The Frosty Wind (Surah Al-'Imran 3:117)

As-Salamu-Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


The Parable of What the Disbelievers Spend in This Life

Allah gave a parable for what the disbelievers spend in this life, as Mujahid, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi said.

The likeness of what they spend in this world is the likeness of a wind of Sir; a frigid wind, as Ibn 'Abbas, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and others have said. `Ata' said that Sir, means, `cold and snow.' Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid are also reported to have said that Sir means, `fire'. This latter meaning does not contradict the meanings we mentioned above, because extreme cold weather, especially when accompanied by snow, burns plants and produce, and has the same effect fire has on such growth.

It struck the harvest of a people who did wrong against themselves and destroyed it, by burning. This Ayah mentions a calamity that strikes produce that is ready to harvest, destroying it by burning and depriving its owner of it when he needs it the most. Such is the case with the disbelievers, for Allah destroys the rewards for their good deeds in this life, just as He destroyed the produce of the sinner because of his sins. Both types did not build their work on firm foundations,

And Allah wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.

Reference: Tafsir ibn Kathir (abridged) English version.