إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا صَرْصَرًا فِي يَوْمِ نَحْسٍ مُّسْتَمِرٍّ
We sent against them a wind that was Sarsar on a day of continuous misfortune.
From أَرْسَلَ – إِرْسال (to release, let go, send/dispatch). Used for releasing the reins of a horse to run free without constraint — a vivid image for the winds being unleashed upon ‘Aad.
Carries layers of meaning from the root صَرَّ: freezing, relentless, widespread, extremely loud, aggressive, intense — capturing why this wind brought death with it.
Signals persistence and unbroken duration — a misfortune that does not abate.
Conveys misfortune, misery, affliction, oppressiveness, and suffering. Also used in Arabic for a wind of dust — implying a day of continuous dust as destruction churns everything into dust.
وَفِي عَادٍ إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الرِّيحَ الْعَقِيمَ ‘Aqeem conveys lack of life — aligning with Sarsar’s death-bearing force.
وَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَأُهْلِكُوا بِرِيحٍ صَرْصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٍ (6) سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُومًا Persistence over days captures the relentlessness wrapped into Sarsar and “continuous misfortune”.
مَا تَذَرُ مِن شَيْءٍ أَتَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا جَعَلَتْهُ كَالرَّمِيمِ Explains why no remnants of ‘Aad remained — the unleashed “Reehan Sarsaran” spared nothing.
Mujahid: An intense hot wind, connected to الصَّرَّ (As-Sarr) meaning “hot”.
Ibn ‘Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddiy: Cold that destroys by the severity of its cold, from الصِّرَّ (As-Sirr) referring to “cold” that freezes and seizes a person.
Al-Alousiy: Notes the first opinion fits the reality of the Arab lands more.
As-Suddiy, Abu ‘Ubaidah, Ibn Qutaibah, At-Tabari, others: It also means to make or amplify a loud sound.
“Arsalnaa” evokes reins let go — the wind is sent without constraint, executing the decree.
“Sarsar” gathers intensity: relentless, bone-chilling cold, and a piercing screech.
“A day of Nahs — mustamir” paints unbroken misfortune, oppression, and misery.