In this article we will look at a passage from the Quran. In it, Allah talks about sending fecundating winds and bringing down rain to us. But there is an interesting detail—which at first can seem confusing—that we will investigate in more depth. Let´s have a look at the verse first.
And We send the fecundating winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water (in abundance), though ye are not the guardians of its stores.
Fertilizing Winds?..
Yes, this verse clearly states that winds have a fecundating property. But what does this really mean. Science has explained it in two ways.
All plants have male and female elements; when the male element from one plant meets the female element from another, fruit is produced. Allah has made the wind a carrier of countless tiny seeds for many kinds of fruit trees and other plants. Winds ensure the survival of innumerable plant species by carrying pollen, seeds and dust from one plant to another. They transmit life, create generations and contribute to the survival of our planet. For more information about this topic, read this article about Pairs of Plants.
But wait, there's more...
Like many other people, you may believe that the only relationship between wind and rain is that winds drag rain clouds across a clear sky. However, the truth is more complex than this.
Indeed, rain clouds are driven by winds to key areas where we can benefit from them. But did you know that winds also make the rain fall down to earth? Up to recent times, scientists had thought that the only relationship between wind and rain was that winds dragged rain clouds. However, scientists now know that winds also make rain fall from the clouds. Let´s see how that works.
Cloud Condensation Nucleus (CCN)
The water vapor produced by evaporation from oceans, seas and other water bodies requires CCNs to condense and create rain clouds.
A cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) is a microscopic particle (such as a speck of dust or pollen) that serves as the site for water vapor to condense. The formation of these CCNs is necessary for the formation of clouds. Dust particles are one example of CCNs, and are mostly due to wind storms in desert regions. Pollen or organic aerosol compounds released by land plants, pollution, and soot released from combustion engines also act as CCNs. If it were not for these particles, only pure water vapor could not form the cloud. The fecundating property of winds has been proved once again resulting in rain clouds that are undoubtedly crucial for our survival.
A sign to think about...
We should ask ourselves why the Qur’an mentions this specific detail about the winds. Why didn’t it simply call them “fast” or “strong” winds instead of “fecundating”? As Allah says numerous times in His book that it contains signs for people who think. This is just one example of many.
