Page 211
huwa lladhī yusayyirukum fī l-barri wa-l-baḥri ḥattā ʾidhā kuntum fī l-fulki wa-jarayna bihim bi-rīḥin ṭayyibatin wa-fariḥū bihā jāʾathā rīḥun ʿāṣifun wa-jāʾahumu l-mawju min kulli makānin wa-ẓannū ʾannahum ʾuḥīṭa bihim daʿawu llāha mukhliṣīna lahu d-dīna la-ʾin ʾanjaytanā min hādhihī la-nakūnanna mina sh-shākirīna
It is He who carries you across land and sea. When you are in the ships, and they sail along with them with a favourable wind, exulting in it, there comes upon them a tempestuous wind and waves assail them from every side, and they think that they are besieged, they invoke Allah putting exclusive faith in Him, ‘If You deliver us from this, we will surely be among the grateful.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Yunus – Verse 22
22. “He it is Who enables you to traverse through land and sea; so that you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favourable wind, and they rejoice thereat. Then there comes upon them a stormy wind and the waves come on them from all sides, and they think that they are encompassed therewith, they call upon Allah, making their faith pure for Him, (saying): ‘If You deliver us from this, we shall surely be of the grateful ones’.”
In this verse the Qur’an appeals to the depths of human nature, explaining to them the monotheism which is embedded in their very being, describing to them how man once in great difficulty and danger, tends to forget everything but Allah. First, He says that He is the One Who enables you to traverse through the land and the sea. And, when you go on board a ship, He makes you eventually get, you and your ship, to your destination with the help of the appropriate winds that gladden every heart.
Then when a horrible thunderstorm blows and waves buffet them from all sides, it makes them realize that death is near, and they lose their hopes of survival. The verse says:
“He it is Who enables you to traverse through land and sea; so that you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favourable wind, and they rejoice thereat. Then there comes upon them a stormy wind and the waves come on them from all sides, and they think that they are encompassed therewith...”
At just about that time, they are reminded of Allah and call upon Him sincerely, their thoughts stripped of all sorts of polytheism and idol worship. The verse continues saying:
“…they call upon Allah, making their faith pure for Him…”
They start praying at this time, saying that if Allah save them from this plight, they will thank Him while they shall neither oppress others nor turn to others for help save Him. The verse says:
“…(saying): ‘If You deliver us from this, we shall surely be of the grateful ones’.”
Although this temporary awakening will often have no remarkable educational effect upon extraordinarily wicked people, yet He completes the process of reasoning to the end to them, and it will serve as their eventual condemnation. In such incidents, those individuals, who are only slightly polluted, are usually awakened and tend to reform themselves.