وهو الذي يرسل الرياح بشرا بين يدي رحمته حتى اذا اقلت سحابا ثقالا سقناه لبلد ميت فانزلنا به الماء فاخرجنا به من كل الثمرات كذالك نخرج الموتى لعلكم تذكرون ٥٧
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ بُشْرًۢا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتْ سَحَابًۭا ثِقَالًۭا سُقْنَـٰهُ لِبَلَدٍۢ مَّيِّتٍۢ فَأَنزَلْنَا بِهِ ٱلْمَآءَ فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٥٧
Maelezo
The two readings amount to the same, as the genus ‘wind’ contains the meaning of the plural. There is a general pattern in the Quran (among most of its canonical readers) to use the plural in contexts of mercy, i.e. the gentle winds that bring multiple benefits. The singular is more associated with contexts of punishment, as this indicates a singular force. However, this rule has a number of exceptions which may also be explained in a more nuanced way.