through the sea with that which is of use to mankind, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky and makes the earth alive therewith after its death, and the moving creatures of all kinds that He has spread therein, and in the veering of winds and clouds which are held between the sky and the earth, are indeed signs for people of understanding.) (2:164)

﴿تَلْكَ ءَايَـتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَءايَـتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍ - يَسْمَعُ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسْتَكْبِراً كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ - وَإِذَا عَلِمَ مِنْ ءَايَـتِنَا شَيْئاً اتَّخَذَهَا هُزُواً أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ - مِّن وَرَآئِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَلاَ يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مَّا كَسَبُواْ شَيْئاً وَلاَ مَا اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ - هَـذَا هُدًى وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مِّن رِّجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ ﴾

(6. These are the Ayat of Allah, which We recite to you with truth. Then in which speech after Allah and His Ayat will they believe) (7. Woe to every sinful liar.) (8. Who hears the Ayat of Allah Tutla (recited) to him, yet persists with pride as if he heard them not. So announce to him a painful torment!) (9. And when he learns something of Our Ayat, he makes them a jest. For such there will be a humiliating torment.) (10. In front of them there is Hell. And that which they have earned will be of no profit to them, nor those whom they have taken as protective friends besides Allah. And theirs will be a great torment.) (11. This is guidance. And those who disbelieve in the Ayat of their Lord, for them there is a painful torment of Rijz.)